Baron Corbin finally debuts outside WWE; crowd very upset with the result

Baron Corbin, who now goes by Tom Pestock, finally competed in his first match outside of WWE. However, much to the fans' dismay, things didn't go in favor of the former United States Champion as he lost to Josh Barnett.

Corbin's contract was not renewed in November 2024 and he left the promotion after a 12-year tenure. As expected, rumors began floating about that he could take his talents to AEW or TNA. Months later, Tom Pestock finally wrestled his first-ever match outside of WWE at The People vs. GCW 2025 event, where he took on Josh Barnett in a Bloodsport match.

Despite putting up a herculean effort, the 40-year-old lost to Barnett. Fans in attendance were visibly unhappy over the result and booed Josh Barnett. Considering it was Pestock's first match on the indie circuit, many expected him to score the win at the event and begin his post-WWE career with a bang.

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Vince Russo on Tom Pestock's WWE departure

Last month, on Sportskeeda's The Wrestling Outlaws, Vince Russo speculated about Pestock's shocking departure from the Stamford-based promotion. Russo explained that despite having the potential to make it big, Tom Pestock's contract was not renewed because he was far more intelligent than those within the company.

"EC3 has [also] fallen into this trap. When you get to the WWE, if they know you are smarter than them, that's not good. That's going to work against you. Corbin always came across to me as a little older, a little smarter, a little more mature. I know he was in the NFL. He'd been around the block and in my discussions, he was a very intelligent guy. They don't like that. Intelligent people will question and seek answers and they don't like that. I thought the guy going all the way back to the first time I saw him, he had money written all over him."

It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Tom Pestock. Due to his star power and popularity, he's sure to be courted by several promotions.