nisidhe
Hank Scorpio
O Superman....O judge....O Mom and Dad....
Posts: 5,725
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Post by nisidhe on Jun 7, 2020 12:02:08 GMT -5
I was just starting to get back into wrestling at about this time.
I'm not entirely sure of how well the Nexus would have done or how long the angle would have lasted at any rate, with or without Cena to push for them. It seemed to me just another rehash of the nWo concept which I think had been run into the ground in North America (we were two years away from Bullet Club's debut in NJPW), but I'd heard of Bryan Danielson and guessed that, no matter what happened, he would be the one to watch from that group.
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Post by EoE: Well There's Your Problem on Jun 7, 2020 12:12:19 GMT -5
I was just starting to get back into wrestling at about this time. I'm not entirely sure of how well the Nexus would have done or how long the angle would have lasted at any rate, with or without Cena to push for them. It seemed to me just another rehash of the nWo concept which I think had been run into the ground in North America (we were two years away from Bullet Club's debut in NJPW), but I'd heard of Bryan Danielson and guessed that, no matter what happened, he would be the one to watch from that group. I would say it had enough legs to get to the next WrestleMania (which would have been WM27). All that really needed to happen was Nexus winning at SummerSlam, Barrett winning the world title at some point and holding off the Cena’s revenge stuff until the new year, ending in him finally beating Barrett at WM.
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Post by The Summer of Muskrat XVII on Jun 7, 2020 12:47:39 GMT -5
A couple days from now is the 10th anniversary of this board imploding over the Daniel Bryan firing. That was crazy
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XIII
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Posts: 18,550
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Post by XIII on Jun 7, 2020 12:51:37 GMT -5
And if it wasn't for the last 10 minutes, this show would be remembered as one of the worst episodes of televised wrestling ever. I remember the highlight of the show prior to the main event being Kozlov dancing.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2020 12:54:15 GMT -5
It was a cool debut but, much like the Awesome Truth thread, it just fell apart if you thought about it. The entire promotion is on high alert over the threat of...a group of rookies that aren't that skilled or threatening. Didn't help they just stuck around on RAW while SmackDown was limited to... Undertaker in "a vegetative state" so Kane looks for the culprit (spoilers: it was Rey Mysterio, resolution be damned) as its big summer story.
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Post by carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army) on Jun 7, 2020 13:31:26 GMT -5
Maaannnnn every time I watch this I'm reminded of how absolutely central Michael Tarver was to this group's mystique. That segment without him is a kabillion times less effective.
He's one of the guys I focus on when I think of missed opportunities. Sure, he wasn't good in the ring, but he was a HELLUVA promo with a creative mind... he's one of the very few people to actually use the nightmare anarchy of NXT to get across an interesting character, and they blatantly punished him for it. He absolutely could have had a long, fruitful career as manager/muscle supporting better actual wrestlers.
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krozor
Don Corleone
Posts: 1,362
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Post by krozor on Jun 7, 2020 13:35:23 GMT -5
One of the greatest segments in wrestling history. Just tiny details piled on top of each other that made it feel like nothing that had happened on Raw before: Barrett showing up and then that shot of Tarver alone with his mask on in the crowd and the sudden realization that this was bigger than a rookie challenging the champ. The Straight Edge Society getting wiped out at ringside first, then Barrett silently signaling the whole group to move on to Cena at once. Cena, who would eventually tank the angle, getting maybe his coolest character moment when he shrugs and tries to fight off all of The Nexus himself. The look of the absolutely destroyed ringside area, and the sound of just the crowd with the ringside crew chased off or massacred. The audience reactions themselves: the kid wailing "MR. KING!" as Lawler is covered in the overturned table and surrounding junk, and the shot of the girl in the front row in cap & gown, presumably there as a graduation present, just stunned at all the carnage and Cena getting stretchered out.
And honestly, still, best of all, the moment where evil cult leader CM Punk - who had been wiped out in the initial attack - crawls back into the ring on his own to try to save Cena. Really got over the whole idea that this wasn't a heel vs. face angle, but something BIG. I've always wondered how far in advance that bit was planned, if at all, since Punk is only in the match because of a "fan poll" to face Cena, which everyone would have been expecting Rey to win.
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Post by eJm on Jun 7, 2020 14:01:43 GMT -5
That Raw was, like, two different Raws. There was the first part which, honestly, wasn't as bad as people said it was but it wasn't exactly exciting. I do remember some real hardcore WWE fans on my Twitter feed even saying "Yeah, this show's shit" which was saying A LOT at the time.
Starting off, I knew about the NXT people and saw them coming out and thought "Cool, they'll beat up Cena, set up a match down the line" etc.
Then they started wrecking everything and murdering everyone.
In terms of visuals...man...in 2010 WWE, it was mindblowing and there's hardly been anything like it before or since. Just imagine watching a show that's stuck to a certain template for so long and then you suddenly see the ring being ripped apart, commentators, camera crew and security people being killed, just this mass chaos that didn't feel like a part of the show but felt like a bunch of pissed off rookies taking liberties and killing everything.
