WWE: Character Consistency, Not Heat, Reason for Baron Corbin’s Failed Cash In

Can we at least entertain the idea that the WWE is attempting to weave an interesting story with Baron Corbin?

As my friend and I sat in my car, we began arguing over Baron Corbin’s unceremoniously and record-setting (for all the wrong reasons) cash-in. He believes, like most of the internet wrestling community, that Baron Corbin has heat and was being punished for a number of backstage reasons, including twitter beef with Dave Meltzer and an army veteran. As well as the belief that John Cena didn’t think the Lone Wolf was ready to be WWE’s top star.

On the August 15, edition of SmackDown Live, Baron Corbin interrupted the main event between Jinder Mahal and John Cena. After walking nearly all the way back up the ramp, Corbin realized that, with the champion down and Cena incapacitated, it was an opportune time to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase. What seemed like one of the most obvious victories turn into the most shocking loss of his young career. Corbin then followed it up with a clean loss to John Cena at SummerSlam.

Despite the rumors, I believe the less-popular theory. The loss is consistent with and will help develop Corbin’s character.  But before we can entertain the idea that WWE was creatively building something with having Corbin lose, let’s take a look at some of the reasons why Corbin might have heat.

WWE.com

Corbin’s Relationship With Twitter

Corbin’s long and checkered past with Twitter begins all the way back in NXT. Lashing out at his haters and making dumb jokes about their girlfriends has been his calling card for years. So am I led to believe that a shot at Dave Meltzer halted Corbin’s rise as the WWE’s next big heel?

Corbin also took a shot a another fan calling him a loser for going to indy wrestling shows. The fan responded with a post of him with Vince McMahon, and asked what made him a loser. With this tweet, Corbin was put in a no-win situation, either double down on the heel tactics and risk attacking someone who served our country. Or break kayfabe and actually acknowledge the guys accolades.

Ultimately, he changed gears and told the fan that he was wrong and the fan wasn’t in fact a loser.

So, after years of Twitter attacks, why are these the tweets that broke WWE’s back? Simply put, they’re not. And why would they? In today’s “reality” era of WWE, Twitter is an extension of the the characters that the superstars portray. To punish Corbin for acting like a heel on Twitter would send mix messages to all heels in the WWE locker room. If WWE had a legitimate gripe with the way Corbin was using his twitter, I’m sure they would simply blackball him from using it. By all accounts, Corbin is still attacking fans.

WWE.com

Cena Didn’t Give Corbin His Blessing

After the initial speculation died down, another round of rumors began to circulate. This time, stemming from none other than the 16-time World Champion, John Cena.

I imagine this played out like a scene from the Godfather, but instead Corbin refuses to kiss Cena’s ring.

In an appearance on the Wrestling, Inc. podcast, Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated said that “the kiss of death was Cena, [Cena said] that Corbin wasn’t ready. I can’t say any more right now, that’s kind of what I’m trying to work on as we speak.”

I won’t pretend that John Cena doesn’t have any sway in a company he has helped keep afloat for the last 15 years or so. But to think that he could make or break a push for another superstar seems somewhat exaggerated. Vince McMahon has shown to be stubborn to a fault. However, now I am to believe he’s willing to change months of direction on the whim of another superstar, even one as affluent as Cena?

Further disdain for each other seemed to play out during their match at SummerSlam. Cena and Corbin can be seen jaw-jacking at the beginning of their match. Fans point to this as proof that Cena helped bury Corbin. But isn’t that the point of wrestling? Don’t we want to believe that the two in the ring have an extreme dislike for each other? Sometimes wrestling is just wrestling.

More than likely, the storyline of John Cena costing Corbin his cash in took its next logical step during their SummerSlam confrontation.

WWE.com

Punishments That Fit the Crime

Despite being only one of three superstars to fail at his cash in, rumor has it he is further being punished by being forced to take his shirt off. Honestly, this rumor is the proverbial jumping of the shark. Corbin has been wrestling for 5 years and only regularly started wearing a shirt as part of his ring attire. Before that? You guessed it, he wrestled mostly with his shirt off.

To insinuate that WWE is forcing him to take off his shirt as punishment is laughable. Corbin has tweeted that that his body makes him plenty of money. So why would he care if he had to take it off? He doesn’t. He takes off his shirt because the fans hate it, and it’s an easy way for him to get heel heat.

Road Dogg, who is responsible for SmackDown’s creative, seems to think that Corbin’s recent string of bad luck is nothing but a small bump in the road.

Obviously, no one in WWE is going to admit they are trying to bury Corbin, but largely the whole situation has been overblown. On the SmackDown after SummerSlam, Corbin entered the blue brands de-facto main event, as a special guest referee for the US title match. If Corbin was truly being buried he would be off TV or losing to the likes of Mojo Rawley.

Source: WWE.com

Character Consistency

So, if it wasn’t because of backstage heat that Corbin failed his cash in, then why? Well, it’s part of his character. As impressive and physically dominate as he is in the ring, Corbin has proved to be not particularly “ring smart.” He is easily distracted by the crowd and by referees. This leads to him losing sight of his opponent and his victory, instead focusing on other outside factors. This has lead multiple matches where Corbin should have won, but due to his lack of discipline has lost. During his failed cash in Corbin was more concerned with one-upping John Cena, who had put him through a table a week earlier, than actually securing the victory. His temper and emotions may be his biggest weaknesses.

Corbin also suffers from a limited move set that forces him to rely too heavily on a single move. Veteran competitors and more technical wrestlers are able to predict what Corbin does in the ring because he performs it too often in a single match. His reliance on the  baseball slide in particular has cost him at least two matches, one of which was against Cena at SummerSlam.

Next: WWE SmackDown Live: Results, Analysis, and Grades for Aug. 22

Corbin’s failed cash in doesn’t have anything to do with his alleged heat, instead seeks to build on his character. With just over a year on the main roster, Corbin has feuded with top stars and had multiple title opportunities for the Intercontinental, WWE Championship, and now – seemingly – the United States Championship. There is no doubt in my mind that Corbin will soon find his way to a championship win, if he can ever focus on his opponents long enough to get the 1-2-3.