Ranking all 8 original Nexus members based on their success

#2 Wade Barrett

He could come back and do very well at the moment

Wade Barrett was the winner of NXT Season 1 and the leader of the black-and-yellow stable. It seemed like he would be a guaranteed main eventer in WWE, but his momentum suffered a major setback following a couple of damaging defeats to John Cena.

Throughout his WWE career, Barrett has always been fingertips away from greatness but bad luck would intervene at the last moment. His push in early 2012 was set to culminate in a Money in the Bank victory at WrestleMania 28 but he suffered a dislocated elbow and WWE scrapped the match entirely.

Barrett found success in the upper midcard division of WWE, winning the Intercontinental Championship five times. His Bad News Barrett gimmick in 2014 caught on in a major way, as the former bare-knuckle brawler became one of the most popular stars in the company. He even won the 2015 King of the Ring tournament before things went south. He remained a lower-tier heel since then, until his release directly after WrestleMania 32.

Barrett did some acting work in movies like Eliminators and I Am Vengeance while returning to wrestling in on-screen roles. He became the general manager of Defiant Wrestling and later, joined World of Sport Wrestling as a commentator and a (kayfabe) executive. He made his Lucha Underground debut in the season 4 finale, but there is no word on whether a fifth season would happen.

Barrett, while remaining in the wrestling business, has yet to lace up a pair of boots since leaving WWE. And if he were to go back, he would instantly be one of the biggest stars there.