Black Widow
11-20-2010, 12:47 PM
Wade Barrett: You’re Either Nexus, Or Against Us
You might not know the date, but wrestling fans certainly remember where they were when the eight rookies from “NXT” left their stamp on the WWE during the “Raw” main event featuring John Cena and CM Punk.
Dubbed The Nexus, a clear leader of the faction emerged in Wade Barrett, the winner of the first season of the WWE’s rookie competition.
Not since the New World Order has the wrestling world seen a stable break onto the scene and make such a major impact as The Nexus, landing their biggest acquisition in John Cena at “Hell in a Cell.”
Prior to his match against Randy Orton for the WWE Championship at “Survivor Series” on Sunday, Barrett spoke to The Well Versed on the status of Skip Sheffield in Nexus and the one thing he took away from his mentorship with Chris Jericho.
TWV: How does a marine biology major become a professional wrestler?
Wade Barrett: Well, I was a fan of the WWE way before I was ever interested in marine biology. I started watching WWE when I was about 10. Always just as a fan … I never seriously aspired to be a wrestler when I was older. When I got older, I went through the usual thing of education and getting into a normal career. Once I started my career, I realized I really wanted to do something different. I wanted to get into something more exciting. That’s when I started wrestling on the UK independent scene while I was working a regular job.
TWV: How has your bare knuckle background helped you in the WWE ring?
WB: I think in terms of my mental toughness, it has definitely helped out with my preparation and thoroughness. And also just my natural athleticism that was from playing sports like soccer, rugby and obviously bare knuckle fighting as well. That helps out a lot when it comes time to step inside the WWE ring.
TWV: What’s the one thing you took away from your relationship with Chris Jericho on NXT?
WB: Jericho was a great mentor for me. He gave me countless amounts of advice over the last few months. I think the best piece of advice he ever gave me was to make sure I was strong in all areas. Not just good on the mic or not just good in the ring. I need to be good at everything, including my presentation, my ring gear, my appearance, how I hold myself. That’s the best piece of advice he has ever given me.
TWV: Take us back to June 7 when the Nexus was formed. Walk me through what was going on in your head prior to interfering in the John Cena/CM Punk match.
WB: At the time you have to remember that we were still nobodies in terms of the WWE. We did the “NXT” show and the viewing figures for it were a lot lower than they were for shows like “Raw” and “Smackdown.” Only a very small percentage of the WWE Universe actually knew who we were. In addition to that, I was the guy who won NXT, so the remaining seven guys were technically gone from the WWE. They didn’t win the show; therefore they didn’t have contracts with the company. We felt that we were basically interrupting a huge match between CM Punk and John Cena and we felt as a bunch of rookies or nobodies, which is what we were at the time to the WWE Universe, we felt we needed to go in there and make a huge impact. Make an impact that wouldn’t be forgotten and I think we succeeded in doing that.
TWV: There’s a WWE.com article that references the departures from Nexus, including Skip Sheffield. Is he officially out of the group?
WB: He’s officially out of the group for the moment. That’s not to say we won’t bring him back in at some other point. In terms of Skip, I think if he hadn’t gotten injured, he would be with us right now. Even though he’s not with Nexus, that’s not to say once he’s fully healed up, which will be another 3-4 months, he might well come back and rejoin us. That’s a bridge we will cross at that time.
TWV: How was the “Old School Raw” on Monday? As a rising star, what was it like to have so many WWE legends in the locker room?
WB: It was great to meet all the legends. A lot of those guys I grew up watching and it was pretty incredible to meet them and even have some of them come up to me and comment on my work and how much they enjoyed watching me wrestle. It was very strange for me because I wanted to tell them the exact same and how much of a fan I was as a child. For them to come up to me first and say they are a fan of what I’m doing is really mind blowing. It was a great experience. It was great to get interviewed by “Mean” Gene Okerlund and it was great to go on “Piper’s Pit” and see Roddy Piper perform one of the best promos I have ever seen.
TWV: There’s been a European influence with you, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus. What’s it like not being the only guy from across the pond?
WB: I think it’s a good thing. I remember when I was a kid and I always found it very strange they only had one Englishman at the time. The British Bulldog was in there and then he disappeared. They got a new one in William Regal and he’s been there for a long time now. I always thought when I was wrestling on the independent scene that there would only be one chance for a Brit or European to come over. So it was great that I got the chance at the same time as Sheamus and Drew. It was great that all three of us got the opportunity because we were all good friends on the independent scene. I always felt that one of three of us would get that opportunity in the WWE, so the fact that all three of us got that opportunity was really cool.
TWV: I know you’re a huge Preston North End fan. Were you happy when Darren Ferguson, the son of Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson, signed on as coach of the club?
WB: I was excited when he got there. I felt like the club was going to really move forward with him. He has some good experiences in the past but I felt that he was ready for Preston and that Preston would do well with him. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out quite as well as I hoped. I think unless things change pretty quickly, we might be looking for a new manager. We are at the bottom of the league right now. This is one of the worse Preston sides I have seen in a long, long time.
TWV: What’s your prediction for Sunday?
WB: My prediction for Sunday is I’m going to walk out with the WWE title around my waist. I have stacked the deck in my favor. I have done everything I can to ensure that I win this match. John Cena can talk all he wants about calling it down the middle. The simple fact is if he does call it down the middle and I’m not successful, he’s going to be gone from the WWE. His career is over. If you really think he’s going to give his career up just to do the right thing on Sunday, I think you’re crazy. That’s not going to happen. I’m going to walk out “Survivor Series” with that title around my waist.
