Baron Corbin’s WWE Contract Expiration in 2023 Led to Self-Realization

Baron Corbin, a longstanding fixture in WWE since signing a developmental deal in 2012, has experienced a resurgence in his career since returning to NXT in May 2023. Despite previously winning the WWE United States Championship and the prestigious King of the Ring tournament, Corbin found himself reinvigorated by his NXT run.

In recent appearance on WWE’s The Bump, Corbin expressed his elation at winning the NXT Tag Team Championship alongside his partner, Bron Breakker. Reflecting on his journey, Corbin revealed that as his contract approached its expiration at the end of the year, he had a moment of clarity – WWE was where he belonged.

Describing the feeling of winning the titles as “amazing,” Corbin credited the supportive environment fostered by NXT’s leadership, including Shawn Michaels, William Regal, and Road Dogg, for reigniting his passion for wrestling. Their encouragement allowed Corbin to rediscover his confidence and embrace his unique persona, making each day at the gym and in the ring exciting once again.

“It feels good. I can’t lie about that. It feels amazing to have this and walk around with this title and be proud of that. I went into NXT with no expectations, and Shawn and Baldo and Russo, they all grabbed ahold of me, and they’re like, ‘Let’s let you do your thing.’ They have kind of let me really come into my own, and it’s made it exciting for me to go to work every day again. It’s made me excited to go in the gym and put in the extra work.”

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” I got a tag partner. People don’t know, my contract was running up at the end of the year, and it’s kind of one of those things, it’s a question of like, ‘What am I doing? Do I need to go and find myself?’ Or whatever. NXT was going so well, and the opportunity to work with him, I was like, man, this is where I belong. This is how we get the life back to what I’m doing.”

Despite the uncertainty surrounding his contract, Corbin’s successful partnership with Breakker solidified his commitment to WWE. He recognized the opportunity to continue thriving in NXT and expressed his desire to capture more titles in the years ahead.

What aspects of Baron Corbin’s journey back to NXT do you find most compelling, and how do you think his resurgence will impact the landscape of WWE’s NXT division moving forward? Let us know in the comments.