| “ | You're either Nexus or You're against us. | „ |
| ~ Wade Barrett while leading the Nexus. |
| “ | Can I have some decorum, please? | „ |
| ~ Bad News Barrett |
| “ | I'm afraid I've got some Bad News! | „ |
| ~ Bad News Barrett. |
Wade Barrett (also known as Bad News Barrett, King Barrett and Cosmic King) is a wrestler working for the WWE as a heel, or villain. He is well known for leading the stable known as the Nexus, and has also led the faction known as the Corre. He is currently a five-time Intercontinental Champion.
Debut and the Nexus
Wade Barrett was originally a rookie on NXT, and would lead an upheaval with his fellow NXT members to form the Nexus. The group would debut in June 2010 by attacking CM Punk and John Cena.
Their attacks continued in an effort to coerce the WWE in to giving them contracts in the main roster. The Anonymous Raw General Manager gave them their contracts as they demanded, although the attacks would continue.
Barrett and his gang would compete in their first match together against the ever valiant John Cena, who sought to oust the group single-handedly. Six of the seven members of the Nexus, including Barrett, would face Cena in a six on one Handicap match, defeating Cena via pinfall.
Darren Young was absent due to his storyline injuries at the hands of Cena. At SummerSlam, Barrett would lead the Nexus in to a seven on seven tag team match that his team would lose after he tapped to Cena's STF. He would then challenge Randy Orton along with four other men in a six man elimination match for the WWE title, but would lose despite pinning Cena.
Barrett would once again defeat Cena, per the stipulation that if Cena lost, he would have to join the Nexus. He then forced Cena to assist him in his quest for Orton's WWE title, with the agreement being that if Barrett lost, Cena would be fired. Barrett would win the match via DQ, but Cena was still fired. After attacking various members of the Nexus, Cena was rehired by Barrett begrudgingly. Barrett would once again face Orton for the WWE title at Survivor Series, only to come up short, ending his feud with the Viper. His feud with Cena would also end the next month at WWE TLC, where he lost to Cena in a Chairs match.
The Corre and Intercontinental Championship
Wade Barrett returned in January only to find that the Nexus had been taken over by CM Punk, who gave Barrett the opportunity to reclaim his stable if he could win a triple threat steel cage number one contender's match against Randy Orton and Sheamus, but he lost this match due to interference from CM Punk himself. Thus Barrett would go to SmackDown and form the Corre with Heath Slater, Justin Gabriel and Ezekial Jackson, who remained loyal to him despite him being removed from the Nexus.
He would then go on to win the Intercontinental Championship from Kofi Kingston in March 2011, and would hold the title till June. He would retain the title against Kofi on SmackDown, and would then feud with his former follower Ezekial Jackson after the latter was removed from the group for his dissonant behavior. He would retain the title against Jackson two times via disqualification and countout, but would eventually lose it to him in June. The Corre would end after Barrett abandoned Slater and Gabriel in a tag team match.
Barrett soon formed a more independent attitude, going rogue and abandoning all thought of relying on a faction again. He would then attempt to make a name for himself by reentering his old feud with Randy Orton. Barrett would eliminate Randy Orton at Survivor Series 25 in a traditional five on five tag team elimination match, earning his team the victory.
His feud with Orton would continue to WWE TLC, where he faced Orton in a losing effort in a Tables match. He would once again come out on the losing side of things after Orton RKO'd him on to a car. Barrett would have his retribution, however, when he threw Orton down a flight of stairs, causing Orton to suffer from a herniated disc. When Orton returned, he ended their feud by defeating Barrett in a No Disqualification match.
Barrett would participate in the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber match for the World Heavyweight Championship in early 2012, but would miss WrestleMania after a dislocated elbow sidelined him for seven months. After returning, he would once again be on the winning team at Survivor Series, where he eliminated his old rival and current Intercontinental Champion Kofi Kingston.
He would face Kofi for the gold at his third TLC event in a losing effort. He would finally claim the title from Kingston in the final Raw of 2012. Four months later at Wrestlemania 29, the Miz Became the Intercontinental Champion by using the Four Figure Leg Lock (adopted by Ric Flair) on Barrett, only for Barrett to win it back the next night to become a three time Intercontinental champion. But then he lost the title to Curtis Axel at WWE Payback.
After an absence from WWE television due to legitimate work visa issues, he returned on the 2 December episode of Raw as Bad News Barrett, a persona he had previously assumed on The JBL and Cole Show, but was still called Wade on occasion by commentators and backstage interviewers.
He made his in-ring return on the 7 April Raw, defeating Rey Mysterio. On the 14 April episode of Raw, Barrett defeated Dolph Ziggler in round one of the #1 Contender's Tournament for an Intercontinental Championship match at Extreme Rules and on the 21 April Raw, Barrett defeated Sheamus to advance to the finals of the tournament. He defeated Rob Van Dam on the 28 April Raw in the final round of the tournament, earning a match at Extreme Rules for the Intercontinental Championship against Big E.
At Extreme Rules he became the Intercontinental Champion for the fourth time in his career when he defeated Big E. He then defeated Rob Van Dam at Payback to retain his Intercontinental Championship. On the 9 June Raw, he competed in a WWE World Heavyweight Championship Qualifying Match for the Money in the Bank pay-per-view, but failed after a Brogue Kick by Sheamus.
However, Triple H put him in the Money in the Bank ladder match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship contract on the 23 June Raw. The following night at the SmackDown tapings, Barrett separated his shoulder after he was thrown into the barricade by Jack Swagger, so he was pulled from the pay-per-view. Michael Cole subsequently announced that Barrett's injury will require surgery and he will be forced out of action for a number of months, effectively stripping him of the Intercontinental Championship.
Five Time...Five Time...Five Time...Five Time...Five Time WWE INTERCONTINENTAL CHAMPION!
After a 5 month absence, he returned in November at Survivor Series, in a segment on the pre-show. He returned to action on the 29 December edition of Raw, defeating Cesaro, turning face for the 1st time in his career. However the following week on Raw, he captured his fifth Intercontinental Championship the following week on Raw when he defeated Dolph Ziggler in a 2-out-of-3 falls match turning heel again in the process.
After, he change his name Bad News Barrett to King Barrett, he proclaimed himself the only king of the WWE, and no one else is a king only him.
Trivia
- Wade Barrett has a 0-3 record at TLC: Tables, Ladders, & Chairs.
- He is a five time Intercontinental Champion.