Baron Corbin: WWE’s next money big man
WWE superstar Baron Corbin is proving to be one of the more valuable talents on the roster for the future.
The path to becoming a top superstar in the WWE varies between individuals. While NXT has become the breeding ground for the talent of the future for the company, not every superstar in developmental ends up being a main player at the top level. For big men, there’s a lot of privileges and a lot of difficulties that come with their size. Baron Corbin is proving to pass every test thrown his way thus far on the main roster.
When Corbin first debuted and won the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32, it was clear the company was investing a lot in him. His time in NXT certainly elevated his status and fans seemed to be split on what his future at the main level was.
Even though his career began with a bang on the main roster, Corbin didn’t just jump to the main event scene right away. He had to toil in a feud with Dolph Ziggler for so many months that it began to lose its luster a bit. Still, working with an established superstar and former champion in Ziggler provided plenty of experience for the ex-NFL player.
Perhaps the biggest thing to have a positive impact on Corbin’s breakout success was the brand split. With Monday Night RAW and SmackDown being split into two entities, it allowed for the talent that was fighting for a spot at the top to get their chance to show what they can do on the roster.
For a big man like Corbin, it meant his chance to get some squash matches in with smaller opponents and slowly develop himself as one of the more reliable big men in the company. With the new era in wrestling in full swing, the path for a big man to the main event is far different than it was the past few decades.
No longer is it about a larger individual coming in and feuding with The Undertaker off the bat, although it can be argued just as much that it put those individuals over. And long gone are the days of Hulk Hogan overcoming the odds to defeat the biggest, meaning looking dude on the roster.
Corbin isn’t your typical monster heel that goes undefeated for nearly a year before someone topples him at a WrestleMania. He isn’t invincible, but he’s proven himself to be a real threat to the WWE Championship picture. He’s not going to be a guy that gets his face plastered on billboards and advertising all around the world — at least not yet.
That’s not necessarily what his character is and that’s what makes his gimmick even better. He’s a lone wolf that does what he has to do in the ring to get the job done and he moves well for his size. Being able to move around the ring at his size makes him a special talent and the company knows how valuable that can be.
Time and time again, there have been some physically intimidating figures step into the ring and lumber around without the skill set to back them up. Corbin’s not the biggest big man to ever step into a ring, but at 6-foot-8 and 275 pounds, the things he can do are impressive.
He’s proven in his year on the roster that he can work with anyone and be someone that can be thrown into the title picture without hesitation. His match with AJ Styles and Dolph Ziggler was just one of his crowning moments to date. It was there where he was given his chance to shine in a big match.
Then he showed his attributes again leading up to the Elimination Chamber, when he won a critical Fatal 4-Way match on the final SmackDown before the event. Although he was the first one eliminated in the Elimination Chamber, it launched him into a current program with Dean Ambrose.
There aren’t many better performers for a big man to work with than Ambrose. The latter and former champion is one of the best in the business at selling and making the guy across from him look even better. Perhaps an intercontinental championship run could soon be in short order for the WWE’s next money big men. A lot of great things should be on the horizon for him.