Thomas Pestock (born September 13, 1984) is an American
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
and former
professional football player. He is currently signed to
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
, where he performs on the
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Baron Corbin.
Pestock is a former
offensive lineman
In gridiron football, a lineman is a player who specializes in play at the line of scrimmage. The linemen of the team currently in possession of the ball are the offensive line, while linemen on the opposing team are the defensive line. A numbe ...
for the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
and
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
of the
National Football League
The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the ...
(NFL), as well as a three-time
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States, where they are awarded a belt and a ring. And the title of nations champion is awarded. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the Nation ...
champion and former
grappling
Grappling, in hand-to-hand combat, describes sports that consist of gripping or seizing the opponent. Grappling is used at close range to gain a physical advantage over an opponent, either by imposing a position or causing injury. Grappling i ...
champion.
Pestock signed with WWE in 2012 and was assigned to their
developmental brand
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher ...
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
as Baron Corbin. He debuted on the main roster at
WrestleMania 32
WrestleMania 32 was the 32nd annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on April 3, 2016, at the AT&T Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. This was the last Wre ...
, winning the
André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is a namesake battle royal held as part of WrestleMania Weekend by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. The winner of the match receives the André the Giant Memorial Trophy. The inaugura ...
. He went on to win the
2017 Money in the Bank men's ladder match and
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling Professional wrestling championship#Location-specific championships, championship promoted by the United States, American professional wrestling promotion, promotion WWE, currently de ...
once. In 2018, he was made the Constable of ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
'' and started a feud with
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler, Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling, and former Collegiate wrestling, ...
which culminated at
WrestleMania 35
WrestleMania 35 was the 35th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brand divisions. The event took place ...
, with Corbin defeating him in his retirement match. A few months later, he won the
2019 King of the Ring tournament
The King of the Ring tournament is a men's professional wrestling single-elimination tournament held periodically by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. Established in 1985, the winner of the inaugural tournament was Don M ...
, thus changing his ring name to King Corbin until June 2021, where he lost his crown and subsequently became destitute. However in August 2021, he adopted the new ring name "Happy Corbin" and gimmick, portraying a happy go-lucky wealthy character. He then started a brief alliance with
Madcap Moss
Michael Carter Rallis (born October 10, 1989) is an American professional wrestler and former college football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Madcap Moss.
Early life
Rallis ...
. Since October 2022, he reverted back to the "Baron Corbin" ring name and has been managed by
JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. JBL serves the customer home and professional market. The professional market includes studios, installed/tour/portable sound, cars, music ...
.
Early life
Thomas Pestock
was born in
Lenexa, Kansas
Lenexa is a city in Johnson County, Kansas, United States. It is one of four principal cities of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area and 9th most populated city of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 57,434. It is t ...
,
on September 13, 1984.
He has trained extensively in
boxing
Boxing (also known as "Western boxing" or "pugilism") is a combat sport in which two people, usually wearing protective gloves and other protective equipment such as hand wraps and mouthguards, throw punches at each other for a predetermined ...
and by 2007, he was a two-time
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States, where they are awarded a belt and a ring. And the title of nations champion is awarded. The Golden Gloves is a term used to refer to the Nation ...
regional amateur boxing champion. He participated in the 2008 Golden Gloves National Tournament of Champions in the
super heavyweight division, defeating Chaen Chess in the preliminaries and losing to Andrae Cathron in the quarter-finals.
Football career
College
Pestock attended
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is a nonprofit organization that regulates student athletics among about 1,100 schools in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico. It also organizes the athletic programs of colleges an ...
Division II college
Northwest Missouri State University,
where he played
offensive guard
Offensive may refer to:
* Offensive, the former name of the Dutch political party Socialist Alternative
* Offensive (military), an attack
* Offensive language
** Fighting words or insulting language, words that by their very utterance inflict inj ...
, and he became a starter his junior year in 2007. Pestock was named honorable mention all-
MIAA in 2007 and first-team all-MIAA in 2008. He was part of teams that went to four consecutive
Division II National Championships and lost each time.
Professional
Pestock signed with the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
on April 27, 2009, after going undrafted in the
2009 NFL Draft.
While with the Colts, he was roommates with future All-Pro punter and professional wrestler
Pat McAfee, a fact that was central to a feud between the two of them in
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
13 years later. He was released by the Colts on August 13 and re-signed by the team on August 19.
He was again released by the Colts on September 5.
Pestock joined the
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Cardinals compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) West division, and play t ...
' practice squad on December 24, 2009. He was re-signed to a
futures contract
In finance, a futures contract (sometimes called a futures) is a standardized legal contract to buy or sell something at a predetermined price for delivery at a specified time in the future, between parties not yet known to each other. The asset ...
on January 18, 2010, and was noted for throwing uppercuts in a team scuffle in training camp.
He was released by the Cardinals on September 3 and signed to the team's practice squad on September 6.
On January 4, 2011, he was again signed to a futures contract with the Cardinals.
He was again released on September 2, 2011.
Professional wrestling career
WWE
NXT (2012–2016)
![WWE NXT 2015-03-27 23-16-08 ILCE-6000 3565 DxO (16744459554)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/WWE_NXT_2015-03-27_23-16-08_ILCE-6000_3565_DxO_%2816744459554%29.jpg)
Pestock signed with
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
's
developmental system NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
in August 2012. Using the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or projecting ...