For as much as we can go on about the fall, there hasn't been anything to touch that high. Even The Shield's debut felt super basic in comparison, despite the higher highs they achieved.
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Post by Bang Bang Bart on Jun 7, 2020 17:26:17 GMT -5
The moment on Raw when Vince tries to curry favor with Nexus by claiming to be their mastermind... only to get annihilated by the group was a cool bit.
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Post by MrElijah on Jun 7, 2020 17:28:52 GMT -5
Props to Wade on getting the heat to make people wanting to see Cena whip his ass. And the 1st Old School Raw promo that had Piper, Cena and Wade firing on all cylinders.
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Post by Fake Jesus on Jun 7, 2020 17:35:06 GMT -5
That Raw was, like, two different Raws. There was the first part which, honestly, wasn't as bad as people said it was but it wasn't exactly exciting. I do remember some real hardcore WWE fans on my Twitter feed even saying "Yeah, this show's shit" which was saying A LOT at the time. Starting off, I knew about the NXT people and saw them coming out and thought "Cool, they'll beat up Cena, set up a match down the line" etc. Then they started wrecking everything and murdering everyone. In terms of visuals...man...in 2010 WWE, it was mindblowing and there's hardly been anything like it before or since. Just imagine watching a show that's stuck to a certain template for so long and then you suddenly see the ring being ripped apart, commentators, camera crew and security people being killed, just this mass chaos that didn't feel like a part of the show but felt like a bunch of pissed off rookies taking liberties and killing everything. For as much as we can go on about the fall, there hasn't been anything to touch that high. Even The Shield's debut felt super basic in comparison, despite the higher highs they achieved. Tbf the shield's debut wasn't anything special. It was the TLC match on that kickstarted them.
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Chiral
Salacious Crumb
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Post by Chiral on Jun 7, 2020 17:50:13 GMT -5
I was beyond hype for the Nexus that summer. One of the most criminally badly booked storylines WWE has ever done. Even with the bad luck they could have been so SO much more.
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Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]
FANatic
Writer, Lover of all things Wrestling. Analytical, Critical, Lovable (hopefully). Lets all have fun!
Posts: 235,773
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Post by Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-] on Jun 7, 2020 17:58:32 GMT -5
The Nexus to me were a lot of wrestling fans final staws with WWE. I still think the way they booked this angle was a sign of things to come in how they presented the future of their company. An absolutely amazing segment that just had some of the worst fallout booking wise and internally in modern wrestling history and maybe beyond that as well.
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Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby
Grimlock
Blanket burrito season is back, and I never left the blankets
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Post by Dr. Bolty, Disaster Enby on Jun 7, 2020 18:57:45 GMT -5
I doubt that it was intentional, but over time I think the Nexus was used as a proof of concept.
What Nexus proved was - WWE could take seven guys that nobody had ever heard of, and make them in one night. They were under no obligation to keep them on top, but they could absolutely make them.
I have to wonder if the Shield get the amazing first run that they got without Nexus. The Shield had a lot of similarities - mainly, guys we had never seen before being thrown into top programs immediately - but it was much more refined on the planning side of things. There was no mystery without a solution ("the bigger picture"), the wrestlers were a pair of big indy names and a top prospect ready for grooming instead of complete no-names, they were more conventionally worked into storylines so that they didn't poke holes in the show's logic and could maintain their mystique more easily.
As good as that opening angle was, and as badly as it botched, I think Nexus's legacy is that WWE learned that they didn't need to start everyone off at the bottom in the 2010's.
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Post by eJm on Jun 7, 2020 19:38:47 GMT -5
That Raw was, like, two different Raws. There was the first part which, honestly, wasn't as bad as people said it was but it wasn't exactly exciting. I do remember some real hardcore WWE fans on my Twitter feed even saying "Yeah, this show's shit" which was saying A LOT at the time. Starting off, I knew about the NXT people and saw them coming out and thought "Cool, they'll beat up Cena, set up a match down the line" etc. Then they started wrecking everything and murdering everyone. In terms of visuals...man...in 2010 WWE, it was mindblowing and there's hardly been anything like it before or since. Just imagine watching a show that's stuck to a certain template for so long and then you suddenly see the ring being ripped apart, commentators, camera crew and security people being killed, just this mass chaos that didn't feel like a part of the show but felt like a bunch of pissed off rookies taking liberties and killing everything. For as much as we can go on about the fall, there hasn't been anything to touch that high. Even The Shield's debut felt super basic in comparison, despite the higher highs they achieved. Tbf the shield's debut wasn't anything special. It was the TLC match on that kickstarted them. On the flip side, I’d argue that if it wasn’t for CM Punk being injured when he was, axing the TLC match originally planned with Cena, The Shield probably wouldn’t have been what it was for a variety of reasons.
