WWE has been in conversation with the former Baron Corbin about a potential return to the company, with Dave Meltzer reporting on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio that the talks have been “heavily” ongoing and could be tied to Danhausen’s mystery-partner SmackDown storyline.
Corbin, now wrestling as “Nomad” Bishop Dyer, departed WWE in November 2024 at the expiration of his contract after a 12-year run with the company. He has spent the past 18 months wrestling for promotions including Maple Leaf Pro, the NWA, GCW, MLW, and one AEW dark match in January 2026. Meltzer’s update points to him heading back to WWE.
“Probably back in WWE. I’ve not heard it’s a done deal, but I know it’s been talked about, yes.”
Meltzer also speculated that Corbin could be at the heart of the ongoing Danhausen “something bigger” tease on WWE SmackDown.
“On the SmackDown show, when Danhausen was talking about something bigger, my gut was that that’s who it is. That’s just my speculation, but I just know that he’s been talked with about being brought in.”
He stressed his reading of the situation specifically and that its not a done deal. “It might even be done, but I haven’t had it officially confirmed to me it’s done. But I have 100% confirmed that it’s been heavily talked about.”
Corbin himself has previously kept the door open to a WWE return on Busted Open Radio, his SiriusXM co-hosting platform with Dave LaGreca and Bully Ray. In a January 2025 conversation with Jason Powell’s Pro Wrestling Boom Podcast, he framed the situation directly.
“I would love to go to New Japan for multiple reasons, and the door never closes with WWE either.”
He has not signed long-term with any other major promotion in the interim. He won the MLW World Tag Team Championships with Donovan Dijak as The Skyscrapers on June 26, 2025 and currently holds those titles in his first reign with the company. He also wrestled an AEW dark match before Dynamite on January 21, 2026, teaming with Better Together and Martin Stone in an 8-man tag arranged on the day of the show by Billy Gunn and approved by Tony Khan.
Corbin’s WWE accomplishments included the 2017 Men’s Money in the Bank, the 2019 King of the Ring, the 2016 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, a United States Championship reign, and an NXT Tag Team Championship reign with Bron Breakker. He was also a Wrestling Observer Newsletter Worst Gimmick and Most Overrated winner in 2018, and Most Overrated winner again in 2019.
He has been working with Brazilian jiu-jitsu and boxing alongside his wrestling schedule. He earned his BJJ purple belt from Rolles Gracie Jr. and won an IBJJF Tampa International Open gold in November 2024 just weeks after his WWE contract expired. He is 41.
If Corbin does return to WWE, it would mark the second high-profile WWE roster addition from the wave of post-WWE departures over the last 18 months returning under a different name and character. WWE has not officially commented on the report.
