The Nexus of an Unforgettable Moment (2010)
The debut of the Nexus will forever be burned into the brains of fans old enough to remember watching it live.
Midway through Raw’s main event, every member of NXT Season 1 appeared and surrounded the ring. They stalked their prey, standing on the apron Shield-style, and descended on John Cena like a bunch of clickers who located an infected.
He wasn’t the group’s only target. Daniel Bryan choked out ring announcer Justin Roberts with his own tie. Heath Slater and Justin Gabriel mauled commentator Jerry “The King” Lawler. Wade Barrett ripped the canvas padding and foam cover off the ring mat to expose its wood planks.
They made ruining wrestling cool a decade-and-a-half before Cena did.
A forgotten figure in the melee? CM Punk, who fought John Boy prior to the interference. Needless to say, their match was completely overshadowed by the chaotic spectacle.