Baron Corbin, he made his in-ring debut on October 18 at a
house show
A house show or live event is a professional wrestling event produced by a major promotion that is not televised, though they can be recorded. Promotions use house shows mainly to cash in on the exposure that they and their wrestlers receive du ...
, losing to Dante Dash.
He would work in several NXT events, usually as an
enhancement talent
In professional wrestling slang, a job is a losing performance in a wrestling match. It is derived from the euphemism "doing one's job", which was employed to protect information related to kayfabe from being revealed. The term can be used a numbe ...
.
On September 11, 2014, at
NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way, Corbin re-debuted as a
face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
with a
new look and ring character to defeat
CJ Parker
Joseph Ryan Robinson (born April 10, 1989), better known by his ring name Juice Robinson, is an American professional wrestler, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Robinson is also a member of the Bullet Club stable and also wrestles ...
. Corbin then won numerous
singles matches against enhancement talents, each in
a short amount of time, until crossing paths with
Bull Dempsey
James Smith (born January 16, 1988) is an American professional wrestler currently performing internationally under the ring name Bull James. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he performed on NXT, under the ring name Bull Dempsey.
Pr ...
, who was also winning his matches quickly, beginning a
feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, clan war, gang war, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight, often between social groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one part ...
between the two. After a staredown at
NXT TakeOver: R Evolution on December 11,
Corbin won their highly anticipated one-on-one match on the January 14, 2015, episode of ''NXT'', breaking Dempsey's undefeated streak in the process. Corbin again defeated Dempsey in the first round of a number one contender's tournament for the NXT Championship, but was eliminated by
Adrian Neville
Benjamin Satterley (born 22 August 1986), better known by his ring name Pac, is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he was the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion. He is one-third of the ...
in the semi-finals, ending Corbin's undefeated streak.
At
NXT TakeOver: Rival on February 11, Corbin defeated Dempsey in a
No Disqualification match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
to end their feud.
In the following weeks, the crowd turned on him and on the May 13 episode of ''NXT'', Corbin turned
heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower Human leg, leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive for ...
by showing a cocky and banterous persona. He started a feud with
Rhyno
Terrance Guido Gerin (born October 7, 1975) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Rhyno or Rhino. He is currently signed to Impact Wrestling, where he is one-half of the Impact World Tag Team Champions in his secon ...
, whom he defeated at
NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable on May 20. Corbin lost to
Samoa Joe
Nuufolau Joel Seanoa (born March 17, 1979), is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Samoa Joe who is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). Joe is currently a double champion - in his first reign both as AEW ...
at
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn on August 22. In September, Corbin formed a
tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
with former rival Rhyno to take place in the
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament
A tournament is a competition involving at least three competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:
# One or more competitions held at a single venue and concentr ...
, defeating
The Ascension in the first round, and
Johnny Gargano
John Anthony Nicholas Gargano (born August 14, 1987) is an American professional wrestler best known under the ring name Johnny Gargano. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is best known for his time in NXT, wh ...
and
or AND may refer to:
Logic, grammar, and computing
* Conjunction (grammar), connecting two words, phrases, or clauses
* Logical conjunction in mathematical logic, notated as "∧", "⋅", "&", or simple juxtaposition
* Bitwise AND, a boolea ...
Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Whitney (born May 8, 1985) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Tommaso Ciampa.
Whitney began his career in 2005, working on several independent ...
in the second round.
At
NXT TakeOver: Respect on October 7, Corbin and Rhyno defeated
Chad Gable
Charles Edward Betts (born March 8, 1986) is an American professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Chad Gable. He is a four-time tag team champion in ...
and
or AND may refer to:
Logic, grammar, and computing
* Conjunction (grammar), connecting two words, phrases, or clauses
* Logical conjunction in mathematical logic, notated as "∧", "⋅", "&", or simple juxtaposition
* Bitwise AND, a boolea ...
Jason Jordan
Nathan Everhart (born September 28, 1988) is an American professional wrestler better known by the ring name Jason Jordan. He is currently signed to WWE, where he works as a producer. He has not wrestled since suffering a neck injury in Janu ...
to advance to the finals of the tournament, where they lost to Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe. After the event, a battle royal was held to determine the number one contender for the NXT Championship, which saw Corbin being lastly eliminated by
Apollo Crews
Sesugh Uhaa (born August 22, 1987) is a Nigerian-American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Apollo Crews.
He started his career in 2009, originally working under the ring name ...
, who Corbin attacked during his title match to cost him the title, thus igniting a feud between the two that culminated in a match at
NXT TakeOver: London on December 16, where Corbin defeated Crews.
In January 2016, Corbin was involved in a
triple threat match between
Sami Zayn
Rami Sebei ( ar, رامي سبعي; born July 12, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sami Zayn, and is a member of The Bloodline.
