Insight with Chris Van Vliet - Baron Corbin On His WWE Exit, New In-Ring Name, AEW, TNA, New Japan, What's Next

Episode Date: January 23, 2025

https://cvvtix.com - Tickets are on sale now for INSIGHT LIVE in Toronto, Las Vegas & Indianapolis with VIP Meet & Greet! Tom Pestock (@tompestock) is a professional wrestler known for his time in WWE as Baron Corbin. He sits down with Chris Van Vliet at West Coast Creative Studio in Hollywood, CA to discuss his WWE career, being told that his contract would not be renewed and the overwhelming fan response to the news, his Bloodsport match against Josh Barnett at The People vs. GCW, what's next for him in wrestling, his new in-ring name moving forward, responding to the discourse surrounding AEW contracts, a John Cena match that did not go according to plan, how he met Taylor Swift at a Kansas City Chiefs game and more! Quote I'm thinking about: "A dream doesn't become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination and hard work." - Colin Powell Sponsors: PURE PLANK: The future of core fitness! Use the code CVV to save 10% on Pure Plank which was designed by Adam Copeland & Christian: https://gopureplank.com/?ref=tibcloux TIMELINE: Go to https://timeline.com/insight33 to get 33% off your order of Mitopure while supplies last ORGAIN: For 30% off your order, head to https://Orgain.com/INSIGHT and use code INSIGHT SQUARESPACE: Head to https://www.squarespace.com/INSIGHT to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain using code INSIGHT VUORI: Get 20% off your first purchase! Get yourself some of the most comfortable and versatile clothing on the planet at https://vuori.com/cvv ROCKET MONEY: Join Rocket Money today and experience financial freedom: https://rocketmoney.com/cvv ZOCDOC: Instantly book a top-rated doctor today at https://zocdoc.com/insight BONCHARGE: Use the code CVV to save 15% off your infrared sauna blanket at https://boncharge.com/cvv BLUECHEW: Use the code CVV to get your first month of BlueChew for FREE at https://bluechew.com RHONE: Rhone’s premium performance clothing is made to move you. Use code CVV to save 20% at https://www.rhone.com/CVV MANSCAPED: Get 20% off plus free shipping when you use the code CHRISVAN at https://manscaped.com PLUNGE: Get $150 off your Plunge with the coupon code CVV150 at https://plunge.com For more information about Chris and INSIGHT go to: https://podcast.chrisvanvliet.com If you have ever enjoyed any of these episodes, could I ask you to please consider leaving a short review on Apple Podcast or Spotify? It takes less than a minute and makes a huge difference in helping to spread the word about the show and also to convince some hard-to-get guests.  Follow CVV on social media:  Instagram: instagram.com/ChrisVanVliet Twitter: twitter.com/ChrisVanVliet Facebook: facebook.com/ChrisVanVliet YouTube: youtube.com/ChrisVanVliet TikTok: tiktok.com/@Chris.VanVliet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ladies and gentlemen, Chris Van Fleet. Oh my goodness. Welcome back to another one here on Insight. I'm CBV, Chris Van Fleet. Hope your day's going well. Hope your weeks going well. Thanks for being with us on this episode. And thank you, as always, for making Insight the number one wrestling podcast on the planet.

If you haven't done so already, hit a sidewalk slam on that follow button. If you're listening on Spotify, or Apple or CastBox or whatever the podcast app of your listening pleasure might be. Looking forward to seeing you guys at our live shows coming up in Indianapolis next week. It's the day before the Royal Rumble. Then we've got Toronto coming home. I can't wait for that one. It's the day before Elimination Chamber.

And then Las Vegas at Circa Resort and Casino during WrestleMania Week. Tickets for all of those are available at CVVTICS.com. that's CVV-T-I-X.com. You knew him as Baron Corbin in WWE for 13 years. His real name is Tom Pestock, and it's just so great to have him back on the show. As of January 1st, he is officially a free agent after WWE didn't renew his contract.

He talks all about that and the time that he spent there and all of the memories and great moments that he had in WWE. And Tom just made an appearance in GCW, in a blood sport match against Josh Barnett. And he says he's excited for what the future holds, excited to do more. Not just wrestling, not just more wrestling, but just more. He has a real passion for movies, a real passion for cooking. And I can't wait to see what this year has to offer for him.

It just feels like, though, over the last maybe year or two, people were just starting to give Corbyn credit for how good he is and how incredible he is at elevating other talent. Maybe too good at elevating other talent. I don't know. it's interesting to hear his thoughts on all of this. So snap a screenshot, tag us if you're listening. He's at Tom Pestock on Instagram and Twitter. That's T-O-M-P-E-S-T-O-C-K. I'm at Chris Van Fleet, and let's dive into this. Please welcome Tom Pestock, aka former WWE superstar Baron Corbyn. Well, it's good to see you again. Yes, number three, right? Yeah, yes. And you're fresh off your first ever indie movie. Oh, man. Yeah.

Yes. Fresh off the plane out of New York City, G.CW. Bloodsport. This is the interesting thing when a lot of people get released or their contracts not renewed from WWE, people just go, oh, they'll just work the Indies. Yeah. You've never done this before. No. It's funny, man.

I put in 13 years with WWE, and that was my first ever in-ring experience was WWE. You know, most guys come from the independent world or whatever. There's a few of us that, you know, skip that whole process, more so now, too, with all of NIL and bringing athletes from college. So you don't kind of get that, that taste of the other side, if you will. You know, like Gable's another guy who, you know, he came from Olympic wrestling. And all these people love wrestling, but it's a different world out there. I now know and can say that I actually know, you know, you know, working an independent show.

That crowd seemed to be into you. It was why I was so, I was so nervous going into it. And I haven't, I mean, you always get good nervous when you're doing a show, especially massive arenas in front of lots of people, big matches. Yeah, that was Hammerset ballroom. Yes, but, like, it was a different nervous for me because I had no idea how they were going to react to me. Also, GCW is known for its crazy matches and, you know, wild bumps that guys are taken.

And we're going to put on a bloodsport match, which is, we're grappling and we're hitting each other a lot harder than we would if it was not a blood support match. And I was like, man, how's the audience going to take to this style match? I was worried. You know, if I plan to match or put something together that had a lot of, like, the jiu-jitsu grappling and all of that in a W-W-W-Ring, it just doesn't translate as well. Sure.

I think, especially with the audience being families and kids, they just, they would get bored very quickly of watching. And the same reason, you know, a lot of kids don't watch, like, UFC, if you will, because they don't understand, like, the grappling, the technique. And it's chess, not checkers. You know, they're trying to set things up. Sometimes it takes a minute or a minute and a half to set up a triangle or an armbard. So going in front of that crowd that I know is rowdy.

And I'm going, man, how are they going to react to not hearing Baron Corbyn? How are they going to react to hearing Tom Pestock? Are they just going to chant Corbyn? Or are they going to boo me out of this building? I had zero insight to what was going to happen. It was very surreal. And ended up getting some pretty cool chance. They were chanting big F and Tom.

Big F and Tom. I mean, it helps them you're twice the size of most of those guys. So that was crazy. Got to use my new entrance music that the guys put together. And from downstate, they did Cody's music. They do my music. They do your music. Yeah.

They're super dope. Ziegler, Ms. Cardona. They're so dope. They're the best. Such cool guys. So I got to use that. So that was really cool. Welcome to the downstay family.

I know. And the cool thing is like when they reached out to me too, we're going to go off topic here. They reached out and they're like, these are our influences. And one of them was seven to us, Lejean. Lejean's a good buddy of mine. And I was like, maybe we can get Lejean on the track. And they're like, no way. And so I texted me, he's like, I'm fully in.

So we're trying to set it up. Now they did a whole track without him, but, you know, they want him to kind of do the first verse and run the chorus. And it's like, that'll be so sick. So cool. just like kind of a cool full circle moment for me to bring one of my buddies in to be a part of the entrance music and then you know these guys I mean they the tracks they're laying down I mean look at Cody's music it's massive and I think it's helped elevate him to the level he's at amongst many other things but that plays an important role and when you have audiences singing that

but and then last night you know we finished the bloodsport match and I got to please come back chant and I'm like these are guys that have hated me for years yeah I mean 10 years of telling me how horrible I am on um social media and now they're like please come back and I love it like obviously I think that whole wolf dog run with brawn and nxte and getting to just do me for once and getting to showcase what I'm truly capable of and getting out there and being able to work longer matches and do more things that I want to do um I think open their eyes to like yo like he he got us for 10 years. Like he was actually really good at what he was doing, but he's also really good at this.

And so it was a cool, um, self-ratifying moment to get that in that arena with those fans. Did you have any sort of eye-opening moments? This is your first show ever. So, I mean, the whole thing is kind of funny. Um, again, I had zero expectations on, on what I was going to get, how it was going to work, um, you know, flying out to New York. And it's everything is different, right? I mean, normally I'm used to getting travel in my app.

Get on my plane. I land. I book my own rental car. I go do my thing. Get to the building. There's security, a staff entrance, a locker, everything. And I get there and it's like Wild West almost. Like, do I just walk in the front door?

Do I, what time do I need to be there? Like nothing. It's like, do this. But so I get there and I'm talking. I'm like, I need some water or some caffeine. And I'm like, oh, I should have brought my own. So it's pretty crazy to me. is I walk across the street to Walgreens or CVS, whichever it is,

and I'm looking at the street, and I'm staring at the front of MSG, and I'm looking at MSG going, that's Madison Square Garden, and I'm looking behind me. I'm going to ballroom, like, we're doing 2000 here. We've done like 15,000 there. And I said, I was like, man,

I main event in Madison Square Garden with the Undertaker, Roman Raines. It was me and Kevin Owens, I think, versus Taker, Roman Rains. It was Taker's very last match. ever in the garden. And then I've also been over there where they kind of didn't tell me what I was doing on a show.

And I went out and Vince came out to the ring and cut a whole promo on the mic about how awesome I am. And then Sina came out. And I fought Sina in Madison Square Garden. So I've got Vince. I've got Sina. I got Roman.

I've got Undertaker. And I've also got several other matches in Madison Square Garden. It was kind of a humbling moment. To be now on the outside of that, looking at MSG knowing I've headlined and headlined that building and then turning around and like seeing what I'm doing tonight, totally different world, different arena, different crowd, obviously much smaller.

And I think it was a, it's kind of a humbling moment of like what I've accomplished in life and like how you can continue to go down that path, but it can be very different. You know, it's a different world, but same world. And so I think it was a, it was just like a kind of a ground-shaking moment for me, just like to appreciate everything over the last like 13 years of WB and the magnitude of it. And because when you're in it so much, sometimes you, not that I ever took it for granted, but you can lose a little bit of appreciation for the magnitude of things you're doing and the greatness of it. and when it's gone, sometimes you realize it hits you a lot harder than you think.

Like, I was okay. I mean, my contract ended January 1st. I was okay. I was at peace with it all. And it's like one of those moments were like, how much do I really miss it? Like, do I want to get back to that level? Do I want to try to get to a point where I put myself in a position where, hey, man, I'm going to do the garden again with Cody Rhodes or seeing punk or someone like that.

Is that something I want? Like, if I stood on that corner for like 15 minutes. and it's freezing to death because it was so cold in New York, but just like looking back and forward at the same time. Sure. Like I'm literally dead in the middle of two very different stops in my life. And so it was just, it was really cool.

It was like one of those moments, you know, sometimes you just stand on you just feel alive and like what you've done. And like, you know, my wife, my family, like, they've seen what I've done. They don't understand sometimes the magnitude of what I've accomplished. in wrestling world, you know, and it was just a really cool thing. And then to go into that show with that energy, you know, to go fight Josh Barnett,

who's a guy who's made a living at beating people up. And he's one of the best at it. And he's tough as nails. And sometimes you come upon people and you just see, like, I can look at somebody and usually tell for the most part, like, this dude has some grit. And, like, he's one of those guys. When you're standing in front of him, you're going, like, this is going to be a fight. There's very few people in the world like that.

So it was just such a cool moment for me in life in general to be standing on that corner in between the two buildings. Like looking past, present, future all at one moment. Having an existential crisis. But it wouldn't even that. It was like it was like euphoric in a sense. It was just something where it was like, this is cool. Like my life is, it's cool. It's fun and exciting and it makes you appreciate it.

And I think it made me appreciate the show even more last night with GCW and the opportunity I had to do that blood support best with Josh and be in front of that crowd. Like, it's such a cool spectrum. And to stand in the middle of it was really awesome. One of the biggest differences is the reins are off now. You're in control. 100%. You're the one who's going to decide how the rest of this year goes and then into next year.

