The Nexus (professional wrestling) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Nexus |
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|---|---|
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| Stable | |
| Members | See below |
| Name(s) | The Nexus The New Nexus The Nexus Alliance |
| Debut | June 7, 2010 (As The Nexus) January 3, 2011 (As The New Nexus) |
| Disbanded | August 22, 2011 |
The Nexus was a group of professional wrestlers in WWE. They were known as "villains" (called a heel stable) and competed on the Raw show. The group started on June 7, 2010, and lasted until August 22, 2011.
The Nexus was first made up of eight new wrestlers, called "rookies," from a show called NXT season one. Over time, some members left and new ones joined. David Otunga was the only member who stayed with the group from beginning to end.
After their time on NXT, The Nexus started causing trouble for other wrestlers on Raw. Their main target was the then-WWE Champion John Cena. Cena was even forced to join The Nexus after losing a match. However, he was later removed from the group.
The first leader of The Nexus was Wade Barrett. Later, CM Punk took over as the leader, and the group changed its name to The New Nexus. This new version of the group focused on being a tight-knit team, united by "faith." The group won the WWE Tag Team Championship three times. CM Punk also won the WWE Championship in his last match while still part of the stable.
Contents
How The Nexus Started
The idea for The Nexus came from a WWE show called NXT. This show was a competition for new wrestling talent. The goal was to find the next big wrestling star. The first season of NXT featured wrestlers from WWE's training area, Florida Championship Wrestling.
On June 1, 2010, Wade Barrett won the first season of NXT. This meant he got a contract with WWE and a chance to compete for a championship title. The other contestants, however, did not get a job right away. This led to them forming The Nexus.
The Nexus Story
The Original Nexus
On June 7, 2010, the eight former NXT rookies suddenly attacked the main event match on Raw. They destroyed the ring area and attacked wrestlers, announcers, and even the referee. This shocking event showed everyone that The Nexus was here to cause chaos.
They continued to attack wrestlers and interfere in matches. Their main goal was to get contracts with WWE and make a name for themselves. They often targeted John Cena, who was one of WWE's biggest stars. At Hell in a Cell in October 2010, Cena was forced to join The Nexus after losing a match because of their interference.
However, Cena was later removed from the group at Survivor Series in November 2010. This happened after Wade Barrett lost his WWE Championship match to Randy Orton.
The New Nexus
On January 3, 2011, The Nexus announced they had "new management." CM Punk was revealed as the new leader. This happened after Wade Barrett lost a special match. Punk then kicked Barrett out of the group. The group was renamed "The New Nexus" to show it was different from before.
Some members, Justin Gabriel and Heath Slater, refused to follow Punk's new rules. They left The New Nexus and joined Wade Barrett and Ezekiel Jackson to form a rival group called The Corre on the SmackDown show. Other members, Husky Harris, Michael McGillicutty, and David Otunga, stayed and completed Punk's initiation.
On January 17, 2011, Mason Ryan joined The New Nexus. The group then started a big rivalry with Randy Orton. Orton defeated several members of The New Nexus in matches.
On May 23, 2011, Michael McGillicutty and David Otunga won the WWE Tag Team Championship. This was a big win for The New Nexus.
Later, CM Punk announced that his WWE contract was ending. He said he might leave WWE and take the WWE Championship with him if he won it. At Money in the Bank in July 2011, Punk defeated John Cena to win the WWE Championship. This was a huge moment for The New Nexus, as they held the top title.
After Punk left WWE with the championship, David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty continued to wrestle as a tag team under The New Nexus name for a short time. The group officially ended on August 22, 2011, when Otunga and McGillicutty lost their WWE Tag Team Championship.
Members
| I–II | Leader(s) |
|---|---|
| * | Founding member(s) |
| † | Deceased |
| Member | Joined | Left |
|---|---|---|
| Daniel Bryan | June 7, 2010 * | June 11, 2010 |
| Darren Young | June 7, 2010 * | August 16, 2010 |
| Skip Sheffield | June 7, 2010 * | August 18, 2010 |
| Michael Tarver | June 7, 2010 * | October 4, 2010 |
| John Cena | October 3, 2010 | November 21, 2010 |
| Wade Barrett (I) | June 7, 2010 * | January 3, 2011 |
| Justin Gabriel | June 7, 2010 * | January 10, 2011 |
| Heath Slater | June 7, 2010 * | January 10, 2011 |
| Husky Harris † | October 25, 2010 | January 31, 2011 |
| Mason Ryan | January 17, 2011 | June 26, 2011 |
| CM Punk (II) | December 27, 2010 | July 17, 2011 |
| David Otunga | June 7, 2010 * | August 22, 2011 |
| Michael McGillicutty | October 25, 2010 | August 22, 2011 |
Timeline
Championships and Awards
The Nexus group and its members won several awards and championships:
- WWE Championships:
- WWE Championship (1 time) – CM Punk
- WWE Tag Team Championship (3 times)
- John Cena and David Otunga (1 time)
- Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel (1 time)
- David Otunga and Michael McGillicutty (1 time)
- Slammy Award:
- Shocker of the Year (2010) – for when The Nexus first appeared.
- Other Awards:
- The Baltimore Sun Feud of the Year (2010) – for their rivalry with John Cena.
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated Feud of the Year (2010) – for their rivalry with WWE.
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated Most Hated Wrestler of the Year (2010) – for being the most disliked group.
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year (2010) – awarded to David Otunga.
Media
- WWE: Wrestling's Greatest Factions (May 27, 2014, DVD)
See also
In Spanish: The Nexus (lucha libre) para niños
