A former WWE Champion made their surprise AEW debut last night ahead of Dynamite.
Former WWE United States Champion Bishop Dyer, previously known to WWE fans as Baron Corbin, quietly made his first appearance inside an AEW ring ahead of Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
Dyer competed in an unannounced eight-man tag team dark match prior to the live broadcast from Orlando, Florida. He teamed with Martin Stone and the duo Better Together, Hadar Horvitz and Ori Gold, against Billy Gunn, Austin Gunn, Brady Booker and Elijah Drago. The match ended with a victory for the team featuring the Gunns, Booker and Drago.
Great reaction for Bishop Dyer / Baron Corbin stepping into the AEW ring! pic.twitter.com/sMhBiELQeA
— Xenia 💎 (@xeniadidthat) January 22, 2026
The appearance marked Dyer’s first known in-ring involvement with AEW since his WWE release. While the bout did not air on television, it immediately sparked speculation among fans in attendance regarding Dyer’s future and whether the former United States Champion could factor into AEW plans moving forward.
Dyer last wrestled under the Baron Corbin name during his lengthy WWE run, where he captured the United States Championship and held multiple roles across Raw and SmackDown. Since leaving WWE, he has wrestled under his real name, Thomas Pestock, and later adopted the Bishop Dyer moniker.
At this stage, AEW has made no official announcement regarding Dyer’s status with the company. Whether the appearance was a one-off dark match or the beginning of a longer run remains to be seen.
How Long Was Baron Corbin With WWE?
Baron Corbin was a member of the WWE roster from 2012 until his release in 2024. He debuted in NXT in August 2012, and by 2014, he would become a main feature of the developmental brand and was promoted to the main roster in 2016.
Corbin enjoyed success early in his main roster run, capturing the Money in the Bank briefcase at the titular 2017 pay-per-view. He would then capture the United States Title later that same year, defeating AJ Styles and Tye Dillinger at Hell in a Cell.
Corbin’s run with the belt lasted 69 days, as he dropped the title in December 2017 to Dolph Ziggler at Clash of Champions.