Prior to jo ...
and Samoa Joe on the January 27 episode of ''NXT'' to determine the number contender for Finn Bálor's NXT Championship, but Corbin lost after Zayn and Joe both applied their
submission holds on Corbin at the same time, with Corbin
submitting. NXT General Manager
William Regal
Darren Kenneth Matthews (born 10 May 1968), better known by the ring name William Regal, is an English retired professional wrestler. He is known for his over 20 years spent in WWE, as both a performer and an on-screen authority, and for his t ...
did not give Corbin another title opportunity, leading to Corbin stating Regal would "regret" his decision, which culminated on the March 2 episode of ''NXT'' when Corbin attacked
Austin Aries
Daniel Healy Solwold Jr. (born April 15, 1978), better known by his ring name Austin Aries, is an American Professional wrestling, professional wrestler currently signed to the Control Your Narrative wrestling promotion. He is best known for his ...
from behind after Regal introduced him, beginning a feud between the two that culminated in a match at
NXT TakeOver: Dallas on April 1, where Corbin lost to Aries. On the April 13 episode of ''NXT'', Corbin defeated
Tucker Knight
Levi Rolla Cooper (born July 24, 1990) is an American professional wrestler, best known for his time in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Tucker. After signing with WWE in 2013, he was assigned to their developmental brand NXT, under t ...
in his final NXT appearance.
Main roster beginnings (2016–2017)
Corbin made his main roster debut at Wrestlemania 32, winning the
André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal is a namesake battle royal held as part of WrestleMania Weekend by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. The winner of the match receives the André the Giant Memorial Trophy. The inaugura ...
by last eliminating
Kane.
The following night on ''
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
'', he ''a''ssaulted
Dolph Ziggler
Nicholas Theodore Nemeth (born July 27, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and stand-up comedian. He is currently signed to WWE under the ring name Dolph Ziggler, where he performs on the Raw brand.
After a prolific career in amateur ...
after their match, beginning a feud between the two. Corbin was defeated by Ziggler at the
Payback
Payback may refer to:
* Revenge, a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance
Payback may also refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Payback, a member of the fictional comics superhero team Shadow ...
pre-show on May 1 and was eliminated by him from a battle royal on ''Raw''. Corbin defeated Ziggler on the May 9 episode of ''Raw'' and in a no disqualification match at the
Extreme Rules pre-show on May 22. Ziggler then challenged Corbin to a technical wrestling match, which ended in a
disqualification after Ziggler hit Corbin with a
low blow. At
Money in the Bank on June 19, Corbin defeated Ziggler to end their feud.
![Shakedown 09 (30956815244)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/57/Shakedown_09_%2830956815244%29.jpg)
At the
2016 WWE draft on July 19, Corbin was drafted to the
SmackDown
''WWE SmackDown'', also known as ''Friday Night SmackDown'' or simply ''SmackDown'', is an American professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that as of currently airs live every Friday at 8 p.m. ET on Fox. Fox Deportes sim ...
brand
A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
. After Apollo Crews earned a match for the
Intercontinental Championship by defeating Corbin and
Kalisto in a triple threat match, Corbin repeatedly assaulted Kalisto (who had been
pinned in the match), eventually putting him out of action with a (
kayfabe
In professional wrestling, kayfabe, as a noun, is the portrayal of staged events within the industry as "real" or "true", specifically the portrayal of competition, rivalries, and relationships between participants as being genuine and not staged ...
) injury. He defeated Crews at the
Backlash
Backlash may refer to:
Literature
* '' Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women'', a 1991 book by Susan Faludi
* ''Backlash'' (Star Wars novel), a 2010 novel by Aaron Allston
* Backlash (Marc Slayton), comic book character
* ''Backla ...
pre-show on September 11. At
No Mercy on October 9, he defeated
Jack Swagger
Donald Jacob Hager Jr. (born March 24, 1982) is an American professional wrestler and mixed martial artist, currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Jake Hager, where he is a member of the Jericho Appreciation Society ...
as well on the October 18 episode of ''SmackDown''. On the November 8 episode of ''SmackDown'', the returning Kalisto attacked Corbin, causing a (kayfabe) injury and forcing Corbin to drop out of SmackDown's
Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the se ...
team. After retaliating by costing Kalisto the
Cruiserweight Championship at Survivor Series, Kalisto attacked Corbin with a
chair
A chair is a type of seat, typically designed for one person and consisting of one or more legs, a flat or slightly angled seat and a back-rest. They may be made of wood, metal, or synthetic materials, and may be padded or upholstered in vario ...
during a match on the November 22 episode of ''SmackDown'', leading to a
chairs match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
between the two at
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 4, which Corbin won.
On the December 20 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin confronted Dolph Ziggler, who had just earned a title match against
WWE Champion
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDow ...
AJ Styles
Allen Neal Jones (born June 2, 1977), better known by his ring name AJ Styles (also stylized as A.J. Styles), is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Regarded as one of the best ...
. A match between the two, with Ziggler's title opportunity on the line, ended in a double countout; as a result, Corbin was added to the title match, giving Corbin his first
world title
A world championship is generally an international competition open to elite competitors from around the world, representing their nations, and winning such an event will be considered the highest or near highest achievement in the sport, game, ...
opportunity in WWE. On December 27, Styles won the match by pinning Ziggler. At the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
on January 29, Corbin entered the
Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic Battle Royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
at #13, eliminating
Braun Strowman
Adam Joseph Scherr (born September 6, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and former strongman. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Braun Strowman.
In WWE, he is a one-time U ...
and lasting over 32 minutes before being eliminated by
The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway spent the vast majorit ...
. At
Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE. The match was founded by Chris Jericho , created and introduced by Eric Bischoff in November 2002. It features a large chain-linked circular steel ...
on February 12, Corbin competed in the
namesake match for the WWE Championship. Immediately after being eliminated by Intercontinental Champion
Dean Ambrose
Jonathan David Good (born December 7, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Jon Moxley. He also makes appearances for New Japan Pro-Wres ...
