Nexus - Where are they now?

[tjScarbi]

So I was thinking this the other day, some of the original Nexus have done alright for themselves since NXT Season 1. Just thought I would post what they've done and wondered what you guys think might be in store for them, so here goes...

Wade Barrett - After Nexus, jumped to SmackDown and started the Corre with Gabriel, Slater and 'Zeke. Won the IC title and feuded with Orton through Survivor Series to February. Haven't seen him since late February due to injury.

David Otunga - Continued into the New Nexus with CM Punk. In May 2011, won the Tag titles with Michael McGillicutty before loosing them to AirBoom in August. Had a brief feud with Jerry Lawler before starting his new storyline as Laurinaitis' legal advisor. Captained Team Johnny at 'Mania 28.

Michael Tarver - Chucked out of the Nexus storyline after sustaining an injury. Was dropped back to FCW before beginning to appear in the background of Raw and SmackDown backstage segments. Nothing came of this as he was released in June.

Skip Sheffield - Broke his ankle during the Summer live tour. After a year and a half out, worked a few dark matches as Skip. In the past few weeks, we've seen him appear as Ryback in a number of squashes against jobbers.

Darren Young - Kicked out of Nexus after failing to beat John Cena on Raw after SummerSlam. Made various appearances on Superstars in late 2010/early 2011 before his return to NXT. Was mentored by Chavo on NXT Redemption and feuded with Titus O'Neil. After their feud broke down, Titus turned heel and the pair are currently tagging and are due to make their SmackDown debut on Friday night.

Heath Slater - Joined Gabriel and Barrett in the Corre. Won the tag titles with Gabriel twice more (the pair held it once before during Nexus). After leaving Corre, they feuded with The Usos before turning on Gabriel and having a short feud with him. More recently, he has appeared on NXT and Superstars and also had a run in with Flo Rida at WM28.

Justin Gabriel - Like above. Turned face during his feud with Slater. Had a short alliance with Hornswoggle and was in a US Championship match at Elimination Chamber. Currently tagging with Tyson Kidd, Gabriel is expected to be out for a number of months due to an injury picked up at 'Mania.

Daniel Bryan - Was released from WWE after the Justin Roberts tie incident. Jumped back onto the independent circuit for a while before being re-signed by WWE in August 2010. Feuded with his formed NXT pro The Miz, which cumulated in Bryan winning the US Championship at Night of Champions. Had a short feud with Sheamus before being drafted to SmackDown. Feuded with Cody Rhodes and appeared on NXT as Derrick Bateman's pro. Won the World Heavyweight Championship at TLC after cashing in his MITB briefcase. Began to turn heel and started a love interest with AJ whilst feuding with Big Show and Mark Henry. Managed to hold onto the title until WM28, where Sheamus defeated him in 18 seconds. Broke up with AJ just as the YES! YES! YES! Phenomenon began.

What is next for this lot? Discuss!

 

[We Are Legion]

Everyone laughed at me when I said David Otunga would be one of the most successful wrestlers from that NXT show. I mean, EVERYONE.

Who then now bitches

 

[Slim]

Well honestly if you look at who was all in there... its kinda hard to say that he wouldn't be "one of the most successful." But it is perfectly clear that he is not the most successful but is actually where he was supposed to be... slot number 3.

Barrett was on his way to something great before his injury. Barrett when he returns will continue to be something special. Just hopefully he can return soon.

Daniel Bryan... come on now... everyone knew that guy was going to become something. But who could have predicted that he'd be this successful. A nice reign as world heavyweight champion. Getting over as a top heel.

Slater, Gabriel, Young, Sheffy, they were never gonna be anything special no matter what.

So your vague notion that Otunga was gonna be "one of the most successful" was very easy to accomplish because for one those were jobbers and for two... that's stating that he would have success without being the most successful which is what YOU and everyone else knew so you can hope off of your high horse with that. Because it could be said that Sheffield would be "one of the most successful" and with his Ryback character he is squashing people now, so in a sense he is since he is more successful than Slater, Gabriel, Young, Tarver. Which again isn't stating much.

 

[We Are Legion]

I wouldn't even put Barrett over him and I wouldn't put Barrett over Danielson either. Barrett had a very, very brief stint, didn't accomplish really anything major, and it was easy to forget about him after he went away. Otunga is Johnny Ace's weasel, a much more-hateable type of character.

We'll wait and see when he comes back and what type of live reception he receives, but I seriously doubt with people like Lesnar and The Rock running around, Johnny Ace slowly becoming the new Vince McMahon character, and Lord Tensai and Kane being pushed hardcore as monster heel forces that anyone is really going to give a rat's ass about Wade Barrett coming back.

