Fantasy Booking: The Nexus (Part 3)

Hi everyone, welcome back to the series. The landscape of WWE has dramatically changed in this fantasy booking. In Part 1, we watched The Nexus explode onto the scene – literally and figuratively – as Wade Barrett became WWE Champion at Hell in a Cell 2010. Part 2 picked up in the aftermath of Hell in a Cell, with Barrett sitting on top of the mountain… going from the hunter to the hunted. Edge stepped up and tried to split up Nexus at Bragging Rights, only to run away to SmackDown after being unsuccessful. Just when Barrett thought he was back in control, Randy Orton made a statement with a huge RKO.

READ IT HERE: Fantasy Booking: The Nexus (Part 2)

Now in Part 3, the road to Survivor Series begins with more questions than answers. Can Barrett outthink The Viper and overcome him like he’s done against John Cena, Sheamus, Chris Jericho and (to a lesser degree) Edge? With the stakes rising and the pressure building for Barrett as the WWE Champion, will he – and Nexus – become more aggressive and write someone else off TV? Or will that pressure lead to tension within the group members? There’s only one way to find out. Enjoy the story!

Chapter 4: Will The Viper’s Mind Games Stop The Nexus?

Raw – October 25, 2010

The Nexus are still together after beating The Straight Edge Society at Bragging Rights. Wade Barrett is still WWE Champion. Edge has been banished to SmackDown. But it’s not business as usual.

Barrett storms to the ring all by himself, livid:

Over the last few weeks, The Nexus made it clear – no one can stop us. Ask Sheamus if he still wants to ‘foight’ us. Ask Chris Jericho what happens when you try to outsmart The Nexus. Ask the so-called ‘Ultimate Opportunist’, Edge, if it’s worth messing with us. Hell, ask your superhero, John Cena… if he can still talk after what we did to him at SummerSlam.
But now it’s someone else’s turn to ‘save the world’ from The Nexus. Randy Orton wants to be the hero of this story. Randy, you and I both know the beating you’re about to take is inevitable. So why don’t you just com—

Luke Gallows’ music hits.

Yes, Luke Gallows!! The last man standing from the now-destroyed Straight Edge Society. He walks to the ring slowly with a microphone in hand, looking all business:

I know I shouldn’t be here. I’m a SmackDown guy, I know. But there’s something that makes me more dangerous than anyone in the entire WWE – including Randy Orton. Serena’s gone. Mercury’s gone. CM Punk’s gone too. Say what you want about Punk, question his methods all you want, but he did make me a better man with The Straight Edge Society. And now The Straight Edge Society IS OVER… because of you. Don’t think I’m here for that title. I’ve got nothing to lose! So screw it. I’m here to fight for what I believe in.

Gallows enters the ring and hits Barrett a few times, but it’s foolish. The Nexus immediately jump him and write him off TV – Gallows was released in November 2010 in real life – but the babyface locker room storms out for the save. Everyone’s tired of the gang attacks.

In the middle of the chaos, the TitanTron shows Randy Orton arriving at the arena. That distracts The Nexus, allowing one of the babyfaces – Mark Henry – to hit Justin Gabriel with his finisher. Barrett sees it and loses it, ordering the group to destroy Henry, who gets laid out with a series of Nexus finishers… though, notably, NOT Barrett’s! Then, Barrett orders the group to find Orton backstage.

They sprint off, but when they get to the parking lot, a backstage employee tells them Orton’s just left in his car. The Nexus (minus Barrett, remember) steal a car and drive off. Later, Orton is shown backstage giving the same employee a signed Randy Orton T-shirt for the man’s daughter.

A deal is a deal – says Orton!

Barrett is furious. He calls Nexus back to the arena… little does he know Orton’s got more in store!

Main event: Randy Orton vs. The Miz

It’s a normal Raw main event that lasts around 10 minutes, and Orton wins. After the match ends, the TitanTron shows a car pulling into the parking lot. Barrett leaves the locker room, thinking his guys are finally back…

Only to walk into John Morrison, R-Truth and Santino Marella – they were the ones driving that car!

They jump Barrett, who’s outnumbered, and drag him all the way to ringside. Orton is still in the ring, waiting for Barrett. He laughs in Barrett’s face and RKOs him. Miz is in the background, watching closely with his Money in the Bank briefcase in hand, but he doesn’t go for the cash-in. He knows Orton will kick his ass if he tries it!

Raw goes off the air with Barrett down and out after taking yet another RKO for the second night in a row. Orton smiles at points at the camera:

Two!

He flips the script on the Nexus playbook.

Raw – November 1, 2010

Wade Barrett, clearly frustrated, cuts a rare self-aware promo.

Last week, WE(!) got outsmarted. I own that. I let it happen. But it won’t happen again…

He stares down his group:

I want Randy Orton at Survivor Series. That’s right – I’m declaring him as my next challenger for the WWE Championship. That snake gets in people’s heads. He’ll wait for his moment and then he’ll strike. I won’t let that happen. No one touches Randy Orton until Survivor Series. Do I make myself clear?