What do you want to do? I mean, a lot of things. Like, I'm always a guy who's got multiple, like, things in the fire. always with this WWE. I was doing, you know, food stuff on my social media or I started a coffee company. I was doing a coffee company. And then, you know, all the family stuff and like that. But now I'm going to have an opportunity where I don't have to ask permission to do something.

I've also been smart with all of my money that I've made over the years with WWE because I watched how quickly it can end. You know, when I left the NFL, it's like no more paychecks. And you go, oh, man, like it ends that quick. I was playing ping pong and now I don't have a job. Like, it's crazy. Um, and so I put myself in a position now that I can literally just do the things I want to do. I don't have to do things because I have to do them. And I think that's a really freeing thought process.

And so like I can take risks. Like I want to do movies. I want to do TV shows. And I want to do like horror movies or thriller movies or like darker action kind of films. Like, um, anything in that world, whether it's television, it's Netflix, it's Hulu or, you know, it's the B-rate horror movies that are amazing that I just, my guilty pleasures, I love them. You know, that's the world I want to dive into. And it's risky.

It's scary. And it's, you know, a lot of people don't make it. But how many things have I already accomplished that a lot of people don't, you know, NFL, 1% of college players make to the NFL made it? Made it to the W. Made it at the top of the roster. Main event around the world. All of those things. How many people get that opportunity?

You know, talking to Uso's one time, and they'd never had a singles match. at Mania and they've been in the WW Longer and I had and I'd had like three at that time at Ambrose, I had Kurt Engel and Drew McIntyre and it was like, whoa, like it's crazy to think, think that. And so I think that, you know, if I go after that, it's something I can accomplish. And you need a little bit of luck, a little bit of opportunity. Stages like this, you know, coming here and talking with you, maybe somebody hears this and it's like, oh man, he'd be perfect for this. Or I know somebody here. It's a lot of connections as you know to get into that world.

You know, I signed with CAA with Ross and he's going to do an amazing job with helping me get some opportunities. And it is. It's up to me now. I control everything that happens right now. I can take independent shows that I want to take like GCW. I definitely go back. It was so fun. That crowd was amazing, energetic, passionate.

And that show was like five hours last night because unfortunately one of the girls broke her ankle in the second match. like with the New York commission, it kind of put a hold on the show for like 40 minutes. And it was like, how do we restructure to try to get the crowd back and all of those things after this like long intermission? And they were just as passionate when we got back to work as they were when they started. You know, I want to go to Japan. I want to wrestle in Japan. Like I've wrestled there quite a few times with WWE, but never like that new Japan company. You know, like that that's something that, you know, AJ and Finn and Gallows and.

Anderson and Shinske and all those guys. They did that. I never got to do it before WWE like they did. So I'm like, man, let's go do it now. Like I love it over there. I love the culture. I love the history of the wrestling business over there. So many stars, so many traditions.

I think it's so cool. So I want to go there and do that. I want to go to Food Network, do some like food stuff. I'm going to go to Miami, I think in like four weeks for the Miami Food Festival to meet some of the people. People are Michael Simon. Yeah. I'm going to go eat with Michael Simon and I'm going to go to some of Guy Fury stuff.

I had a friend reach out about potentially doing B-Bobby Flee, like not as a competitor, but as a host. Like that would be amazing. And I want to win some more gold medals in jujitsu. Like I got my purple belt last week or two weeks ago after our professor tried to kill us with eight, eight-minute rounds. We basically went like 104. four minutes or something like that, 106 minutes, whatever it is, straight, just beating the crap

out of each other. So, I'm going to do a couple more tournaments there. I'd like to do Pan Am games. Like, I'm just kind of flooring it in all of these different avenues. It sounds like the floodgates are open now. They are. All the things you've wanted to do for the last few years, you're like, well, now I can do all.

Yeah, yeah. And like, WB gave me a platform to be able to try to do these things. I think obviously Tom Pestock, there would be no Baron Corby without WB. There would be no Tom Pestock in a sense of celebrity lack their better term, but like someone of a brand, you know, I built a brand around my name with WV helping, obviously. So having that resume is going to make it a little bit easier than it would be for someone who's got no head start. And so, yeah, man, the door's just opened.

I'm going to do as much and as many things as I can. Is wrestling still a passion for you? Oh, yeah. So is it an option to go to TNA or AEW or New Japan? I think, I mean, like I said, I would love to go to New Japan. I think for multiple reasons. And, you know, the door never closes with WWE either. And as far as AEW, their fans, they like that AEW in a sense is, you know,

its own entity and built from the ground up. And I don't want to be, if I went there out of respect for that world, I wouldn't want to be just another WWE guy that came there because they left WWE. Like, I would rather go and do like New Japan for a year or whatever, or more. Who knows? Maybe that's where I just love it and I stay there for the rest of my wrestling career.

So if I ever did go that route, I would want to kind of clear that, oh, he's just a WWE guy coming over. Like, Baron Corbin is dead as far as we know. Like, we're dropping new name, new moniker. new character. I love wrestling. I love the creativeness of it. I love the freedom. I love performing in front of an audience and getting that live feedback in the moment. There's nothing better. If I want to go into the movie world, I filmed the movie last week and it'll be out in 20206. You have to wait for that. And I like that instant gratification of a wrestling audience. You know in the

moment what they're feeling and how they're feeling about you. So nothing beats that. It's like being a rock star. It's so cool and so fun. And I mean, it's what I love to do. And I think that, too, for me, you know, with my contract ending in WWWE deciding not to renew, obviously that hurt and lights a fire because I felt like in my WWE career, I was in like uncharted water in a sense. I had gone to NXT reinvented myself. and put a lot of work into it,

even though, like, I didn't agree with some of it. I had a conversation before into NXT. I was sat down, I'm going to be polite. We talked about it walking in. Bruce Pritchard, I'm going to be polite. I think that, you know, he was like, you know, it's just not working. We want you to go down there, reinvent yourself, new moves, lose a little weight, blah, blah, blah.

And I did, and I think it was like, I think it was, not, maybe not meant for me to succeed as well as I did down there, but they've got such an amazing system there with the talent they have, with the producers they have, and with the coaches they have, and the writers. It's impossible not to succeed down there, like, impossible. And I think I killed it, and it couldn't be denied. And then I went back to the main roster. And I just, you know, I'm a very open, truthful person. I just, I'm not capable. of lying or, you know, BSing about things. But like, when I got up there, it just, I feel like someone was holding me down in a sense

of like, that wasn't supposed to work, you know, because I would go out and do dark matches. Or when I did wrestle on TV, like, the crowd was insane for me. It was the best reactions I'd had in years since I was the king or the constable. Like, when I was getting all that heat, this was the opposite. I was getting people chanting my name. There were times in matches where Apollo would be getting beat up. And they'd be chanting my name. And he'd just look at me.

He's like, you're over. Like it would be crazy every night. It would be crazy. My reactions and with no ego, I say aside from maybe Cody, Randy, and Kevin were the best on the whole show every night on Smackdown. And that's doing dark matches or doing TV like Berlin. We did that tag match. They were insane.

And I would come back to the curtain and Regal would always be like, this is amazing. The work is awesome. They love you. Road dog would be like, Corbyn, you're over in this town. And I'm like, it's every town, dude. Like, it's not just like a one-off.

Like, and even, you know, one of the writers we were talking about. And they were like, how we want to change you to heal. And I'm like, I don't know, man. We've never done this baby face. They wanted me to be different. Like, what do we have?

And then we went out there. And it was, I don't remember what, what city it was. Arkansas or somewhere. And it was, it was crazy. They blew the roof off for me. Like chanting my name in the, match when I wasn't even in the match it like standing on the apron or whatever um cheered for everything

and i walked back and chad's like he's like i told him the other it's the head writer smack down he goes i told him that you should just walk back here and give us both the finger and walk off because the reaction was so good um and so i think that that was frustrating so i'm like man there's still something there maybe unresolved that i could get back and accomplish as that baby face with the cheering and I think it made me hungrier to succeed being told, oh man, we're just, we're going to go a different direction, like after already being told, like, hey, we want to go change everything, and you do it, and it's successful.

And it's where it's not like, I'm very self-aware at the same time. Like, there were times with the JBL stuff. I think it could have worked if we'd done it differently, which we'd pitch several ideas. I mean, JBL's the man. He's unbelievable what he is. He's sending amazing pitches and they just, they died in the wind somewhere but um i'd stand out there and go man this you could feel it's not

working i'm not not getting the reactions i want or anything like that to where like six months ago i'm telling you the reactions where everything was there it was firing on all cylinders i recreated everything like i was asked to do i've always done everything that i've been asked to do and then to be like uh we're just we're going to go in a different direction it's like what like that that was frustrating because there's nothing you can do at the end of the day um And I was talking to Randy about it. A lot of guys reached out, you know, I'm sorry. You know, and guys you expect like Seth and Finn and Kevin and those dudes are amazing people.

And, you know, punk and Randy. But Randy's like, he's like, dude, I honestly thought you were like going to be here another 10 years. He's like, I don't understand it. He's like, do you mind if I talk to Hunter about it? I don't know if he ever did. But he's like, he's like, he's like, somebody doesn't like you. And I'm like, there's nothing I can do to change that. I feel like I know who it is.

And that's besides the point, but they had power enough to either kill creative or whatever it is. And they got to go to bed with that at the end of the night. That's on them. But for 13 years, like I made this entity that is me and is Tom Pestock, and I think it's going to help continue to push me. And again, I wouldn't have had that without WV. I wish it hadn't ended like it did. I wish I had more opportunity to continue. with this baby face thing.

Like, nobody wants it to end any job. Like, it's not fun. But it's also exciting at the same time. Like, because now I can literally do whatever. I can try to create something new. I can go in different directions. I think the most frustrating part for me is not understanding why, really, you know, there's an ulterior motive there because, again,

I've been a company guy through and through. I've never said no to doing something. I've made everything work that I've been given. and not complainative, never once complained online. You can send me to talk to ESPN. You can send me to talk to Boys and Girls Club. I fit the mold of a professional. I dress professional.

I show up professional. I don't miss show. 13 years, never once missed a show or training or anything because of injury or being sick. Like not once, not even COVID. Like, I was a hero during COVID, in my opinion. I was on every show, sometimes both shows. I've been a team player through and through. And I think maybe in the end that hurt me a little bit, always being the guy that's like, yeah, no problem.

Oh, you need Ben Ballard, the demon to beam me up in three minutes at Somersam? Okay. No problem. Like, cool. And so it was a weird place to be. But I think now, again, that moment yesterday standing in between the two buildings, like it's pretty cool to go. Yeah, man, I was here. Now I'm here.

How do we get back to there? Not necessarily WWE, but that level of accomplishment. I think people were really surprised when the news came out that they weren't renewing your contract. It was like two and a half million views on my tweet alone. Like people were shocked and a lot of people in the business. I was shocked. I could weirdly kind of, you know, when your gut instinct tells you something. And like I said, I think there was, there's one person in particular that I think was behind all of it.

And it sucks. But it is what I can't. I'm not going to cry over it. Like I'm not, because I'm grateful for everything. had there and every opportunity that I had there, I can't let one person put me in a bad place. I'm not going to let one person control my emotions. I mean, the fact that Randy Orton's calling me going, someone doesn't, there's someone that doesn't like you. And again, I know who it is. I told him and he's like, yeah, I probably right. But when you have someone of that magnitude being

like, I'm going to talk to Hunter, like, it makes you feel good because, you know, a lot of other people see the flip side of it. They're like, oh, man, no, he's really good. Like, I don't, why? No, what I do in a sense of going out and make people believe in the authenticity of what I'm doing, whether it's happy Corbin, sad Corbin, or wolf dogs, or, you know, the new stuff I was doing with burn the ships and just being myself. You know, people believe it. And then also, too, I could make people believe, I mean, I got beat 10 million times, but people were still booing me and still having fun. And when I would work with different baby faces, again, when I would lose every single week, they still bought that there was a chance I was going to win, a chance that I would

screw this guy over. And that's a special talent. And also to do it without complaining. There's a lot of guys that walk around boo-boo-bo-facing when they're not getting the win or whatever it is. And I just, I did my job and I was happy to do it. And when I look back, we were talking earlier, I said, maybe I should have been a little more selfish with what I did. It could have hurt me. And I could have been done three or four years ago, you know, you never know. Or, you know, it could have helped me because there are some guys that are that way and you see it benefits some and it doesn't benefit to others. I don't know. There's no right path to take to find all the success that you want. It just feels like people were just starting to appreciate how

underutilized you are. I mean, over the last maybe a year or two, people were going, man, you could put Corbyn in there with anyone. Absolutely. And it's going to be great. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I could have run with, never got to run with Cody. You know, there's other guys I would love to run, you know, with Gunther. I would love to run with Finn again, AJ again, like, punk. Like these guys that I haven't really got to work with because I've never worked with Cody or Gunther or Punk. You know, they want fresh.