, Corbin attacked Ambrose, causing the latter's elimination. Corbin attacked Ambrose on the March 7 episode of ''SmackDown'' with metal pipe and a forklift. On March 21, Ambrose retaliated by distracting Corbin in a match against
Randy Orton. Corbin unsuccessfully challenged Ambrose for the Intercontinental Championship at the
WrestleMania 33
WrestleMania 33 was the 33rd annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event took place on April 2, 201 ...
pre-show on April 2
but defeated Ambrose in a non-title
Street Fight on ''SmackDown''.
On the April 17 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin failed to win a title opportunity for the United States Championship in a triple threat match against AJ Styles and
Sami Zayn
Rami Sebei ( ar, رامي سبعي; born July 12, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sami Zayn, and is a member of The Bloodline.
Prior to jo ...
. After the show, Corbin attacked Zayn and also shoved an official, for which he was suspended and fined by SmackDown Commissioner
Shane McMahon
Shane Brandon McMahon (; born January 15, 1970) is an American businessman and professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he was a wrestler, producer and minority owner. He is the founder and executive chairman of Idean ...
. At
Backlash
Backlash may refer to:
Literature
* '' Backlash: The Undeclared War Against American Women'', a 1991 book by Susan Faludi
* ''Backlash'' (Star Wars novel), a 2010 novel by Aaron Allston
* Backlash (Marc Slayton), comic book character
* ''Backla ...
on May 21, Corbin lost to Zayn.
Mr. Money in the Bank and United States Champion (2017–2018)
At
Money in the Bank on June 18, Corbin won the namesake match, earning him a world title match at the time of his choosing.
Corbin lost to
Shinsuke Nakamura by disqualification at
Battleground on July 23 and again on the following episode of ''SmackDown''. On the August 1 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin attacked Nakamura, who had just become number one contender for the WWE Championship, but was attacked by Cena. On the August 15 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin interrupted a match between
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
and WWE Champion
Jinder Mahal
Yuvraj Singh Dhesi (born July 19, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand, under the ring name Jinder Mahal.
Having started his career on the independent circuit, Mahal joine ...
and cashed in his Money in the Bank contract, but was pinned by Mahal after being sidetracked by Cena, becoming the third wrestler to fail to win the title in a cash-in. At
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
on August 20, Corbin lost to Cena.
On the August 22 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin was approached by
Kevin Owens
Kevin Steen (born May 7, 1984) is a Canadian professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Kevin Owens.
Steen began his career in 2000, at the age of 16. Prior to joining WWE in lat ...
to officiate his title match against
United States Champion AJ Styles, with the promise of a future championship match if Owens were to win the title; Corbin abandoned the match towards the end after heavy criticism from Shane McMahon, leaving the officiating duty to Shane instead. The following week, both Corbin and
Tye Dillinger
Ronnie William Arneill (born February 19, 1981) is a Canadian professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Shawn Spears, where he is a current member of The Pinnacle ...
wanted to answer an open challenge issued by Styles; Dillinger was quicker but was then attacked by Corbin. Corbin defeated Dillinger the following week and on September 19, challenged Styles to a match at
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
. When Corbin lost to Dillinger the following week on ''SmackDown'', Dillinger was added to the match. In the subsequent triple threat match at Hell in a Cell on October 8, Corbin pinned Dillinger to win the title.
Corbin retained the title against Styles on ''SmackDown'' and defeated Intercontinental Champion
The Miz
Michael Gregory Mizanin (born October 8, 1980) is an American professional wrestler, actor, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name The Miz.
Mizanin first gained fa ...
in an Interbrand
Champion vs Champion match at
Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the se ...
on November 19. At
Clash of Champions
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). ...
on December 17, Corbin lost his title to Dolph Ziggler in a triple threat match also involving
Bobby Roode, ending his reign at 70 days.
At
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
on January 28, 2018, Corbin entered at #4 but was eliminated by Finn Bálor. On the February 13 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin defeated Kevin Owens to earn a spot in the
six-pack challenge for the WWE Championship. At
Fastlane on March 11, Styles won the six-pack challenge by pinning Owens. Corbin competed in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the
WrestleMania 34
WrestleMania 34 was the 34th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event took place on April 8, 2 ...
pre-show on April 8; he made it to the final two before being eliminated by
Matt Hardy
Matthew Moore Hardy (born September 23, 1974) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is best known for his time with WWE.
With his real life brother Jeff, Hardy gained notoriety in WWF's tag team ...
.
Constable Corbin (2018–2019)
On April 16, Corbin moved to the
Raw
Raw is an adjective usually describing:
* Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made
* Raw food, uncooked food
Raw or RAW may also refer to:
Computing and electronics
* .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
brand as part of the
Superstar Shake-up. On the June 4 episode of ''Raw'', he became commissioner
Stephanie McMahon
Stephanie McMahon Levesque (born Stephanie Marie McMahon; ; September 24, 1976) is an American businesswoman and retired professional wrestler. She is the current chairwoman and co-chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the world's largest profe ...
's representative as the
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
of Raw, a storyline position without real power in the promotion. The following week, Corbin debuted a new look, wearing a suit and a shaved head. Corbin then started a feud with
Finn Bálor
Fergal Devitt (born 25 July 1981) is an Irish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Finn Bálor (), and is a member of The Judgment Day.
Devitt is widely known for his t ...