Everyone nods – even if some don’t like it. Barrett continues:

But when I’m done with him… the beatings we gave to Cena and Jericho? They’ll look like warm-ups!

Backstage, Orton is warned by the other Raw wrestlers, but he doesn’t need help or security. Former Legacy member Ted DiBiase Jr steps up to talk trash, and he gets thrown against the wall for his trouble.

Randy Orton vs. Ted DiBiase Jr

Orton wins clean. Still no Nexus. Orton cuts a quick promo after the match:

Wade Barrett thinks he’s got the perfect strategy. Maybe he does. Maybe he doesn’t. Deep down, he knows who’s got the upper hand. At Survivor Series, Wade Barrett will either put up, or he’ll do what he did tonight – shut up and watch as I once again hold MY WWE Championship with one hand and raise finger number three with the other!

Backstage, in the Nexus’ locker room…
Wade Barrett is breathing heavily. The other members are itching to do something about it. Barrett snaps: I said NOT until Survivor Series.

Then calms himself.

You want to fight badly, I know. Trust me, I can’t wait to teach Orton a lesson. But Orton isn’t the only one who deserves it. Morrison, Truth and Santino deserve it too. Next week, we’ll teach them a lesson in a six-man tag. Otunga. Bryan. Gabriel. You know what to do.

The Raw GM confirms it later. But that’s not all. Wade Barrett will also be in action (non-title) against someone who can’t wait to get in the ring with him – a very angry Mark Henry!

The show ends with Nexus blindsiding Henry backstage, laying him out to soften him up for the match with Barrett. The beating stops when Morrison, Truth and Santino appear, and Barrett tells the group to save it for next week.

Raw – November 8, 2010

Wade Barrett vs. Mark Henry

Henry overpowers Barrett many times during this match, but Barrett mostly controls with some help from distraction spots by Slater and Young, who make their presence known without actually getting physically involved.

Henry finally makes a big comeback, but as he bounces off the ropes to hit a massive running splash, Daniel Bryan subtly hooks Henry’s leg while the other members get up on the apron to distract the referee, just enough to slow Henry down. Barrett capitalizes and takes Henry down immediately. He eventually puts Henry away after hitting the world’s strongest Wasteland for the 1-2-3!

Post-match…
The Nexus begin celebrating, when suddenly they’re attacked by the other babyfaces who will face them later tonight. And then…

The Miz comes down to cash in.

He walks out (no theme song) with the Money in the Bank briefcase in hand. The crowd buzzes. Miz actually hands the briefcase to the referee… and The Nexus are still fighting outside the ring!! Before the bell can ring, Gabriel and Otunga leave the other members and enter the ring immediately, chasing Miz out of the ring. He bails before The Nexus can beat him up.

Barrett is still breathing heavily. He didn’t see that coming.

Six-Man Tag: The Nexus (Bryan, Gabriel & Otunga) vs. Morrison, R-Truth & Santino

A solid TV main event. The babyfaces get some nice shine early on, especially Morrison and Truth with their quickness. But Nexus plays it smart – they cut the ring in half and isolate Santino in their corner, using quick tags to triple-team Santino. Truth runs wild near the end, but he ends up getting taken out with a triple-team move. With Marella out of it as well, Nexus put Morrison away and Gabriel pins him after a 450 Splash.

Finally, Nexus have a reason to celebrate, but Barrett doesn’t return to the ring after what happened earlier.

Backstage, Orton watches from a monitor and closes the show by cutting a brief promo looking directly at the camera:

Wade Barrett – I gotta give it to ya, I’m impressed. You beat Mark Henry. Your guys won as well. You even survived The Miz’s cash-in. But at Survivor Series, there’s no running, there’s no hiding. You expected me to strike again tonight, didn’t you? Trust me, I will strike again… when you least expect it. That’s not a promise. That’s what snakes do!

Raw – November 15, 2010

It’s the go-home episode before Survivor Series.

Wade Barrett cuts a promo, this time calmer, almost trying to convince himself as much as the audience:

As much as I hate to admit, Randy Orton IS dangerous. He’s clever and he can play mind games like no one else. But I’m in control in this situation because – as much as ORTON hates to admit – I’m the WWE Champion, not him! And I didn’t get here by luck. I’ve scored wins over Chris Jericho and Edge over the last couple of months.

Barrett continues and makes a promise of his own:

Last week, Randy Orton promised he’ll strike again. Randy, I know you will and trust me, I’m ready for it. But I have a promise of my own – I will beat you. I’m backed by the most dominant force this company has ever seen. When you step into the ring with me at Survivor Series, you’ll be facing all of Nexus. And, deep inside that snake head of yours, Mr. ‘Apex Predator’… that eats you alive!

Main event: Randy Orton vs. William Regal

Barrett appears on the stage with Nexus behind him. He orders them to stay put.

The match happens without any incident – Orton wins after an RKO, but never takes his eyes off the group. He celebrates afterwards and mocks the group a bit, but Barrett takes them to the back.

