Baron Corbin opened up on Chris Van Vliet’s INSIGHT about the frustrations surrounding his WWE departure and the obstacles he believes were deliberately placed in his path. After over a decade with the company, Corbin’s contract was not renewed, a decision that left him hurt but also motivated to prove himself. Reflecting on his career, Corbin shared how his time in NXT allowed him to reinvent himself and build momentum, only to encounter resistance upon returning to the main roster.
“For me, with my contract ending and WWE deciding not to renew it, I was obviously hurt, but it also lit a fire in me,” Corbin said. He felt his work in NXT was strong and the crowd reactions upon his return to the main roster were some of the loudest of his career. “When I did wrestle on TV, the crowd was insane for me. Those were the best reactions I had in years, since I was King Corbin or Constable Corbin.”
He recalled a particularly memorable moment in Arkansas, where fans erupted even when he wasn’t in the match, leading Chad Gable to jokingly suggest he should storm backstage and flip off the writers.
Despite his efforts, Corbin believed someone in WWE with significant influence was intentionally holding him back. “When I got back to the main roster, I felt like someone was holding me down, like I wasn’t supposed to succeed,” he admitted. WWE’s decision to move in a different direction, even after Corbin made requested changes, added to his frustration. He pointed to his storyline with JBL as an example, saying it had potential but wasn’t executed properly. “JBL is the man — he sent in amazing pitches, but they died in the wind somewhere.”
Corbin revealed that six months before his departure, he felt everything was clicking — strong performances, excellent crowd reactions — but plans for him were still dropped.
Randy Orton, among others, reached out to express disbelief. Orton even offered to speak with Triple H but later told Corbin that somebody in the WWE management doesn’t like him:
“I was talking to Randy about it — lots of guys reached out. Randy said, ‘Dude, I honestly thought you were going to be there for another 10 years. Do you want me to talk to Hunter about it?’ I don’t know if he did, but then he said, ‘Somebody doesn’t like you.’
I feel like I know who it is, but that’s beside the point. They had enough power to kill whatever Creative had planned, and at the end of the night, they have to live with that — it’s on them.”
The lack of clarity surrounding his struggles in WWE remains the hardest part for Corbin. Despite his loyalty to the company and willingness to adapt, he felt an ulterior motive was at play. While Orton confirmed Corbin’s suspicions, the former WWE star emphasized that he wouldn’t let the actions of one person dictate his emotions. “I’ve been a company guy through and through, and I never complained about anything. It sucks, but it is what it is.”
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