Former WWE personality shocked by major star having a 12-year run in the company: "Must be heck of a nice guy"
WWE recently parted ways with a trio of superstars, including 12-year veteran Baron Corbin. Former manager and longtime wrestling personality Jim Cornette couldn't believe that Corbin lasted that long with the company.
Corbin began his WWE career in 2012 when he signed a developmental deal and was assigned to NXT. He was there for four years before being called up to the main roster. He won the United States Championship, the Money in the Bank, the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal and the King of the Ring during his tenure.
On the latest episode of The Jim Cornette Experience, Cornette initially thought that it was a hasty decision to part ways with Corbin. But when he learned that The Lone Wolf was there for a dozen years, the ex-WWE manager could not believe it.
"He must be a heck of a nice guy that they went to that much trouble and effort to keep him around for 12 f*cking years," Cornette said. [2:57 - 3:13]
Baron Corbin underwent several gimmick changes during his time in the main roster. Corbin started with his Lone Wolf gimmick before becoming Constable Corbin. He then won King of the Ring so he called himself King Corbin.
There was a brief period wherein he was Sad Corbin, who was slowly gaining sympathy from the fans. He then became Happy Corbin and was even managed by JBL.
After it failed, Corbin moved down to NXT and started a program with Bron Breakker. They were rivals who became partners and won the Dusty Rhodes Classic and the NXT Tag Team Championships.
WWE didn't release Baron Corbin, contract was not renewed
While Tegan Knox and Indi Hartwell were released by WWE, Baron Corbin was not a release because the company didn't renew his contract. Fightful reported that Corbin didn't receive an extension and was let go when his deal expired.
Fightful also reported that Corbin filmed a commercial for RAW's move to Netflix less than a week before his departure.
Corbin doesn't have a 90-day no-compete clause because he was not released from a contract. He's free to sign with any promotion although he's not been linked to All Elite Wrestling or TNA Wrestling just yet.