, to whom he lost at
Extreme Rules on July 15 and at
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
on August 19. On the following episode of ''Raw'', he was pointed as acting general manager, replacing
Kurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle (born December 9, 1968) is an American retired professional wrestler, Wrestling at the 1996 Summer Olympics – Men's freestyle 100 kg, Olympic gold medalist in American freestyle wrestling, and former Collegiate wrestling, ...
. On the September 17 episode of ''Raw'', Corbin booked himself against
Roman Reigns
Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa'i (born May 25, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and former football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Roman Reigns. He is the leader of The B ...
for the
Universal Championship, but did not win the title.
On November 2 at
Crown Jewel, Corbin cost
Braun Strowman
Adam Joseph Scherr (born September 6, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and former strongman. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Braun Strowman.
In WWE, he is a one-time U ...
the Universal Championship in a match against
Brock Lesnar
Brock Edward Lesnar ( ; born July 12, 1977) is an American-Canadian professional wrestler, former mixed martial artist (MMA), amateur wrestler, and professional American football player who holds both American and Canadian citizenship. He is ...
, starting a feud between the two. At
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 16, Corbin faced Strowman in a
TLC match where, if Corbin won, he would become a full-time general manager of Raw; but if Corbin lost, he would be stripped of his authoritative powers. Strowman enlisted the help of Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode, Chad Gable, Finn Bálor, and former Raw general manager Kurt Angle to defeat Corbin. The next night on ''Raw'', authority figures
Vince McMahon
Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American media proprietor and retired professional wrestling promoter, executive, and performer. From 1982 to 2022, he served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the ...
, Shane McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and
Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque (born July 27, 1969), better known by the ring name Triple H, is an American business executive, actor, and retired professional wrestler currently serving as the chief content officer for WWE. He is widely regarded as on ...
stated that they would now be running both ''Raw'' and ''SmackDown'' as a unit with no general managers. Corbin confronted the McMahons to have another chance to become the Raw General Manager. Triple H said that if he could defeat Kurt Angle, he could become the Raw General Manager. However, Triple H added Apollo Crews, Bobby Roode, and Chad Gable to make it a 4-on-1 handicap match that Corbin lost, definitively ruling him out of the position. Corbin continued his feud with Braun Strowman, being eliminated by him in the Royal Rumble match at the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
on January 27, 2019. At
Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE. The match was founded by Chris Jericho , created and introduced by Eric Bischoff in November 2002. It features a large chain-linked circular steel ...
on February 17, Corbin defeated Strowman in a no disqualification match, following interference from
Bobby Lashley
Franklin Roberto Lashley (born July 16, 1976) is an American professional wrestler, mixed martial artist and bodybuilder. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is an eight-time world champion, having been a two-t ...
and
Drew McIntyre
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE I ...
. The next night on ''Raw'', Corbin was defeated by Strowman in a
tables match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
, ending their feud.
![Baron Corbin WWE Live 2019](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/Baron_Corbin_WWE_Live_2019.jpg)
Corbin started a feud with Kurt Angle on the March 18 episode of ''Raw''. Angle selected Corbin as his opponent for
WrestleMania 35
WrestleMania 35 was the 35th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brand divisions. The event took place ...
in his farewell match, as Corbin had caused Angle many problems during Angle's tenure as Raw general manager. At WrestleMania on April 7, Corbin defeated Angle. On the May 27 episode of ''Raw'', Corbin defeated Braun Strowman, Bobby Lashley, and The Miz in a
fatal four-way elimination match to earn a Universal Championship match against the champion
Seth Rollins
Colby Daniel Lopez (born May 28, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Seth Rollins (often referred to as Seth "Freakin" Rollins).
Prior to signing ...
.
At
Super ShowDown
WWE Super ShowDown (originally stylized as Super Show-Down) was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE, an American-based promotion. It was broadcast live and available only through pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE's livestreaming service, the ...
on June 7, Corbin lost to Rollins, but during the match, Corbin got into an argument with referee
John Cone
John Cone (born November 16, 1974) is an American professional wrestling referee who works for WWE under the Raw brand. Cone also works in the corporate role of senior manager of talent relations for WWE.
Professional wrestling career Indepen ...
, allowing Rollins to roll-up Corbin to retain the title. This led to a rematch at
Stomping Grounds, where Corbin chose
Lacey Evans
Macey Estrella-Kadlec (née Evans; born March 24, 1990) is an American professional wrestler signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Lacey Evans.
Originally introduced to wrestling while serving as a militar ...
, who was in an ongoing feud with Rollins' real life girlfriend
Becky Lynch
Rebecca Quin (born 30 January 1987) is an Irish professional wrestler. She is signed to WWE under the ring name Becky Lynch where she performs on the Raw brand. Lynch is one of WWE's most recognizable and highest-paid wrestlers. Twitter name ...
, as the
special guest referee
In professional wrestling, a referee is an authority figure present in or near the ring during matches. The referee's purpose is similar to that of referees in combat sports such as boxing or mixed martial arts, that is, as an arbiter of the rul ...
for the match; Evans was biased towards Corbin throughout the match, adding multiple stipulations in his favour. However, Lynch, who defeated Evans for the
Raw Women's Championship
The WWE Raw Women's Championship is a women's professional wrestling world championship created and promoted by the American promotion WWE, defended on the Raw brand division. It is one of two women's world titles for WWE's main roster, along ...
earlier in the night, attacked Evans and took her out of the match, leading to Rollins' victory over Corbin at the event on June 23. The following night on ''Raw'', Corbin and Evans challenged Rollins and Lynch to a match at
Extreme Rules. The match was agreed to with two stipulations: Rollins and Lynch would defend their respective championships, while the match would be the final respective championship opportunities for Corbin and Evans. At Extreme Rules on July 14, Corbin and Evans lost the match.
