Hiroshi Tanahashi has massive praise for Shelton Benjamin.
The Japanese legend spoke about the WWE veteran during a recent edition of his Ace’s HIGH Column on the NJPW website, where he called the former Team Angle member a model of pure athleticism.
I’d known of Benjamin since his Team Angle days in WWE, but it really struck me wrestling him how he was actually the biggest guy of that group. So put together, especially those shoulders of his, and just an incredible pure athlete. Benjamin is the very model of something I’ve spoken about before.
Tanahashi later admits that he was always jealous of guys like Benjamin as he was never as gifted athletically himself. However, he does add that he knows that it required him to focus more on his psychology game, a skill that made Tanahashi the in-ring legend he became.
I feel so jealous of guys that have such unbelievable athletic DNA, just blessed to have incredible athletic ability, like Okada as well, but then again, it’s probably my shortcomings that made me a success. I could never fly around, but I had to focus my efforts on developing from a psychological perspective instead.
Tanahashi is currently competing in the 2023 G1 Climax for NJPW. He recently lost to Alex Coughlin
in his latest Round Robin matchup.