Shelton Benjamin Returns to WWE SmackDown Poised to Be Key to Chad Gable's Rise

Chad Gable has to be as geeked up about Shelton Benjamin's return to WWE SmackDown as the fans.

The former SmackDown tag team champ has found himself adrift since Jason Jordan left for Raw. The American Alpha tag team disintegrated. Gable didn't have a story of his own while Jordan was the center of a soap opera involving Hall of Famer Kurt Angle.

That spinning-his-wheels sensation ended on Tuesday night.

In a brief backstage segment, Benjamin made his return to WWE after a seven-year absence. SmackDown general manager Daniel Bryan explained that in the deal that sent Jordan to Raw, he acquired Benjamin for the blue brand.

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Bryan also mentioned that Gable and Benjamin would be in action as a tag team next week.

And with that, WWE has a multitude of options for Gable. Benjamin's presence will be both a means to further Gable's in-ring education and a way to help introduce him to fans.

Gable gets an tag team partner upgrade. He gets to siphon some of the buzz generated by Benjamin. It's all enough to get one's heart rate up.

Chris Walder Frey of The Score is among those thrilled about the possibilities ahead:

Benjamin and Gable will be great as a duo, but WWE could just as easily have the two be rivals.

Perhaps Benjamin doesn't want to remain in the tag team division and pushes Gable away much like Jordan did early on at NXT. Maybe Benjamin turns on the Olympian in a full-blown heel turn. Then Gable will have an electric opponent, one that will push him in the ring. 

Suddenly, Jordan doesn't look like the clear winner in the American Alpha divorce anymore.