Baron Corbin

Thomas "Tom" Pestock (born September 13, 1984) is an American professional wrestler, retired boxer and American football player currently signed to WWE, where he performs on SmackDown under the ring name Baron Corbin. He is a former offensive lineman for the National Football League's Indianapolis Colts and Arizona Cardinals as well as a three-time Golden Gloves champion and former grappling champion. Corbin is also the winner of the third annual André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 32.

College

Pestock attended NCAA Division II college Northwest Missouri State University, where he played offensive guard. He became a starter his junior year in 2007. Pestock was named honorable mention all MIAA in 2007 and first team all-MIAA in 2008. Pestock was part of teams that went to four consecutive Division II National Championships.

Indianapolis Colts

Pestock signed with the Indianapolis Colts on April 27, 2009 after going undrafted in the 2009 NFL Draft. He was released by the Colts on August 13 and re-signed by the team on August 19, 2009. He was again released by the Colts on September 5, 2009.

Arizona Cardinals

Pestock signed a futures contract with the Arizona Cardinals on January 18, 2010. Pestock was noted for throwing uppercuts in a team scuffle in training camp.

He was released by the Cardinals on September 3 and signed to the team's practice squad on September 6, 2010. He was again released by the Cardinals on September 2, 2011.

By 2007, Pestock was a two-time Amateur Kansas-Missouri Golden Gloves regional champion. Pestock participated at the 2008 Golden Gloves National Tournament of Champions, defeating Chaen Chess and losing to Andrae Cathron.

WWE

NXT (2012–2016)

Pestock signed with WWE's developmental system NXT in August 2012. Using the ring name Baron Corbin, he made his in-ring debut on October 18, 2012, at a live event, losing to Dante Dash. He made his televised debut on the May 8, 2013, episode of NXT, in a losing effort against Damien Sandow. On May 29, Corbin unsuccessfully participated in a #1 contendership battle royal for the NXT Championship, being eliminated early in the match by Mason Ryan. He then made several appearances as an enhancement talent, with a battle royal to determine the #1 contender to the NXT Championship on May 8, 2014 being his last televised match prior to his re-debut.

Corbin in March 2015 during the WrestleMania 31 weekend

After a long absence, a repackaged Corbin returned at NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way, where he defeated CJ Parker. Corbin defeated Parker in a rematch on the September 18 episode of NXT. Corbin would then win numerous matches against enhancement talents, each in a short amount of time, until crossing paths with Bull Dempsey, who was also winning his matches quickly, beginning a rivalry between the two to see who could one-up the other in having the least amount of time to win their matches. At NXT TakeOver: R Evolution, Corbin had a staredown with Dempsey after winning his match against Tye Dillinger. Their highly anticipated one on one match finally took place on January 14 which Corbin won, breaking Dempsey's undefeated streak in the process. Corbin participated in a #1 contender's tournament for the NXT Championship, defeating Bull Dempsey in the first round but then being eliminated by Adrian Neville in the semi-final, ending Corbin's undefeated streak. At NXT TakeOver: Rival, Corbin defeated Dempsey in a No Disqualification match to end their feud. He later competed in a André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal qualification tournament at WrestleMania 31 Axxess but lost in the first round to Finn Bálor. Hideo Itami won the tournament

On the May 6 episode of NXT, Rhyno defeated Dempsey and then called out Corbin for a match at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable. On the next week's NXT, Corbin defeated Solomon Crowe, turning heel after showing a more cocky persona after the crowd turned on him and his short matches. After the match, Corbin faced off with Rhyno and brawled with him, starting their feud. At NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, Corbin defeated Rhyno via pinfall to end the feud. On the August 12, 2015 episode of NXT, Corbin defeated Axel Tischer then subdued Steve Cutler, executing the End of Days on the two. Samoa Joe came out, challenged Corbin and began a brawl, applying the Coquina Clutch on Corbin. The next week, Corbin attacked Joe after his match, executed the End of Days and set up a match for NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. At NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, Joe won after Corbin passed out to the Coquina Clutch.

Corbin then teamed up with his former rival Rhyno as a tag team to take place in the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament. On the September 2 episode of NXT, they defeated The Ascension in the first round. They then defeated the team of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa in the second round. At NXT TakeOver: Respect, Corbin and Rhyno defeated Chad Gable and Jason Jordan to advance to the finals of the tournament, where they lost to Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe. After NXT TakeOver: Respect, a battle royal was held to determine the #1 Contender for the NXT Championship. Corbin participated in the battle royal, making the final two before being eliminated by Apollo Crews. Corbin attacked Crews during his title match and cost him the title, igniting a feud between the two. At NXT TakeOver: London, Corbin defeated Crews.

In January 2016, Corbin was involved in a triple threat match between Sami Zayn and Samoa Joe on the January 27 episode of NXT to determine the #1 contender for Finn Balor's NXT Championship but Corbin lost after Zayn and Joe both applied their submission holds on Corbin at the same time, with Corbin submitting. William Regal did not give Corbin another title oppourtunity, leading to Corbin stating Regal would "regret" his decision. On the March 2nd episode of NXT, after Regal introduced the debuting Austin Aries, Corbin attacked Aries from behind, beginning a feud between the two. At NXT TakeOver: Dallas, Corbin lost to Aries. On the April 13 episode of NXT Corbin defeated Tucker Knight in his final appearance in NXT.

