Ranking all 8 original Nexus members based on their success
Around exactly nine years ago, WWE was entering into kind of a stale product. Following a great road to WrestleMania, a lot of their biggest names left.
Some called it a day while others became part-time. The likes of Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Batista were not there anymore. It was up to the current crop to keep things interesting, and they got a boost from eight relative unknowns.
NXT started as a replacement to WWE's version of ECW in 2010, originally being a reality-based game-show featuring eight wrestling prospects. There would be an elimination round every few weeks and the winner would join the main roster and get a title shot of his choosing. As you would imagine, it did not reach the soaring heights of the NXT we know and adore today.
However, it turned a corner when all eight contestants from the first season invaded the Viewer's Choice edition of RAW. They destroyed the arena and beat up everybody in sight. The eight men literally tore the ring apart and fed on John Cena like a pack of wolves.
The Nexus was born, giving the WWE product new life at the time. Obviously, we all know what happened to the promising group.
The success of every member of the group is varied, with a fair few still with the company today. Here is every original member of the Nexus ranked, based on their success.
#8 Michael Tarver
Out of everybody from the Nexus, Michael Tarver was kind of the least memorable one. He did not do much of note, despite his bruiser look. He, alongside Daniel Bryan, was the first person eliminated from the first season of NXT.
His tenure in the Nexus was not much more memorable. Tarver got kicked out of the group after suffering a groin injury in October, with John Cena attacking him to write him off.
He would return two months later in FCW and while his return to the main roster was teased in 2011, Tarver got released that June.
Again, Tarver's career after WWE has not exactly been noteworthy. He joined Florida Underground Wrestling, winning their Bruiserweight Championship, and also briefly wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
In 2018, Tarver reunited with the former Darren Young and Justin Gabriel in the Chikara King of Trios tournament, as the Nexus Alliance. He also wrestled for the Great Khali's Continental Wrestling Entertainment promotion, winning the CEW National Title for two days as well.