Baron Corbin on SummerSlam 2026: “That’s the most stress and nervousness I’ve had in a day in a long time”

And it was the culmination of a lot of things. Like, one, coming back. Like, I took that year and a half and I elevated everything I did, whether it was in the ring, in jiu-jitsu, personality, the ability on a microphone. I kept to that grind.

And I think when you’re doing it without that big machine behind you, when you’re having to go to different shows, it’s a testament to how much you love it and where your passion is. And if you want to get better without the help of that machine and you’re doing it on your own, I think you can grow exponentially.

You know, whereas if you kind of have the machine, you can take things for granted. ‘I’ve already made it,’ all of that. Like, it’s different when you’re on the outside.

So coming back to it, it’s like, I’m going to make a statement. I’m not the same guy I was when I left. I hope people have forgotten about me so I can remind them how dangerous I truly am.

You know, when I came in, in the beginning, as the Lone Wolf, you know, that was the attitude I had. And I think I got lost along the way a little bit. So going away might have been the best thing ever for me and what I’m going to accomplish in between those ropes.

And so getting there and not having a match until SummerSlam, I mean, that’s my debut match back with WWE and with a superstar on Trick Williams’ level. It was a little bit of nervousness and anxiety to build up because I said I was going to take the title, and I didn’t want to be a liar.

So there was a lot of pressure there. But walking through that curtain, it was like that moment of, like, I was so intense and ready to fight. And you also have that lump in the back of your throat.

Like, I walked out and just see all those people and walk through those curtains and walk by Triple H and Gorilla and all those people. They want to see, you know, what they have with me, what I’m going to do coming back, you know, what kind of mission I’m going to be on.

And I had to prove a lot of people a lot of things and myself a lot of things. And it was that first 30 seconds through that entrance, it was like, don’t get overly emotional because it felt that way.

Like, I had to, like, swallow that nervousness and put it down and just keep my mind on where I wanted to go and where I want to take that and not let the excitement mess with my performance or my ability to just beat the living crap out of somebody.

So it was insane.”