No one stood out quite like you in the inaugrual season of WWE NXT. Do you think you would have made the same impact in WWE if you weren't on season one?

I think I definitely would've had a lot of success, no matter how I was called up. The benefit of WWE NXT was that I could be compared against seven guys in the exact same position as me. Being on the show made it more obvious that I was above average in ability, and it also made it very clear that I had all the potential to become the next breakout Superstar in the WWE.

How nervous were you before WWE NXT debuted?

There were some nerves because we didn't know the format of the show or how it was going to work. We definitely felt like guinea pigs. So many things were thrown at us during the show itself, which subsequently led to us feeling a bit angry. The entire WWE Universe saw our reaction on Raw and in Fatal 4-Way.

Season one of WWE NXT was a learning process for everyone. If you had your way, what changes would you make to future seasons?

In subsequent seasons, I'd make the Rookies do all the challenges we had to do and worse. I no longer have to do them ever again, so I'm not looking at it from an entertainment point of view. My perspective is that we were humiliated, so why should they be treated differently?

You've led The Nexus during brutal beatdowns of John Cena, Bret Hart, and Mr. McMahon. How does The Nexus compare to factions from years past?

The thing with the Nexus is that we've come in from a completely different position. In terms of WWE history, it's very rare for the members of a faction to be practically brand new. Generally, factions begin with guys who are established in the business. From the very start, we felt that we needed to make a big impact to establish ourselves, and that was by going after the top dogs in the company.

Do you think it's safe to say that The Nexus can no longer be considered a bunch of Rookies?

I think the WWE Universe went from thinking of us all as Rookies to a group of guys who could develop into serious contenders. And we did it almost overnight. As far as I'm concerned, the impact we've had so far is certainly not something you would expect from Rookies. It's something you would expect from veterans. I'm not claiming we're veterans, but we're certainly beyond Rookies now.

Speaking of Rookies, whom would you bet on to win season two of WWE NXT?

Well, I'm not a man who bets, because I don't like to lose my money, but if I were a betting person, I'd say Michael McGillicutty, Alex Riley, or Kaval. Any one of those three can win it all.

Since arriving in WWE, what's been the best piece of advice you've been given, and who gave it to you?

The best advice given to me came from my Pro, Chris Jericho. He told me that I couldn't be just strong in one aspect of what I do. I needed to be the best in every aspect. My look, my microphone work, my in-ring ability, my demeanor, my character. I took his advice, and that's why I won. William Regal also gave me a hell of a lot of advice. I think in some ways he wished I was his protege. It would've been very interesting to work with him, but I drew the ace in the pack when I was paired with Chris Jericho.

The WWE NXT theme song still echoes in our minds. How tired are you of hearing "Wild and Young"?

I hated "Wild and Young" from week one of WWE NXT. I found it very humiliating to walk out to that song each week. I actually won my own theme music around week six, but it never turned up. I know all the lyrics to "Wild and Young"; they're burned into my brain after 15 weeks of WWE NXT, unfortunately.

You have unique entrance attire - a black overcoat that's punctuated with a flower. How did this ensemble come together?

The flowers I wear are always English roses, and I get them imported from England. They're very expensive. I only wear English roses because they're a symbol of class. Each one represents a different mood. As for the overcoat, I wear it to keep my muscles warm before a fight. I drape it over my shoulders so that if I get jumped, I can just throw it off, and deliver three punches before my opponent even knows what's up.

Lexis Nexus Wade Barrett utters the first word that comes to mind regarding his cohorts in The Nexus.

Michael Tarver: - Strange
Darren Young: - Technician
David Otunga: - Charisma
Skip Sheffield: - Power
Justin Gabriel: - Excitement
Heath Slater: - Ginger