The only 'proof' of this is in MKD's kontent section, the render of Baraka and Mileena. The discription reads that Baraka survived Kung Lao's Hat Slice. Before MKG came out I had never thought that Baraka had even died so whether Baraka was dead and resurrected or not, I have no clue if its canon. Probably not.

They were originally going to have Baraka killed and resurrected. But they dropped that storyline in the actual game, even though they left the body staples.
His wasn't the only unused bio. Kitana's original MK: Gold bio stated that Sindel and everyone else in Edenia was slaughtered by Shinnok and she was the only one left. But they dropped that, too.

The thing is all the unused bios were accidently published in one of the MK: Gold strategy guides. Hence the confusion.

But now Baraka has neither the staples nor the scar, so it could be assumed he was wearing the staples to look cool (like earrings) or like the Decepion concept mentioned, he simply survived getting hit by Kung Lao.

Or the staples could have been like stitches for poor people. Only temporary.

Well they are using staples in more situations instead of stitches. Had a few staples in me aafter I had my appendix burst.

Yeah Baraka looked horrid with those staples, so glad they dropped that look.