What's fresher than a guy who's spent 10 years as a bad guy is now a baby face that gets fantastic reactions working with guys he's never worked with. Like, that's what you want. And it's just, it's frustrating because even like two weeks prior, there's a few things that are very frustrating. I was asked to go change everything and I did. And then I come up and a month before I'm released, Hunter is standing next to me at the ring and he's like, you should be really proud at reinventing yourself. You've accomplished a lot. And then a month later, you're like, oh, they're not going to renew. And you're like, wait, a month ago, Hunter

told me how good I was doing. And then, so that was kind of like, just weird. And then, and I love Hunter. Like, I don't think he's the guy by any means. So anybody, listening. Don't read into that. He's not the guy. The guy has helped me every step of the way. He built my entrance in NXT when I first came through main roster. He's given me more advice than I could ever ask for that helped my career. And we talk about our families. I love Hunter to death and I always will. I think what Hunter does is amazing. And him and I are, you know, in tune with music and the way we see things and having badass heels that can beat people up and not just comedy heels. I think we're more aligned with our thought on philosophy of.

how things work. So that was a bummer to have that. And then we'd send in like two great pitches. Like one of them I had involved, Chad's one of the writers. And I think he's one of my favorite writers to work with because he's very creative. And I'll send him an idea and he'll help me like mold it into a true wrestling pitch. But we sent an idea that was like one whole thing and it was going to get like six people involved in it.

And it was not centered around me. Like it was centered around a group of different individuals. and it was breaking guys like Carmelo off and Andrade off into different things. And like, I've always been a guy that's like, how can I get other people around me and bring them up? So, you know, I'm not sitting in a pitch like, oh, I do this and jump Cody Rhodes and I win the world title. Like, that's not my pitch. My pitch is involving L.A. Knight. It's Carmelo.

It's Andrade. It's Apollo. It's Garza and them. It's like, how can we involve all these people and make it an interesting story? Like, those are the type of pitches I sent in. And then, too, another good thing about leaving one of the bright, like I'm trying to find like benefits. Like how do we, you know, what's a good thing? So, and I just lost my train of thought.

The silver lining of the, yeah, the silver lining is like, I think for so long I was that guy that built guys to the main event scene. I spent six months wrestling Rollins and then he goes to Somerslam to face Brock Lesner. I spent seven months with Roman for multiple reasons I'm that guy. I can get the reaction to the matches. They're really good matches. I can work with anybody. I don't have bad chemistry with anyone. And I think that's attributed to wanting to make guys look better than they are.

And I'm safe. Like I keep dudes safe in the ring. They're not going to get hurt. So if they're building Seth Rollins for WrestleMania, who do we put them with building up to WrestleMania that checks all those boxes and it's me? And I'm fine with that. Like, yeah, do I want to be world champion? Hell, yes, I do.

you know nobody wanted that more than I did is there a point where you're like I'm putting all these other people over yeah when do I get my one's my yeah for sure 100% and and that's always like that's why I was there I wanted to be world champion I wanted to have that accolade on me for the rest of my life like that's a cool thing to tell people when you're 60 or tell my kids and I was a world champion wdb like here's a picture of it like whether it was a day um run like cane hat or whatever you know I wanted that moment um and I did it for a lot of people. I built Braun to go. I mean,

not that these people needed building, but I worked with these guys. Braun went on, then he won the title from Ray Wyatt. And then, you know, Seth Rollins, I worked with him.

He went to Somersandor, Brock Lesnar, Roman Rain did that. He went to WrestleMania. You know, I'm not getting those big moments, but I had a lot of great big moments. You weren't a lot of main of us.

There were so many. Yeah, there was one time I was talking about the other day that I said people don't realize, like, And we used to do like 14 day Europe tours. You do a TV in the States, fly to Europe, do a TV there, finish there, fly back and do a TV back in the States.

It was like a 14-day run. Roman and I main-a-vented 30 minutes every single night, like 12 days, or 12 shows, 14 days. Wow. Doing TLC matches. Like we were putting each other through tables every night all over Europe in the States. And like all of those were main events. I main-evented like basically two years straight. because I was running with Seth with Roman

and then a little bit with Kurt and Braun. Those were all main events. And that was three, four shows a week that you're doing that. But again, my silver lining to no longer being there is I can kind of shake that stigma. I can shake the stigma of, he's the guy that just puts people over on

to go to their big moments. Or, you know, he's a good guy to put people over. Like, let's say I'd go away for a year. our audience with Netflix going on and Smackdown going to use it, audiences turns over. This deal they have with Netflix is going to bring so many new viewers that, you know, a year from now, they're going to have no idea who Constable Corbyn was. Like, are the audience going to change? So I can come back and not have that stigma necessarily attached if that was something I do.

I'm staying here saying, I don't know if I would ever go back. If they call me right now, I would respectfully say, no, thank you. I need to clear this. I need to fix this, which is what I thought I did in the NXT. But when I went back to the main roster, I think there are some writers that still have that, oh, well, you know, Corbin's our guy for this. This is what he does. So I kind of want that to go away.

I almost lost it one time. This is just, I was so angry. And I don't get angry that easy at stuff like this. Like I said, I try not to let people control my emotions. It's just one of those things. and I try to teach that to my kids because then you're always going to go around letting other people affect you. Like my daughter smoked some chick in the arm and flaccid and I got a call from the teacher. Like your daughter punched her in the arm and I was telling my daughter's,

you can't let people control your emotions like that. It's like I'd punch 25 people a day if that was the case. But I was sitting with the head writer of Smackdown and it still just kind of makes my blood boil because it doesn't pertain just to me. But I was just like, hey, you know, do we have any ideas? Da, da, da, da, da, da. you know, what are you thinking creatively? And he's like, well, you know, we got, we got Jacob up and running. So we're going to need bodies for him.

And I was like, we're not bodies, dude. Nobody on this roster is just a body. Like that was so frustrating to hear. And like I said, it doesn't pertain to me. But it just goes, this is what you think of. Like, I've been here at this point, 12 years and I'm a body like for somebody else. Like, dude, if you want to say something, something like that, go, hey man, like, we think you'd be great because you could help build

Jacob, like you could make them look like a monster. Dope, let's go. But we're going to need bodies. Like, he's referring to the bottom half of the roster when you say that. And I'm like, it's so disrespectful to say that about people who go out there and put their life on the line every night because careers can be ended in an instant. I mean, look at Biggie, like one suplex wrong. And he may, may never wrestle again.

Like, it can end like that. Or you can end up a quadriplegic. All of these things can happen. It's your livelihood. It's how you put food on the table. I'm so gracious to have such a long career that I don't have to worry about that. But if you're three years in and you're just a body and you're disregarded as not even a human being in a sense, like, come on, dude. It takes everybody from guys who are there to be extras.

They're just as important as talent in a sense. Because without those guys doing that, we don't. We don't have major superstars. You know, you need guys that can do that and do it well. Like, I think that that's harder sometimes than being the top guy. When everything is fed to you, you're given every opportunity you're built on this pedestal. Like when you're all the dudes clawing at the bottom to try to get there, like, it's way harder to be down there and survive and be happy and successful than it is to be. This is our guy.

We wrote so we wrote his name right there. So everything else funnels to him. Like, that's easy to be up there. Like, it's, the only hard part is the amount of time it takes. When you're put on a pedestal, it's much easier than being guys fighting for those two, three minutes on a show and then to refer to him as bodies. And I said something and he was like, I didn't think about how I said it that way. But I was just like, this is why it's good that I'm going away for a little while, regardless.

And I think when I went to NXT again, I thought that was going to accomplish that. And I think it did because when I came back, the audience is. we're so excited to see me. Reactions were amazing. You know, this may do it times 10. And it might, again, this might lead to, I'm going to go try to shoot this horror movie in Portugal at the end of the year. It's called Slash Them.

It's going to be super dope. It's a super, like, super gory movie. I got a chainsaw. It'll be dope. They're trying to get it financed right now. You know, and maybe I go into that world and I never look back. Yeah, I don't know what the future holds. I think that's another exciting thing to all of this is the doors are open everywhere.

I just got to find my way through them. In wrestling, is it going to be as Tom Pestock? No. No, no, no. Okay. We, I'm letting it out right now. I'm going to go because I got to do me at the end of the day still, right? And like I've talked to you about having, like, I want to go here.

I want to go here. I want to go to New Japan. You know, TNA is called. So maybe there's something there. or maybe NWA. Like, I am open to it all because I love wrestling. And if I can go somewhere and be in front of fans, I'm going to go. Like, it's just I know that I don't want to sign like a contract right now because I like this ability.

And so I'm going with the nomad, Bishop Dyer. I'm going to be the nomad. I'm going to go to all these. And then Bishop Dyer, I think, you know. E-I-R-E-R, like, D-Y-E-R, like, D.Y-E-R. Okay. Change them a little bit because it pays tributes. It pays tribute to the wolf, lone wolf, dire wolf,

and then a bishop is higher than a baron. So we're going up. The rankings are going up. And so it's getting trademarked, so don't even try it, suckers. Getting trademarked right now. But I think it's just a powerful name. It's a cool name. And I want to be the nomad man.

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Go to timeline.com slash Insight 3-3. That's timeline, t-I-M-L-N-E dot com slash Insight 3-3. I'm sure Baron Corbyn is trademarked. It is. It's, I don't, I don't think so. So you could have been just Corbyn if you wanted. So I think so. And you could change the spelling.

And, you know, I spoke in length with this with a buddy of mine. And Sam, obviously, you know, he does so many podcasts. Sam Roberts, I constantly call and bug him about his thoughts. And my wife. And they're like, if you want to create something new, be something new. Yeah. Don't like, because even my. my guy that's doing the trademark. He's like, well, what about like Bishop Corby? And I said,

it's still WWE. I want to, I want to shed that. I want to take Bishop Dyer to a level. Cody's a great example. Cody left, created this entire thing that has made him who he is today. And he never, yeah, granted his first show, he's smashing Hunter's chair. But, you know, he let go of that. and just did him. And then he brought it back and it's completely different. You know, nobody on the independent world or AW or wherever he was was saying, oh, that's just Cody from WW. Well, he left his stardust.

Yes. So to leave his stardust and come back as Cody Rhodes, the massive departure. Yes. So I just want to shed it all and see what I can create. And like, let's say, you know, I'm not even three months out of WWE. So it's going to be our main focus of our conversation. but when I come back maybe, let's say, a year from now in 2026, they go, hey, we want you in the rumble.

And I go, and it's Baron Corbyn. I go, ah, he's dead. Bishop Dyer's the guy. So Baron Corbin's dead. I think he's dead. I think he's dead. And there's no looking back. You know, that burn the ships thing that I did, it's a true life philosophy.

I'm not looking back. I'm always going forward. You know, they burned the boats when they landed on an island, they said, if we're leaving this island, we're leaving on the enemy's boat. or we're dying in these fields. And I think that's my philosophy. Like, I'm going forward, man. I'm not going to hang on to the past.

People know who I am. Like, I did that show last night as Tom Pestock. People know that. And then, too, like, there's just little things you think of that makes sense. Like, my wife would have, you know, and I discussed, like, you know, when actors do new movies, they don't keep the same name in a new movie that they are who they are, you know. it's they have a name which is Tom Pestock and you know baron corbin was a w-dovee character bishop dire is now the nomad you know wandering the streets of the

independence or you know like i said i keep going i want to go to new japan and i i saw something online they're like oh they're interested i would love that like call me up dude let's go um i just i want to do that style and stuff so um i think he's he's just buried for now like we're going to leave them, we put some dirt on top and Baron Corbyn is dead in that sense of moving forward with that. You know, obviously if, you know, we were talking about signings in the car, yeah, Baron Corbyn figure, yeah, I'll sign his Baron Corbyman. It's still there. You know, Jack Sparrow signed Jack Sparrow as that, not as Johnny Depp. You know, it's, it's one of those things I think these different characters will play different parts in life and we're on to

the new one. Did you feel like you had the chance to take it and run with it? it in WWE. For example, when you were money in the bank, when you had the money in the bank, was there like, okay, you're going to win money in the bank and then it's going to lead to this?

