Kemo
09-26-2023, 12:50 AM
Upon the conclusion of his professional football career, Baron Corbin began contemplating his next moves, which eventually led him to weighing two options -- UFC or WWE.
While Corbin didn't have any background in professional wrestling or MMA, he did have experience in another combat sport, as he was a former Golden Gloves boxer. The big question was: would he step into the Octagon or the wrestling ring?
Corbin recently spoke with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful about his interest in joining the UFC prior to receiving his WWE tryout in 2012. Initially stuck between the two aspirations, Corbin finally made the decision to pursue WWE after someone he met mentioned they had a connection to an employee in the company.
"I know that in the early stages of Ultimate Fighter, I was looking at going and being on the one with Rashad Evans and all those guys, but I had a football scholarship, and I was going to college, so I couldn't do that.
When I was done playing football, I was asked at a table, I was sitting there with a guy who was a manager of a rock and roll band. He's like, 'What do you want to do if you're done playing football?' I was like, 'Man, I think I am done. My passion is not there for it.' He's like, 'Do you want to do UFC?' I said, 'I either want to do UFC or WWE. I've always been a massive WWE fan.' He's like, 'I have a connection with WWE. It's Neil, the music guy. Let me put a call into him, go see if you'd like it.'
Because that was the thing, it was like, I'm either gonna try to fight in the octagon, or I'm gonna go to WWE, and I had the opportunity for WWE first, and then that's where they're at," Corbin said.
Now more than a decade into his WWE career, Corbin stands with one reign as United States Champion and King of The Ring. Corbin is also a former Money in the Bank and Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner.
While Corbin didn't have any background in professional wrestling or MMA, he did have experience in another combat sport, as he was a former Golden Gloves boxer. The big question was: would he step into the Octagon or the wrestling ring?
Corbin recently spoke with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful about his interest in joining the UFC prior to receiving his WWE tryout in 2012. Initially stuck between the two aspirations, Corbin finally made the decision to pursue WWE after someone he met mentioned they had a connection to an employee in the company.
"I know that in the early stages of Ultimate Fighter, I was looking at going and being on the one with Rashad Evans and all those guys, but I had a football scholarship, and I was going to college, so I couldn't do that.
When I was done playing football, I was asked at a table, I was sitting there with a guy who was a manager of a rock and roll band. He's like, 'What do you want to do if you're done playing football?' I was like, 'Man, I think I am done. My passion is not there for it.' He's like, 'Do you want to do UFC?' I said, 'I either want to do UFC or WWE. I've always been a massive WWE fan.' He's like, 'I have a connection with WWE. It's Neil, the music guy. Let me put a call into him, go see if you'd like it.'
Because that was the thing, it was like, I'm either gonna try to fight in the octagon, or I'm gonna go to WWE, and I had the opportunity for WWE first, and then that's where they're at," Corbin said.
Now more than a decade into his WWE career, Corbin stands with one reign as United States Champion and King of The Ring. Corbin is also a former Money in the Bank and Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner.