Browsing: Dyer

Bishop Dyer remains motivated as ever to prove he can hang with the best pro wrestling has to offer. The former WWE superstar known to fans as Baron Corbin for 13 years works to reinvent himself in the next chapter of his career. He didnâ€t waste any time making his presence felt in Major League Wrestling starting at Battle Riot VII.

“Iâ€m doing it backwards,†Dyer said of his journey. “I think for the most WWE talent, at least a vast majority of it, they did the independent scene prior to coming to WWE. Thatâ€s how they built their name. Thatâ€s how they built equity in their character and social media to get the attention of WWE. Whereas I was lucky and fortunate to get a tryout and made it that way.

“So, I never got to experience the wild west, if you will, of the independent scene. For me, when my career ended, I know I missed a lot in that aspect. I wanted to wrestle in some of these bigger independent companies because there is a ton of talent on these rosters, especially when you look at an MLW roster. The list of talent they have is amazing. Itâ€s up-and-comers, itâ€s guys that are independently established, and true legends like [Satoshi] Kojima.â€

The veteran considers himself lucky to be able to control where he works. This includes dates on the independent scene. His criteria for taking bookings comes down to how a particular promotion treats their talent and takes care of them. Dyer decided to work for MLW due to the way the company tells stories across continuous programming rather than just one-off matches. Controlling his schedule has also helped the dedicated husband and dad be home more.

“My wife works full-time. She owns her own company, so she is very busy as well,†Dyer explained. “When I was on the road with WWE, she would work five days a week. Then sheâ€d come home to be a mom because I would be gone. A lot of times too Iâ€d be gone on the weekends, which really sucked for her. When weâ€re doing full tours, Iâ€m leaving the house Thursday, and coming home Monday or Tuesday. She works all week and has to keep the kids entertained Saturday and Sunday. They are young, 3 and 6, so they are busy bodies. For me to be home, Iâ€m taking two shows a month, relatively. I told myself I would really enjoy this year and pump the brakes on things and be a part of it all. Iâ€m very good at home at being that family man and being with my kids because thatâ€s all that matters to me at the end of the day.â€

He continued, “So, now Iâ€m getting to take my kids to school every day, picking them up every day. Itâ€s elevating a lot of stress from her. Itâ€s also giving me a lot of joy because I get to be here and a part of everything. Iâ€m not missing birthdays, school functions, and school events. Those kinds of things. I really do it as a blessing. Having the ability to go and wrestle twice a month, it doesn’t bother them like it used to when I was leaving every single weekend. They are excited for me. They are excited when I’m telling them who Iâ€m working and where Iâ€m working. Iâ€ll show them videos of the guys because they are so used to the WWE thing and just know the main names. My daughter asked about John Cena all the time like theyâ€re friends, which is hilarious. I think they are excited. I think with that too, if Iâ€m doing shows in fun places, I can bring them and stay a few days. Like my wife’s favorite thing to say now is we can plan things.â€

Outside the ring Dyer has also been able to explore his other interests. Whether itâ€s providing cook tips on TikTok or winning 14 gold medals through ju-jitsu, the performer is living his best life. Adding to his other business ventures along with working as an analyst and host for Pro Wrestling Nation 24/7 on Sirius XM is a budding coffee business.

“Itâ€s called Open Air Coffee where we sell through ecommerce, but I’m building a facility in Tampa,†Dyer said. “I have 8,000 sq. ft. and Iâ€m building a coffee roastery, a community roastery for all the coffee shops in the area, even Orlando…Weâ€re doing something cool here. With that, not having that WWE paycheck consistently, it can add some stress when youâ€re financially building a company and things like that. It can be stressful, but I have the time to do that now. Also, exploring new things..

“Weâ€re also getting to go to more concerts now, which I love so much because we can plan stuff again. Having that freedom to do my thing is really fun and allows me to be creative again. When youâ€re in that cog of WWE, the creativity of the talent gets lost a little bit. Someone else is writing the stories and helping you evolve your characters where as now, especially in the wrestling world I can do it all myself. Iâ€m building the ‘Nomad†Bishop Dyer. I can wear what I want to wear. Iâ€m not wearing weird suit vests and stuff like that. Iâ€m really getting to do me and be creative from social media to food to coffee to jiu jitsu to planning activities with the kids.â€

Dyer has enjoyed his time in MLW, reconnecting with Dominik Dijak to form The Skyscrapers. Together the two imposing figures won the MLW Tag Team Championship alongside their savvy manager Saint Laurent.

