The Hurt Syndicate have been absent from in-ring action since AEW All In: London on August 30, with rumors swirling about their direction.
Previously, The Hurt Business in WWE, Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin and MVP reunited in AEW, becoming World Tag Team Champions.
Lashley was sidelined through injury in December of last year, returning in April, although they’ve been unable to re-enter that Tag Team Championship picture.
With online speculation that they refuse to lose in AEW, perhaps a future in WWE would see their fortunes revived:
AEW All In: London
Despite being a physically impressive tag team that would no doubt delight the fans at Wembley Stadium if they were in a championship match, The Hurt Syndicate would feature on the pre-show, winning the $50,000 cheque signed by The Rizzler, having teamed with Boom and Doom (Big Boom AJ & QT Marshall) in a victory over Shane Taylor Promotions (Shane Taylor, Lee Moriarty, Carlie Bravo & Shawn Dean).
The Hurt Syndicate and Shane Taylor Promotions had been feuding ahead of All In and there was every possibility that the could have faced off, once more, without Boom and Doom at the pay-per-view to bring the rivarly to an end. Instead, to date, the feud has seemingly come to a close on the pre-show.
Putting people over
With speculation that The Hurt Syndicate wouldn’t put AEW stars over, Sean Ross Sapp addressed that very subject on The Hump, saying:
“Listen, I know there’s been a lot of talk about them like not wanting to put people over. There’s definitely been some situations where they haven’t wanted to. That has been a thing.”
Sapp wouldn’t go into specifics as to which names may have fallen into that category, with co-host Jon Alba noting: “I don’t think you’re gonna be seeing Hurt Syndicate anytime soon.”
AEW contracts
In comments made in November of last year, MVP revealed he had signed a contract extension that will see him “with AEW for quite a while”. Earlier this year, MVP confirmed his deal takes him through to being 57 years of age, with the star currently 52.
Shelton Benjamin would confirm he had signed a three-year deal, making that revelation in comments back in April, 2025.
MVP is understood to be under a two-year deal, which would be expected to expire in October 2026, but would likely have injury time added. At the time of writing, it isn’t clear whether a new deal has been signed or is in negotiation.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Live in August, Bryan Alvarez commented that some AEW contracts will “quietly expire”.
A WWE return?
While not entirely beyond the realms of possibility, a WWE return is unlikely for MVP given his thoughts about Triple H, previously describing him as “a coward and a liar“.
Back in 2021, Bobby Lashley shared advice to released talent, telling them to “never burn bridges“. Lashley’s WWE contract expired in August 2024, with Shelton Benjamin having been released in September the year prior.
With the right negotiations and opportunities offered, there is always the possibility that any of the three could return to WWE when contracts expire.
Transcript from SEScoops.
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