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Nexus is remembered by long-time WWE fans as one of the biggest missed opportunities in company history.
The renegade faction made an immediate splash on WWE television when they debuted. However, in just a few short months, that initial momentum had stalled - and couldn't be recovered.
WWE will revisit the story of the group as part of its Untold documentary series on the WWE Network.
Fred Rosser, f.k.a founding Nexus member Darren Young in WWE, revealed the news on Twitter earlier this week when he let the world know he was being interviewed for the project.
Nexus was born out of the first season of NXT in 2010. Long before it was the fully fledged brand we know today, NXT was a reality television show that saw a cast of aspiring WWE Superstars compete for a spot on the main roster.
Wade Barrett emerged victorious from the competition. The Englishman defeated David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Skip Sheffield, Michael Tarver, Daniel Bryan and Darren Young to win the show.
As it turned out, it was not just Barrett who made his main roster debut on the following week's edition of RAW. Instead, every cast member from the season appeared - and together they made a significant impact.
Barrett and company (who soon became collectively known as Nexus) stormed the ring on the June 7, 2010 episode of RAW, interrupting the main event between John Cena and CM Punk.
Nexus wasn't siding with either individual, though. Their only goal seemed to be to cause complete carnage, as they tore apart the arena. Their path of destruction even went through the WWE broadcast team, as Nexus wrecked the announcers' desk.
The whole segment had a very authentic feel to it, far edgier than anything else WWE was presenting at the time. In fact, the action got so true-to-life that Daniel Bryan was briefly legitimately fired by the company for choking ring announcer Justin Roberts live on air.
Although Bryan was gone, the seven remaining members of Nexus continued to run roughshot over WWE in the months that followed. Hunting as a pack, the faction launched assaults at will on many WWE Superstars. John Cena, Bret Hart and Ricky Steamboat were just a few of Nexus' many targets.
Nexus were presented as the biggest threat in the company when they made their official WWE pay-pay-view debut in the main event of SummerSlam 2010. The group faced off against 'Team WWE' - which also included the returning Daniel Bryan - in a massive 14-man tag team collision.
The logical ending of the bout was for Nexus to pick up the victory and continue their reign of terror in WWE. However, this wasn't to be, as team WWE left with the victory.
This defeat badly hurt the credibility of Nexus in the eyes of the audience. Never again was the faction taken as seriously as it had been in its early days - and the group became just another act on the card, before finally quietly disbanding.
Many questions surround the treatment of Nexus during this time period. News of the upcoming documentary on the faction has been welcomed by fans, who are keen to hear the inside story on why Nexus was allowed to fail so swiftly. Here are five reasons why the WWE Untold documentary on Nexus will be a must-see.
#5 Nexus is a subject WWE has never properly covered in documentary form before
WWE is fantastic at producing documentaries. Over the years, the WWE Network has featured countless fantastic features discussing wrestling history.
However, in tackling Nexus, WWE is delving into a subject matter it hasn't fully covered before in documentary form.
Hardcore fans know the stories behind the Monday Night Wars, the demise of ECW and the legacy of The Undertaker. These - and similar topics - have been covered frequently since the Network launched in 2014.
Nexus is a faction fans still remember, more than a decade after they first debuted. Despite this, the rapid rise and sudden fall of the group has never been properly explored by WWE.
During an appearance on The Bump last year, Darren Young spoke about a planned Nexus reunion at the WrestleMania 36 Fan Axxess event. Of course, due to COVID-19, these arrangements were scrapped.
WWE fans will finally be able to relive the run of Nexus through this upcoming episode of Untold. It is one many feel is long overdue.
#4 WWE still has direct access to some of the biggest players in the Nexus angle
There are a number of ways WWE could go about telling the story of Nexus. The most absorbing angle from a viewer's perspective, though, is to hear directly from the men involved. It has been confirmed that the former Darren Young is on board for the special, but which other Nexus members might make an appearance?
Fortunately, WWE still has a few of the key players from the Nexus storyline under contract. In an ironic twist, faction leader and NXT season one winner Wade Barrett is now one of the announcers on the Black and Gold Brand.