There were so many instances of that in my career. And you kind of lose faith in a sense of this is the plan, this is where we're going, and then it changes six hours later. So what was the original money in the bank plan? I mean, I think Vince saw me becoming world chance,

And I think that winning that, he's like, you're going to hold it for a while because, you know, I think, you know, gender being champ also played a part of not only, you know, him doing his thing because he's an incredible performer, but also they were trying to get, you know, a certain demographic of an audience that helped. And like, they had no intentions of changing that title at that time. So it was to carry it. And it was eventually to take it off of gender. But obviously it did not come to fruition. But there's other. times where things like that with Kurt Engel. It was supposed to be this whole thing where he was never going to wrestle again. I was going to have a gold medal. I was going to do this whole thing. And we were going to run with it. And like, yeah, I said on Twitter one time, or X, whatever it is now, you know, I feel bad that I didn't do more with that with Kurt giving me that opportunity of,

you know, going over at WrestleMania and being a part of his last match and being lucky enough to have that stage with him. I wish I could have accomplished so much more. And I think that's one reason Kurt did it is there were expectations for me to do it. And then it literally the next Monday night it took a left turn when they put Kurt out there with Lars, remember that guy for a hot minute. And he got beat up like right after his retirement match. It was like, wait, what?

And then the whole gold medal idea got scrapped because he's like, I just don't think it will mean anything. It's so like start and stop with ideas sometimes. And I think it's changing now with H being in charge. think they see things through much better, for better or worse, which is good because sometimes it takes more than a week or two to get something through to an audience. And I think there's guys that Hunter believes in, especially, you know, his crew of guys that he sees when we're very self-aware of reactions and I watch everything. I worked with Cina so long, all I do is listen to

audiences and you hear it and you watch some of these guys come out on an entrance and there's nothing. It doesn't matter if you're giving them WrestleMania pyro when they win the tag titles or whatever it is or they do these big things. Like there's not the reaction you're hoping. And five years ago that would be the end of it. Like, okay, didn't work.

We're going here. Where Hunter's like, no, this is going to work. Believe me, let's keep going. And then you start to see it kind of come and you start to hear that reaction follow. And I think that's a big difference in they're not losing faith. And it's not that they ever lose faith in talent. They lose faith in the idea or

that or just prior to this, it was just a complete, like, I forgot where we were going. Let's go here instead, you know. It's funny because depending on who you ask, you're one of the few people who are, you're either the most overrated or the most underrated, especially like, you know, 2017, 2018, man, that guy's so overrated. It's worse. So overrated. And then I think the pandemic time was like, man, this guy's so underrated.

Well, which one is it? Yeah, I don't think they can make up their minds. It's so funny to have that. I don't think there's anybody else like that. like you said. Hey, he's the most overrated, also underrated at the exact same time. I think the only other one I can really think of is Ziegler. Oh, yeah, another guy. Similar, you know, kind of a situation that...

Well, yeah, because you are... When you're in that situation, when you're that guy, they lean on to help talent, whatever. You're kind of handcuffed at times. You don't get to do the real cool stuff. You don't get to, you know, it's for a reason. There's a whole, like, what's the saying? For me, not for the, like, kind of... kind of thing going on. And there's a lot of that there. Like certain guys are given certain

liberties and whatnot. And it's like, well, if I could do that, I can be at the same level. Maybe it's true. Maybe it's not true. I don't know. But yeah, when I was doing constable and stuff like that, like I was the most overrated, overpushed, over everything. But I was pulling eight segments of show. Not my fault. I was over exposed in a sense of like I'm changing rules to matches. I'm out there in front of the crowd, like six, seven times a show backstage. Even the king, the whole presentation, they're like, oh, man, they're carrying him to the ring. He's so overrated. Like, and then now, yeah, it's like, just give him a chance.

He's so underrated. He's so good. And it's like, it makes my head spin sometimes. And it's crazy, especially because, like, those fans, like we said, they were calling me overrated, hated me, go away heat, which was not a thing. it was actually he because you guys actually hated me but um those are the same fans going wait no man he's actually really good he's super underrated give him more like why is he not iC champ or something like that like um you know it's just it's funny to watch that flip and to hear people

say that like yeah i don't know but i guess that's what happens to me of a 13 year career 12 year career with big stuff in it yeah you're able to accomplish a lot of yeah for sure i mean Cover a lot of ground. The list of people, like, you know, already listed Taker at MSG and debut of Fox with the Rock and how many matches, 100 matches with Sina, Summer Slam was Sina. I mean, Drew McIntyre's on fire right now, you know, worked WrestleMania with him, like so many moments, Kurt Engel, Andre, money in the bank, King of the Ring, like the list of accomplishments, I just don't have that world title.

So I think some people go, oh, man, he's underappreciated, underrated because he doesn't have that world title, but I have so many accolades in itself. Your work as sad, Corbyn, I think so underappreciated. I love this story about this. The Fox executive's daughter felt so bad for you. Jacob's, uh, Jacob's daughter. Jacob Bolman, right? Yeah, she's trying to send me her allowance money.

I had a lady in Houston, too. I was leaving the building and I'm driving up the rampway. And I had a lady trying to shove a $20 bill in my window. And I was like, I mean, like, if I should have done like the Devon pass the hat, I probably could have retired three years ago. Devon kept all that money, by the way. I would have to, too. Why would you not?

I mean, I'm walking to the ring, I probably could have made $1,000 a night. For sure. And if I passed the hat in the stadium, like, it's not as many people carry cash these days, though. You'd be surprised. There's a lot of people waving, it's like I was a stripper or something walking down the aisle. And I got ones and fives and tens. And I was like, man, I wish I could. just put it in my hat, you know?

Should have. I know, I regret it. Incorporated that into the campaign. And they did, remember they did the GoFund Me? Yes. It shut the website down. So many people went to it. It's something because they built like a fake website for it.

But so many people that crashed the little fake site they built. It wasn't an actual GoFundMe. But I was like, dude, you should have legit done a GoFundMe and then donated to Jerry or something because it would have been insane. You see what GoFundMe do. Like the girl that broke her ankle last night, I think Cardona and them. All right. Yeah. Yeah, she set it up.

And it's already over 30 grand. Wow. And that's amazing because, you know, this. Yeah, I think Steph Delander set it up. We talk about going to the other side. Like, there's guys that are in this independent world. Again, it was an eye-opening experience for me of like how hard the road is for some of these guys. You know, like at the GCHW show last night, guys that aren't on the show, but they're there and they're helping set up.

And they're doing it for free. Or there's guys on the show that, you know, they're making a couple hundred bucks. They're probably losing money traveling to New York, driving in New York or whatever it is to do the show. It's a hard life out there for some of these guys. And I think that's what makes it so much sweeter when they succeed because you see videos like Seth Rollins came from that. And like punk came from that. Those guys, they worked those indie shows. And like, my whole character in NXT was built around making fun of those guys.

You know, you got paid and chips and a hot dog. And I got called, you know, come here, sign this big contract. And there's truth to it. I think that's why that resonated so well with that crowd. but like it is like last night was eye-opening to like what these guys go through to try to make it to the big time and um you know i flew in a first class on a cushy thing and me paid for part of the ticket myself but like i have the ability to do that um and so i think you know seeing these guys like sad corbin was kind of play on that in a sense like you know i had nothing and i'm trying to get back to my grips and like i should

have went and worked the indies for like a month and then been like i have so much more inspiration in a way of like being hungry to like find success because it's awesome to see i love seeing i want everybody to succeed i want every superstar to exceed i want them to make money to live their wildest dreams to whatever that may be different amounts of money for different people whatever makes them happy i want a w to succeed because the more competition that that anybody has whether it be tna r o h w w new japan like competition breeds the best like I hate this tribalism with the fans of like one company sucks. If it's not for you, just shut your mouth.

Like, you don't have to be negative. You don't have to bury it because if you do, maybe somebody who doesn't know sees that. And they're like, oh yeah, I hate it too when they don't. But like, let's kill this tribalism. Let's want everybody to see. I want everybody that was at GCW last night to accomplish everything they want to accomplish in the wrestling world because it's amazing. Like I've accomplished so much through WWE that it's amazing.

I can give my kids a great life, my family. And my wife's a boss, by the way. She's a CEO runs her own company. It's her company. She'll make more money than I'll ever make. But I want people to have that success. I want people to taste it. I want people to stand on a corner and go, man,

like I main event of that arena right there with so-and-so. You know, I want everybody in ROH and TNA and all of these companies to succeed. I want their show to do well. I want their attendance to be amazing. I want those guys to make money. I want TV channels fighting over which shows they want because it's good for everybody. it's good for sponsors which show do we want who do we want to you know put this in a little on like it's great for everybody involved it's never hurt to have two or three or four great companies like

battling and it gives guys you know at gcw maybe w v is not ready for them so they go to a ew and they find a ton of success and they do amazing things or a t and a and they do amazing things so they go to t and a start working now they have a partnership with wb so now everybody's like whoa how do we We didn't know this guy. Look at Jacob, I do. Like, he's been doing these amazing things for a number of years. And now you put him on a maid stage and you go, that dude's going to main event mania for five years. They weren't willing to give him a chance because of his background.

No. And people kept saying, you got to give this guy a chance. I remember Mark Henry telling a story recently. You got to sign this guy. Finally, they signed him. And it's like, yeah, we should have done this one ago. He's going to main event five WrestleMania's. Wow.

He's incredible. He is so incredible. Yeah. And he's an amazing person. an amazing father to his kids. And it's so cool. But like without this competition in these other worlds, you don't find those guys. Like you need that.

And I think there's plenty of guys that are going to come up over the next few years. And it's going to be a, I hope there's a bidding more. Like the ability to be able to, where do I want to go? What's going to be best for me? Well, this side's offering me this much. This one's offering me this much. This place has this where I want to go. This place is tied to this.

You know, it's like, that's a great thing for all of it. This tribalism is crazy. And I hate, I'm a, I'm going to bury, I'm not going to bury, I'm going to be polite. There are certain people on the internet that run, you know, dirt sheets, if you will. And they're the reason for all this. As much as they want to act like they're not, they're the prime hatred spewers. You know, they want to talk down on one thing and over and it's biased. If it was unbiased, it would be one thing.

But like, most of it is biased. They just, they need to just focus on the things you. enjoy the world the people everyone in it needs positivity like i want to hear the great things that are going on in these industries in these worlds i have no bitterness to w i never will that company is so amazing and the things they've given me are so amazing the life they've given me are so amazing um the opportunities i've seen the world because of that company um and i've had so much fun i've made great friends and i've performed in the audience i've changed people's lives all because of wb you know people like, I haven't done this, you know, I haven't self-harmed in two years because of something

you said to me at a signing it, access, whatever it is. You can change people's lives and I've been able to do that through WW. And like, I want other people to have those opportunities. I want other people to have that great. So I want people like, you know, I get to see, like, Chomp as an example. Like, he's such a wonderful father to his kid. And like, he's got things to show his kids now that he can be so proud of that they're going to look up to. And that's because of WWE. And I want that to be an AEW thing too. I want guys over there, you know, FTR, two of my favorite people in the world. And, you know, amazing father. You know, and his daughter is making my kids bracelets right now. But,

you know, Dax is so amazing in what he does. But he has something he can be proud of. And it's not in WWE. Like what he's accomplishing now. He has something to be so proud of it to show his kids. So I want all of that. I want that success for everybody. Like, we've got to kill all that, like, nonsense of one thing's bad, one thing's not. The tribalism just doesn't make sense to me. No, no. There's this quote that I like. It's like, there's two ways to have the tallest building in town. It's tear down all the other buildings or just build a better building. Yeah. And if I really didn't like mint chocolate chip ice cream, but I really liked chocolate ice cream, I wouldn't go around talking about how much I hate that flavor of ice cream. I would talk about it. I would

talk about the flavor that I do like. Right. And you should really try chocolate. It's delicious. It's so good. I want a chocolate ice cream cone, you know, but like... I can't believe you like that. Yeah, how dare you like this men ice cream?

Who's public's a hate to? You're selling mint ice cream. Like, yeah. That's great. Well, I saw four people buy chocolate and only one person bought mint. Like, who cares, dude? That person likes mint. I think one of the beautiful things about independent wrestling is that hunger that's there.

And especially like seeing people that are sleeping in their car or five people in a hotel room, you know, just trying to make it work. Is it going to be difficult for you? You come from the NFL. You've got NFL money. Then you've got WWE money. How can you have that hunger if you've got the comfort of what you've done in your past? It's very simple for me because it's just built in me.

Like I started a coffee company and I'm making seven figures already. So now I'm investing all this time researching coffee, trying to plan trips to Costa Rica, Ecuador, or all these countries to go look at farms for green coffee, learning about coffee, roasting coffee. I pack it myself. So my coffee company open air, open air, I roast it myself, I source it myself, I package it,

I handwrite labels, you know, I'm doing all this. I'm making seven figures over here. Who does that? That's amazing. Who invests all this time into... Seven figures just from the coffee? No, no, if I wish, brother.