The Well Versed
You might not know the date, but wrestling fans certainly remember where they were when the eight rookies from “NXT” left their stamp on the WWE during the “Raw” main event featuring John Cena and CM Punk.
Dubbed The Nexus, a clear leader of the faction emerged in Wade Barrett, the winner of the first season of the WWE’s rookie competition.
Not since the New World Order has the wrestling world seen a stable break onto the scene and make such a major impact as The Nexus, landing their biggest acquisition in John Cena at “Hell in a Cell.”
Prior to his match against Randy Orton for the WWE Championship at “Survivor Series” on Sunday, Barrett spoke to The Well Versed on the status of Skip Sheffield in Nexus and the one thing he took away from his mentorship with Chris Jericho.
TWV: How does a marine biology major become a professional wrestler?
Wade Barrett: Well, I was a fan of the WWE way before I was ever interested in marine biology. I started watching WWE when I was about 10. Always just as a fan … I never seriously aspired to be a wrestler when I was older. When I got older, I went through the usual thing of education and getting into a normal career. Once I started my career, I realized I really wanted to do something different. I wanted to get into something more exciting. That’s when I started wrestling on the UK independent scene while I was working a regular job.
TWV: How has your bare knuckle background helped you in the WWE ring?
WB: I think in terms of my mental toughness, it has definitely helped out with my preparation and thoroughness. And also just my natural athleticism that was from playing sports like soccer, rugby and obviously bare knuckle fighting as well. That helps out a lot when it comes time to step inside the WWE ring.
TWV: What’s the one thing you took away from your relationship with Chris Jericho on NXT?
WB: Jericho was a great mentor for me. He gave me countless amounts of advice over the last few months. I think the best piece of advice he ever gave me was to make sure I was strong in all areas. Not just good on the mic or not just good in the ring. I need to be good at everything, including my presentation, my ring gear, my appearance, how I hold myself. That’s the best piece of advice he has ever given me.
TWV: Take us back to June 7 when the Nexus was formed. Walk me through what was going on in your head prior to interfering in the John Cena/CM Punk match.
WB: At the time you have to remember that we were still nobodies in terms of the WWE. We did the “NXT” show and the viewing figures for it were a lot lower than they were for shows like “Raw” and “Smackdown.” Only a very small percentage of the WWE Universe actually knew who we were. In addition to that, I was the guy who won NXT, so the remaining seven guys were technically gone from the WWE. They didn’t win the show; therefore they didn’t have contracts with the company. We felt that we were basically interrupting a huge match between CM Punk and John Cena and we felt as a bunch of rookies or nobodies, which is what we were at the time to the WWE Universe, we felt we needed to go in there and make a huge impact. Make an impact that wouldn’t be forgotten and I think we succeeded in doing that.
TWV: There’s a WWE.com article that references the departures from Nexus, including Skip Sheffield. Is he officially out of the group?
WB: He’s officially out of the group for the moment. That’s not to say we won’t bring him back in at some other point. In terms of Skip, I think if he hadn’t gotten injured, he would be with us right now. Even though he’s not with Nexus, that’s not to say once he’s fully healed up, which will be another 3-4 months, he might well come back and rejoin us. That’s a bridge we will cross at that time.
TWV: How was the “Old School Raw” on Monday? As a rising star, what was it like to have so many WWE legends in the locker room?
WB: It was great to meet all the legends. A lot of those guys I grew up watching and it was pretty incredible to meet them and even have some of them come up to me and comment on my work and how much they enjoyed watching me wrestle. It was very strange for me because I wanted to tell them the exact same and how much of a fan I was as a child. For them to come up to me first and say they are a fan of what I’m doing is really mind blowing. It was a great experience. It was great to get interviewed by “Mean” Gene Okerlund and it was great to go on “Piper’s Pit” and see Roddy Piper perform one of the best promos I have ever seen.
TWV: There’s been a European influence with you, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus. What’s it like not being the only guy from across the pond?
WB: I think it’s a good thing. I remember when I was a kid and I always found it very strange they only had one Englishman at the time. The British Bulldog was in there and then he disappeared. They got a new one in William Regal and he’s been there for a long time now. I always thought when I was wrestling on the independent scene that there would only be one chance for a Brit or European to come over. So it was great that I got the chance at the same time as Sheamus and Drew. It was great that all three of us got the opportunity because we were all good friends on the independent scene. I always felt that one of three of us would get that opportunity in the WWE, so the fact that all three of us got that opportunity was really cool.
TWV: I know you’re a huge Preston North End fan. Were you happy when Darren Ferguson, the son of Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson, signed on as coach of the club?
WB: I was excited when he got there. I felt like the club was going to really move forward with him. He has some good experiences in the past but I felt that he was ready for Preston and that Preston would do well with him. Unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out quite as well as I hoped. I think unless things change pretty quickly, we might be looking for a new manager. We are at the bottom of the league right now. This is one of the worse Preston sides I have seen in a long, long time.
TWV: What’s your prediction for Sunday?
WB: My prediction for Sunday is I’m going to walk out with the WWE title around my waist. I have stacked the deck in my favor. I have done everything I can to ensure that I win this match. John Cena can talk all he wants about calling it down the middle. The simple fact is if he does call it down the middle and I’m not successful, he’s going to be gone from the WWE. His career is over. If you really think he’s going to give his career up just to do the right thing on Sunday, I think you’re crazy. That’s not going to happen. I’m going to walk out “Survivor Series” with that title around my waist.
The Well Versed