Losing his Money in the Bank cash-in was good for Baron Corbin

Baron Corbin’s destined run to a WWE title hit a speed bump as he lost his Money in the Bank cash-in. But this could be good for Corbin in the long run.

JBL shouted it nearly every episode of SmackDown Live in the build-up to the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. That brief case, made blue this year with its SmackDown-only status, was almost a guaranteed reign as the WWE Champion. Only two holders had failed to cash-in on this contract. And it was an almost veritable star maker, usually going to someone on the uptick just needing a little more time to get his opportunity in the limelight.

With a loaded field this year, Baron Corbin was someone who did not seem like he would be a natural to fit into the title picture. Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles both had marquee player written all over them. Their future title shots were all but assured (Nakamura’s will come Sunday at SummerSlam).

Everyone seemed to know Corbin would get his chance eventually. He had the look of a champion — at least what WWE typically looks for in a champion. Corbin remained rough around the edges, but his raw talent was undeniable. He was a future champion. And WWE would have nearly a year to figure out how best to deploy him as the face of their company — or a story to give him a run with the belt.

In a swerve, that time was not now. That time was not with the Money in the Bank briefcase this time. Corbin became the third wrestler to fail to cash-in the contract and win the title Tuesday when he shockingly cashed in during champion Jinder Mahal’s match with John Cena.

It was a clever bit of storytelling in the short-term.

Corbin had to wait for Mahal to get up in the corner after Cena laid him out with a super Attitude Adjustment before Corbin’s attack with the briefcase. Mahal was a sitting duck. Then Cena distracted Corbin for a moment on the apron as Mahal gained the roll up win to retain his title.

That adds some extra heat and motivation to an underwhelming feud between Corbin and Cena. After all, Corbin was out there originally to harm Cena before he tried to seize his opportunity. But overall their feud has lacked the physicality and dominance that made Corbin menacing as he squared off with Nakamura.

Corbin’s run with Nakamura felt like it was Corbin’s introduction to the spotlight. And he was shining in it. As he had been in great promos on Talking Smack, he was forceful and brash. The hate and frustration were visible in their feud. And Corbin’s physicality was especially noticeable. He had built plenty of heel heat and was reveling in it.

Corbin’s time on the main roster largely mirrored a lot of his time with NXT to that point. He was the “Lone Wolf” and some take on a biker-type character. He claimed he was only about making money by winning matches and nothing else mattered to him. It seemed simple enough. But he never connected to audiences as a heel. Not in the way that would get someone into the title picture.

For Corbin, it was a problem of motivation. His character just kind of was. He burst onto the WWE scene by winning the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania last year. He feuded with Dolph Ziggler as his introduction to the brand and continued with impressive showings over Kalisto before entering bigger feuds — including one poorly built feud to WrestleMania with Dean Ambrose.

In each instance, Corbin’s physicality and talent were clear. His off-the-cuff promos on Talking Smack especially were strong and built up his “Lone Wolf” persona. He truly did not care about anyone’s safety but his own and would do anything to promote himself.

But at the championship level, he needs more than that. To become a truly engaging — or hated — champion, there needs to be more than just an attitude or a swagger about his character, there needs intention.

That is what has been missing from Corbin’s feuds of the past. There were petty slights driving his feuds of the past. There were not building storylines. His rivalry with Nakamura showed the hints of what he could be in a longer program.

Losing the Money in the Bank contract will give his match with Cena some extra fuel for the obvious reasons. But even that eventual defeat — he is “Big Match John” and set to bounce between RAW and SmackDown Live the rest of the year — could do more to fuel the fire and put some flames of rage to further develop Corbin’s character, or at least his motivations.

Whatever his next feud is, he will be fueled by the opportunity he missed. That reaction is going to set the tone for his character leading, eventually you would think, to another title chance. Will he react with blind anger and go on another physical rampage — now might be a good time to feud with Sami Zayn, everyone’s favorite punching bag — and blow through more contenders on the roster until he gets back to the top? Or will the loss of this opportunity humble him?

Or will he be a generic heel who says a lot of tough things and looks the part, but loses when the chips are down? Considering how WWE has booked him the last year, that seems just as likely.

Corbin could benefit from losing his Money in the Bank opportunity. It could add some depth to his character and send him over a dark edge that could be engaging to the audience and make him an even bigger threat.

He is capable of taking on that role. Corbin has shown the potential to stand tall on the championship scene. He may still be raw as a performer to get there, so putting the briefcase on him might have come too soon.

This is still an opportunity for him to grow his character and grow into that champion he seemed destined to be.

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He may not have won his cash-in Tuesday night. But Corbin could still become the champion he was meant to be because of it.