Baron Corbin Nearly Chose UFC Over WWE Career
Baron Corbin has admitted he was close to fighting in the Octagon instead of signing with WWE as the former Golden Gloves Boxer opens up about his WWE career.
The former Happy Corbin is currently appearing in NXT on a weekly basis as he looks for a fresh start after over a decade of working in WWE.
Over the last few months, Corbin has been taking on some of the brightest talent in the NXT roster, starting with Carmelo Hayes and more recently took on the debuting Gable Steveson.
But during a recent interview, Corbin has shared that his desire was to compete in UFC or find his way to WWE.
With WWE now under the same ownership as UFC, there is potential to see a cross-over between the brands. This could lead to Corbin fulfilling his dream of fighting in both WWE and inside the Octagon.
Corbin spoke with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful about how close he was to a career in UFC, and how he gained an opportunity with WWE.
“I know that in the early stages of Ultimate Fighter, I was looking at going and being on the one with Rashad Evans and all those guys, but I had a football scholarship, and I was going to college, so I couldn’t do that,”
“When I was done playing football, I was asked at a table, I was sitting there with a guy who was a manager of a rock and roll band. He’s like, ‘What do you want to do if you’re done playing football?’ I was like, ‘Man, I think I am done. My passion is not there for it.’ He’s like, ‘Do you want to do UFC?’ I said, ‘I either want to do UFC or WWE. So I’ve always been a massive WWE fan.’ He’s like, ‘I have a connection with WWE. It’s Neil, the music guy. Let me put a call into him, go see if you’d like it.’
Because that was the thing, it was like, I’m either gonna try to fight in the octagon, or I’m gonna go to WWE, and I had the opportunity for WWE first, and then that’s where they’re at.
“I still get that itch, though. I still am like, man, ‘Should I go try to do like a new NAGA Ju-Jitsu Tournament? Should I try to fight in the Golden Gloves again, or should I try to fight Jake Paul? It’s one of those things,”
Baron Corbin Happy In NXT
Corbin spent four years in NXT before moving to the main roster and has gone on to win the 2019 King Of The Ring, the 2017 Money In The Bank, and in 2016 the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal during his time in WWE.
Earlier this year Baron Corbin joined forces with Hall of Famer JBL but the partnership failed to give Corbin real success.
Following the Draft in May, Corbin remained as a free agent and turned up in NXT to attack the rosters main Champion Carmelo Hayes.
The former United States Champion could be set to feud with Brooks Jensen and Josh Briggs following a backstage altercation during last week’s episode of NXT.
H/t to Fightful