King Corbin (2019–2021)
In August, Corbin was announced as one of sixteen competitors in the
2019 King of the Ring tournament. After over a month away from ''Raw'', Corbin returned on the August 19 episode, where he and McIntyre lost to
Ricochet
A ricochet ( ; ) is a rebound, bounce, or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. Most ricochets are caused by accident and while the force of the deflection decelerates the projectile, it can still be energetic and almost ...
and The Miz. In the following weeks, Corbin defeated The Miz in the first round,
Cedric Alexander
Cedric Alexander Johnson (born August 16, 1989) is an American professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand.
Alexander worked for Ring of Honor (ROH) from 2010 until 2016. He started as part of C&C Factory, ...
in the quarterfinals, Ricochet and Samoa Joe in the semifinals, and Chad Gable in the finals to win the tournament, subsequently changing his ring name to King Corbin. At
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
on October 6, Corbin dubbed Gable as "Shorty G" before he lost with a roll-up pin.
As part of the
2019 draft, Corbin was drafted to the SmackDown brand. At
Crown Jewel on October 31, Corbin was a member of Team Flair, where they lost to Team Hogan. In November, Corbin began a feud with Roman Reigns defeating him on the November 8, episode of SmackDown following interference from Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode. At
Survivor Series
Survivor Series is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1987 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Held in November generally the week of Thanksgiving, it is the se ...
on November 24, Corbin was a member of Team SmackDown and caused his Team SmackDown partner
Mustafa Ali
Adeel Alam (born March 28, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Mustafa Ali.
Prior to signing with WWE, Alam worked on the independent circuit afte ...
to be eliminated, which then led to team captain Roman Reigns performing a spear on Corbin that caused him to be eliminated, while Reigns went on to win the match for his team. Corbin defeated Reigns in a TLC match at
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs on December 15 following interference from Dolph Ziggler and
The Revival (
Dash Wilder
Daniel Marshall Wheeler (born May 17, 1987) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Cash Wheeler. Wheeler is also known for his time in WWE, under the ring name Dash Wilder. ...
and
Scott Dawson). At
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
on January 26, 2020, Corbin lost to Reigns in a
falls count anywhere match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
after interference from
The Usos
The Usos (born August 22, 1985) are an American professional wrestling tag team composed of twin brothers Joshua Samuel Fatu and Jonathan Solofa Fatu, who are known professionally by their respective ring names Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso. They ar ...
also involving Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode,
and a
steel cage match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
at
Super ShowDown
WWE Super ShowDown (originally stylized as Super Show-Down) was a professional wrestling event produced by WWE, an American-based promotion. It was broadcast live and available only through pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE's livestreaming service, the ...
on February 27, ending their feud.
On the first night of
WrestleMania 36
WrestleMania 36 was the 36th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and NXT brand divisions. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic ...
on April 4, Corbin lost to
Elias
Elias is the Greek equivalent of Elijah ( he, אֵלִיָּהוּ ''ʾĒlīyyāhū''; Syriac: ܐܠܝܐ ''Eliyā''; Arabic: الیاس Ilyās/Elyās), a prophet in the Northern Kingdom of Israel in the 9th century BC, mentioned in several h ...
.
On the April 24 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin defeated
Drew Gulak
Drew Gulak (born April 28, 1987) is an American professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand. He is a former one-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion and an eight-time ...
with the help of
Cesaro and
Shinsuke Nakamura to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match. At
Money in the Bank on May 10, Corbin failed to win the contract after he and
AJ Styles
Allen Neal Jones (born June 2, 1977), better known by his ring name AJ Styles (also stylized as A.J. Styles), is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Regarded as one of the best ...
tussled over the briefcase and dropped it to
Otis unintentionally.
On the July 17 episode of ''SmackDown'', he attacked
Matt Riddle
Matthew Fredrick Riddle (born January 14, 1986, in Allentown, Pennsylvania) is an American professional wrestler and former mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand, but is currently inactive due ...
, leading to a match at
Payback
Payback may refer to:
* Revenge, a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance
Payback may also refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media Fictional entities
* Payback, a member of the fictional comics superhero team Shadow ...
on August 30, where Corbin lost to Riddle.
He defeated Riddle on the September 25 episode of ''SmackDown'', ending their feud. From December 2020 to February 2021, Corbin began a feud with
Rey Mysterio
Óscar Gutiérrez (born December 11, 1974), better known by his ring name Rey Mysterio, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand. Widely regarded as one of the greatest prof ...
,
Dominik Mysterio
Dominik Gutiérrez (born April 5, 1997) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under the ring name Dominik Mysterio, and is a member of The Judgment Day. He is a one-time former ...
, and
Murphy
Murphy () ( ga, Ua Murchadha) is an Irish surname and the most common surname in the Republic of Ireland.
Origins and variants
The surname is a variant of two Irish surnames: "Ó Murchadha"/"Ó Murchadh" (descendant of "Murchadh"), and "Mac ...
, which saw him form a short-lived partnership with
Wesley Blake
Cory James Weston (born September 4, 1987) is an American professional wrestler currently working on the independent circuit under the ring name Westin Blake. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Wesley B ...
and Steve Cutler, but disbanded following Cutler and Blake's WWE release.
