Baron Corbin Reflects On NXT’s Success Of Late, Praises Shawn Michaels

Baron Corbin has had a strong run in NXT this year, and he recently reflected on the company’s success over the past several months. Corbin spoke with Sam Roberts on Notsam Wrestling and discussed the brand’s momentum in the back half of 2023; you can see a couple of highlights below (per Fightful):

On NXT’s success this year: “I think NXT’s putting out fire, man. what Shawn and Baldo and all those coaches there, what they’re doing is special because they’re listening to talent, they’re getting behind them, like how do you want to make this work? How do you feel about this? Because then people are truly invested for themselves. Then there are some guys, there are different people on that roster that really want to be successful and want to learn and want to listen, so when someone like me or Seth comes in the building or Becky, they’re asking questions. Randy was there, training, Taker was there. People are asking genuine questions.

“Then there are some guys, when you’re getting these athletes from all over from college, they’re high-profile athletes, they might come in and think they already have it made. I’ve met a few of those, where they ask you a question, and you can tell they don’t care about the answer or what you’re saying. They’re gonna do it their way, they’re just trying to play the game. But I’ve been around too long to know that, and I’m not stupid.”

On working with Shawn Michaels in NXT: “Getting a different philosophy from one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest of all time, getting to be around him, not only pick his brain, but his excitement. Him revving me up from before I went out for that promo, it puts you in this mode, you’re like, dude, that’s Shawn Michaels being like, ‘Go get it. Go take what’s yours.’ He believes in everything I do. His excitement for the show and the people on the show and the creativity behind the show and his passion to make that show, we always say it’s not a developmental system anymore, but it is a third brand. It pulled a million viewers a couple months back with Becky. It has taken the show to another level, and it’s because of Shawn and the guys behind him and the coaches in the PC.”