Backstage, Nexus is boiling. Heath Slater is kicking every object he sees in front of him. Otunga wants to jump Orton TONIGHT and send him a message. Barrett shuts it down again: No. We wait. We have to fight smart – it’s not about pride, it’s about making sure he doesn’t take the title from me. We’ll strike when it matters most.

The show goes off the air without any kind of physical contact. Who will make the first mistake at Survivor Series?

Survivor Series – November 21, 2010

Main event: WWE Championship – Wade Barrett(c) vs. Randy Orton

This is not a fast-paced matchup. As I mentioned earlier, and considering what happened during the build, this is a cold and methodical main event – but still intense. Orton takes his time dissecting Barrett, while the young WWE Champion leans into power moves to get the job done.

The crowd is hot for every nearfall as the title bout progresses. Orton finally takes over near the end, hitting Barrett with his famous sequence of moves: after the powerslam and the hanging DDT, the RKO will surely follow. But Orton changes his mind, and goes for his dangerous Punt instead!

Just as he’s about to run towards Barrett to kick him in the skull… Darren Young grabs Orton’s ankle from the outside. The crowd boos, but it happens fast and the referee misses it. Orton turns his attention to Nexus, but he’s not alone. John Morrison, R-Truth, Santino Marella, Mark Henry and the returning Evan Bourne run in to even the odds. They get into a fight with the five Nexus members at ringside.

Meanwhile, Barrett tries to capitalize but Orton remains in control. They take the fight to the floor where Orton goes for the RKO, but Barrett shoves him… right into Santino, who reacts by elbowing Orton right in the nose, thinking it was Barrett. Orton holds his nose, allowing Barrett to hit the Wasteland on the floor. Barrett throws Orton back inside the ring, hits a second Wasteland and pins Orton to retain the WWE Title.

He then joins the beatdown on the other babyfaces, allowing Nexus to get the upper hand. BUT…

IT’S A SHAMEFUL THING, LOBSTER HEAD!

Sheamus returns! The crowd explodes as Sheamus sprints down the ramp. He clears the ring, brawling with several Nexus members while Barrett simply walks away – eyes wide open, clutching his belt.

With everyone but Sheamus gone, Randy Orton pulls himself back to his feet. Sheamus stands right beside him. They’re certainly not friends, but they have common enemies. For the first time, Barrett looks rattled.

Raw – November 22, 2010

Before the Raw intro plays, we see a clip from earlier tonight. There’s something Randy Orton needs to get off his chest after Survivor Series – he RKOs Santino Marella in the backstage area! Sheamus likes the intensity, but he reminds Orton: somehow, someway, this will come down to Sheamus and Randy Orton fighting over the WWE Championship. Only the better man will win in the end.

The show starts with The Nexus making their entrance. Wade Barrett grabs the microphone to cut a promo, but the anonymous RAW General Manager chimes in almost immediately:

At Survivor Series, Darren Young got physically involved in the WWE Championship match. The Nexus are one, just as their leader likes to remind us every single week. Therefore, due to Nexus once again interfering in a WWE Title match as well as all the top Superstars they’ve taken out, The Nexus is forbidden from physically interfering in major title matches. If they do, there will be serious consequences… that’s all I can say for now.

Barrett is paying close attention as the GM continues:

At TLC, Wade Barrett will defend the WWE Championship against Randy Orton… and against Sheamus! In an anything goes triple threat TLC MATCH!!

The crowd pops. Wade Barrett’s facial expression says it all. But it doesn’t stop there…

The Miz’s music hits.

Miz – with his briefcase in hand, as always – and Alex Riley stop by the ramp. Miz reminds Wade Barrett and the fans that he still holds the Money in the Bank contract. He’s never been afraid to use it, and now that Nexus can’t do a damn thing about it, it’s just a matter of time. Miz and Riley walk off. This was just a reminder!

Backstage…
The Nexus are seen yelling and talking over each other. Otunga is the most vocal:
So what? Are we supposed to sit here in the back and watch as you fight two guys – maybe three – all by yourself?

Barrett responds:
You don’t understand, David. This is how you win the long game. This stupid rule means we’ve already taken over WWE. It’s been created just to stop us. Plus, I didn’t need any of you getting involved at Survivor Series to beat Orton, did I?

Otunga looks at Darren Young, who looks the other way as Barrett continues:
At TLC, I’ll beat both of them.

Slater scoffs:
Are you sure about that?

Barrett gives him a death stare:
DO YOU DOUBT ME!?

Slater backs off. Everyone looks unsure. David Otunga in particular is still not sold.

Barrett is clearly agitated. His comeuppance will come at TLC and he knows it. The Nexus won’t be able to do anything about it or else…

TO BE CONTINUED

Thanks for reading. I hope you’re enjoying the story.

And now, it’s your turn to speak. What will happen next? Will Wade Barrett somehow find a way to retain his WWE Championship? Or will his title reign end at TLC? Let me know everything in the comment section.

Part 4 is coming soon. See you next time!