Roman Reigns Praises Baron Corbin, Talks How John Cena Changed The Game For WWE Talent
The Shield defeated a team featuring Baron Corbin, Bobby Lashley and Drew McIntyre in their final match together earlier this year. The least likely participant in that match was Corbin as no one expected him to be in that type of match just a few months earlier.
Reigns talked about Corbin, who he affectionately calls Football Tom, and how he worked himself into this current position on the After The Bell podcast
"If you would have told me that I would have main evented a European tour with Football Tom, I would have said, 'Get the hell out of here [laughs].' Even with the boys back then he got a reaction," Reigns said of Corbin. "He rubbed everybody a certain way and when he got into the ring he picked it up. He's a big guy with good timing. It's one of those things and you've seen it a billion times ? including likely with me ? guys will just get it. There would be a point in time where two left feet just becomes good footwork and it just clicks. In the past couple of years, that transition has happened for him and ever since he cut that hair off and got real stupid and cocky, it started working for him.
"Every time we're out there, the crowd just despises him. It makes my job a lot easier when a guy can walk out there and get under people's skin. He makes it so that the crowd wants another guy to come out there and kick his ass."
Along with Corbin, Reigns thinks others are on the precipice of breaking out and putting themselves on the map. He didn't mention names, but he talked about the mindset that it takes to become the next John Cena or Roman Reigns.
"I think we have a locker room full of guys just a step or two away. They need just a little time and investment or that character niche to put them on the map. But it's one thing to get into that position and another thing to stay. That's when you really show your value," stated Reigns.
"You can't just have one good month or one good year. In this day and age, your run has to be pretty significant to really make waves. John Cena changed that whole game for us. It was a lot different for Rock and Steve as it seemed like it was a transition into the next guy. You've gotta be able to hold it down for a while because there's no offseason. The only way to show your value nowadays is through consistency but that's in everything, not just this business?
"Any deep level of success is an every day job. You have to be on it, working at all times and constantly thinking about it."
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit After The Bell with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.