I Against I [RELOADED]

(I affectionately refer to this post as “RELOADED” because of the issues getting the Youtube links to actually take intially when this went up. I take pride in providing good content to go along with (hopefully) good writing; so the lack of that rather upset me. With that set, I hope you enjoy the blog post the way it was meant to be read. Have great one, I strive for quality control – Management)

“I-ya/ I against I/ flesh of my flesh and mind of my mind/ two of a kind but one won’t survive/ my images reflect in the enemies eye/ and his images reflect in mine the same time.”

Been getting a lot of questions lately since my Resistance Pro debut about how I went from this…..

Wild-mannered Sugar Dunkerton...

to this….

Resistance Pro's future tag team champions, Lock-Up. A much saltier Sugar D on the left, Aaron Epic on the right.

SHOCK.

GASP.

AWE.

What can I tell you? I aim to cause cardiac arrests.

But it leads me to the subject matter of our blog this day. Why can change be such a scary thing? Once you start bending the rules of what is engrained; grounded people can become irrational and unhinged. Isn’t that life however? No forevers or constants? The only promise being the promise of change. No memos, carrier pigeons, telegrams, texts, or psychic messages.

Get with the program or get gone.

Wrestling has GOT to be one of the best examples in terms of a fanbase who lives by “if it ain’t broke etc etc etc…”. As vocal as they can be about what they don’t like; sudden changes go about as well as death metal at a Baptist revival.

“Sugar, you don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I don’t? -Ahem-

1. JBL’s title reign

2. Get the “F” out (WWE’s name rebranding).

3. John Cena: From “Word Life” to “Serious, Never Give Up, Main Eventer”

4. The Roster Split

5. Brodus Clay: Monster Big Man to Dancing Dinosaur

List goes on and on. Some complaints are warranted, others not so much. My point being that without change, we enter a new realm defined as “stagnant”.

stag·nant/ stagnənt/ Adjective;

• Showing no activity; dull and sluggish: “a stagnant economy”.

So when I was approached by Resistance about the idea of Lock-UP, I wasn’t sure how to handle it or think on it. It wasn’t a change I was interested in on the surface. I can’t stand stereotypes. I’d like to think people are how they are and while they may be funny to laugh at or poke at, a life being defined as one can be  insulting. Wrestling especially hasn’t been kind to most African-Americans in terms of portrayal. Hell, a lot of nationalities for that matter. When you plot a gimmick around race as the BASIS instead of the character as the basis and their race as a support, then offense and lack of feeling for the character often follow. So when I decided I was going to take on a basketball gimmick and later, a racier prisoner persona, I always made sure to go into these with ONE thing in mind.

“I want them to see a basketball player/wrestler/prisoner first. It just so happens I’m black.”

I’d like to say it’s been mission accomplished no matter how you see me. I also want to assure that my wholesomeness and dedication to entertain hasn’t been compromised because of my moonlighting as a prisoner of KOA Penitentiary. Did Denzel suddenly stop being an incredible actor because he did dirt in Training Day? Or perhaps the late Heath Ledger lost all of his pretty boy status the moment he did his iconic portrayal of The Joker in The Dark Knight. Both of these MASTERS of their craft not only won Oscars for their work, but they challenged everything we thought we knew about their abilities. In the process, they even challenged themselves. The change you started out hating became a standard you’d never accept anything less than now.

I’ve always hated when any performer finds a formula and gets lazy. They lose the fire to better themselves and ultimately, create a better experience for the eyes fixated on them and the hearts waiting to be sent into a frenzy.

So when a packed house at The Excalibur stopped seeing me as a smiling, slapstick cartoon of a wrestler and got behind an intense, sharp, caged animal of an imprisoned scraper fighting for eventual freedom; voices in unison as they chanted for our performance as we were being chained back up like wild dogs….it changes what you know you’re capable of. There is no “act” as one telling of Sugar vs the other. They are all sides, thoughts, and emotions of the same soul who’s writings you’re reading. It’s the layers that separate the guys who fill holes on cards vs. the ones who actually stand out. They saw a change that they couldn’t deny once they accepted it.

If all you see is a strut or an orange jumpsuit, look closer. The nuances and details are what breathe life into content. There are heels and then there is William Regal. For my Regal fans out there, you know why he’ll live on as one of your favorite villains and it’s not because he played it safe with the material he was given. He ran with it. Even when he was a good guy, he made a hell of a good guy and it was a change we welcomed.

As a performer or looking on at this art, change is what leads us to new frontiers and grand experiences that surpass the ones we knew. We can’t fear a new take on an idea we’ve grown comfortable with and I never knew a time when our business thrived on being boring. Challenge yourself. As a fan, open your mind to like something unless it’s obvious no care has been put into the change. As a performer, taking that unknown step may be the step on the gas pedal needed to carry you to the next level. Have the guts to make that move. Scared money don’t make none and history isn’t written by the wusses of this world.

