On the following Raw, John Cena was paired with Michael Tarver. After their match, Cena attacked Tarver. Barrett said they were going to get rid of Tarver anyways. Cena said he would destroy Nexus from the inside but the mystery GM said that Cena was a member of Nexus now and he would either take orders from Barrett or be fired. During a #1 contender battle royal later that night, Barrett ordered Cena to eliminate himself when it came down to them. At Bragging Rights, Cena and Otunga won the WWE Tag Team Championship by defeating Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre. The rest of the Nexus also helped Kane defeat The Undertaker in a buried alive match later that night. Barrett defeated Randy Orton in the main event match for the WWE Championship by disqualification from John Cena which caused him not to win the championship. Slater and Gabriel won the Tag Team Championship on the next Raw when Barrett ordered Otunga to lie down and be pinned on purpose. Barrett also said that Michael McGillicutty and Husky Harris had become official member of Nexus. Cena defeated Orton in the main event match by disqualification from Barrett. Barrett was allowed to chose a special guest referee for his WWE Championship rematch against Orton at Survivor Series and he chose Cena. He said if Cena didn't make sure he won, Cena would be fired from the WWE but if Barrett did win, Cena would be able to leave the Nexus. Otunga led Harris, Slater, Gabriel and McGillicutty and they invaded SmackDown where they interrupted a match between Edge and Alberto Del Rio. They were defeated in the main event 10-man tag team match by Edge, Del Rio, Big Show, Kane and Kofi Kingston. Barrett wasn't happy with Otunga's decision to invade SmackDown and he forced Otunga to defend his spot in the group the next week. Otunga successfully defended his spot in the group when he defeated Edge in a lumberjack match, after an interference from Kane. Orton defeated Barrett at Survivor Series to keep his WWE Championship. Cena was later fired from the WWE and left Nexus.