WWE takes over Corbin

The City of Corbin has become the centerpiece of a WWE storyline involving one of the company’s biggest heels, and Mayor Suzie Razmus got involved during a show Sunday night at The Arena.

King Corbin had the paperwork to prove that Corbin, and all its residents, were his, showing a proclamation signed by Mayor Suzie Razmus renaming the city, “King Corbin Kentucky.” The city reverted to Corbin at midnight Monday. Photo courtesy of Dan Vollmayer.

Barron Corbin, who is now known as “King Corbin” after winning the company’s “King of the Ring” tournament in September, was in Corbin Sunday where Razmus presented him with a proclamation changing the city’s name to “King Corbin, Kentucky.”

“It’s my town now. I own it” Corbin said as he walked to the ring with the proclamation in hand.

“They all are my indentured servants for life,” Corbin continued.

Once in the ring, Corbin taunted the crowd with the proclamation, declaring they had to bow to the king.

The king’s night took a turn for the worse after that as he faced Roman Reigns in a match with the loser being forced to eat dog food.

Reigns literally rubbed the king’s face it, shoving his face into the bowl in the middle of the ring.

The renaming of the city, even though it was just for Sunday, was mentioned on multiple media sights, and numerous wrestling news internet pages.

Arena Director Kristi Balla said it was not part of a long-term plan, but, instead, a case where the stars aligned perfectly to benefit the city.

During last Friday’s WWE “Smackdown” television show, it was brought up that King Corbin had never appeared on WWE’s Network’s weekly “Bump” show.

In an effort to make the slight up to him, officials told him they would do their best to get a city named after him.

It just happened to coincide with the upcoming WWE show at The Arena.

Balla said after speaking with WWE officials, they came up with the idea of renaming Corbin during Sunday’s show.

To add to it, Balla reached out to Razmus on Saturday, who had City Clerk Roberta Webb draw up the proclamation.

Razmus brought the petition to The Arena before the show on Sunday and was asked to make a short video presenting it to Corbin.

“We just had fun with it,” Razmus said, noting that while Corbin plays a bad guy, he is, in reality very nice and was very appreciative.

“He was huge,” Razmus added, noting the 6’8” superstar towered over her.

Balla credited Razmus for her spontaneity with the proclamation, and for being willing to go on camera and do the presentation.

“Suzie was such an amazing sport about it,” Balla said.

Balla said in addition to the millions of people who have seen video from Sunday’s show on King Corbin’s Instagram page, and on various youtube posts, other venue promoters and vendors have heard about it and commented to her what a great thing it is for The Arena and the city.

WWE included a copy of the proclamation on its website with the story.

“This was to show our city has a sense of humor and can play along,” Balla said.

“This is tourism advertising that you can’t pay for,” she added.