!~RANDOM SHOUTS~!

– I’d like to give shouts to newest #KOA member TAKA Suzuki (@takasuzuki1real on ze’ Twitter). Ken Scampi and Bill Carr of Team TREMENDOUS, and Beyond Wrestling for allowing this match below to have happened. Most fun I’ve had this year and I’m so pleased at the response this has gotten as a whole. This year has really been about letting go and just GOING FOR IT in my matches lately, be it serious or fun, and with results like this; I’d say that mantra is what I needed. I have received questions about it and YES, myself and TAKA are available for bookings as RUSH HOUR (yes, original I know. So is every other thought in wrestling :p) and we look forward to turning out a ring near you. Enjoy guys!

-Upcoming shows for me including AIW‘s April 6th event “Straight Outta Compton” vs ACH, Gary Jay, and Eric Ryan; HWA‘s Heartland Cup tournament on April 20th & 21st; Midwest Wrestling on April 22nd which will feature the first LIVE edition of the Halfcourt Lounge, & I AM confirmed for AIW’s JT Lightning tournament on May 11th & May 12th which should be quite the field! Come check me out and those are just a few of the dates I’ve got going on. More in the future and in between!

– Special shout and good will going towards my dude, Uhaa Nation (Give the sensation a shout over on @UhaaNation). Jonathan Gresham was always high on Nation, telling me that if he ever got a real chance, he’d blow the wrestling’s mind. He did just that on a faithful day in Indiana during Dragon Gate’s tryouts and not only impressed, but went on a tear that encompassed DGUSA, overseas for Dragon Gate, CZW, EVOLVE, and others. Most of all, he’s a humble soul with a real love for this business. His work ethic is insane and it hurts to hear about his DGUSA injury coupled with the fact that he will see nearly a year of inactivity due to it.

Some guys are blessed with tools, but lack the heart for you to care if they make it or not. No question about the heart on Nation. He wants it and I expect him to be back on a tear like no other when his body is ready for it. From a fellow Down South Georgia Boy who could see what all the hype was about in the PERSON, not just the matches, you need to get back and soon. I’m sure it won’t just be me that’d agree, daddy-o. Best wishes.

Well, no rest for the big-haired. Another blog another time with more thoughts, more stories, and definitely more reason for you to stay tuned to the escapades of a cat with a dream ya just can’t suffocate. Truth be told, even for the people that don’t want it for me, I want success more than I want to breath…so watch me work.:)

Later.

-Dunks

Shedding Light on Shadow

You may have recently seen this video pop up on the internet for the EWF’s(http://www.ewfarena.com) X8 tournament in Converse, Indiana…..

A word about this one.

This was filmed at my home. The street I talk about where I got left laying is a real one and the only non-factuals in that promo was the name “Chad Burke”. I’m good friends with “his” sister, so I didn’t want naming him to ruin any goodwill we’ve got going. Shortly after letting the world know of this promo, @HitTheRopes on Twitter made a touching set of tweets…

@HitTheRopes: “Watching @sugardunkerton‘s video http://bit.ly/ygyBeF and I immediately thought that the WWE would probably love it for their B A Star stuff. 

On a serious note, it was a damn good promo from@sugardunkerton. Ya need to check it out http://bit.ly/ygyBeF“

Thanks. And for anybody that this promo spoke to on a personal level, I’m happy it did.

In life, you WILL be judged for chasing for positives and negatives. Period. No getting around it. I’m fortunate enough to be at a place in my life where I can look back at situations like this and those that try to create situations like this for me and work through it. NEVER let anyone enjoy that kind of power over you in the chase for your dream. Even now, I’m aware of guys older, more experienced, and supposedly tougher that don’t have the guts to say what they mean about me; to me. Schoolgirl stuff. Questioning my position, stature (lack thereof? :P), and HEART for what I do. That’s a laugh. The joke gets funnier when those are the cats who will never see those stamps on their passport. Never see those sights I’ve been blessed to see. More importantly, they don’t have the heart or general POSITIVE ENERGY to touch souls and motivate the way they could if they weren’t so caught up in “girl talk”.

For all my failures and successes, I take accountability for it all. Whether I soar to heights above the clouds or crash and burn in a heap, I can say I wasn’t scared to see how far down the rabbit hole we can go. I pray if you’re reading this, you let nothing stop you in the pursuit of leaving your stamp on this world. You will be tested, tried, and talked about every step in the way; but it’s the success that supersedes all of it if you’re brave enough to weather the storm.