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Post by -Lithium- on Jun 7, 2020 19:43:38 GMT -5
One of the greatest segments in wrestling history. Just tiny details piled on top of each other that made it feel like nothing that had happened on Raw before: Barrett showing up and then that shot of Tarver alone with his mask on in the crowd and the sudden realization that this was bigger than a rookie challenging the champ. The Straight Edge Society getting wiped out at ringside first, then Barrett silently signaling the whole group to move on to Cena at once. Cena, who would eventually tank the angle, getting maybe his coolest character moment when he shrugs and tries to fight off all of The Nexus himself. The look of the absolutely destroyed ringside area, and the sound of just the crowd with the ringside crew chased off or massacred. The audience reactions themselves: the kid wailing "MR. KING!" as Lawler is covered in the overturned table and surrounding junk, and the shot of the girl in the front row in cap & gown, presumably there as a graduation present, just stunned at all the carnage and Cena getting stretchered out. And honestly, still, best of all, the moment where evil cult leader CM Punk - who had been wiped out in the initial attack - crawls back into the ring on his own to try to save Cena. Really got over the whole idea that this wasn't a heel vs. face angle, but something BIG. I've always wondered how far in advance that bit was planned, if at all, since Punk is only in the match because of a "fan poll" to face Cena, which everyone would have been expecting Rey to win. Barrett doing his quick nod and then the camera showing all the Nexus members getting up on the apron at the same time was so great. I also loved when they're all grabbing at Cena and he makes that desperate attempt at breaking free and is reaching out with his arm to no one, but gets pulled down. I remember they showed an alternate shot of that in the recap where you see the desperate terror look on his face and it was also great. It's too bad the shit Cena pulled. Barrett should have absolute won the title at Survivor Series. He was the only guy in years to actually not get cheered going up against Cena. I remember the ending I thought would have been great at Survivor Series was that since the rules stated if any Nexus member interfered, the whole group would be fired, that Cena (being a part of Nexus) could attack Orton and get the match thrown out. So he'd sacrifice himself to fulfill his promise of ending the Nexus. Instead we got that bullshit where Cena was fair, lost his job, and then was back like literally a week or two later. Also, its a good thing The Shield learned and knew when it was time to speak up backstage. They were booked so much better because of it. Of course they were much, much, much, much more talented though.
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Post by theironyuppie on Jun 8, 2020 0:49:19 GMT -5
It turns out Tarver was way ahead of his time by wearing that mask. Nearly as visionary as Heel Cole and his plexiglass enclosure.
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Post by deadzeppelin on Jun 8, 2020 2:24:03 GMT -5
One of the best debuts ever. Shame it was so snake bit. Bryan getting fired, Michael Tarver unfortunately sucking at just about everything outside of "look cool in a mask", Otunga being green as all hell, and Barrett having a really shitty finisher, along with Cena getting cold feet on putting them over all the way, tanked them. On the other hand, Bryan’s firing being kayfabed as being kicked out of the Nexus due to “showing remorse” was beneficial for him in the long run. I always hate hate HATED that line. It felt intelligence insulting and it made Nexus look like a bunch of goobers from the 2nd week on. In kayfabe they fired Bryan for "Showing to much remorse"... HE CHOKED JUSTIN ROBERTS WITH A NECKTIE, spat on Cena and kicked him in the head. The most violent guy was fired for being not violent. WHAT? It's even worse because he was actually fired for being too violent basically. ITS BEEN 10 YEARS AND IM STILL ANGRY. Lmfao. I forgot how bad that line got me haha
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Post by Cvslfc123 on Jun 8, 2020 8:43:22 GMT -5
I still can't believe this was 10 years ago. I was on a 4 year hiatus from watching in 2010 but had gone to a Smackdown taping which had NXT filmed before so I was aware of who the guys in Nexus were when it started. The storyline sounded interesting so I decided to watch again and see where it went. I enjoyed it a lot apart from Summerslam and it kick started my love for wrestling again which unfortunately died again after Goldberg beat The Fiend earlier this year.
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Post by eJm on Jun 8, 2020 8:45:46 GMT -5
On the other hand, Bryan’s firing being kayfabed as being kicked out of the Nexus due to “showing remorse” was beneficial for him in the long run. I always hate hate HATED that line. It felt intelligence insulting and it made Nexus look like a bunch of goobers from the 2nd week on. In kayfabe they fired Bryan for "Showing to much remorse"... HE CHOKED JUSTIN ROBERTS WITH A NECKTIE, spat on Cena and kicked him in the head. The most violent guy was fired for being not violent. WHAT? It's even worse because he was actually fired for being too violent basically. ITS BEEN 10 YEARS AND IM STILL ANGRY. Lmfao. I forgot how bad that line got me haha The one that always got to me was when Cena was attacking The Shield after he was “fired” and I forgot who said it but someone said “Security was attacked by them first so they’re allowing him to attack Nexus and won’t stop him” Oh cool. So they’re all fired, then.
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