SmackDown (2016–present)

Corbin with the André the Giant Memorial Trophy

Corbin made his main roster debut at WrestleMania 32, appearing as an unannounced entrant in the André the Giant Memorial battle royal and eliminated Kane last to win the André the Giant Memorial Trophy. He then debuted on Raw the following night, battling to a double countout against Dolph Ziggler. Corbin continued his assault after the match, executing an End of Days on the arena floor on Ziggler. Corbin made his SmackDown debut the following week, defeating Zack Ryder. Corbin faced Dolph Ziggler at the Payback pre-show in a losing effort after a roll-up, marking his first main roster loss. The next night on Raw, Ziggler eliminated Corbin from a battle royal to determine the #1 contender to the United States Championship. After his elimination, Corbin proceeded to viciously attack Ziggler, causing his elimination by Rusev. Corbin defeated Ziggler decisively on the May 10 episode of Raw, which evened the score between the two at 1-1. At Extreme Rules, Corbin defeated Ziggler in a no disqualification match. The next night on Raw, Ziggler would confront Corbin and challenge him to a technical wrestling match on the May 30 episode of Raw which Corbin accepted. The match occurred the following week with Corbin winning by disqualification after Ziggler hit him with a low blow at the start of the match. Ziggler and Corbin faced off at Money in the Bank, in which Corbin beat Ziggler to end their feud.

On July 19 at the 2016 WWE draft, Corbin was drafted to SmackDown. Corbin lost to Apollo Crews in a triple threat match also featuring Kalisto with the winner receiving an Intercontinental Championship match against The Miz at SummerSlam. Corbin would then go on to assault Kalisto backstage in the proceeding weeks after blaming him for his loss, Kalisto was eventually injured at the hands of Corbin and was out of action for several months. On the August 30 episode of SmackDown, Corbin defeated WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose by disqualification after AJ Styles interfered. At Backlash, Corbin defeated Apollo Crews on the pre-show. Corbin then started a feud with Jack Swagger, who defeated Corbin when the referee believed Corbin to be submitting when he was reaching for the rope while in the Patriot Lock. Corbin would defeat Swagger at No Mercy and on the October 18th episode of SmackDown. On the November 1 episode of Smackdown, Corbin was announced as one of the Team SmackDown members for Survivor Series. The following week, he was injured by the returning Kalisto (kayfabe), thus being removed from Team SmackDown, as a result Shane McMahon took his place. Corbin then retaliated, costing Kalisto the chance to become Cruiserweight Champion at Survivor Series when he attacked both Brian Kendrick and Kalisto resulting in a disqualification victory for Kendrick. The next week on SmackDown, Corbin defeated Kane via disqualification when Kalisto interfered and attacked Corbin. It was later announced on Talking Smack, by general manager Daniel Bryan, that the pair would face each other at TLC in a chairs match which Corbin won. Corbin again defeated Kalisto in a rematch on the following SmackDown to end their feud.

On the December 20 episode of SmackDown, Corbin confronted Dolph Ziggler, who had just become the number one contender for AJ Styles' renamed WWE Championship the previous week, and the two had a match with Ziggler's number one contender's spot on the line. The match ended in a double count-out, and Daniel Bryan made the December 27 episode's WWE Championship match a triple-threat between Styles, Ziggler, and Corbin. The match, Corbin's first title opportunity in WWE, was won by Styles who pinned Ziggler. On the January 3 episode of "SmackDown," Corbin announced his entrance to the 2017 Royal Rumble, being the first superstar from "Smackdown" to enter the competition. On the January 10 episode of

Smackdown, Corbin suffered his first pinfall loss in the roster against John Cena. At the Royal Rumble, Corbin entered the match at number #13 and notably eliminated Raw's Braun Strowman before being eliminated by The Undertaker.

Pestock's father died in 2008 due to complications from Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease. Pestock wears his father's wedding ring on a necklace as a tribute. Corbin credits Billy Gunn, Bill DeMott, Dusty Rhodes, and Corey Graves with helping him develop his wrestling character and personality. Corbin has a great dane named Xander. He was good friends with Jackass star Ryan Dunn until Dunn died in a car crash in June 2011.

• Finishing move
  • End of Days (Modified lifting reverse STO)
• Signature moves
  • Big boot
  • Body avalanche
  • Deep Six (Spinning back suplex, sometimes lifted into a spinning side slam)
  • Clothesline
  • Corner clothesline
  • Front suplex slam
  • Nerve hold
  • Snake eyes
• Entrance themes
  • "Superhuman" by CFO$ (NXT/WWE; October 16, 2014–present)
• Nicknames
  • "The Lone Wolf"

• ^ "Baron Corbin". WWE. Retrieved 2014-12-12. 
• ^
• "WWE NXT: Superhuman (Baron Corbin) - Single". 

• Pro Wrestling Illustrated
  • Ranked No. 53 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2016
• Revolver
  • Most Metal Athlete (2016)
• WWE
  • André the Giant Memorial Trophy (2016)

• "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2016 - The Internet Wrestling Database". profightdb.com. Retrieved 1 September 2016.