Baron Corbin praises his opponent after losing massive debut match outside WWE

Former WWE Superstar Baron Corbin finally wrestled his first match since his departure from the Stamford-based company. He praised his opponent, Josh Barnett, in a recent social media update.

The former WWE Money in the Bank winner, who now goes by the name Tom Pestock, made his debut for Game Changer Wrestling at The People vs GCW event this past Sunday. Unfortunately, his in-ring return ended in a loss against Josh Barnett in a Bloodsport match.

Baron Corbin recently took to his Instagram account to share multiple pictures from his GCW debut. He praised Barnett while mentioning how tough the latter is. He further expressed his desire to cross paths with the 47-year-old in the future.

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"I can count on one hand men I’ve stood across from and thought this is a legit bad mother f’er! I’m going to have to hurt him before he hurts me and this is going to be one hell of a fight. Few people are that legit, they lack fear of threat or intimidation. They thrive in violence and combat without anger. @joshlbarnett is 100% legit and it was exciting to meet someone with that legitimacy and grit! It was a pleasure to go to battle with him at Bloodsport. I look forward to going to war again with the warmaster himself down the road!" he wrote.

You can check out Baron Corbin's Instagram post below:

WWE let go of Baron Corbin and two other stars ahead of major premium live event

Baron Corbin joined WWE in 2012. After 12 years with the promotion and playing multiple gimmicks, his time with the Stamford-based company ended on November 1, 2024, as the global juggernaut decided against renewing his contract.

In addition to Corbin, WWE let go of Indi Hartwell and Tegan Nox. A day before the 2024 Crown Jewel Premium Live Event, the two stars were released from their contracts. However, unlike Baron, Nox and Hartwell have yet to return to the squared circle.

With Corbin losing his first match outside the Stamford-based company, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for the 40-year-old.

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