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On WWE RAW's June 7, 2010, episode, fans witnessed one of the most dominant debuts in WWE history. During the main event of the night, CM Punk vs. John Cena, the original eight members of Nexus not only attacked the stars but also the crew encircling the area.
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The group consisted of Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan, Darren Young, Ryback, Michael Tarver, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, and David Otunga. Their most memorable feud was with John Cena, who even had to join them later.
Despite introducing "The New Nexus" led by Punk, the group did not remain as dominant. While some members remained in WWE, they have completely different roles, and the majority have since left the company. For today, we are going to look at the status of the eight original members of Nexus.
8. Wade Barrett is still with WWE, but not as an in-ring performer
Wade Barrett was Nexus' first leader and one of the few names who saw some success after the group disbanded. After losing to Cena in the 2010 TLC match, he entered a feud with CM Punk, who became The Nexus' leader during his absence. He went on to become the leader of The Corre and feuded with Punk's stable.
Barrett Barrage was born in 2011, beginning his run as a singles star in the company. He later became known as Bad News Barrett and King Barrett. He went on to win the Intercontinental Championship five times and even became the 2015 King of the Ring.
He briefly left WWE in 2016 due to the hectic schedule and creative burnout. Nonetheless, he returned in 2020 as a color commentator for NXT. Last year, he moved to the main roster and is currently commentating alongside Michael Cole at SmackDown.
7. Daniel Bryan is possibly the member who received the most success from Nexus
It is not hard to see that Daniel Bryan (aka Bryan Danielson) was one of the stars who became the most popular and well-liked member of the group. He might have been part of the original eight, but his stay did not last long.
As mentioned above, upon their debut in 2010, Nexus attacked everybody in their path on their debut. These included commentators, hosts, and announcers. During this time, Daniel Bryan strangled Justin Roberts with his own necktie. WWE saw this as too violent and fired him in June of that year, but the group stated it was because he showed remorse for his actions.
He returned to the Stamford-based promotion the following month to join Team WWE against Team Nexus. Since then, he has become a fan favorite. He mainly wrestled as a single star since then and had a notable partnership with Kane known as Team Hell No. He went on to win the Intercontinental, United States, Tag Team, World Heavyweight, and WWE Championship multiple times. Unfortunately, Bryan had to retire from the in-ring competition in 2016. However, he returned to the ring two years later once he was physically cleared to perform again.
Despite his success in the company, he was released in 2021. Daniel Bryan found a new home at All Elite Wrestling, where he garners a huge fandom.
6. Darren Young left WWE in 2017
Darren Young was one of the members of the Nexus whose character made a complete turnaround after the group disbanded. He returned to the fifth season of NXT, where he met Titus O'Neil. They eventually became a duo known as The Prime Time Players. They were originally a heel duo but were a face in the majority of their run.
The duo challenged for the Tag Team Championship multiple times, and eventually captured it in 2015 during their second reunion. However, the Prime Time Players disbanded for the last time in 2016, and Darren was aired with Bob Backlund.
Darren Young was eventually released in 2017. After his time in WWE, he began wrestling in NJPW and NWA as Fred Rosser. He is also currently a coach at NJPW Coach.
5. Ryback also saw some success after Nexus but was released in 2016
Another notable star after their time with Nexus was Ryback. He challenged for the WWE Championship multiple times but was never truly successful in his attempts. He feuded with the likes of CM Punk, The Shield, John Cena, and more.
He won the Intercontinental Championship in 2014, which ended after a 112-day reign at the hands of Kevin Owens. He never gained another title in the company following that. He was released in 2016 after reports of creative frustration. He still appears at a few wrestling events and also has his own line of nutritional supplements.
4. Michael Tarver did not stay in WWE for long
One of the original Nexus members most fans may have forgotten already is Michael Tarver. After his time in the group, he briefly returned to FCW. He was teased to return on RAW and SmackDown, but nothing came to fruition.
He was released in 2011 and wrestled in various independent companies throughout the years. However, he is now putting more attention to his music career under the name Monster Tarver.
3. Justin Gabriel did not have the best time in WWE
Justin Gabriel is one of the Nexus members who did not truly rise to the ranks of the division. In 2012, he teamed up with Tyson Kidd and attempted to win gold, but to no avail. After Kidd suffered a torn knee injury the following year, Gabriel was briefly a singles competitor.
The duo reunited in 2015 on NXT, but they weren't that successful at that time either. Justin exited the company that year, with one of his projects at the time being Adam Rose's bunny. He has since wrestled in various wrestling promotions, including Lucha Underground, ROH, NWA, IMPACT Wrestling, and more, under the name PJ Black.
2. Heath Slater provided a breath of fresh air in WWE
Heath Slater found himself in multiple roles in WWE after Nexus. He had a gimmick of challenging legends as a singles star and later joined Jinder Mahal and Drew McIntyre as 3MB. He was also a member of The Social Outcasts, a duo with Titus and later on with Rhyno.
Although not a top star, he provided notable entertainment and was mostly used as a comedic relief. Despite being well-liked by fans, he was released in 2020 due to budget cuts. He began wrestling in various wrestling promotions, including IMPACT.
1. David Otunga has been busy after his retirement
David Otunga was not also high up in the ranks after his time with Nexus. He had a single run with a legal advisor gimmick, which fits him as he is a real-life lawyer. He attempted to win various titles in WWE, but he wasn't successful.
He has since retired in 2015 and was an occasional pre-show panelist, color commentator, and commentator for WWE. In recent years, he has utilized his skills as an actor. He has already appeared in a small role in Marvel's She-Hulk.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
