The Nexus remains one of the most memorable factions in WWE history, forming in 2010 after a group of rookies from the first season of “WWE NXT” invaded “WWE Raw” and attacked several top stars, including John Cena and CM Punk. The group, led by Wade Barrett, quickly established itself as a dominant heel faction with its signature black-and-yellow shirts and chaotic group assaults. More than a decade later, former Nexus member David Otunga has been considering what a modern version of the group might look like within WWE’s current structure.
In a recent YouTube video, Otunga discussed how the concept could translate into today’s WWE environment. While the original Nexus emerged from the competition-style version of “NXT,” WWE’s developmental system now looks very different. “NXT” now operates as a full developmental brand, while “WWE Evolve” has emerged as an additional platform that features a mix of talent with NXT experience and performers signed to developmental and WWE ID deals. The WWE ID program itself serves as a pathway for independent wrestlers to gain WWE’s attention and potentially earn a developmental contract with the company.
With that structure in mind, Otunga imagined a new Nexus group originating in “Evolve” before eventually taking over “NXT.” Rather than recreating the original seven-member lineup, Otunga envisioned a five-person faction that would include a woman, a tag team, an enforcer, and a future world champion.
When searching for a female member of the faction, Otunga initially considered former United States Olympian Tyra Mae Steele. However, after watching a promo and later a match from Kali Armstrong, he quickly became convinced that Armstrong was the right choice.
“I saw one promo from Kali Armstrong and I said, ‘Hm, who’s this?’ Then on the next episode, I got another promo from Kali Armstrong. Still no match, but I was interested,” Otunga said. “Basically, at this point, this was Tyra Steele’s position to lose. Then I put on Kali Armstrong match. The entrance, immediately I’m feeling this. Charisma. Comes out, great entrance, great presentation. Gets in the ring. I only had to see about a minute, and I said that’s her, this is the girl I want. This is the woman.”
Otunga believes Armstrong already has the tools necessary to reach the top of the brand.
“I think she has the best package right now for main event level star. I think she could go right into NXT and become Women’s Champion immediately. I think she’s ready. The promos were great. The look, the entrance, the ring work, this woman’s got it all.”
For the group’s enforcer role, Otunga selected Keanu Carver, one of the more physically imposing figures connected to WWE’s developmental system. Carver competed in the 2023 NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament before being officially moved to the NXT roster in January 2026. Otunga said Carver’s intimidating look reminded him of his former Nexus stablemate Michael Tarver.
When building the faction’s tag team, Otunga opted to pair together two larger singles wrestlers: Drake Morreaux and Sam Holloway. While the two are not currently a tag team, Otunga believes their size and presence could make them a dominant duo.
“They’re not a tag team, but I went with Drake Morreaux and Sam Holloway,” Otunga said. “In fact, I saw them have a match against each other, believe it or not. These are two big dudes. Both of them appealed to me. I like Morreaux, but also, that’s a big guy. I think he’s six-seven, something like that. And then you get Sam Holloway who’s six-nine. He’s different. I like the stuff he was doing. Even how he gets in the ring, it’s like he starts to step over and does like this little springboard hop that was unexpected.”
For the centerpiece of the faction, Otunga chose Kam Hendrix, whom he views as a future world champion. Hendrix, who previously appeared on “WWE LFG,” impressed Otunga with his presence, charisma, and promo ability.
“If you have the rest of these people behind him, this is the team right here,” Otunga said. “This is a dominant faction.”
Otunga even suggested that a group built around Armstrong, Carver, Morreaux, Holloway, and Hendrix could potentially dominate “NXT,” capturing every major championship on the brand within six months. Armstrong could hold the NXT Women’s Championship, Morreaux and Holloway could claim the NXT Tag Team Championships, Carver could target the NXT North American Championship, and Hendrix could eventually capture the NXT Championship.
The idea highlights how WWE’s modern developmental system continues to evolve, creating new opportunities for breakout stars and factions. With brands like NXT and Evolve serving as pipelines for the next generation of talent, the possibility of another dominant group emerging from developmental — much like The Nexus did in 2010 — remains an intriguing concept for today’s wrestling landscape.
Do you think WWE could successfully recreate the impact of The Nexus with a new generation of developmental stars?
