Baron Corbin joined WWE in 2012 alongside several other former football players. In a recent interview, Tyler Breeze recalled how he initially doubted his friend's attitude and perceived lack of interest in wrestling.
Corbin, real name Tom Pestock, appeared in WWE's NXT developmental system between 2012 and 2016 before moving to the main roster. The 39-year-old won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, King of the Ring, Money in the Bank, and United States Championship.
Breeze, a one-time NXT Tag Team Champion, said on Developmentally Speaking that he disliked Corbin during their early days in WWE:
"When he first came in, we called him Football Tom because they hired a bunch of football guys. Corbs is Corbs, and now that you know him, I love him, but at first I was like, 'Man, this guy sucks.' He likes football, I get it, but he didn't really like wrestling. He was just kinda getting everything that he wanted, whatever, and it was just one of those things where he rubbed a lot of people the wrong way, or he is how he is, and we didn't know how he was yet." [8:00 – 8:29]
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Corbin has undergone a career resurgence in recent months. On February 13, he and Bron Breakker defeated Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo and Tony D'Angelo to win the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Tyler Breeze comments on Baron Corbin's wrestling ability
After performing as a bad guy for several years, Baron Corbin has won over many fans during his latest NXT run.
Tyler Breeze, a former fan favorite with the NXT crowd, is pleased to see the new tag champion doing so well:
"He put a lot of hard work in and he actually likes wrestling, and turned into a hell of a wrestler, man. He was one of the exceptions to however many [football players] they hire, you don't really find a Corbin here and there." [8:35 – 8:46]
Breeze received his release from WWE in 2021. In the same interview, the 36-year-old discussed whether he could return as a full-time wrestler one day.
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Please credit Developmentally Speaking and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.