Being the final opponent to any retired wrestler comes with a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it boosts your appeal and possible championship opportunities. Oppositely, you might leave a bad taste in the mouths of fans for years to come. When Baron Corbin beat Kurt Angle in the Hall of Famer's last match at WrestleMania 35, it suggested he was due to embark on a meteoric rise. Unfortunately, Corbin's high on the main roster fell sorely, ultimately eliminating him from WWE. Following the news of Corbin's unexpected WWE release, Angle spoke with "Busted Open Radio" about how disappointed he was to see the company drop the ball with "The Lone Wolf."
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"Baron's really talented. I see a lot of potential in him," Angle commented. "I was really disappointed with what WWE did to him. I mean, they pushed him at first. They had him beat me at WrestleMania for my retirement match, which was fine...But then afterward, they had him win King of the Ring, and then he kind of fell off the radar. He never really made it back, at least not to the extent he should have been. When you win King of the Ring, that means you're going to be a future World Champion, and that did not happen for Baron... I just wish Baron Corbin had a much more successful career because he deserves that."
Corbin carried several decorated title and tournament victories, including a one-time run with both the WWE United States and NXT Tag Team Championships, the 2024 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, the 2019 King of The Ring crown, 2017 Men's Money in the Bank briefcase, and the 2016 Andr the Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy. Following his release,Corbin reflected on his WWE legacy, saying he hopes to be a future Hall of Famer.
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If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
