When Baron Corbin returned to NXT at the end of May to become a featured player on Shawn Michaels‘ Tuesday night show, it didn't really move the needle all that much in the WWE Universe.

Sure, Corbin has earned a few pretty incredible accolades over his WWE career, retiring Kurt Angle, winning the United States Championship, and the like, but the former King had a pretty meh first half of 2023, and after failing to hear his name called in the 2023 WWE Draft, he was dispatched by Cameron Grimes in near-record time before being relegated to catering. With so many NXT lifers gone for one reason or another, with #DIY now on the main roster and the Undisputed Era split up across AEW and the indies, why not give Corbin a chance to work with some younger guys, earn some regular television time, and see where he goes from there?

Fast forward six months into the future, and Corbin is looking good, earning a few big-time wins over interesting young stars and becoming a bit of an unlikely fan favorite for consistently getting one over on unpopular performers like Gable Steveson. Stopping by NotSam Wrestling to discuss this current run in developmental, Corbin gave a ton of love to the entire NXT  organization, from the young stars up to HBK, as he feels the brand is “putting out fire” right now.

“I think NXT’s putting out fire, man. What Shawn and Baldo and all those coaches there, what they’re doing is special because they’re listening to talent, they’re getting behind them, like how do you want to make this work? How do you feel about this? Because then people are truly invested for themselves,” Baron Corbin said via 411 Mania.  “Then there are some guys, there are different people on that roster that really want to be successful and want to learn and want to listen, so when someone like me or Seth comes in the building or Becky, they’re asking questions. Randy was there, training, Taker was there. People are asking genuine questions. Then there are some guys, when you’re getting these athletes from all over from college, they’re high-profile athletes, they might come in and think they already have it made. I’ve met a few of those, where they ask you a question, and you can tell they don’t care about the answer or what you’re saying. They’re gonna do it their way, they’re just trying to play the game. But I’ve been around too long to know that, and I’m not stupid.”

Needless to say, WWE Developmental has come a long way from where being assigned to Florida Championship Wrestling was considered a punishment instead of an opportunity to remain on television while working through some things from a character or in-ring standpoint. With NXT routinely doing good numbers on television, with an opportunity to improve more when it moves from USA Network to The CW in 2024, one has to wonder if some stars like Corbin actually relish the opportunity to work in NXT, as they get a chance to wrestle once a week, stay in one place, and learn from one of the best who ever did it, the “Heartbreak Kid.”

Baron Corbin explains what makes Shawn Michaels so special.

Asked by Sam Roberts what its like to change things up from the main roster to NXT, Baron Corbin celebrated Shawn Michaels' even further, suggesting that a chance to learn from HBK is worth the price of admission.

“Getting a different philosophy from one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest of all time, getting to be around him, not only pick his brain, but his excitement,” Baron Corbin noted. “Him revving me up from before I went out for that promo, it puts you in this mode, you’re like, dude, that’s Shawn Michaels being like, ‘Go get it. Go take what’s yours.’ He believes in everything I do. His excitement for the show and the people on the show and the creativity behind the show and his passion to make that show, we always say it’s not a developmental system anymore, but it is a third brand. It pulled a million viewers a couple months back with Becky. It has taken the show to another level, and it’s because of Shawn and the guys behind him and the coaches in the PC.”

Could the day eventually come when a performer of note specifically asks to be on NXT in order to work under Mr. Michaels and push the third brand to new heights? Well, considering CM Punk's frequent appearances at the PC as of late, that day may come sooner than some fans might imagine.