David Otunga Discusses John Cena Changing the Finish for Match at WWE SummerSlam, the Lost Nexus Documentary

During a recent interview with Muscle Man Malcolm on Muscle Memory, former WWE Superstar and Harvard Law School graduate, David Otunga, discussed The Nexus’ Elimination Match against Team WWE at SummerSlam 2010. The match saw John Cena as the lone winner, beating The Nexus (Wade Barrett, David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, Darren Young, Skip Sheffield, and Michael Tarver).

Originally, it was The Nexus who were scheduled to win the bout. However, it’s said that John Cena later had the finish changed, believing the fans needed to be sent home happy. According to Otunga, he found out about the finish being changed not long before going out for the match.

David Otunga also revealed that the lost documentary regarding The Nexus likely never got released as a result, and due to John Cena still having a lot of pull in WWE. Below are some highlights:

Otunga on Finding Out About the Finish Change at WWE SummerSlam

“I found out not too long before we went out for the match. And so, like all day, it had been us going over and then by the time it came down to go over the match one last time and just really talk about how things were going to go, the finish had changed. And obviously none of us were happy about that, and we were confused, like wait, really, cuz this isn’t this isn’t what was supposed to happen, you know, earlier. Oh, and then they told us, though that they were also making it the main event, and so we were going to be in the main event, which was news to us, but the reason was this. They said it was the hottest angle, which it was. That made sense. And the last, I don’t know if it was SmackDown, whatever the TV taping was right before that, where we had the standoff in the ring. I remember the guys there talking about — they don’t remember a louder ovation anywhere or just a louder crowd reaction than that. So clearly this needed to be the main event. So it was the main event, and then now they changed the ending, and there was one rumor floating around was that Vince decided he wanted to send the people home happy. Yeah, maybe. But also, the Nexus was Vince’s creation, his baby. Like we were his pack of wild dogs out there, and I mean, we know we know Cena asked as to go over or however that went. We know he had a partner. So this is this is not this is not a rumor. I was there. I lived this. I was tag team partners with John Cena. Great guy. But if we are telling you the truth. Okay. We are telling you the truth.”

David Otunga on Residual Tension With John Cena After SummerSlam

“Always. Are you kidding me? Yeah. Yeah, of course. Hey, why do you think they never brought the Nexus back? Why do you think they never released the Nexus documentary? John Cena still has a lot of pull there.”

On the Lost Nexus documentary

“It was completed, and then it ended up like they just finished it. I talked to the guy, one of the producers, and literally like the next day, two days later, he got fired. They all got fired. They got let go in COVID. But I had just talked to him, and man, this guy was telling me, he was like, ‘Yo, the documentary was so good.’ He’s like, ‘It was long, but they made us edit it down.’ He said he spent a whole day like doing this, got it to where they wanted it. He was telling me how fire my part was. He told me my interview was so good, they were saving me for last. Hey, I know I smoked it. I’ll be honest. But I was just happy that they appreciated it, too. They put me on last. I was the main event of the documentary, if you will. But anyway, now it’s not going to see the light of day. I think we should figure out how to get there. But it’s completed. They told me it’s completed.”

Otunga on Winning WWE Tag Team Titles for One Day With Cena

“See, it probably wasn’t as joyous of a moment as people would think like winning your first tag team title. Because I understood the storyline and where we were going where, you know, as Nexus, we we now have John Cena as one of our members. We’re kind of pushing him around. So, we win the titles, but then I knew I was going to lose it the next day. And so it’s more like I was part of the story. And don’t get me wrong, it’s an amazing accomplishment. Still, yeah, I’m very proud of it, but just personally, I didn’t feel like I’d earned it yet. Like I was going to have a championship run. Like the company trusted me to hold a title and run. I mean, I just got there. I was as green as grass, but it was awesome to be in there, you know, with John Cena and in this spot, don’t get me wrong. So, it was special for that. But in a way, the second reign was kind of more satisfying to myself because in it just to me personally, it just felt more legitimate.”

As previously reported, Otunga has also begun his own WWE YouTube channel, where he spoke at length about WWE’s contract issues and non-compete clauses.

If using any of the above quotes, please credit Muscle Memory, with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.