I look out at so many people I’ve met and I talk to. You’re all beautiful stars, shine brightly and I hope what you’ve seen there in that above video is more than just words. It’s a true story that you can make it and defy expectation with the right spirit.

With that said, I look forward to seeing you guys this Saturday at EWF’s X8 Tournament. Load of great talent on the card and looking to be a near sellout if not a plain sellout come show day.

The official poster for EWF's X8 tournament, March 17th in Converse, Indiana. http://www.ewfarena.com

Also, I appreciate the support from you guys as I delve into a different play on my character with Resistance Pro under the “Lock-Up” tag team with my partner and good friend, Aaron Epic. I’ll have my tales of that adventure and my feelings on such a drastic change in character in a future blog. For now, sleep sounds like a good idea.

Shine bright guys, you were meant to. Lets drive the lane hard in 2012!

-DUNKS

 

RESISTANCE to Change

You should watch this first before we continue. I’ll wait.

Good? Okay then.

People get funny when talk of change comes up. Usually you’re on one side or the other; resist or make the movement. We are each our own person and we gotta make our own choices as to which changes to battle and which ones to succumb to. The foolish ones are those who think they NEVER have to change.

Newsflash. You can’t escape it or help it. Comfort levels have expiration dates like anything else. You don’t have to make the change with everything, but you WILL have to do it on some level.

Which brings me to our little excerpt from “Layer Cake”. Change frightens people because they’re not sure what layer of the cake they’re gonna end up on. I’ve also noticed some are too scared to make the change to rise higher on the cake. Maybe they’re just used to their level. Who knows?

So here I am. Sitting in front of this Macbook with Kendrick Lamar’s “Section.80” album for mood music (if you’re late to the dance, find a copy. Most refreshing thing out of the Cali rap game yet) thinking about the changes I’ve gone through in my own life. Some I chose and some chosen for me. I lost a lot of things headed into 2012 and initially; I was angered at the thought of the things I knew being taken away. Then time passed. I stopped looking at the now and looked at what was ahead and answers became clear.

You can’t make space for the new without pushing out the old 😉 then you realize something with that change. The things you lose can and do get replaced; oftentimes better than what you had, but it’s all based on if you got the guts to know that you can have what was and then some. With that said, 2012 has been such a self-discovery as to who I am, what I want, and what else I can accomplish. I’m still as hungry as ever, but the focus isn’t as reckless as it once was. Yes folks, more than my hair has grown. This year is gonna be full of accomplishments and hard work for that next level in the layer cake, but with the sensibility to enjoy the little things and the special people around me who nurture and support me beyond those ropes. Not ashamed to say my personal life plagued me with situations I created for myself and others people created for me. That time is over.

So if you’re out there reading this and wondering when your change is gonna come, here’s your indication. It’s happening as soon as you make it. YOU are the fuse. Now spark it.

The worst of times included:

-A person I was so close with turning into someone I don’t know or care to know anymore.

-A close friend of mine betraying trust in a major way.

-Working 3 jobs just to be broke.

-Sitting on the verge of calling it quits for a business that I’ve loved forever.

-General self-doubt in my own being

-The loss of my dear friend, Brittany Berry.

It felt like one thing after another. Yet here we are. Money in the bank (shawty what ya drank), a site and movement in Brittany’s honor (Do It For Brittany), finding out just how strong some wonderful friendships and people have run in my life, and just learning to appreciate things on a level I didn’t know I could. No dark clouds, just new goals 🙂 I’m still here and I’m hoping if you got ills in your life, you’ll push to overcome too.

And I owe so much of it to you. Yea, you. Scrolling down this post as we speak. You kept me going. Cheered me on, texted me, Facebooked me, emailed me, hung out with me, whatever you had to do to make sure your mark on me was positive. You pushed me to change that I NEEDED. You’ve shown me a better way. I’m motivated to make something happen because of you. And I will.

So with all the deeply introspective uber-personal type stuff out the way, lets talk some other issues yes?

–

RESISTANCE Pro's Vicious Circle on 2/17!

I’m rather excited for RESISTANCE Pro. Can’t even lie. They were the perfect segue-way regarding my talk about changes. There’s something so very different about the kind of company RESISTANCE is, helping it stand out like the CHIKARA Pro’s and Beyond Wrestling’s of the world. From the talent they use to the way they carry themselves, it’s something worth watching. People have been commenting for a bit at how my general style in the ring has grown and matured. My travels and a pair of open ears have opened up some new ways of doing what I love. Outlets like Beyond Wrestling’s Tournament for Tomorrow, EVOLVE 9, and others have been slowly trickling out more and more of my capabilities. RESISTANCE may end up seeing them unleashed and in a way the world may not be expecting. If there was ever a time to display the changes I’ve been speaking and writing about, Chicago will be the place.