On the June 18 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin lost to Shinsuke Nakamura in a Battle for the Crown match, thus losing his crown to Nakamura and ending his King gimmick.
The following week on ''SmackDown'', his ring name was reverted to Baron Corbin.
Happy Corbin (2021–2022)
On the July 16 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin began sporting dirty clothes, an unkempt beard and an unshaved head, giving him a disheveled look. He revealed that, after losing his crown, he had lost his car, his investments, his savings, his home was to be foreclosed upon, and his wife left with their daughters. Corbin then revealed his own version of a
GoFundMe
GoFundMe is an American for-profit crowdfunding platform that allows people to raise money for events ranging from life events such as celebrations and graduations to challenging circumstances like accidents and illnesses. From 2010 to the be ...
campaign, called CorbinFund.com, asking fans and fellow wrestlers to donate to the cause. On the July 30 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin emerged at the contract signing between Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Finn Bálor for a championship match at
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
, attacking Bálor and attempting to sign the contract. However,
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
also emerged to the ring and took out Corbin before Cena signed the contract himself. On the August 13 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin stole the
Money in the Bank briefcase
The Money in the Bank ladder match is a multi-person ladder match held by the professional wrestling promotion WWE. First contested at WWE's annual WrestleMania event beginning in 2005, a separate Money in the Bank pay-per-view was established ...
from
Big E before fleeing the arena. At the SummerSlam pre-show on August 21, Corbin lost to Big E, who regained the briefcase.
On the August 27 episode of ''SmackDown'', after turning his misfortunes around in
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
, he drove into the arena in a
Bentley
Bentley Motors Limited is a British designer, manufacturer and marketer of luxury cars and SUVs. Headquartered in Crewe, England, the company was founded as Bentley Motors Limited by W. O. Bentley (1888–1971) in 1919 in Cricklewood, North ...
, declaring himself "filthy rich" and demanding to be called "Happy Corbin".
On the September 24 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin gained a new ally in
Madcap Moss
Michael Carter Rallis (born October 10, 1989) is an American professional wrestler and former college football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Madcap Moss.
Early life
Rallis ...
. They entered into a feud with
Drew McIntyre
Andrew McLean Galloway IV (born 6 June 1985) is a Scottish professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Drew McIntyre.
McIntyre is a two-time WWE Champion, one-time WWE I ...
, with Corbin accompanying Moss to his matches with McIntyre at
Day 1 on January 1, 2022 and
Elimination Chamber
The Elimination Chamber is a professional wrestling elimination-based match held in the WWE. The match was founded by Chris Jericho , created and introduced by Eric Bischoff in November 2002. It features a large chain-linked circular steel ...
on February 19, both of which he lost. Corbin (and Moss) participated in the
Royal Rumble match
The Royal Rumble match is a professional wrestling match based on the classic Battle Royal match in which a number of wrestlers (traditionally 30) aim at eliminating their competitors by tossing them over the top rope, with both feet touching the ...
at the
namesake event on January 29, entering at #15 and eliminating
Rick Boogs
Eric Bugenhagen (born December 21, 1987) is an American professional wrestler and graduated Collegiate wrestling, collegiate wrestler. He is best known for his YouTube presence and his tenure with WWE, where he performed under the ring name Ric ...
and
Ricochet
A ricochet ( ; ) is a rebound, bounce, or skip off a surface, particularly in the case of a projectile. Most ricochets are caused by accident and while the force of the deflection decelerates the projectile, it can still be energetic and almost ...
, but was eliminated by McIntyre. On the first night of
WrestleMania 38
WrestleMania 38 was the 38th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion Raw and SmackDown brand divisions. The event was held as a two-night eve ...
on April 2, he faced McIntyre in a losing effort.
On the April 8 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin blamed his loss on Moss before attacking him, ending their alliance and beginning a feud between the two. This led to a match at
WrestleMania Backlash
WWE Backlash, known as WrestleMania Backlash since 2021, is a professional wrestling event that is produced by WWE, a professional wrestling promotion based in Connecticut. It is broadcast live and available only through pay-per-view (PPV) and ...
on May 8, which Moss won. At
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
on June 5, the two competed in a
No Holds Barred match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or "gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
, which Corbin lost. On the June 17 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin lost to Moss in a
Last Laugh match, ending their feud; after the match, Corbin confronted commentator
Pat McAfee, who had been making fun of Corbin during his feud with Moss. On the July 1 episode of ''SmackDown'', Corbin competed in a
Money in the Bank qualifying fatal four-way match, which was won by Moss. After Money in the Bank went off the air the following day, Corbin attacked McAfee at ringside and accepted his challenge for a match at
SummerSlam
SummerSlam is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. Dubbed "The Biggest Party of the Summer", it is considered WWE's secon ...
. At the event on July 30, Corbin lost to McAfee after he hit a low-blow while the referee was down. On the August 19 episode of ''SmackDown'', he competed in a fatal five way match to determine the #1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship, which was won by
Sheamus
Stephen Farrelly (born 28 January 1978) is an Irish professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sheamus.
Prior to joining WWE, he wrestled on the European i ...
.
Modern-Day Wrestling God (2022–present)
On the October 17, 2022 episode of ''Raw'', Corbin returned under his Baron Corbin ring name alongside
Hall of Famer
A hall, wall, or walk of fame is a list of individuals, achievements, or other entities, usually chosen by a group of electors, to mark their excellence or fame in their field. In some cases, these halls of fame consist of actual halls or muse ...
