Tom Pestock, formerly known as Baron Corbin in WWE, appeared on the latest episode of Insight With Chris Van Vliet and shared an intriguing backstage story involving John Cena, Husky Harris (later reinvented as Bray Wyatt), and Vince McMahon. Pestock confirmed a longstanding rumor about Harris accidentally poking Cena in the eye during a match, which reportedly led to him being sent back to NXT—a move that eventually resulted in the birth of the Bray Wyatt character.
“I will start with the backstory of it. So when Nexus was up on television, Bray Wyatt was not Bray Wyatt. He was Husky Harris, right? We’re going back here. And there is a rumor that I believe is 100% true. Husky poked John Cena in the eye in a match, and Vince was so mad. Cena was so mad that they sent Husky Harris back to NXT. We’re all grateful for that because Bray Wyatt was born, right?”
Pestock explained how Harris’ time in NXT transformed his career: “This was a massive punishment. They sent him back to NXT for, like, two and a half years. But out of that, we got one of the greatest characters of the modern era in Bray Wyatt.”
Years later, in a July 2016 match, Pestock accidentally poked Cena in the eye, recalling how the incident sparked fear in him, given the Husky Harris story. Cena’s initial reaction during the match didn’t help ease his nerves either.
“Cena cussed me out during the match, and I thought I was going to get the same punishment as Bray. But after the match, Cena was fine. He gave me a receipt—a stiff punch during the match—and that was that. I was relieved I didn’t end up back in developmental.”
Pestock also jokingly called out Randy Orton during the interview, referring to rumors that many wrestlers were intimidated by Orton’s preference for smooth matches and dislike for being hit too hard:
“Everybody’s kind of scared to work with Randy. And it’s not because Randy’s tough—sometimes, he’s a baby. Randy, I know you’re listening, you’re kind of a baby. I love you.”
Pestock’s anecdotes highlight the pressure and unique dynamics of working with top-tier talent in WWE while also shedding light on the evolution of one of wrestling’s most beloved characters, Bray Wyatt.