 

[PHX]

Otunga is in the role that he should probably get used to for a while as at most I see him as U.S champ which isn't bad. Bryan obvious is the most successful out of all of them by a country mile which I figured he would be but not as much as he is. I always thought Wade was due to become a world champ and a top heel and maybe he still will but I feel they really handled him poorly after the Nexus break up. He was due for a crash landing after having such a hot start to his career on the main roster but they shouldn't have let him fall off as much as he did for a minute there.

 

[Smartmark]

Everyone laughed at me when I said David Otunga would be one of the most successful wrestlers from that NXT show. I mean, EVERYONE.

Who then now bitches

Otunga is a bitch, and so is everyone who came from NXT or Though Enough

 

[Deezy]

Though Enough?

Is your name used for irony?

Otunga is just The Coach who can flex. Leave that and he has nothing to offer yet, he can barely bump right. Who knows the future, people didn't think someone like The Miz would be anything after they broke up him and Morrison.

 

[Smartmark]

^^ I am stoned, bare with me. And English is not my first language either.

And Miz still isn't anything. He is just a crying bitch as well.

 

[Deezy]

Maineventing a Wrestlemania isn't something alot of people have on their resume. Crying bitch or not, he is still more high profile than most of the roster.

You don't have to be Dean Malenko to get to the top, more people can hate/love a person who can verbalize with audiences, and he can. Gotta get used to see him making angry scowling duckfaces for a very long time.

 

[Smartmark]

^^ I'm not watching WWE that much, so I don't really care. I just don't see how he ever got this far. He is boring on the mic, and he is boring in the ring.

 

[Deezy]

So, if you don't watch much, or don't even care, why bother taking the time to make a blanket statement like that?

If i didn't give a shit about anything, I wouldn't add my two bits n shit about it, mostly because if someone called me out about it, I wouldn't have enough knowledge to back up said blanket statement.

 

[Smartmark]

^^ I know enough about wrestling to say what I mean. And this is a discussion forum.

 

[Slim]

I wouldn't even put Barrett over him and I wouldn't put Barrett over Danielson either. Barrett had a very, very brief stint, didn't accomplish really anything major, and it was easy to forget about him after he went away. Otunga is Johnny Ace's weasel, a much more-hateable type of character.

We'll wait and see when he comes back and what type of live reception he receives, but I seriously doubt with people like Lesnar and The Rock running around, Johnny Ace slowly becoming the new Vince McMahon character, and Lord Tensai and Kane being pushed hardcore as monster heel forces that anyone is really going to give a rat's ass about Wade Barrett coming back.

For the record I wasn't putting Barrett over Bryan... I just happened to type his name first and that was how it happened.

And let's see what has Otunga done? ummmm sidekick to Johnny Ace... ummmm yeah that's it. Barrett had a nice feud against Cena, a very nice feud against Orton, was in a world heavyweight title match at Elimination Chamber. Yeah I'd definitely pit Barrett over Otunga any day of the week. And Otunga's role isn't hateable... he doesn't do anything. Most of the time he is just standing there.

And as far as live reception... I'll say... nahh I won't tell ya to shut up. Because honestly... Barrett left as a heel. He isn't looking to come back as a face and embrace the crowd. That was NEVER his role, NEVER his character so why in the hell would it all of a sudden happen? It wasn't meant to. He is coming back and he will be put in the money in the bank, win it, and we'll see what happens from there.

So really... to say ... nevermind. I don't want to see another dumb comparison made.

 

[Aniking]

I always knew some form of success would come Otunga's way, but only because they like his look and he has ties to the entertainment industry due to being married/engaged to Jennifer Hudson. He really was nothing in the ring, but he actually has improved since he has started to be used again. I still don't rate him higher than Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan or Skip Sheffield/Ryback.

Currently, for me, with who has the most potential to have a big future, it goes Daniel Bryan > Wade Barrett > Skip Sheffield > David Otunga > Justin Gabriel > Darren Young > Heath Slater. Not counting Michael Tarver as he's no longer with the company. Months ago I probably would've had Otunga below Gabriel, but he has improved and is used more often than Gabriel.

I like the summaries by the OP. Summed up what they've all done nicely and only in a few lines.

 

[AF.]

Always makes me laugh how guys like Barrett, Sheamus start their careers so hot then drop off to literal losing streaks (in Sheamus' case). It's ridiculous how thin WWE's creative team was at those points.

Surprised to see Daniel Bryan as the cream of the crop. Talent wise he's a notch above everybody else, though Wade, Tarver, Sheffield have the look advantage, and in Wade and Tarver's case, better on the mic.

Gabriel could have a decent run as a high-flying face.