JBL
JBL is an American audio equipment manufacturer headquartered in Los Angeles, California, United States. JBL serves the customer home and professional market. The professional market includes studios, installed/tour/portable sound, cars, music ...
and defeated Dolph Ziggler. Debuting the new moniker of "The Modern Day Wrestling God”, he would then go on for a winning streak until losing to Drew McIntyre on the November 21, 2022 episode of ''Raw''.
Personal life
Pestock married Rochelle Roman in 2017. They reside in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and ...
, and have two daughters.
As a tribute to his father, who died in 2008 from
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease
Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD), also known as subacute spongiform encephalopathy or neurocognitive disorder due to prion disease, is an invariably fatal degenerative brain disorder. Early symptoms include memory problems, behavioral changes, ...
, Pestock wears his father's wedding ring on a necklace.
He is known for his numerous tattoos which include portraits of his father and grandfather on his leg, full sleeve tattoos on his left arm that include clocks representing family members' birthdays, as well as tattoos memorializing his friends
Ryan Dunn
Ryan Matthew Dunn (June 11, 1977 – June 20, 2011) was an American stunt performer, television personality, actor and comedian. He was best known as one of the stars of the MTV reality stunt show ''Jackass (TV series), Jackass'' and its fi ...
and Zachary Hartwell, members of the ''
Jackass'' crew who died in a car crash in June 2011.
Pestock has credited
Bill DeMott
William Charles DeMott II (born November 10, 1966) is an American retired professional wrestler and road agent and trainer. He is best known for his appearances with World Championship Wrestling (WCW) as Hugh Morrus and World Wrestling Federatio ...
,
Corey Graves,
Billy Gunn
Monty Kip Sopp (born November 1, 1963), better known by his ring name Billy Gunn, although he is currently finding renewed popularity under the ring name Daddy Ass, is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wres ...
,
Kane, and
Dusty Rhodes
Virgil Riley Runnels Jr. (October 11, 1945 – June 11, 2015), better known as "The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes, was an American professional wrestler, booker, and trainer who most notably worked for the National Wrestling Alliance, Jim Crocket ...
with helping him develop his wrestling
gimmick.
He is close friends with fellow wrestlers
Matthew Clement and
Shawn Spears
Ronnie William Arneill (born February 19, 1981) is a Canadian professional wrestler and professional wrestling trainer currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) under the ring name Shawn Spears, where he is a current member of The Pinnac ...
. After shaving his head in June 2018, he donated his ponytail to charity.
Pestock is good friends with
heavy metal singer
Tommy Vext
Thomas Cummings (born April 15, 1982), better known under the stage name Tommy Vext, is an American heavy metal singer and songwriter known as the former lead vocalist of Bad Wolves, Divine Heresy, and Westfield Massacre. As a solo act, he go ...
, who sang Pestock's theme song "I Bring the Darkness" from 2017 until 2021.
Pestock is a
Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Chiefs compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) West division.
The tea ...
fan. He is good friends with
Pat McAfee, having been teammates at the
Indianapolis Colts
The Indianapolis Colts are a professional American football team based in Indianapolis. The Colts compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) South division. Since the 2008 ...
and lived together during their rookie year. They bonded over their love for wrestling.
Championships and accomplishments
![Baron Corbin with André the Giant trophy](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/50/Baron_Corbin_with_Andr%C3%A9_the_Giant_trophy.jpg)
* ''
Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publish ...
''
**
Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (2019)
[https://twitter.com/officialpwi/status/1216785488373329920 ]
** Ranked No. 39 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the ''
PWI 500
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
'' in 2019
*''
Revolver
A revolver (also called a wheel gun) is a repeating handgun that has at least one barrel and uses a revolving cylinder containing multiple chambers (each holding a single cartridge) for firing. Because most revolver models hold up to six roun ...
''
** Most Metal Athlete (2016)
* ''
Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four We ...
''
**
Most Overrated (2018, 2019)
**
Worst Gimmick (2018)
*
WWE
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
**
WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling Professional wrestling championship#Location-specific championships, championship promoted by the United States, American professional wrestling promotion, promotion WWE, currently de ...
(
1 time)
**
André the Giant Memorial Trophy (
2016
File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...
)
**
King of the Ring
King of the Ring was a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and WWE Network event produced by WWE, a Connecticut-based professional wrestling promotion. The PPV event was held annually in June and was established in 1993 when the promotion ...
(
2019)
**
Money in the Bank (
Men's 2017)
**
WWE Year-End Award
The WWE Year-End Awards is a concept used by WWE, where awards, similar to the Academy and Grammy Awards, are given to professional wrestlers at the end of the year who have performed on Raw and SmackDown. Introduced in 2018, there have been two ...
for Most Hated of the Year (
2018)
References
External links
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Corbin, Baron
1984 births
21st-century professional wrestlers
American football offensive guards
American male boxers
American male professional wrestlers
Arizona Cardinals players
Indianapolis Colts players
Living people
Northwest Missouri State Bearcats football players
NWA/WCW/WWE United States Heavyweight Champions
People from Lenexa, Kansas
Players of American football from Kansas
Professional wrestlers from Kansas
Professional wrestling authority figures
Super-heavyweight boxers
WWF/WWE King Crown's Champions/King of the Ring winners