New WWE United States Champion Baron Corbin believes leaving WWE was the best thing that could have happened to his career.
Baron Corbin captured the United States Championship at SummerSlam Sunday by defeating Trick Williams, completing a remarkable comeback less than a month after returning to WWE following an 18-month absence.
Speaking on Busted Open, Corbin reflected on his departure from WWE in late 2024 after the company chose not to renew his contract, explaining how his time away helped him improve every aspect of his game.
“I took that year and a half, and I elevated everything I did, whether it was in the ring, in jiu-jitsu, personality, the ability on a microphone. I kept to that grind.”
Corbin said working outside the WWE system reignited his passion for professional wrestling and forced him to continue developing without relying on the resources of a major promotion.
“When you’re doing it without that big machine behind you, when you’re having to go to different shows, it’s a testament to how much you love it and where your passion is. If you want to get better without the help of that machine and you’re doing it on your own, I think you can grow exponentially.”
The former King Corbin added that returning to WWE gave him the opportunity to reinvent himself and remind fans what made him successful during his original run.
“Coming back to it, it’s like, I’m going to make a statement. I’m not the same guy I was when I left. I hope people have forgotten about me so I can remind them how dangerous I truly am.”
Baron Corbin Believes Going Away From WWE Helped Him Rediscover His Wrestling Persona
Baron Corbin also admitted he felt he had lost part of the attitude that defined his early days as the Lone Wolf, believing his spell away from WWE helped him rediscover it.
“Going away might have been the best thing ever for me and what I’m going to accomplish between those ropes.”
Corbin originally spent more than a decade with WWE between 2012 and 2024 before returning to the independent scene after his departure. His victory over Trick Williams at SummerSlam made him a two-time WWE United States Champion and marked his first main roster singles title since 2017.
