The Nexus is one of the most famous factions in WWE history, with the group of young upcoming talents coming together and causing huge chaos during their initial run. While WWE's booking certainly left a lot to be desired with this group, they still managed to make their mark during their time together.
Instantly heading to the main event spot, with Wade Barrett as the leader and a group of talented stars behind him, the group did create plenty of top names for the company. But while fans certainly remember this faction, there are a lot of backstage stories from this group and their time together in WWE that people aren't aware of.
10 Expose The Ring
The debut of The Nexus was an incredible segment and something that fans remember to this day, and a big reason for that is because the ring was exposed. The group cut away the mats and showcased the wood underneath.
This was actually something that Wade Barrett had been requested to do. Finlay had asked Wade to do that before they hit the ring, and that was purely to expose the fans to what is actually under there.
9 A Planned Reunion
The COVID-19 pandemic has put a lot of plans on hold or has canceled them completely. One of those for WWE appears to be a planned reunion of The Nexus, as several members of the group revealed that WWE was planning to bring them back.
This was set to take place before WrestleMania 36 during the week of the show with the group being contacted about an Axxess event to celebrate the anniversary of the faction, but sadly it couldn't happen.
8 The SummerSlam Defeat
Nexus' first big outing as a group took place at SummerSlam in 2010 where they took on Team Cena, which was compromised of top talents and a returning Daniel Bryan. It seemed like the big moment for the heel faction to get the big win and showcase they were the top stars, but that didn't happen.
However, what people may not know is that the idea was actually John Cena's. Edge and Chris Jericho revealed on Jericho's podcast that they actually fought for their team to lose the match, hoping to put over the newer stars, which was rejected.
7 Original SummerSlam Ending
Despite the fact that Team Cena did end up winning that match, Wade Barrett has since revealed that The Nexus was originally scheduled to win. He was told by Vince McMahon one week prior that his team was going over.
He even revealed the reason that Vince McMahon gave to the group for the finish. The WWE Chairman claimed that SummerSlam needed to have a happy ending, which is why the babyface team was given the victory.
6 No Hand Shake
One man who has been quite vocal about John Cena since that point is former Nexus star, Michael Tarver. He revealed a backstage story after he hurt his hand where he was backstage after the moment and was angry about the situation.
However, he saw Cena and put his hand out to shake Cena's hand. However, according to Tarver, he was ignored by the leader of the Cenation, stating that John just laughed at him and asked how his hand was.
5 Facing The DeadMan
Once The Nexus' main storyline with John Cena and then Randy Orton was finished, the group did begin to tread water. However, at one point, WWE was actually considering Wade Barrett to face The Undertaker at WrestleMania 27.
This would obviously have pushed Wade and the group once again, giving them a big spotlight on the biggest show of the year. Nexus even attacked Undertaker during his Buried Alive match with Kane at Bragging Rights. But in the end, WWE went in a different direction.
4 Wanting Jennifer Hudson To Sing
David Otunga was one of the core members of The Nexus, and he is someone who stuck around with the company a long time after that as well. Despite the fact he didn't wrestle much after his time in the group ended, he always had a place.
According to Arn Anderson, the reason for that is that Vince McMahon was hoping David Otunga's ex-wife, professional singer, Jennifer Hudson, would sing the National Anthem at WrestleMania.
3 Not Being Able To Enter The Locker Room
When the group first appeared on Raw, it was a total shock because, by that point, they weren't well known at all. However, it wasn't just the fans that were unsure, as backstage, WWE didn't treat them like stars either.
When they first arrived, WWE wouldn't even let them into the locker room, and instead, they had to spend the day in the corridors, placing their bags wherever they could find a spot.
2 Daniel Bryan's Firing
While Daniel Bryan thankfully got to return and have a great career, he was initially fired by WWE after The Nexus debut. Wade Barrett revealed that nobody said anything when they first got back to Gorilla Position, but a major WWE sponsor led to his firing.
Barrett claimed that a sponsor complained about Bryan spitting on John Cena and the graphic nature of him choking Justin Roberts with his tie, and Vince's only option was to fire him.
1 Debut Rules
The debut of The Nexus is one of Raw's greatest ever moments. Carnage like that had never been seen before, as the group tore up the ring, attacked commentators and other ringside personnel, and just did whatever they wanted.
However, Vince McMahon did give them two clear rules of what they could not do. The group wasn't allowed to touch any fans, and they weren't allowed to damage any of the camera equipment due to how expensive the kit is.