Make sure you bring yourself early for the meet and greet they’ve got on deck as well! I know a lot of you have been asking when I’d be on my way back to Chi-town and this would be that time. Lets take advantage and share some positive vibes yea?

-Good riddance to SOPA & PIPA. I get what they were TRYING to do; you just can’t leave yourself that kinda room in the writing to recreate “1984” (Orwell mentions in a Sugar D blog….NO WAY!?!?) on the internet. I propose my own bill for that whole situation. I call it, “Let’s not and say we did”. Any takers?

-I gotta say, the NBA has really turned it up since doing this accelerated season to make up for the lockout. You’re really getting a sense for who’s out to play these days. In keeping with the change theme, the powerhouse “old guards” of the Celtics and the Lakers don’t look like the usual locks to win everytime anymore. It’s looking like a really open frontier for hoops this season and playoff time is gonna be rather on point.

–EWF’s X8 Tournament will be taking place March 17th in Converse, Indiana. Get your tickets ASAP and please believe I’m looking mad forward to show some more Midwest love. This would also mark my first tournament of 2012 so I’m hoping to make a strong accounting for myself. Lets see what kind of tricks I’ve got up my sleeves (or would it be wristbands?) for this one.

Check out my words for the tournament.

-You are bound to know people who don’t know how to do “simple”. Complicated is what they do and it may drive you up the wall. My advice? If there brand of complicated don’t lead to ANYTHING productive, why dedicate the energy? Your sanity is a precious resource and is also subject to damage beyond repair, ya dig? Keep that in mind the next time you do a 12 round argument with a fool.

-Billy Roc’s “School Of Roc: Class Wars”. Watch and support this program.

I’ve had the pleasure of wrestling Billy Roc at Dragon Gate’s Indianapolis event last year. He’s as nice as he is talented, which he has in abundance. With that said, I’ve had the pleasure of crossing paths with many of his students and I’ve been impressed with their general work ethic and pure potential. This show will hopefully give you a glimpse into that.

-A word before Valentine’s Day. If one day on the calendar is the best you’ve got when it comes to showing how much you love someone, rethink your strategy.

Like any exercise or talent, it takes repetition and a performance stronger than the last to be done correctly. Don’t wait to be given an okay to do so. I’ve never heard “just because” being a reason why someone got mad at a grand gesture by their loved one. So I hope the couples, soon to be couple, singles, and those of the awkward relationship status find their way of enjoying V-Day. I’d hope they just find ways of doing it more consistently. Now go put on some Barry White and do something inappropriate!

Sugar Dunkerton is not responsible for any repercussions of said inappropriate behavior.

-Big thank you to www.barbershopwindow.com for carrying my lovely “Fresh Since 85” shirt! It was great working with them on the project and if you’re a fan of wrestling and WELL put together shirts, you wanna sink some coin into The Barbershop Window. Check em’ out.

-I made a comment on a recent PWPonderings.com podcast (Get your listen on HERE) where I let it be known that some of the idols and inspirations I’ve come to meet during my travels weren’t all they were cracked up to be. Some for better, some for worse.

It’s a funny thing when you reach heights that you’ve been clawing for. Oftentimes, you get an image in your head of what the view would look like. So to reach that peak and realize the view was a waste of the effort can be a crushing thing. So as a word to the “worse” I’ve met on my travels; if your love is lacking to the point where you place yourself above what happens between the ropes, the fans who put money into you, and the decency to show general respect to those that respect you…why are you here? What purpose do you serve?

You not only ruin what the game is about; you ruin the feeling for those who look up to you. The future who wants to achieve and hopefully surpass the groundwork you laid. The irony is, some of the cats I speak of are bitter at the guys coming up in the business; yet have themselves to blame for being the crappy example they had to look up to. Set an example. Create positive change via your own action. Inspire.

-Get well Jesse Sorenson and Dustin Rayz. Not much detail to get into on that one.

-Guess I’m signing off by saying that in a few days time, I add another year to my life. I’m excited for it and above all I feel good in a way I didn’t know I could. Still hungry, still strong, and getting BETTER instead of older. There were things that were and now they’re not. I’m okay with that. You can only deal with what’s in your circle after all right? Enjoy the hand you’ve been dealt until the next one comes your way. That’s EXACTLY what I intend to do and i hope you intend to do the same. I got faith that you can. As usual, keep up with my escapades on the ol’ Twitter and keep supporting me. I’m a great return on that kind of investment 😉

And now I leave you with this….

You may wonder what the heck that has to do with this blog. Well, absolutely nothing at all. I just find it amusing. Besides, DO YOU SEE THOSE DANCES MOVES ON FLYNT FLOSSY?!

-Moonwalks out of frame-

-DUNKS