Baron Corbin discusses The Rock and John Cena's recent appearances in WWE.
Due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike in Hollywood, John Cena has been a mainstay on SmackDown in recent weeks. Cena has competing in a number of dark matches and also teamed with LA Knight at the Fastlane premium live event in a bout against Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso.
Furthermore, The Rock appeared on the September 15 episode of WWE SmackDown, and even had a backstage segment with Cena.
While speaking to Chris Van Vliet for a new interview, Corbin said that many young stars in WWE don't think they'll get the chance to work with a guy like John Cena these days, primarily due to his status as a big name in Hollywood.
"It's amazing for the Superstars for a Grayson Waller. I don't think he ever sat there. You're like, 'Man, I'm gonna be in the ring with John Cena.' It's just not something you think about this day and age because Cena's a movie star. What he's doing is incredible, and what the level he's reached is amazing. So you're like, 'No, he's not gonna come back and wrestle. If he does, it's gonna be Roman, or it's gonna be Seth.' John is so giving back to this industry, this business because he loves it with every bit of what he does. I've soaked up an immense amount of knowledge from John and I see John on a regular basis because I go to his gym, and we talk or we've been to dinner and his mind for this is just leaps and bounds above 99% of the people in this in this industry. So when you soak up that information -- now he's passing it on to guys like Grayson Waller and stepping in the ring with Solo [Sikoa], and all of these guys, they're getting an opportunity to be in there with greatness, where they may never have thought they were gonna do that."
Corbin went on to say that he never thought he'd get the chance to step in the ring with The Rock. The two were involved in a big segment on the first episode of SmackDown on Fox.
"I never thought I was gonna stand in the ring with The Rock on the very first SmackDown on Fox and do an eight-minute segment and take a Rock Bottom and a Spinebuster. That was never in my wildest dreams and then it happened. I spent the afternoon talking to The Rock, like, 'How do I capitalize on this? What can I do about this? How do I get better?' Asking for information that I can apply and use that will benefit me."
Corbin went on to note that he still uses the information that both Cena and Rock passed down to him. Corbin also went into detail about how the two stars helped him learn how to take his time, both in the ring and on the microphone.
"Absolutely. there's the ability that those guys have, which I take a lot of pride in as a heel is listening to the crowd for my timing, and where John and Rock are the absolute best, and you can hear it, they look up and they just listen, 'What am I hearing?' Then they can dictate what they're doing to that and amplify it. where some people don't hear it. and just run over it. You could have made a moment out of it. For me as a heel, if I'm in the ring with Cody Rhodes, and I'm starting to hear that rumble and I'm going, 'Okay, man, they want to see him do something. So what can I have him do?' He beats me up, does something, and then I cut him back off and go, 'Not this time!' I've learned that ability from Rock and from Cena. Listen, don't rush things. Take your time. Then, you can do the same in promos. You have to be able to multitask, some people just don't, and they miss out on an opportunity to get a better reaction or those things."
The former United States Champion currently resides in NXT, where he's worked against talent such as Bron Breakker and Ilja Dragunov. Corbin went on to say that he is trying to implement some of his knowledge into some of the guys in NXT as well.
"I'm trying to implement that with some with the guys in NXT. Slow down. It is a faster-paced show and that's what's cool about it. It is different. If it's the same product, we're just going to watch Raw and SmackDown. It needs to be different. It needs to stand out in its own way, and it is that fast pace, it is that exciting, physical, constant movement thing, but I'm going, 'Hey, you can still listen while you're doing these things. If you hear that, you can take it from a six to an eight, and now all of a sudden, you're going from an eight to a ten, you can do that.' That's two things I've just learned from those guys, to listen and take your time."
Elsewhere in the interview, Baron Corbin recalled the time that Vince McMahon wanted him to wear gold medals after defeating Kurt Angle. Fans can learn more by clicking here.
Fans can see the current lineup for NXT Halloween Havoc Night Two by clicking here.
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