Colby Corino Explains Why He Re-Signed With NWA, Hopes To Wrestle In 2026
In August 2025, Colby Corino announced that he needed emergency surgery on his neck and back.
Corino was actively wrestling into July, competing for NWA, JCW, AML, and more. Corino is the son of Steve Corino and began his in-ring career dating back to 2001 when he teamed with his father at UWC. He became a full-time wrestler in 2009.
Speaking to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, Colby gave an update on how he’s feeling.
“Every day it gets a little bit better. I’ve been trying to go back to the gym. I’m still not 100% full strength yet, but I’m not limited from doing anything in the gym. I could do all the exercises that I did before. So we’re making good steps,” he said.
He continued, “It was pretty crazy, going from such a sudden grind to a sudden nothing. It kind of drove me a little crazy, a little bit at first, just sitting around the house all day and not having nothing to do. But then I started to really start being able to do this stuff that I haven’t been able to do for the past few years and watch a bunch of movies, catch up on video games, spend time with my family. I’ve just been trying to make the most out of this time that I have off and trying to live it up, have a little fun.”
Corino’s contract with the NWA expired at the end of 2025. He had been with the promotion since 2021 and is a former NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion.
“Sometimes the negotiations, you gotta be able to walk away from the table, to know your worth. At the end of the day, I’ve never said in an interview that my goals aren’t to main event WrestleMania or any of that—just to feed my family with wrestling and I’m able to do that right now. So anything else that I achieve now is just house money,” he said. “So as we went, we were able to talk and come to an agreement that works with everybody. Honestly, I just feel like my work in NWA isn’t done. I still have way more to do, there’s more for me to do on the indies and there’s more for me to do with my wrestling school and the promotion I help run. I just don’t feel done yet. The NWA gives me a place that I’m able to grow or with the, with the people around me and also be able to support my family.”
Corino admitted that he was terrified as he faced free agency going into 2026.
“When rolling in the midnight, like and not having a job in the New Year, it’s kind of scary. Especially when you have a injury like mine. It’s like, ‘Oh, is anyone going to want me?’ and then the day at like New Year’s day, I don’t know. I just kind of start feeling a little bit different. I was like, ‘Wait, I had my phone ringing a little bit more than I thought it did.’ It made me feel a little bit more confident about myself,” he said.
While Corino hasn’t been able to get back in the ring, he has found support from the wrestling community.
A GoFundMe was set up with over $20 being raised. Benefit shows have also been run by Sean Henderson in North Carolina and Philadelphia.
Asked if there was timetable for his return, Corino said, “No, because there’s a lot of uncertainty and everything’s individualized and stuff, but I am on track healing and I surely need a little bit more time. If everything goes well and everything heals the way it has been. But I think I can definitely say you’ll see Colby Corino, wrestling a match in 2026.”
Fans can learn more about Colby re-signing with NWA by clicking here.
Fightful wishes Colby the best as he continues to recover.
