Baron Corbin Is the Most Disrespected Wrestler In All of WWE
In a world in which one's ability to change and evolve dictates how long they remain relevant, few have proved an ability to do so like Baron Corbin.
Yet, when discussing the most interesting and effective performers in today's pro wrestling landscape, the former NFL player is often left off the list in favor of more prominent names.
Since his arrival in WWE during the inaugural days of NXT, the big man has made a routine out of taking whatever the creative forces within the company have thrown at him and making it work en route to establishing himself as one of the most adaptable and, in the process, disrespected Superstars in the industry.
From The Andre to the Gutter and Back Again
It can be argued Corbin probably never should have succeeded in WWE.
The 38-year-old arrived from the gridiron of the NFL at a time when smaller, more athletic and dynamic performers gripped the audience and stole their attention. The idea of a big, football-playing badass was somewhat antiquated.
That he showed little in the way of personality as The Lone Wolf of NXT did not help matters.
A run as Raw general manager and Constable Corbin enhanced his exposure and gave him more to do, allowing him to engage with the audience more than he had previously. It was a brief stop, but it was key to proving there was more to him.
It was not until he defeated Chad "Shorty G" Gable to win the King of the Ring tournament in September 2019 that he showed flashes of the performer he was.
This big, tattooed heavyweight seized the opportunity to play the obnoxious King Corbin character, talking down to the fans and infuriating them as he combated top babyface Roman Reigns.
He completely immersed himself in that character and shined, winning over audiences and management alike as his role on SmackDown grew. He then transformed into a "loser" role, before rediscovering wealth as Happy Corbin.
Most recently, he studied under former WWE champion and Hall of Famer JBL before a losing streak led to their split this past Monday on Raw.
Every one of the characters Corbin has taken on has been different, allowing him to flex his range. He can be the badass, the delusional king, a hilariously pathetic loser, an obnoxiously positive bad guy or the stooge to JBL's blistering mentor—all to great effect.
He has been so good at what he does that fans have almost taken him for granted, forgetting how easily he slips into his different characters and makes them work, even when the creativity behind some of them is somewhat subpar.
That is not even taking into consideration how good he is between the ropes.
Corbin may not be the flashiest wrestler. He is not heading to the top rope for a spectacular dive any time soon, but he is a big, sturdy heavyweight who has showed an ability to work with wrestlers of a variety of styles and backgrounds.
The fans' inability or unwillingness to recognize Corbin is as good as anyone is disrespectful, intentionally or not. There are no big guys like him who can move with the speed, agility and smoothness that he does, and few would be willing to make themselves look like an ass to the extent that he does.
Corbin can compete at any level, against any Superstar and deliver. He is invaluable to WWE, a label few would have imagined attaching to him when he first stepped through the curtain in NXT.
Where Does He Go From Here?
The recent losing streak and breakup of his partnership with JBL beg the question: What's next for Corbin.
For the first time in his career, he did not feel like he fitted in the world Triple H is crafting. He was on television every week but mostly losing or appearing in backstage poker segments.
The dissolution of his program with the former WWE champion, and the fact that it was one of the more noteworthy moments of Raw, would suggest The Game is ready to reboot the character on Monday nights.
What that means or which character the WWE head of creative may be looking at for Corbin is unknown, but it seems to indicate he has something in store for one of the real underrated talents of the company.
Considering the lack of star power at the top of the Raw brand and Corbin's experience in main events against the likes of Reigns and Seth Rollins, there are worse options than the big man for that role.
That is not to say Corbin should be the guy to program with Cody Rhodes, but he does have the ability to be a main event-caliber heel to keep any top-tier babyface busy for a while.
Then there is also this possibility: Corbin as a babyface himself.
Yes, he is a great heel and few have displayed such a consistent ability to fire up the crowd the way he does, but it has been a long time since he was even remotely teased as a babyface let alone actually playing that role.
Given his rich history with the audience, using the breakup and downturn of the big man to turn him is hardly the worst move. Just like the heel side of things on Raw, the red brand could also use a few more competitors for the audience to get behind.
He has built the equity with the audience to make it work. Whatever is next for the former United States champion, expect it to be a success.
If there is one thing about Corbin that should be more respected than it is, it's his ability to turn everything he is asked to do into the best it can possibly be.
