Why Baron Corbin Needs To Go Broke Again To Save His WWE Career
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No matter how hard WWE tries, it seems as though the booking of Baron Corbin is never right. There could be a reason for that, and an argument could be made that he is the problem rather than it being WWE’s fault. That being said, he has at times put in very strong performances, and has managed to draw quite a lot of heat at times. Some fans have stated that this is “go away” heat, though he is one of the few heels who does feel like that classic throwback bad guy who fans despise. Recently though, Corbin has taken an even bigger step down, and it feels like there is only one option to save him - the “broke” gimmick.
Baron Corbin’s Momentum Has Stalled In WWE
Ever since he stepped foot in WWE, Baron Corbin has been a heel. Whether it be as an unstoppable force in NXT, a power-hungry constable on Raw, an egotistical King, or as the money-making “Happy” Corbin, he has been a bad guy since day one. Even with an array of gimmicks and personalities, a common occurrence has seen fans getting sick and tired of seeing him on the screen. A big part of this is the changing nature of heels, where fans prefer to watch “cool” heels.
In the case of Corbin, he always performs well in the role he is given, and there have been many instances of fans loving to see him lose and get beaten up. However, after this happening several times over the years, fans have gotten a little tired of it. This hasn’t been more true than recently when Corbin aligned with JBL. At first, JBL’s mic work was strong and it looked like a good and fresh start, but this alliance has gotten more stale by the week, and WWE have already dropped it. His future now looks unclear, but there is one path that could lead to some success for him.
The “Sad Corbin” Gimmick Was The Best Work Of His Career
Back in 2021, Corbin was at one of his lowest points in terms of momentum, as his reign as King Corbin was getting hard to watch. He would lose the crown to Shinsuke Nakamura, and this led to a downward spiral for his character. He went on to lose his money, house, and family, and began looking increasingly disheveled every week. His one singular shirt was getting dirtier with stains every time he was seen, and he tried to raise funds with his own website.
For the first time in a long time, Corbin was very entertaining. He showcased a great range in his character, displaying brilliant comedic timing. He would try any way to gain money, whether it be begging the likes of Kevin Owens, thieving, or finding other ways to get some momentum going. WWE would use their social media to put forth an array of skits too, all of which were must-watch. It was a great time for Corbin, and he was one of the funniest parts of weekly TV, and when looking at the state of programming at the time, he was among the best characters on the show.
Corbin managed to make himself a part of big segments, such as interrupting a Universal Title contract signing to try and include himself in the match, and when he stole the Money in the Bank briefcase too. Although he was a heel, fans were getting on board in a major way with Corbin, and it could have conceivably led to a babyface turn down the line.
WWE Needs To Bring Back Broke Baron Corbin
Now that Corbin has been dropped by JBL, and with him looking a little more downtrodden the week after, WWE should go back towards the only gimmick for him that has been a sure-fire hit. Of course, it could feel a little forced to go back and repeat success, but the gimmick lasted only around two months, leaving a lot of untapped potential.
With Triple H putting more detail into storylines and character, there is a lot of hope that WWE go full-throttle into this gimmick to the point where he could even start to gain sympathy from fans and become a good guy for the first time in his career. Corbin himself even stated in an interview with Busted Open Radio (h/t Post Wrestling) that, "It probably would have full-fledged turned me to the other side and I think that’s one of the reasons we cut it earlier than we probably should’ve". Corbin has been stale for so long that he is dangerously close to being a lost cause, but this is the one path that can get him to relevancy. It is a gimmick that has a ceiling in the midcard, although that is the perfect place for him at this point, and he could be a vital part of WWE going forwards if they handle him correctly in the next few months, and bring back this popular character.
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