From wrestling. But I do that while I'm wrestling. And like, I'm just one of those guys who's hungry to continue to create, to continue to have success. Because of a lot of things I've done. Like, my hunger from the NFL performing and playing in front of massive crowds led to the hunger of WWE. I want that back. Like, that's still what will drive me. You know, last night that show was amazing.

The crowd was amazing. I want that again. I want it on a bigger magnitude. The money is whatever. Like, it comes and goes. I don't have to think about it, which is the beauty of it. It's not, now some people are hungry for different reasons. I need to be able to eat this week.

I've got to go do these four shows. I got to sell this many tickets. I got to sell this merch. And that's what drives them to do that. Yes. So what drives you? I don't know. It just, there's something inside me.

I'm 40 years old and I'm competing in jujitsu tournaments. Training three, four days a week in jiu-jitsu. Going to the gym. You know, my wife is on me because we got back from Christmas and holiday. It's like, all right, we're back super tight on diet. because I don't cook all the great things she wants to eat sometimes because I'm like, I'm stuck on this thing. There's just something in me that is a natural thing that drives me to be successful, to drives me, keeps me hungry, keeps me motivated, keeps me disciplined, and pushes me to that next level. It was cool to see you on that podium for jiu-jitsu.

Yeah, it's awesome. And it's like, and it's so funny because, like, again, I have some screws loose in that sense of like, you know, who wants to do this? and now I'm going to a whole new level at purple. But, like, I fought the heavyweight division, and I took silver. It was BS, by the way. The dude was literally crying because I was cranking on him so hard. They should have said verbal tap, but he beat me on points. It's my own fault.

I wasn't tracking the points, and I was trying to finish him. That sounded wrong. I was trying. Cranking on him finish. Yeah. I'm married to a woman, ladies and gentlemen. No, I, yeah, weird. But they, I was trying to hit the submission and trying to get him to tap.

And he didn't, time ran out, he beat me. And immediately I stepped off and I go, all right, I'm signing up for the open division because I want my gold. And then I smoked everybody in the open division. Because it was like, I just, some people, like silver medal, jujitsu, that's super dope. And I was like, not enough. I want that gold. So I went back and I fought three more fights after I'd already. fought three fights. So I did six

and one day. Like my wife's like, are you coming home for dinner? Nope. I got to get open division. I got to get my gold. And like, then I'm like, when's the next tournament? When's the next time? I'm doing one in February in Atlanta. At purple, whole new division. It's going to be a whole other level of competitors. I mean, people think, oh, even people like

last night when I was walking, some guys like your blue belt's not going to help you. It's like, man, it still takes it four years to get a blue belt. Like to get, you're at white belt for probably two years, two and a half years. And then you're riding your blue. And I mean, I've been doing jiu-jitsu for four and a half years and got my purple. Like to get to your black takes 10, 15 years for some people.

So I just, I have something in me that I am just kind of that guy where I, I'm never satisfied, whether it's weird too. Because sometimes I do say, how are these people not satisfied? Like, oh, you have $10 million in the bank? How are you not satisfied? Why are you not home with your family, your kids? But no, you're doing all this. And I get there and I'm like, I'm the same way at the end of the. the day. Like, I'm not satisfied with what I have. I want to get, and it's not a breed thing. It's not a,

I need more money thing. It's, I just like, I chase that feeling, the feeling of it all. I don't care if the money comes with it at this point now. That's a beautiful thing that I've set up. Like, I can go do these shows and not have to worry about like, you know, if somebody's like, hey, man, we got a really cool show, really great opportunity. It's going to be a fun crowd, but I only have this much money to pay. Okay, cool. Let's go do it. Like, I've taken that out of the equation. which I think makes me more hungry for the success because it's not about survival at this point. It's just about like chasing that feeling. I want that feeling that I had when I beat Kurt Angle at WrestleMania.

I want that feeling when I'm walking down in front of 80,000 people at a WrestleMania or coming out the rumble and everybody's going crazy and performing it. I want to perform in the Tokyo D. Like what? How epic would that be? So like now I'm hungry for that. Like it's just it's those next things. And it's cool because I have the freedom to take risks.

And I have the ability to go different routes versus I need to eat this week. So I need to work in Bettendorf, Iowa in front of these 60 people. Or I can go, I don't need to do a show. Like, I want to push to try to get on this show. Like, I have that ability. And I think that is a cool thing that I have going for me right now. And I have the support of my wife, my family to kind of, you know, do this, hey, you know, movies. Like, I'm going to shoot mid-February.

This guy is doing a, you. short film kind of Grand Theft Autoie, and I'm going to do a role in that movie. It's a little short film in like two or three weeks. And it's like, he's like, I'm self-financing it. You know, I don't, I'm not worried about it, dude. Let's do it. Like, I can take these risks to get to that next level, which is a really cool thing where maybe somebody's like, I can't do it because I need to make this much, you know.

So it's really kind of just surreal to be able to have that. You put out a tweet about a match and a great story. story around this match with John Sino versus E.J. Stiles. Yes. Versus Bray Wyatt versus Dahlf Ziegler versus Apollo Cruz versus Baron Corbin. You said maybe you can share

this great story. I will share it because I love this story. I will start with the back story of it. So there, when Nexus was up on television, Bray Wyatt was not Bray Wyatt. He was Husky Harris. Right? We're going back here. And there is a rumor that I believe,

is 100% true that husky poked john sina in the eye in a match and vence was so mad sina was so mad that they sent husky harris back to nxte we're all grateful for that because great why it was born right so this story of like you got up and like i'm gonna tease randy because randy's a buddy mind but you're always taught like don't hit randy doesn't like to be touched you know it needs to be so like Everybody's kind of scared to work with Randy, and it's not like that. Randy's tough. Sometimes. Sometimes.

Sometimes. Randy, I know you're listening. You're kind of a baby sometimes. I love you. But so this whole rumor of like, Cina's been poked in the eye a couple times. And it sent Bray back to NXT for like two and a half years. Like this was a massive punishment for that, right?

So fast forward to this six man. And I'd only been on the main rock. I still had hair. We're going way back, right? Still out there. Still had the long, beautiful locks. So, and it's the beginning of the match. And the match starts, and I'm still, I'm, this is my first big, like, match.

We got a lot of crazy spots. There's a lot of cool stuff. I got a, got a, oh, yeah, sure. Yeah, a bubble. A bubble. Yeah, no, we got a story's too good, not. Yeah, well, kind of a bubble in your throw while telling the story. I'll drink some water, too.

So, we get into the match. It's the very beginning of the match. right and I'm supposed to attack Sina so I drive Sina the corner put him in the corner and I wind back to throw a body shot and my thumb lands about knuckle deep in his eye and I'm like oh no and he starts dog cussing you mother effer you and he's dropping F like we're talking first 20 rows are here in this he's going you mother effer you poke me and the mother effort you poke me and the F and I, what the F? Boom. And I mean, he's laying it in on me. And I've got my back to him at this point, and I'm hearing all of this. I'm literally about to start crying because I'm like,

I'm finally on the main roster. I'm home up here. Now I'm going back to NXT. No. Like, I pokes like, because this whole thing, it had Bray poking him in the eye. And I'm going, dude, I'm going back to NXT without a doubt. I'm so screwed. Like, I don't want to go back to I'm so sad and age in front of me, but I know I have to turn around to John for the next spot, and he's still mother effing me up and down. And I was like, just, like, can we rewind life like five minutes? Let me start over. Like all of these things, and then we're on live television. And these are all going through my head. And like the audience is even like, I can see in their eyes. They're like, John Cena's cussing. Like, he's going ape shit on Corbyn.

And I finally have to turn around because, like, this is the time. Like, I'm delaying this as long as I can possibly turn. I turn out and John punches me dead in the face, like dead in the face. And, I mean, it was a solid potato. And I was like, and I just, I mean, I wore it. And I was like, cool. Like, and then for the rest of the magic, I'm trying to remember these spots, but I'm trying not to cry because I'm like, I'm going back to next team.

Like, I just got out of there. Like, I'm so, like, just the range of emotions I'm going through for the rest of that. that match. I'm just like, and I walk through the curtain so dejected. And they're like, that was amazing. And I'm just head down in the corner.

Like, it's over for me, man. Like, this is it. And John comes back and I just look at him like puppy dog eyes. Like, dude,

please don't send me. And he's like, hey, that was great. Da, I go, John, I am so sorry.

He goes, oh, we're good. I gave you it back. We're good. And I was like, wait, this has got to be a work.

He's lying to me. I'm going to walk out of this curtain. and they're going to be like, we need you to get your bags. You're going back to NICC. And luckily, that was the end of it. You were good. I was good. But, like, I legit thought my life was over.

I was like, this is it. Because I poke John Cena in the eye. And he mother effed me up and down. And the whole match, I'm panicking, trying to remember stuff. And I walked to the curtain. He's like, oh, no, we're good. Oh, man. And I was talking, I think Road Dog was here.

And he goes, John always gets poked in the eye. And so it's like, what? Like so, so was it my fault? Was his fault? Like, now I'm questioning. John, like, poking his eye out there, like, trying to get you to poke him? I was like, I don't know. But it was, dude, that match to me.

But that will, that will stand in my mind for the rest of my life. Yeah. That match will because of poking John in the eye. After, like, again, this whole thing was set up by, you know, Husky Harris poking him in the eye. Yeah, there's the lore here. Yeah. Like, that's the thing, too. Like, you know, if you're stiff, Randy, you know, he's not going to work with you.

It's like all those things. It was so funny, dude. It was so crazy. It's like those are the little things that stand out in your career too, like, but that's one of them. And I, I've never brought it back up to John because I don't want them to remember. Like,

it's one of those things. Like, I'm 40 years old and I'm now telling the story and I was like eight years ago. It's like, it's so funny, dude. It was like, you mother effort. And I'm going,

he's really mad. John Cena doesn't swear like that. He doesn't. He was in front of people. Like, I was like, dude, this is the end of it.

This is the end. I told Apollo in the match. I'm like, I'm sorry, man, it's been fun. We got brought up together. I'm going back. They go, I poke John and the eye and he's like, oh, like, the eyes open. Like, he's like, I heard that story too. Like, you know, don't say bloody Mary.

She's going to come get you. That's what I did. I said it. But I survived. What a story. It's like so much of like nothing, but it's so, it was so impactful in my life. And in that moment that it's like, you'll never understand. like the emotions I was going through.

Because when I was coming to, when I was finishing up in NXT, like I thought I was never getting out of there. Me and Matt Bloom were budding heads. We were not getting along. I was just like, man, it's never going to happen.

Now Matt Bloom and I get along wonderfully. Like, it's so amazing. Our relationship, I could call him and ask him for help and you would do it in a heartbeat. You know, if I needed something from him.

And the effort he put into me when I was down at NXT and all of that, I love that entire staff. from Michaels to Terry Taylor, Norman Smiley, all those guys, Johnny the writer, has done amazing things. I still call him and ask him for advice on things.

But that end of that NXT run, I felt like Bloom was nitpicking me to death. One time I got, I was so mad. This is another little, just fun story, but we did a show when I worked with Corey Taylor and NXT. And we had these NXT track uniforms.

They were garts. garbage. They were like hot and they were made of a terrible material. I hated them. And the pants were really baggy and just didn't look good. I thought they looked sloppy. You know, I lost 70 pounds. I was like, I need to show off this figure a little bit. But no. So Finn had actually bought me these really nice Adidas track pants that kind of matched the track outfit. So we finished this show and I go to get on the bus and Bloom looks at me and he gets so mad at me. And he gets so mad at me. for not wearing the correct NXT track pants because everybody's supposed to be in these track uniforms.

And he cuts a promo on me about not being part of the team and not being part of NXT. And I'm livid. And I'm not saying, I'm holding my tongue. And he chews me out in front of everybody on the bus in these pants. And I'm like, I'm an adult, dude. Like, you don't get to talk to me like that.

I didn't say any of that. I just sat down and took it. And then like three people behind me, Finn gets on the bus with the exact same pants on. And not a word is said. And I was like, you, mother. Like, I wanted to fight him. And we get back and we're still just button heads, not getting along.

And I told him, I was like a conversation. I remember sitting on the edge of the ring with Bloom and arguing with him. And like, I'm doing the main event of NXC every night. It's like me, Samoa Joe, Finn, Shinske, we're running four ways. We're doing things. Sammy Zane's in the mix there. And then I'm at training the next day. And none of those guys are.

