10 Times WWE Threw Money Down The Drain
9. The Nexus Loses
The debut of The Nexus is still one of the most shocking and well-executed angles in WWE history. During a CM Punk-John Cena match on Raw, the entire cast of NXT's first season - men who were all competing against one another - swarmed the ring, beat up anybody they could get their hands on, and literally tore the ring apart. Fans were stunned.
In the ensuing weeks, The Nexus continued to run roughshod over the company. Despite the fact that most of the men in the group weren't seasoned workers, they were booked as a threat and so they were seen as one. The invading force actually made WWE's heels and babyfaces work together to protect their company, and it led to a seven-on-seven elimination match at SummerSlam 2010.
The bout was a long, heated contest that eventually came down to Nexus leader Wade Barrett and Team WWE leader John Cena. Cena locked Barrett in the STF, forcing him to submit and beating The Nexus in their first major match. The group was immediately robbed of any credibility, and though Barrett started a WWE World Title feud with Randy Orton, he wasn't treated seriously. A year later, there was no Nexus.
The decision to beat the group came from an unlikely source. According to Edge and Chris Jericho, The Nexus was supposed to win the SummerSlam match, but Cena himself vetoed the proposed ending. After the bout, Cena reportedly admitted that he was wrong and The Nexus should have won as scheduled.