“Working with Dijak is great because we were sharing the ring before in NXT,†said. “We were both grinding and always trying to better ourselves. When I got the email about the plan and that they were going to put me and Dijak together as a team as The Skyscrapers, instantly I smiled because what a really cool ode to the past. They do a great job of incorporating things from the past.

“Pairing me with him and giving us The Skyscrapers name, I was worried at first. But it has gotten a great reception. People love it because we have the same type of aura if you will. Weâ€re big dudes who can move. Weâ€re very athletic. We can be very violent and physical with our opponents. Itâ€s a really cool thing. Having Saint Laurent as our manager, itâ€s extra heat poured on. Iâ€ll take as much as I can get. We do a great job with that. Itâ€s fun and exciting, but itâ€s nice too at MLW because youâ€re not pigeonholed to just that tag team. Iâ€m also competing in the Opera Cup where Iâ€m facing Kojima. Iâ€m getting to do multiple things with one company with 95 percent of the roster Iâ€ve never worked with.â€

Dyer still remains a fan, watching pro wrestling across the board weekly. Not only to stay on top of things for his “Busted Open†work. He is proud to see his former tag team partner Bron Breakker continue his ascent to the top in WWE.

“I like him in The Vision, but I donâ€t like him in The Vision,†Dyer explained. “I think he is such a star. He carries so much personality, athletic ability, and with what he can do in the ring he is truly special. Obviously, Iâ€m partial to him because we created The Wolf Dogs, and that woke a lot of people up to how good I am as well. We were doing some pretty incredible matches, and I think I did a good job bringing a little bit of personality out. Not just being the tough angry guy, but having fun with it. I think it helped him evolve. We bettered each other. So, when I see him in the background of a group because you have [Paul] Heyman, Seth [Rollins], Becky [Lynch], and then Bronson [Reed] and Bron are a step behind them.

“He is not a background player. I know itâ€s buying time and getting him reps, but you kind of just put him in another tag team. He is a singles star all the way through. The day he turns on Seth Iâ€m going to be so happy whenever that happens because I think he is going to headline a WrestleMania at some point. I love supporting him and what he is doing and the stuff he is putting out there. He is out of his mind, and I love it. He does these crazy things, and Iâ€m just like just be safe. Itâ€s exciting. Itâ€s fun to support guys.â€

Despite WWE deciding to part ways with Dyer, he still has love for his former employer. The 41-year-old is grateful for the opportunities given. He stays in touch with colleagues there to catch up and share news like getting to wrestle the legendary former MLW World Heavyweight Champion Satoshi Kojima coming up at Slaughterhouse on October 4. The Long Beach event will air on YouTube and beIN Sports.

“When I found out I was wrestling Kojima, Iâ€m texting [CM] Punk, Iâ€m texting Finn Balor,†Dyer said. “Guys who appreciate it. It was really cool to get that response from them of how cool that is that I get to do this now.â€

The talent is looking forward to stepping up against Kojima. Wrestling in Japan is also on Dyerâ€s to-do list because he finds his style likens to theirs.

“For me, itâ€s a test of am I as good as I think I am and I feel like I would have a lot of success over there,†Dyer said. “This will be a test to say yeah you will or keep working. Itâ€s one of those things. Iâ€m always under the mindset I can get better every day. I was training at Nattieâ€s gym Wednesday continuing to get better. Iâ€m always bouncing ideas off of TJ [Wilson] because I want to make sure I give him the best opponent I can give him being the legendary he is. I think itâ€s definitely a place to plant my flag and say Iâ€m for real. I respect him and look up to Kojima as a superstar and the things he has done and the physicality he brings.

“He has beaten countless people by a clothesline. Thatâ€s as old school and rough as it gets. For me, it’s an honor to step in the ring with him, but when the bell rings, Iâ€m going to set all of that aside and weâ€re going to fight. This is to continue to the next level of the Opera Cup. Thatâ€s the ultimate goal, to walk away with that. If I have to put Kojima down in the process, I will. And I will give him his respect afterward and prior to. But between those bells, this is what we do. Weâ€re prize fighters in a sense and will go to war. For me too, I think it will open peopleâ€s eyes that Bishop Dyer is for real. That Iâ€m just not some WWE guy. He is out here making a name for himself, accomplishing big things, and continuing to further his career between those ropes.â€

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