In the summer of 2009, Pat McAfee and Tom Pestock were competing for a spot on the Indianapolis Colts roster.
Thirteen years later, the two will be squared in a grudge match Summer slam..
“There was no sign of that at the time,” says Corbin, best known as Baron Corbin at WWE. “Pat continued to succeed in everything he did. This is an ancient battle between good and evil. Pat tries to find success in Nashville. Summer slam, And I will do everything I can to stop him. “
In a series of situations at the time, Colts coach Jim Coldwell couldn’t have imagined. McAfee and Corbyn have evolved from teammates in WWE to rivals in the ring. Although we didn’t spend a lot of time together in Colts, McAfee was selected in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft and was a successful franchise. Meanwhile, Corbyn graduated from Division II school and is a Colts practitioner and an Arizona Cardinals practitioner. They remained intimate after the end of their career.
“I was a bubble training guy and Pat had an apartment,” says Corbyn. “At that time, I didn’t want to get a place or sign a rental contract. It wasn’t my kind of football with Colts. At that time, I had a 19.5 inch neck and weighed 330. It was a pound.
“I was stiff, closed my eyes and pulled the guard. They made me a left tackle. I could do a left tackle, but I was good as an inside player just because of my physique. So I I was worried that I would let go. I was with Pat and played golf almost every day. At that time it was pretty tight and I was in touch. “
Their feud at WWE has brought new sparks Summer slam..McAfee rarely wrestles and spends most of his time smack down Commentary team.His last match was played at Wrestlemania, And it was a spectacular performance.If given the opportunity, he was given easily NXTMcAfee has a rare combination of charisma and athleticism and can be at the top of WWE.
“Pat connects with people all over the world,” says Corbyn. “He succeeded in everything he did. He shows that you don’t have to be 6’7” to do this. He gives people the hope that they can find success in life. I’m a big, salty, angry man. Summer slam, I will take away all that hope and inspiration. “
Whether he’s acting as Baron, Broke, King, or Happy Corbin, Corbin adds value to WWE programming every time he steps into the screen. He is unique in the modern scene. He draws characters that are tied to the roots of the industry and designed to frustrate the crowd. This is the role he enjoys.
“I’ve had 10 years at WWE and over 6 years on the main roster,” says Corbyn. “I’m the heel of my career and I’m very proud to irritate people around the world.”
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Despite the fact that some of his roles appear to be limited, at least on paper, Corbyn’s features at WWE make the most of what he has presented.
“That’s my competitiveness,” says Corbyn, who first nodded to share the ring with rock. smack down At Fox in 2019. Vince’s Broke Corbyn’s idea was a couple of weeks about the sadness after losing the crown, but I wanted to be completely devoted to it.It really took off with it Talking Smack An episode when I talked about having to hit a can of spaghetti on the street because there was no can opener. Then it became a snowball from there.
“That’s the challenge. Take what you’re given and get the most out of it. When I do it, it’s the notch on my belt. When you make things work, it’s really a lot Open the door. “
Corbyn’s character changes are unique. Unlike others who get off the camera, improve and come back, his transition takes place in real time.
“Sometimes my changes are weekly, like when I became a” police officer “with Kurt. [Angle]”Corbyn says. “I’m trying to give it a natural flow, so nothing seems to be forced. It’s tied to my past. I was a Division II college football player. Finally two scouts are me Coming to third grade, I ran sub 5.40 for £ 318. It opened a lot of eyes. You have to take these opportunities and make the most of them, and It helped me a lot with WWE.
“Originally, when I lost the crown, the story happened at that moment. I got the details of what they wanted around 7 o’clock that night and I was ready to switch on. I was able to do it in football. I got a chance at Indy so I blame Pat McAfee, but then I went to Arizona. First in the first week I was there I was in the fight. [Offensive line coach] Ras Grimm loved it. That’s the attitude he wanted from his aggressive lineman. He is an old school pig and has been inducted into the Hall of Fame. I showed him in a tryout that he immediately signed me for the practice team. If you have the opportunity, you need to get the most out of it. “
Accepting the role of an adversary, Corbin adds that Colts’ icon Peyton Manning will support Happy Corbin. Summer slam Instead of McAfee.
“Payton’s work ethic is unmatched, but he’s also one of the smartest players to ever play the game,” says Corbyn. “His sporting heart is incredible. When he arrives at Indy, they give you one playbook, then Peyton’s codeword and another playbook with his aggressive structure. Get it. He chose to win me, which further proves how smart he is. “
McAfee and Corbyn brought build strength and physics to the match. Suddenly, without benefiting from the title or the long on-screen story, their match evolved into one of the must-see parts of Saturday’s card.
“It’s not complicated,” says Corbyn. “Look at the stats. Pat is a former NFL panther. I was an aggressive lineman. I’m going through him Summer slam And he was completely silenced. “
Justin Barasso can be reached at JBarrasso@gmail.com.. Follow him on Twitter @Justin Barrasso..
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