And I'm, you know, so we're having this out a little bit. And I was like, these guys don't train you out doing anything. He's like, you haven't done what they? They've done. They've all done independence. They've all worked in Japan forever. And I go, I don't, like, I don't care, dude. I played in the NFL. Like, it's the same thing. We're all a little beat up, man. Like, there's a level of this. And him and I were just really button heads. And then, you know, I worked at takeover and got brought up to the Andre. And I was like, I don't think I even went back to the PC to clean out my locker. I was like, that stuff's going to let them throw out in the trash. I don't even care. I left my apartment, Orlando, fully with everything in it. Locked the door. door and left. I was like, F this place, dude, I'm out. Like, I don't ever want to see the PC again. I don't want to see Orlando again. I don't want to see Matt Bloom ever again. Like, I'm done with it. And that's on me. I was frustrated. I wanted to be on the main roster. I'd been there three years. I saw other guys getting the opportunities or whatever. And I was like, man,

you watch Braun Stromen go up and he has no clue what's going on. And I'm going, but you learn that it's not about that. It's about filling roles. And He got called up quick. He very didn't. And he's doing so great. Yeah. You know, they know what they're doing. But I was angry,

it's frustrated, bitter. And then Blu and I hashed out one year to mania after at the after party at a bar and a hotel and talked it out. And like, we were cool. And then when I got back to NXC,

I was nervous going back to NXC thinking, man, like, how's our relationship going to be? And it was so amazing. And I'm so thankful that, like, I can reach out to those guys now. And, you know, I, like I said, I was angry. That's on me. That was my own fault.

That's where, again, I try to do things that I don't let people control my emotions. Because I should have just, when I got on the bus, he said something, it should have been like, okay, my bad. I'll wear it. That's hard not to take that personally. But I felt like I was getting picked on because I wasn't the indie guy in a sense. But it's so cool that, you know, like Matt, he didn't hold that against me at the end of things. Like when we hashed it out, we're cool. Like, again, like, if I call him and he needed help, hey man, I need this, my daughter's in trouble.

Can you help me? he would get in a truck and drive down and help me. Like, we have a great relationship now. Going back to NXT and getting all that with all those guys are so special. But, like, it's just crazy how all of that. But, you know, so the point of that, like, going back to NXT was a death sentence for me when I poked John in the eye. And I was like, like, you know, Bloom's not going to take me back. You're going to fire me.

Like, this is it. It's all over. The dreams are dead before they got started. So it's just all because of an eye poke. But here we are. 13 years later. DCW in the bank. Josh Barnett,

I want to fight you again. You know? You're a Chiefs fan? Die hard, baby. You're wearing the hat today. I am Kansas City. By the way, I don't know if you do sponsors.

But City Brimcoe, they send, I look like the thing in there. You do, my goodness. It keeps it nice. It doesn't get smashed in my bags. I look up here. Yeah, yeah, it's good.

Check the monitor. Yeah, it just helps keep it straight. Their hats are super dope from Kansas City local. I got a support. local. I love Kansas City, everything about it. Are we going to see you in the suite with Taylor Swift again? Maybe, maybe we need a party again. Get the Instagram below. Yeah.

I had to get him. How did that happen? I'm cool. No. Was that Travis Kelsey's suite? Yeah, it was Travis's. So, really cool. Like, it's funny. There was, again,

born and raised cheese fan. So we deserve our three Pete just so everyone out there is watching. Oh, me. They're a lot angry people. They're angry. Look, don't touch Mahomes if you don't want the penalty. Stop crying about it. A lot of.

You know, you touch his head in any way shape of you. If you put a gust of wind on his head, you're getting a penalty. He's, he's getting the Brady calls. 100%. Yes. 100%. I'm okay with it. I'm a Browns fan.

I know that they have no chance of winning. Ever. It's tough. It is. I feel bad for you. I don't. Look, we had a lot of bad years in Kansas City. But yes.

Hasn't he been, Patrick Mahomes has been the Super Bowl MVP three out of the last six years. Yeah. Yeah, we're making a Patriots run. Yeah. We're going to go three Pete and then there's going to be like, is there talk of four? Let's go. So anyways, uh, the first year when we made to the Super Bowl in Miami,

Fox had the game. So I was like, I have to go. Like, that was 2020. Yeah. Jacob helped me get me tickets, whatever it takes. And he's like, can you go to a media? The same Fox executive we were talking about earlier. whose daughter was going to give you her allowance.

I also'm telling him, but Jacob, get me on Master Chef, dude. Let me come guess. Gordon Ramsey, I can't cook better than you. I sat near him at a raw recently. He's amazing. He's awesome. Yeah, but I wanted him to get me on Master Chef on Fox. I want to hang out with, you know, those chefs like Ramsey and them and Joe.

And I want to compare watches with Joe. He always has dope Rolexes on. And his Italian food has to be amazing. But I want to go like this. I'm always on him to do things. But that I was like, dude, you got to help me. So I got to go to a media day. And it was so funny because we want you to wear your crown in there.

And I was like, I feel like an idiot. Like out of context, why is this gigantic guy wearing a crown that is like black and gold studded? And I was like, no, not doing it. Not going to wear that. So I went in and then I realized the madness that this press conference was. And it was all the players were set up at different podiums. All radio row. that whole thing.

Yes. So, and I'm standing there like, and I'm just watching these, just like, I have no idea. I've got a WW microphone, and I'm like, this is awkward. And like, dudes are just shoving their way. And they go, ah, let me, Patrick, Patrick,

Patrick, and you know, you have to kind of go, all right, get the crown. Like, that's going to be my, I want to answer that guy's question. That'll make you stand out. He's wearing a crown. So I put the crown on. And, of course, the first one I go to is Travis's thing.

And he answers to her questions. And he looks right at it. me, I go, yo, trap. And he's like, what up, King? And like, I was like, hey, man, I got a question. I said, I'm Baron Corbyn from WWE. And he's like, oh, we kind of are chatting and all these other reporters, like, who's this asshole?

We're in the, you know. And I asked him a question like, yo, what would your finishing move be or, you know, who would your tag partner on your team be? Whatever it was. And it was funny because then the following year, which we won the Super Bowl that year, I was at the game, front row was beautiful. Roman Raines was at the game, a few rows away. And I was giving him the finger.

And when we scored that game winning touchdown, go chiefs down with the Niners to all the Uso's and Roman. But I go back and I get invited to play in Big Slick, which is a Kansas City charity event that guys like Eric Stone Street, who is the bleeds Kansas City, like through and through. He's a part of our Royals. He's got a farm, one of the greatest human beings I've ever been around. You got Rob Riggle, Heidi Gardner, Paul Rudd,

Jason Sedakis, you know, all these guys that put this, this, David Keckner, they put this game on. And it's a softball game. It's a variety show and it's hospital visits. And it's such a amazing, amazing, amazing weekend. I hope I'm a part of it forever because it's just, it's so hard and rewarding at the same time because every dollar goes to Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City, which is an incredible hospital. They do amazing things, amazing staff, amazing everything. So this game, we come in on a Thursday night and we do a dinner at the owner of the Royal's house. But it's like a, it's for companies or whatever they buy tickets for an absurd amount of price, like five grand or something.

And they get to come and mingle with all of these celebrities from the ones I mentioned that run the game. But then they bring all their friends in. You know, I get to be a part of it. Other athletes are there. At the dinner, it's a lot of different people. They have like Logan Miles plays me. music. They have comedians. You know, David Duss Munchin was there. He was a buddy in mine.

Bitsie, we talked about earlier in the car. She was there. There's so many girls from modern family. There's actors. I mean, massive stars that are at these things. And we, you know, kiss the ring a little bit that night and get people to do donations. They do a couple small auctions. It's such an amazing thing. Then the next day, we do, we go play family feud at the hospital. and they bring all the nurses and doctors into a room, and we play for the floors of the kids. And it's so fun to be a part of that.

Weird Al was on my team last year, which is so amazing because Weird Al's the best. And we do all that. Will Forte was on my team, another guy who's just the best. And the list goes, I could keep you naming names. There's so many of them.

But then we do that family feud. Then we play a softball game at Kaufman Stadium, which is just a, total shenanigans, but Travis came out to that the first year I did it and immediately, right? He's like, yo, you're the king, the WWE. And so he always called me the king. And we were kind of like buddied up a little bit that weekend and like, you know, had a few drinks together. And it's like, oh, you're cool. I'm cool. Like, um, you become friendly with. Friendly, yeah, that one. Yeah. And so, and then I'm going to continue to talk about this,

this charity event because it's so amazing. But then the next day we do the hard hospital visit, which is we're going to rooms of the patients and you're just being with the kids. And you're just, being with the kids and the families and you're trying to allow them escape, whether it's four or five minutes. I mean, Cheryl Crow goes and sings in their room for them with us. And just amazing, amazing stuff.

Blake is an amazing magician. He goes and performs. You're so lucky if you're in a group with someone like that. Because otherwise, I'm just kind of like, yeah, I'm from the WWE, man,

hey, how's it going? Like, how you doing? How's the family? Because some of them are babies that are a month old. And some of them are 15-year-old kids and they're fighting everything from terminal things to bad injuries to freak accidents.

So I had a girl this year who was bit by a tick and it made her just go, hey, while I had seizures and it wasn't Lyme disease. It was like something else. And they were like, she's not going to make it. And she pulled through. I reached out to the family. She's like, she's good. She's making a full recovery.

Amazing. That's how good this hospital is. But that's a very like grounding, especially having kids. You understand. Like when you see a one-year-old in a thing, it's like, it's a dude that rushes your soul. And it's like the world is not fair. And that's another thing about like, we just need positivity in this world in all senses. It's like, it's cool if we don't agree on something.

But like, let's not focus on that. Let's focus on things we do agree on or whatever it is. Or be open to other people's beliefs. Like, Jesus, this is what you like, dope. You're not hurting anybody. Doe. Get it. That is a quote, don't yuck other people's yums.

Yeah. It's like a preschool quote, but I'm like, man, that's so good. Yeah, that's a great. You like something? Cool. That's fine. Right? As long as it's not hurting people, it's cool.

Yeah. So that's so great. And then they do like a variety show where they do like massive auctions. Like, well, there was one year where Sedakis auctioned off, uh, walk on roll to head lasso, flights to London, all that. It went for like 150 grand or 200 grand or something like that. We raised like over three million bucks every year. I've done it a few years.

years now. But then, so the next year, Travis is there again. And now we're like, we're like buds now. And then he's like, yo, come to a game. Let me treat you to a game. Stay in my suite. He's like, I own a suite there. Come to it. Let me know. He's like, here's myself. Hit me up and come to whatever game you want. So then I start texting randomly. Just like, yo, have a good training camp. It's like super cool. And then I was like, hey, man, I can actually make to the game this weekend. And he's chance that like, dude and I said, is it cool if I bring my uncle and my brother? Like, he's like, hell yeah, bring him, dude, come on. So we went. They took us in, took us up to the suite. And then my, my uncle or my brother, one of the two was like, I wonder if Taylor's

going to be here. Like, as they say it, she like walks in the room. And it was like, yeah, right there, dude. And like, my brother's freaking a little bit. And like, she walks right up to everybody. Gives him a hug, gave us a hug. Like, like, it was like, you were instantly family in And it was crazy because I was like, we're a fish. Like, I wanted out of the suite for a little while because, dude, it's just mobs of people standing outside the suite, just taking selfies of Taylor. I'm just her existing. Dude, it's, I've never been around.

I'm like, I've gone to dinner with John and it's crazy. You know, I used to run around with Ryan Dunn and it was crazy when he was in the prime of the jackass stuff. Like, that is a different magnitude. It was, you felt like everybody in the stadium is staring at you because you're standing behind her or whatever it is. They're like, why is that guy in there? Wait a second.

Is that Baron Corby? Yeah, there were a couple of tweets like, but then when I put out the selfie of us all, meet her, my brother, my uncle, everybody's like, what?

Like, dude, and Matt, I was like, man, I hope she'd be cool if she posted. I'd get some more followers. I'm trying to get to two million people been stuck at 1.1 forever.

That's pretty great. Yeah, right? Yeah. So, but like had conversations with her, super dope, super humble.

Does she come with an entourage? No. She walked in with like maybe her security guard. but like no entourage and it's all Kelsey's buddies from like high school and home and they're all super cool they're all like humble and they're that nobody's got egos in there um that's what this the jason blum story comes from that that i was telling you like i felt like a jackass um but so taylor's super dope done we went to a christmas party with her and Travis after where Travis threw a little Christmas party so you hung out after yeah we hung out into the bar um super dope

What's her drink of choice? I don't know what she was drinking, but she'll go. I think it was tequila or vodka or tequila, one of the two. Parties. But that's what, but not even that. She's just like a regular human being that is probably the most influential person in the world right now. Yeah, and very talented. Unbelievably talented.

It's all our own stuff. But like, it's so refreshing to see someone like that. That's something in the wrestling world. I'm going to bounce like. Roman Raines is the biggest thing in wrestling. Cody's getting up there, but Roman's on a pedestal all of his own. Roman has no ego. Roman doesn't treat people bad.

