On the Brink of WWE WrestleMania Glory: Meet Baron Corbin

Baron Corbin will step into the WWE WrestleMania 33 spotlight with high hopes and clenched fists.

The biggest match of Corbin's career is fast approaching—an Intercontinental Championship bout against Dean Ambrose at Sunday's pay-per-view. The chance for gold comes just a year after the bruiser moved to the main roster from NXT.

And The Lone Wolf has his eyes set on being the talk of theWWE's biggest event.

"I want to go out there, walk in the back and go, 'Good luck, everybody. Show's over. That was it, main event right there,'" Corbin told Bleacher Report.

The buildup to WrestleMania has been slower for him this time around. His rivalry with Ambrose has blossomed for months, poised now to culminate in Orlando, Florida, with the world watching.

The Show of Shows isn't sneaking up on him like it did last year.

At WrestleMania 32, the WWE plucked Corbin from the NXT brand to compete in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. "It was kind of out of the blue. It wasn't something I was expecting, so I didn't have time to prepare for it," Corbin recalled.

The newcomer from NXT ousted a number of warriors that night en route to victory. Corbin stormed onto the scene beginning with that win.

Corbin credited that opening act with giving him credibility right out of the gate.

"Could you ask for a better debut? 102,000 people at WrestleMania and you're in there with the likes of Kane, Big Show and these legendary big men and you walk out champion," he said.

The Lone Wolf had not arrived at that point by honing his skills on the independent wrestling circuit. He didn't first build his name at small-scale events like so many of his peers.

Instead, Corbin's path saw him first succeed as a Golden Gloves champion boxer and an offensive lineman for Northwest Missouri State University. The skills he used in those sports have translated to the ring. "Becoming an all-around athlete has really benefited me. The physicality, the footwork," he said.

"How many 6'8" guys can move like I do? I think it separates me from other guys."

Training for the sweet science and football taught him how dedicated he had to be, how many sacrifices he had to make and how much of a grind he had to put his body through. 

Plus, he's right at home with the violent nature of the WWE after years of taking right hands to the face. "I've gone to war with guys trying to kill you," he said.

The battles on the gridiron eventually lost their luster for him in the NFL. The Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals both cut him twice after stints on the practice squad.

"I was hurt. I was just over it. For me, the love of the game was done," Corbin said.

After football, he considered a move to either the UFC or the WWE. Despite having trained in jiu-jitsu and having a boxing background, he chose to pursue a career in sports entertainment rather than step into the Octagon.  

That's not surprising when one realizes his love for the squared circle began long ago. "I grew up in Kansas City. That's Harley Race territory," he said.

"We grew up with it [pro wrestling] in the house. We had our wrestling matches where my mom was screaming at us and the house was shaking. It's always been there. It's always been a part of life."

He watched super-heavyweights like Bam Bam Bigelow charge around the ring, and it inspired him. These men were giants, monsters and top-notch athletes.

Corbin came away thinking "I want to be a big, powerful dude who can move."

Credit: WWE.com

Now here he is, poised to compete in his first WrestleMania singles match with a chance to leave with gold in his hand. The Intercontinental Championship is a three-count away. The significance of that isn't lost on him.

"There's been a list of Hall of Famers who have carried that to the ring," Corbin said of the title. "It's huge. It has this huge credibility."

"The Intercontinental Championship is the window to that next level. It's another launching pad. It's something I'm going to hold very dear if I walk away champion. I'll never want anyone to take that from me."

That strap won't be enough for The Lone Wolf, though.

He explained that his ultimate goal is to hold the IC and WWE Championship at the same time. He has eyes on making it clear he belongs with the likes of John Cena.

And he plans to crush Raw along the way.

WWE's top shows SmackDown and Raw went their separate ways last July, splitting the roster in half. The former drafted Corbin along with stars like The Miz, Randy Orton and Cena.

The division of brands has been big in Corbin's mind. "The split was the best thing for WWE. It created a sense of pride for your side," he said.

It's also created a sense of competition, one that drives him and others to outshine each other. 

"We want to outdo Raw every single week," Corbin explained. "We want to have more more people talking about SmackDown, and every time we do, we want to rub it in Raw's face."

That attitude will carry Corbin into WrestleMania, the in-ring predator wanting to shine on The Grandest Stage of Them All.

He's excited for the bell to ring. And he appreciates the opportunity in front of him, including its simplest elements.

"I get to punch Dean Ambrose in the face in front of millions of people," Corbin said of his WrestleMania match.