Former WWE creative writer Kevin Eck recently wrote an article in which he talks about his time as a writer for the company, in where he specifically says that he pitched five storylines that ended up being rejected for reasons unknown. Here’s one of them:
Faction Of Former Indy Stars Invades WWE (2012)
As the historic 1,000th episode of “Raw” was approaching, each member of the creative team was asked to come up with a major storyline that would begin on that show. My pitch was to create an edgy, new heel faction composed of top developmental prospects Ambrose (I was determined to get him on the main roster in a meaningful way one way or another), Seth Rollins and Kassius Ohno (aka Chris Hero).

It was my spin on The Nexus, a heel stable of developmental wrestlers who invaded WWE in 2010. After a hot start, The Nexus fell victim to questionable booking and lasted just more than a year before being disbanded.
My idea began with former ECW star Tommy Dreamer being named the head of WWE’s scouting department. As someone who paid his dues on the independent scene and didn’t have the traditional WWE look, Dreamer’s goal was to give guys with similar qualities an opportunity.
On “Raw 1,000,” Dreamer would formally announce Ambrose, Rollins and Ohno were now part of the WWE roster. They would go on to compete that night in a six-man tag match against three lower-card heels and go over in impressive fashion.
After the match, Ambrose, Rollins and Ohno would call Dreamer into the ring, seemingly to thank him for what he’s done for them. Instead, they turn on him and deliver a brutal, three-on-one beat-down to the lovable veteran.

On the following week’s show, they explain that they just used Dreamer to get their foot in the door in WWE. They say Dreamer wanted them to work their way up the card and do things the right way, but they’re not going to play by his rules. They reveal that their leader is someone with a background like theirs who knows success is achieved by any means necessary: Bryan (who was a heel at that time).
As it turned out, the big angle we went with on “Raw 1,000” was CM Punk turning heel on The Rock. Several months later it was decided Punk, who was WWE champion at the time, would get three guys from developmental to become his henchmen and help him retain the title. I suggested my trio of Ambrose, Rollins and Ohno to Triple H in a booking meeting.
Triple H said he already had Ambrose and Rollins in mind, but instead of Ohno, he wanted Roman Reigns, and thus The Shield was born.

You can read the others here.