WWE Gimmick Created by Paul Heyman: How the Pandemic Cut It Short

WWE star Baron Corbin recently revealed that his 2019 “King Corbin” character was the brainchild of legendary WWE creative mind Paul Heyman. Following Corbin’s victory in the King of the Ring tournament, Heyman developed the “King Corbin” gimmick, a character designed to embody royal arrogance and irritate audiences. However, due to the pandemic, this gimmick was ultimately cut short before reaching its full potential.

Paul Heyman’s Vision for King Corbin

After winning the 2019 King of the Ring, Baron Corbin was rebranded as “King Corbin,” complete with a throne, crown, and fur coat to enhance his royal persona. Corbin recently discussed how Heyman’s vision for King Corbin centered on him playing an irritating, over-the-top monarch who would engage the crowd by looking down on them from his “throne.” Heyman envisioned Corbin being carried to the ring and interacting with live audiences in a way that would maximize the character’s annoying charm.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Corbin explained, “It was all about the presentation from being carried to the ring to the obnoxious giant 8,000 lbs. fur coat and the crown. That’s something that lives better in front of a live audience, where I could irritate people by looking down on them and waving.”

Pandemic Impact on King Corbin’s Character

The pandemic and subsequent shift to closed-set events prevented the live audience engagement essential to King Corbin’s persona. Without fans in the arena to react to his arrogant antics, the character lost its intended impact. WWE transitioned to the ThunderDome for virtual crowds, but the absence of in-person reactions limited the gimmick’s effectiveness. Corbin believes that this shift ultimately led to the character’s early conclusion, as it was specifically tailored to irritate a live audience.

Corbin’s Evolution Post-King Gimmick

Since moving away from the King Corbin persona, Baron Corbin has continued to evolve, experimenting with various characters and storylines in WWE. While the pandemic forced a premature end to King Corbin, Corbin’s experiences highlight the creative influence of Paul Heyman, whose vision allowed the character to resonate, even if only for a limited time.

For fans of WWE, Corbin’s insights offer a look at how characters develop and adapt behind the scenes, and how audience interaction remains a key part of WWE’s storytelling process.