Roman doesn't carry himself different than, he carries himself different. He doesn't carry himself above other people. Like he's not, if Carmelo Hayes goes and asks Roman for vice, Roman is going to be more than happy to give it. And it's, you know, Carmelo's been on the main roster for a hot minute, right? Roman is unbelievable and a good human and a good person, and a good family man, and he's humble, and he is the guy. Same with Taylor.

Like, she is all of those things for her to come up and just give me a complete stranger a hug. And she doesn't know that I'm there with Travis unless Travis said something. It's like, yo, like, how many people do you know like that that are going to walk in and be that welcoming to anybody and everybody in there? Now, granted, that's her box. Like, she's not going to go do that out in the live audience because she'd get mauled to death. But, like, that speaks volumes on the type of person. And same with Travis. Like that speaks volumes for him to invite me and put me in that atmosphere of what kind of person he is.

It's so neat. But so after the game, before we went to the Christmas party, it's so cold in Kansas City that weekend. But it was fun. We had lots of drinks that night. Keeps you warm. Yes, it does. So the end of it, I'm talking and there's this guy there. And I'm like, man, he kind of looks not out of place, but you're like, he's obviously not

with all of this crew. Like, he's there for another reason. And so I'm talking to somebody else. And they're like, oh, he's a big horror guy. And it pointed to this guy. I'm like, oh, yeah, man, like, that's awesome. I said, I love horror movies. Like, what do you like? So I started naming off movies and like all my like cult classics from like 80s to reanimator to poltergeist to paranormal activity and whatnot. He's like, yeah, and I go, what about you? And he's like, ah, this movie, this movie, this movie. And I'm like, oh, man, those are all really good movies. And I'm thinking, And like, that's cool. And then I was like, uh, he said something else.

And it still hadn't clicked. And I was like, I'm going to a, I said, I like, you know, Blumhouse movies like 824. I said, I'm actually going to a 824 premiere tomorrow. And he's like, oh, that hurts. And I was like, I was like, well, it's for the red. It's the, the Iron Claw movie. Um, I said, it's not a horror movie. And I said, why?

And, um, he's, he's like, he's like, well, you know, I like these movies. I was like, Blumhouse. He says, we're all Blumhouse. And he sees it click in my head. And he kind of is like, and I was like, no. And he's like, yeah, Jason Blumman. It's like, no. Like I'm not, like I, you know, it was just out of context.

It's like one of those things. Like I've walked by somebody wearing my own t-shirt before and they didn't notice it was me. And it's like, because it's when it's out of context, sometimes you're just not self-aware and paying attention. And I was like, I'm standing there listing like movies from 824 and from Blumhouse and from like other media companies and i was like man if i hadn't known that was him i'd have been like oh yeah i only watched blum house movies like you know that'd be a good person for you to know

right right i want to be in a horror movie uh don't hold that one against me that's just kind of funny um i've heard taylor swift's recall is incredible it's got to be like if you were to see her again now she'd be like she would list off all the things you guys talked about i mean i think to do what she does put on a three hour show every night and like memorize all these songs and the notes and play the guitar, play the piano with choreographing a dance. I'm going, how the heck, you do you have to be special. I saw something where she was training while running on a treadmill and singing her songs to see if she could have the cardio to do it for a show. I wouldn't doubt it. What? You have to have a special talent. Like, it's so funny because I look at other industries.

I went to my first Broadway play ever a couple months ago. I took my wife to see the outsiders. Oh, yeah. I'm a Broadway guy now. Like, that was the dopest show I've ever seen in my life in person. Like it was so cool, but I'm watching it. I'm going, how do they remember all this? And then I'm going, I do the same thing. I remember Page promos on a 10 minute, you got 10 minutes to learn this. Go do this. Plus I got a 30 minute match or a 20 minute match or a 15 minute match, all these different things.

And I'm going, it's just when it's what you do, it's what you do. But that show was amazing. There was the girl who plays Cherry is one of the best singers I've ever seen. and it looked so effortless. And then the guy I played Daryl, another one, his singing was just, it blew me out. But then I'm going to be overcritical on a fight scene, right? Like, this is what I do for a living.

I'll beat people up and not actually kill them. Even though sometimes you throw like a Ray Mysterio off a roof, it looks like they die. Or you smash Madcap's head with Andre the Giant trophy. Like, they're not actually dying. But so I'm going to be hypercritical. And then the way they did it where it was like, dude, they were fighting.

in slow motion, in the rain, the strobe lights, it was such a cool thing. I want to go back to another one. It's like, if I was going to, because I was in New York yesterday, I was like, do I have time? And I didn't have time.

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It's a badge of honor. Yeah. There's this spot with Dolph Ziegler. You know the spot. Yeah, when he trips on the step. He trips on the step and you catch him. Yeah. Because it could have been real bad.

You catch him and you turn into this great move. But man, that could have gone south real quick. And I think he even said, thank you. as I caught him. I mean, knowing Dolph, he did. And it's so funny

because the deep six, he always just called it the Worley Bird. He's like, the Worley Bird thing because he could never remember the name. But,

and that's where we were going. And he clipped that step and I luckily could react fast enough that I caught him from just, you know, head first into something bad. And there's been a few things like that.

Like, there's one time I was doing a pop-up with Gable where I was going to catch him and he landed funny. And if I had just continued with it, it would have dumped him on his shoulder and his neck. and, you know, I corrected and landed him flat.

I think that's the opportunity that I got to work with Kurt because I could get through without hurting him. There's one time in a match. We're opening the door a little bit here, but it was me and Drew and Bobby when we were destroying everyone. And it was me, those two versus Kurt, thin, maybe Elias, not positive who their third teammate was. but there was a point where Drew was in with Kurt and Kurt is screaming, tag Corbyn back in, get him back in. He's like, you're killing me. Like, it was pretty funny.

So like that is like a thing. And that's like, you know, like Randy wants to work with me because I'm going to, you know, he's not going to get hurt. And plus there's things like I can maximize things like a punch and get a reaction. The same reaction I'm going to get if I do a superplex or a triple power bomb or whatever crazy movie we want to. to do where someone almost gets killed. So there's times, like, I had Dean O'Brien on top of a cage and elimination chamber match.

And he's like, superplex. And I go, why? I'll get the same reaction. I'm just hitting you with the right hand and telling the people how good I am. And he's like, do it. I'm like, okay, here we go. Oh, you know, off the top rope, superplex to Daniel Bryant. Like, it's like, I think guys just trust me with their bodies and their safety.

And I've always taken pride in that. Again, that goes to the note of like, I want to make guys better than they are. And then there's guys that don't need help. Seth Rallens doesn't need help. But if I'm flying around for Seth and he's bouncing me all over the place and I'm getting the heat that I need for him to get cheered when he starts making that comeback, it just makes everything better. But keeping guys safe because you got to do this four nights a week, three nights a week with each other. And, you know, if I'm hurting somebody, they're not going to want to meet. Or if they get hurt, like, I missed this.

I was supposed to have a SummerSlam match with Colisto. And Colisto got hurt on a clothesline out in a six man that we. did that he took from somebody or something and hurt his shoulder. And then I didn't have my SummerSlam match because we were supposed to work SummerSlam. And so you realize, man, if people are on the shelves, it's less opportunity. So my job and something I'll still forever take pride in is keeping guys safe and making it. So we both walk out of there. And not everybody's like that, man.

Some guys are going to just get their shit in, for lack of better terms. They're going to do their thing regardless of how it affects other people. And that's just that's just not me. I got again, I may have a different outlook. Again, where like I said, I want everybody to have success. I don't care if CM Punk is making more money than me if we're on the same. Like we're both being successful. Like I'm comparison is a thief of joy.

My CPA actually told me that to me one time when I was complaining about something. And that kind of changed my perspective on a lot of things. It's like, dude, just wish success for people on all things. And for everybody, whether I like you or not, there's guys on the, WV roster that I do not care for. I don't care for them in the wrestling world. I don't care for them outside. I still want them to be successful.

I want them to accomplish great things. I would never let my selfishness dictate that. So that's something that comes from that taking that pride of keeping people safe. I think it's just something in me to do that. And it's to help people, you know, I see random GoFund meets sometime. And I'm like, oh man, this person needs a little help. Here we go. Like it's just, it's to be a good person.

And I was listening to an interview, Jack Shepherd did one time. And he's talking about, you know, his wife. And he's like, I could, I was very like, like, I don't like to spend money. I like to like, like just hoard it all. And he's talking about. He's like, but my wife, Kristen, just gives it away. And he's like, wow, how can you do that? And then he's like, I realize she's giving away, but more's coming back in.

And then he's like, wait, if we're good people, like, kind of she taught him like, hey, man, like help other people. It helps you in turn. It's not selfish. It's just good karma. It's good being a good person. The secret to living is giving, I've heard. I mean, I think so. And like, but it's not just a monetary thing.

Yeah. Give people your time. Like you're giving, you're giving me time right now here to tell a story. And people are going to watch this and maybe something from this conversation is going to help them or they're going to enjoy it or they're going to understand more. They're going to find entertaining or funny or whatever. Yeah.

But yeah, I mean, giving, like, especially my kids, like now, you know, I was starting some stuff on Twitter the other day because I was delayed in airport or whatever. So sometimes I just like to fire people up, but I'm talking back and forth. Is that what that was? You were you bored? Yeah. If I'm going back and forth, I'm bored.

I got, I need something to do. And people are like, oh, you're begging for a job. I'm like, no, I don't need a job, man. Like, I'm home with my kids right now. I take my daughter to school five days a week. I get to play with my other daughter during the day, like make up for time lost of being gone. I'm gone this week.

I was New York yesterday, L.A. today, L.A. tomorrow. So you're giving, like you're giving time, you're giving attention, you're giving a conversation. I like to talk to random strangers and just hear what they have to say, like whether it be at a bar or sitting there talking at a restaurant or, you know, I've had conversations where people start a conversation and it gets really deep with a complete stranger. And they're like expressing things that maybe they've wanted to get off their chest for a year or two years that's bothering them. And they're going to get no judgment from a complete stranger in a sense. So I'm giving someone time and giving someone an ear to express themselves. Like, that's a cool thing to do, man. People were really coming out of you on Twitter.

And all you were saying was like, that's how a contract works. Yeah, it's not a difficult concept. It's like, and again, too. And I'm not saying it's right or fair, but you're saying this is how a contract works. Yeah, I'm not saying that one side or the other side is correct. I'm just saying simply that's how they work. Like, I've signed NFL contracts. I've signed five WWE contracts.

It's the nature of the beast. And it's the same in any industry. They may not be the greatest contracts when you start out. They are unfair. You're fighting an uphill battle sometimes in a contract, the music industry. I mean, 50% of your money is gone like that. And it's a contract.

But you're a band. You're trying to make it. You've got to do it. You've got to sign the paper. and you got to get through it and then you can kind of start to negotiate terms. It's just one of those things. They're there to protect both sides. Usually they benefit the person giving the contract a little bit more than they do the other

side. But at the end of the day, those people arguing over contracts. Number one, everybody that's commenting on social media, including myself, we don't know the inside thing that's going on. There could be bad blood there. There could be things one side said to the other. Nobody has a clue except for those people in that small circle. So you can't say one person is right, one person is wrong because nobody actually knows the answer to that question.

You don't know the full story. 100%. But what I do know is how contracts work and how unfair they may be. No one is forcing you to sign it ever. Every contract that's ever been put in front of me, you have never been forced to sign. I've been in some sticky situations where, like, I was supposed to sign a new five-year deal, and I have been pushing it off because I was not agreeing to the money that the WB was offering. I felt like my value was higher.

And then I was approached at WrestleMania before my match with Kurt. And they were like, hey, we need you to sign this deal. And I went and had a conversation. And I ended up signing the deal. But I was like, hey, man, can we reevaluate this in a year if this is where we are? It was one of those things where, and Hunter said it to me. And I fully get what Hunter said to me when I was asking for more money because it was like my second contract. I'd finish my first.

I didn't ask to renegotiate. I was out earning my downside. I was happy. And then my next offer was lower than I wanted. And Hunter's had a conversation with me. And he said, look, like, you can out earn this. And I'm going, yeah, if I'm booked correctly and on paper views and all things that are out of my control, I can't control who you pencil in for these things.

I can do my best because look at where I'm at now. If you went based on reaction, I would have been in that upper, not the tip top, but I would have been in that next level of guys based on reactions and based on people cheering for me and based on what I was putting out as a product, I should have been on some of those paper use. But I wasn't. But it's not in my control. I was barely on TV coming back up after the draft. I deserve to be on TV and I deserve to be working in programs and they threw me and Apollo together and it started to really work. And I thought we had something special and Apollo was showing out and he's still crushing it. I'm so happy for him. He's getting a lot of TV time right now.

