Baron Corbin says he never asked Triple H to bring him back to WWE, choosing instead to let his work outside the company speak for itself.

Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Corbin explained that he stayed in touch with Triple H and several WWE colleagues after leaving in 2024. However, those conversations were personal, with no requests for another opportunity.

“I think the coming back process was awesome because I never once in that year and a half that I was gone reached out. You saw that interview with Hunter like, guys are always texting me, ‘I wanna come home.’ I never did that. If they want me back, they’ll call me. I’m not gonna beg for a job. I love that place and I had communication with Hunter in the time I was gone, but it was never like work. I’d text him like, ‘Hey, congrats on this or how’s the family, how are the girls?’. Those kind of things. Even a few other people there, I stayed in touch with a couple of talent. But, that line was never crossed of like, ‘Hey, what would you think about me coming back?’ Eventually, they did reach out.”

WWE made contact in December 2025, but a return did not come together immediately. Corbin was enjoying his independent run, winning championships and gaining experience in countries around the world.

Although he was willing to hear WWE out, he felt there was still plenty to achieve away from the company.

“We had a conversation in December that was very brief. It didn’t go anywhere because it was like, ‘Hey, what would you think about, would you be interested in that?’ I think the reply was, ‘I’d be open to a conversation but I’m not pressed, I’m doing things out here. I’m building back the reputation behind the name, I’m racking up those wins, I’m getting titles outside of here, traveling the world. Kinda doing the thing that I missed that a lot of people get to do before they come to WWE. I’m upping my game.’ I wrestled in Mexico and Europe and Australia and all of those places, it leveled out my in-ring ability, which was amazing.”

Corbin eventually returned on the July 10 episode of SmackDown, interfering in Carmelo Hayes’ United States Championship match against Trick Williams. He went on to win the title for the second time at SummerSlam.