David Otunga is another former Nexus member who is still signed to WWE. Otunga officially retired from the ring in 2015, but still performs occasional broadcast duties for the company.
The likes of Heath Slater (now with IMPACT Wrestling) and Justin Gabriel (now PJ Black in Ring of Honor) are currently signed to deals elsewhere.
However, in an era where AEW's Chris Jericho has appeared on the WWE Network, interviews with both could likely be negotiated. The same can be said for another member of the original Nexus, Michael Tarver, who was last seen working on the independent circuit.
Although he was only part of the group for a brief time, WWE might also have recorded content for the documentary with Daniel Bryan - prior to the recent expiry of his contract.
Skip Sheffield (more famously known today as Ryback) is the only part of the original Nexus line-up who is unlikely to be involved - having reportedly departed WWE on bad terms in 2016.
First-hand interviews with the founding members of Nexus have the potential to be fascinating. There are many questions that can only be properly answered by the individuals who were present at the time.
When did the then-NXT 'rookies' first learn of the plans for Nexus and how did they feel about it? Where do they feel the faction lost steam? What would they have liked to have seen done differently?
Even in simply sharing stories and memories from that time period, WWE can put together some truly compelling content using these interviews.
#3 Those in WWE at the time will have an opportunity to share their true feelings on the Nexus angle
From the moment Nexus made their shocking first appearance on RAW in the summer of 2010, the group was immediately part of the main event scene in WWE.
A significant number of the superstars at the top of the card back then are still a part of WWE today. John Cena, Randy Orton, Sheamus, Bret Hart and Edge could all be interviewed for the upcoming Nexus documentary. It would be interesting to hear their candid views on the faction.
In particular, was there resentment in the WWE locker room at the time towards the heavily-pushed newcomers from those that had been headlining for some time and had worked hard to get there?
Current RAW roster members The Miz, John Morrison and R-Truth are others who worked alongside Nexus. Each could provide a unique insight into the events of the time period.
The Nexus storyline likely had its critics within WWE, but the faction must also have had their supporters as well. A breakdown of life behind the scenes in the promotion during Nexus' run could make for great viewing.
#2 The upcoming Nexus documentary could provide some real answers as to why the group failed
After one of the hottest debuts in WWE history, why did Nexus fail?
The question fans have been asking for more than a decade might finally be answered in the new documentary. As mentioned earlier, the call to have Nexus lose at SummerSlam 2010 was - in hindsight - the beginning of the end for the faction at a top tier level.
The decision-making process behind the result of that match is something the wrestling world has never been able to understand.
Ultimately, the final call on the finish would have been made by Vince McMahon. Sadly, the WWE Chairman rarely appears on these Untold specials and there is no indication he will make an exception to comment on the story behind the demise of Nexus.
However, the WWE production team has access to numerous company employees who can provide some context to explain why Nexus suddenly had the rug pulled out from under them after a promising early few months.
Hopefully, the new Nexus documentary looks at the true reason for WWE ending the push of the initially successful group so abruptly.
#1 The new Nexus documentary could provide insight into whether WWE will learn from its mistakes with the faction
When Nexus took over RAW in June 2010, it was undeniable that they brought something very different to the product.
The hostile takeover element of the Nexus story gave the Red Brand an air of complete unpredictability. That WWE has now commissioned a documentary on Nexus more than a decade after they were last featured on television proves the faction offered something the viewers wanted to see.
The idea of a group of new faces banding together to upset the WWE establishment was trialed once again in 2020 - this time with a group known as RETRIBUTION.
Despite a strong start to the angle, RETRIBUTION soon met the same fate as Nexus, with WWE quickly deciding to pull back on pushing the new faction.
As part of the new Nexus documentary, it would be refreshing to see WWE actually give the concept the credit it deserves. Fans enjoy intrigue and shocking moments, but there does need to be some consistency and planning behind it.
With appropriate creative backing, Nexus could have gone on to have a run similar to some of wrestling's best-ever factions. Instead, the group is remembered for what might have been.
No air date has been announced for the upcoming documentary. Time will tell how WWE paints the legacy of Nexus.