But those are things out of my control. So you're telling me I can. out or in this downside. But I can only do that if I'm booked this way because I'm a heel, number one. So I'm not slinging merch. And I'm not getting asked to do the Snickers commercials because I walk out and not even walk out the second my music hits. It's guttural booze throughout every arena in the country and world. So I'm not getting all those little things that good guys get, those monetizing opportunities. So I feel like my worth is higher than this. He said, we also have to figure out and make sure you're not a flash in the pan. He's like, yeah, you're hot right now, but what's six months from now? What's a year from now? And I'm going,

okay, I get the business sense. They don't want to offer me this deal that I'm fighting for every penny and they meet me where I want to be and then they lose out on it. Like, the contract is going to benefit the person handing the contract. And I had a conversation, sign the contract. Two years later, it was a five-year deal. Two years later, Vince brought me to the office up in a very fancy office at the Royal Rumble and was like, hey, you're underpaid. Wow. Let's fix this. he offered me a different deal and I said no thank you this is what I want and he said do you want to bet on yourself I said absolutely do he goes how about you do a one year deal for this much done bet on myself and it worked out fantastic for me because wow 10 months later I got a fantastic deal

and it's like I've had like I said five contracts there bet on myself through him I did it again when I went down to nxte um that day they were releasing everybody um a guy named dan was in charge of all that right and I had no idea they were releasing people so I'd see that I missed call from Dan I just got out of like a boxer size class like one of those places I was like I was wanting to get back in boxing and I was trying to again I was told to lose weight for some reason who knows I never thought I was in bad shape I used to be 330 pounds it's there's gonna be loose skin not abs it's just the nature of the beast with me I was a gigantic refrigerator um but so I was trying I mean again you want me to be professional and do what you actually

me done let's go um and like dan i would call him and he's like hey i think you've seen we've been releasing people today i go no had no idea and so i was like this is a call i'm done this is um maybe september while i was in nxte and he's like we're not letting you go and i go okay so what's up it's good news and he goes we can't keep paying you what we're paying you with what you're doing in nxte i was like okay he's like you're going to have to take a significant payout i go okay so what are we talking again i'm fine with it because i understand i'm a business guy you can't be paying me this monster contract of

main roster what I thought was monster while I'm in NXT working one day a week if that and you're living in Tampa driving Orlando that's great Kush life baby so then I was like what is it he's like I don't know yet

we'll be in touch and then we had three or four months go by and then I think you got all the way to December and then they made the offer and it was it was not what I expected and I was like I don't know man I can't I can't do that right now. Let me talk to my wife, blah, blah, blah. And Sean Michaels is the one that actually talked me into it.

He's like, you know, you can make as much money as you want in this business in a sense of like you're in control. You can out earn. Sean kind of talked me and they told me the plan of potentially working with Braun. And I was like, all right, again, money, whatever. Again, my wife can help. You know, I control everything with that myself. I keep myself separate from all that because I'm just like, this is what I want to provide for my family. and I don't look at that.

My wife, again, is a boss and does well. But so then, you know, I signed like, I understand how contracts work. I understand sometimes they're fair. Sometimes they're not fair. But they're a necessity, protect people. And, I mean, there's things like people hate NWB contracts. Like, you're an independent contractor. Can I go do this?

No. Okay. On your likeness. It is what it is. Like, you can't change that. So that whole situation that's going on over there, I'm commenting strictly on the contract aspect side of things it's legal it's binding it sucks it sucks for both sides um because outside looking in one guy wants to work they're battling they're not arguing he wants to leave he wants to be

this brother whatever it is um it's hurting both sides but one side can't go oh yeah you're right man let's just rip this up go do your thing and the other side can't be like he can't fold and you know go against it it's just the world we live in man it's it's movies it's law it's buying i mean how would you of you buy a house, you sign the contract, they're like, ah, but somebody came in with a bigger offer. So we're just kind of, you know what I'm saying? Like, the contracts are there to protect people. It is what it is.

It sucks. Sometimes it's not pretty. Sometimes it's great. Sometimes it, you know, for that's a, AW world, the rumor is the contracts are guaranteed. WWE, they're not guaranteed. So like, or you're fighting over apples and oranges, different things.

You know, I don't know, nobody knows. Does WWE, are they bringing him in? Nobody knows. But what are you doing, responding to these people on Twitter. I'm bored, man. There's many. I know.

Read a book. I just got a new book. Listen to a great podcast like this one. Yes. Listen to it. All of the episodes. You know, what are you?

I don't know. You get caught up sometimes again. The problem is it's like a snowball going down the hill because now you got to respond again. I got ramped up though, because I have no handcuffed now. If I want to say a potty word on Twitter, I can say it. I can be kind of, I can kind of be on the edge a little bit here.

And maybe you should just send a tweet that says like... Yeah, once a week, just write S-H-I-T and then tweet. And then like that will fix that thing. So like I kind of got caught up in that. It was funny. And like, I used to destroy people on Twitter out of fun. And like, then I was like, I'm a good guy now. I can't do that.

Now so now it's like, I don't have any rules. I can do this. With all of this said, do you think the door is open to go back to WWE one day? I think so. I don't think it ever closes. I mean, how many people, look at the roster now of guys, Cody, Drew, punk. Punk's a guy who said he would never, ever, ever, ever go back.

Hey, he said that in an interview with me. There you go. Punk, you need to come for round two and explain yourself. You're in L.A., you're here, get your butt here. Agreed. You text to me today anyway, so get your butt here, do the podcast. You bring, I'll get McAfee here too, because you talked about it. I need to do.

We got to get Maccify. Or I'm going to be in Indianapolis for the Rumble. He'll probably wear shorts and flip-flops. I'll be right in his backyard. Yes. You need to make this happen. I'll make it happen. The door's open.

Yeah, it happens. I think it is because there's so many people that have gone and come back. And again, I hold no ill will towards WB because I'm so thankful for everything that's ever given me. The opportunities to perform in front of millions of people on TV in person, go to Boys and Girls Club, pull up playing for Special Olympics. You know, there's just so many cool things they do. And now, like, I was a little bummed. I didn't get to be on Netflix. Like, how cool is that?

It's such a really awesome thing. Things are changing there. I never thought I would see logos on the ring because it's been such a historic business of like, don't change this. Like, this is the history. We don't mess with it. And Hunter's bringing a new light, a new vibe, a new energy. And I think it's going to bring new fans.

You're seeing celebrities. It's not what it used to be where guys were like, are you a wrestling thing? Yeah. Don't let anybody hear me tell you. But did you see Raw last night? Now it's like, this is cool, man. This is fun. Like people, stars, you know, from Kittle to all these people.

Mahomes was at Raw. Bad Bunny's wrestling. Dude, bad bunnies killing it. One of the best celebrity performers. Vanessa Hudgens is always around. And she knows the product. It's not like, hey, we're bringing these guys in and they have no clue. Like, we're just going to pay them to show up.

Like, these are people who they know what they're doing. They know what they're getting. Oh, Shee Jackson Jr. has a wrestling podcast. I know, right. Ice Cube's son. He was asking me, he's like, hey, man can i get you on the podcast movie i said i already promised the first one to my man and uh thank you so so he was he's like all right let me get on there after i go all right done he's great i told him i said

get me in denny thieves too dude and he's like i'll try and then they push filming and all that well now you can be a denny thief's that's what i'm hoping i'm hoping i get there with that with him like that's a cool thing i just want to do some fun movies with buddies and hang out and um cook food drink bourbon workout wrestle perform nice watches yes i think well i got my whole Holy grail. So I mean, I want to say I'm done buying them, but I've said that like three times. You know, trying to get this watch from you. They could try. My house is a one-way ticket. You come in, you ain't leaving. Good luck. I live in Florida. Yes. That says it all right there. I used to live in Florida. Good to see you, man. Oh, it is so fun. Always so good. Hopefully a year from now,

we're like, hey, look where we are. Yeah. You've done this movie. You know, you're now with this company. And I've talked to CM Punk and Pat McAfee. Yes. I love it. I'm going to wrap this up with a question. I asked this to you last time too, but always gratitude is a big part of my life. What are three things in your life you're grateful for?

Number one, my family and my kids, I think I say it every time we do it. Like to have a family that backs you and allows you, my wife saying, I'm like, hey, you know, we got two kids at home. If I've grown now a three-year-old and I'm going, and a dog and a house to run, and she runs a company. It's not like she's a stay-at-home mom. She's got employees and everything. And what, hey, I'm going to go to do this show in New York.

I'm going to go do the podcast in L.A. and I'm going to stay a little extra and try to have some meetings. She's like, cool, go do it. Go do your thing. Get it. Like, get after it. Like to have that support. And it's the same with her.

Like, there's times where she's like, hey, I got to reprogram these computers. I got to do this. I'm going to be a little like, get it, babe. Like, go do your thing. Like, I'll see. I got the kids dinner. I'll get them in bed if you're not home by 8 o'clock. Like, whatever is like to have that support system.

and my mom and her parents, and they love everything we do, and they support everything we do. And grateful, like, now that my time with WWB, I'm grateful for that, man. Thank you to WWE for giving me a platform to become something to change lives, to impact lives,

to impact kids and future superstars and having everything they've given me, like my kids get to go to a great private school because of that, and, like, they get to go on vacations and whatever it is. is they've given me a life that I get to live that I'm grateful for and thankful for and I don't take for granted. We talked about that, you know, earlier standing there in that street corner going, man, like, I've got a really cool thing. And then I'm grateful for the opportunities

that I've gotten and I'm grateful for the opportunities that have yet to arrive. So I'm looking for that. Those are my things I'm grateful for today. And then obviously grateful to be hear with you and see you just because like they we have fun chatting and we and I think we're cool like buddies but also like you having a new baby and like having two kids now like I have it and I'm like it's such a cool thing so like I'm grateful for like this little yeah man I'm grateful for you it's cool something something about being a father and then when it happens again it just I don't know it's changed your life number two is not as difficult as the first because now you actually have somewhat of a game plan now some of it will go out the window like we

We were talking cars somewhere. I was like, no, bro, you got to have a stroller if you got two now. Like, different, like, there's different rules now that apply. I love my pickup truck. But the stress of things is a little bit less where you're like, you're coughing. Do I need to run in there and check on them? Now you're like, fine. Hunter told me a story one time.

It's like, tell me how each kid gets easier when I was like, I got number two on the way. He's like, oh, it's easy. He's like the first kid, like their pacifier drops. You're sterilizing. He's like, he's like, second one. You're like, why have a third one? It's got a little dirt on it. Here you go.

Like it just becomes that you like you realize how resilient and tough they are. So true. So funny. Well, I'm excited for what's next for you, man. Like as of January 1st, you're able to do whatever you want. As of January 1. And it's cool too because like I, you know, I didn't have to do the 90 days because it was just. And like it's cool too to say I had a 13 year career with WD.

I wasn't fired. It was just the contract ended and we separated away. Is it how many people can say that? It's a cool feeling. Again, no no ill will I think on either side. I have one person that's against me. but maybe we can turn them someday. And they'd be like, man, I'm a massive fan of what they've done.

So it'd be dope. Who knows? I'm excited. I'm excited. I feel like it's going to be a very, very busy year for Tom. So good to have him in the studio for this one. Great to catch up with him. That horror movie he's talking about sounds amazing.

I can't wait to see that. And I just can't wait to see where he pops up next to wrestle. It definitely sounds like he wants to spend some time in New Japan, which feels like it'd be the perfect fit for him. So let's see. Let's see what this year has to hold or has in store for him. Snap a screenshot. Tag us, let us know that you're listening.

He's at Tom Pestock on Instagram and Twitter. I'm at Chris Van Fleet, and we will wrap it up with this quote from Colin Powell. A dream doesn't become reality through magic. It takes sweat, determination, and hard work. Be great. Be grateful. We will see you on the next one.

for some more insight. We've got Ask CVV number 67 tomorrow. If you've got a question for that one, leave a comment on Spotify. Send it in on social media using the hashtag AskCVV or send me an email. CVV at chris fanfleet.com. We'll see you back here tomorrow for that one. Jim Rome takes on sports.

Why? Because I have a job to do. With rapid fire takes. So I don't want to hear from you lava pigs on this notion today. No idea what you're talking about. You're complaining more than you like to breathe air. It's like you get up in the morning only to complain and cry and moan on social media about things that you don't even understand. He's the spitfire of sports smack.

Take advantage of it. Get up in here. The Jim Rome Show podcast. What should be? Follow and listen on your favorite platform. You've been warned.