50 Greatest WWE Raw Moments Ever
20. The Birth Of The Nexus (June 7th, 2010)
There was some sweet unintended irony in Wade Barrett's NXT army destroying Raw on a night it had almost satirically labelled itself as "Viewers Choice".
The matches were largely just retreads of hashed out feuds. The fan-vote gimmick had predictably failed to syphon further suspense, but then everything failed at everything in 2010. What was about to take place became the most infamous addition to the list, but the short space of time where this felt like the beginning of a bold new era was as captivating to look at as the state Barrett's new group left the arena in after they'd departed.
A John Cena Vs CM Punk main event was the one thing on the episode that had a shred of intrigue, but an unusual and unexpected stoppage rendered the match memorable for entirely different reasons. The yet-to-be-named Nexus charged the pair, zeroing in on company faceplate Cena and the ring itself as a symbol of their rightful indignation.
Season One (...and two...and three, and four, and Redemption) of NXT had been a giant joke, with the poor prospects trapped as both set-ups and punchlines on maybe the most counter-productive wrestling show ever. As they dismantling bodies and anything inanimate they could lay hands on, this magnificent seven for one night ensured the laughter finally stopped.