NXT’s Homecoming at Full Sail University this past Tuesday was billed as a celebration of the brand’s history, but one of its early cornerstones was noticeably absent from the tributes. Bishop Dyer, better known to WWE audiences as Baron Corbin, has admitted he was “a little butthurt” after being left out of the event’s video packages.
Speaking on the Off The Ropes podcast, Dyer described his frustration, which spiked when he noticed other alumni, including Mojo Rawley, highlighted in the opening montage while he was not. “I even texted (Johnny) Russo the writer and I was like, ‘Yo, Mojo Rawley makes the cut of the video, and I don’t?’” he recalled. “I was, like I said, a little butthurt.”
Dyer argued that his omission overlooked his substantial role in NXT’s foundation. A former NXT Tag Team Champion, he competed as recently as 2024 alongside Bron Breakker in the “Wolf Dogs.” “But with that show, I was a main staple in the beginning of NXT… I was one of the originators who helped grow that brand. I was on every show. I was on the first live one in Brooklyn,” he explained.
At the same time, Dyer acknowledged the circumstances of his departure earlier this year may have played a role. “And I know it’s still fresh in WWE being as I finished up in January, and sometimes you’ve gotta kinda give it a year or so before they start acknowledging your existence again,” he said. (h/t Wrestletalk)
Now competing under his real name, Tom Pestock, he parted ways with WWE in January when his contract was not renewed. Pestock has since spoken about feeling creatively restricted and suggested that someone in management was holding him back, despite a run on SmackDown that had begun to build momentum. The decision left him “a little hurt” after 13 years with the company, a period in which he said he often put WWE obligations ahead of family time.
Since leaving, Pestock has remained active. He has already captured a gold medal in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament and made a backstage appearance at AEW’s World’s End event, sparking speculation about his next destination. He has also expressed interest in working with promotions such as NJPW.
Though Dyer admitted he ultimately “got over it” and praised the Homecoming show as “awesome,” his comments underscore a familiar reality in pro wrestling: once a performer leaves the company, their contributions to its history can quickly be sidelined.