Beyond Wrestling is hosting one of its biggest weekends of the year this coming weekend, when it presents Tournament For Tomorrow 4 on November 28th & 29th from Fete Music Hall in Providence, RI.
While most accept Americanrana as the biggest show Beyond presents every year, Tournament For Tomorrow may be equally as important, as it turns its focus towards the future of Beyond Wrestling. This year, with Beyond running two tournaments over the course of two nights, it may have the largest impact of any show Beyond has run this year.
I’ve been lucky enough to conduct interviews with multiple TFT4 participants, and as we head into this weekend, my final TFT4 interview is with the leader of the Crusade For Change, Darius Carter. CFC has certainly left its mark on TFT4, even before the tournament had begun, with their refusal to remain in the tag team tournament, instead spreading their ranks throughout the four singles contests.
In the interview below, Darius explains his reasoning behind making that decision, as well as the purpose of announcing that decision via social media, and without notifying Beyond Wrestling owner Drew Cordeiro of his intentions.
Tim: Crusade For Change chose to remove themselves from the Tag Team Tournament, and focus instead on the Singles Tournament. 4 Entries versus 2 makes sense, but with the winners of each singles block moving on to a fatal four way on Sunday night, any thoughts or concerns on potential friction if more than one CFC member advances to that final?
Darius: Thoughts? Always. Concerns? Non-existent. I’ve been saying “United we stand, divided we conquer”, and that is far more than a simple catchphrase: it is our direct approach to the Tournament For Tomorrow 4 (#TFT4). As you alluded to, taking four individuals & granting them only two slots is simply illogical, unless of course you have bias against them, which is clearly notable through history on Beyond Wrestling’s behalf. We will not be turned against each other as Beyond surely desires; we in fact are fully prepared to have a competitive Fatal 4 Way contest if/when said situation presents itself. The entry of my Crusade in the #TFT4 is not so much about the individual as it is about the group; victory in our camp is a MUST, and we’ll do as necessary to secure the crown.
Tim: With 4 entrants in the Singles field, CFC certainly has the odds in their favor, and you’ve all stated that if one of you wins, all of you win. Should one of you be victorious, what then becomes the goal for CFC in Beyond Wrestling? You’d certainly have quite a bit of power after a victory of that magnitude.
Darius: That is the question, isn’t it? Many seem to wonder exactly what my Crusade For Change would mean if we did gain the notoriety we’ve fought for so vehemently for so long. Contrarily to what people may believe, our victory here would merely be the beginning. With the Crusade For Change in power, we would bring back the traditional concepts that truly brought attention to Beyond Wrestling in the first place. Expect the Point System to return, alongside proper utilization of our marketing/advertising, focusing more on homegrown talent versus outside names to collect on the immediate dollar. Long term vs. short term; it is simple business thinking. For now, let us say that my Crusade would hit the “Reset Button” on Beyond Wrestling, building it from the ground back up to restore promotional individuality & realize new levels of popularity/acclaim.
Tim: Crusade For Change suffered what many felt was a monumental loss back in May in War Games. There was speculation that CFC had failed in their efforts in Beyond Wrestling, however, CFC has seemingly come back as determined and united as ever. What was the group’s mindset after that encounter, and has that match shaped or changed CFC’s goals in Beyond Wrestling since?
Darius: As leader, I can affirm that we as a collective were actually quite proud of our performances on that night. Sure, the record books will say we lost, but upon evaluating the match, did we truly? We entered War Games – the first in Beyond Wrestling history, may I add – with a 5-on-4 advantage due to Dave Cole’s injury from the “Team Original” camp. By the match’s end, we had faced SEVEN opponents, three of which were obviously not even booked for the event itself, let alone the match. One of those individuals was RETIRED, mind you! Our opposition needed a 2-man advantage to defeat us; where is the shame in that? If anything, my Crusade only gained confidence from that match. It only did us good, and in some circles of consideration, did more for us as a group than winning with the advantage would have.
Tim: In your promo explaining the thought process behind exiting the tag tournament and instead entering as 4 individuals, you seemed to truly enjoy shaking up Beyond Wrestling’s original plans. Is that fair to say, and if so, why? It seemed there was more to the decision than simply trying to increase the odds of CFC being victorious, and that you relished the ability to throw a wrench into Drew Cordeiro’s original plan.
Darius: Astute question. Yes, it is fair to say I enjoy “shaking things up” in Beyond Wrestling, because that is precisely what we’re about. We are about bringing not just change, but change that is absolutely necessitous. We are driven by reason & purpose. Again, taking four capable individuals & granting them half as many positions in what could be the most prominent Independent tournament in the Northeast is a direct insult; my response was only right given the situation. We have been given so little in the grand scheme of things in comparison to what we’ve given ourselves, so yes, I enjoy utilizing the power I do have to make adjustments where I see fit. I have competed for Beyond Wrestling for over five years; one thing I am most certainly entitled to is decision-making regarding my trajectory in the promotion, as well as that of my Crusade For Change. We EARNED that right, and Beyond Wrestling cannot take that away from us.
Tim: Is the CFC currently scouting/recruiting? Are there any stars of Beyond Wrestling or elsewhere that CFC is looking to potentially add to their ranks?
Darius: To firstly answer, yes. Look around you. My Crusade For Change stretches past Beyond Wrestling, as do my connections, resources & overall influence. I am constantly evaluating my team to ensure the right players are in the game, and make no mistake; ALL current members of my Crusade have more than earned their keep. TJ Marconi is the largest competitor on the Beyond Wrestling roster and, like myself, has proven his adaptability to the times. The M1nuteMen are the most dynamic, fluid Tag Team in the promotion today. As for Dany Only, he is my Wild Card; when we have to “dig into the dirt” for success, I call upon him. Everyone has earned their place. As for the latter question: why would I tell you who I have my eye on? Nonsensical. I will pass on this question.
Tim: Fair enough. A couple general questions. What would you say has been the biggest moment of your career to this point?
Darius: Moment-wise, it has to be the War Games Main Event at “The Real Thing”. Not only did we follow Samoa Joe’s Beyond Wrestling debut – at a time where he was white-hot, mind you – this was also my first Beyond Wrestling Main Event since the promotion debuted at the Fete Music Arena. This is why I keep the promotional banner as my Twitter banner, because the match itself was so important to myself & my progress altogether not just in Beyond, but in wrestling as a whole. We truly made history that night, and no matter what lies ahead in my career, I’ll never forget what we accomplished on May 31st, 2015. By winning the #TFT4, I hope to at least match this moment, and utilize the crown to elevate me to the position of prominence I’ve worked so irrefutably to have.
Tim: Do you have a dream match/opponent you’d like to step inside the ring against?
Darius: To be honest, I do not. There are a myriad of individuals I’d like to compete with – ranging from Drew Galloway to Zack Sabre Jr. – but I cannot genuinely say I have one “Dream Match”. I appreciate viable competition, and I certainly have a particular style I prefer to engage in, but I ultimately aim to be as versatile & well-versed as possible. It is my responsibility to myself to improve with each & every match, so different opponents obviously make that process all the easier. Grow. Adapt. Evolve. Period.
Tim: Any final thoughts you’d like to leave for the fans coming to Fete Music in Providence, RI for TFT4?
Darius: Well, let’s take this into consideration: the Tournament For Tomorrow concept has had three installments (four if you wish to count the TFT316, which is your decision to make) & I have competed in, truthfully, only one (again, disregarding the sidekick TFT316; my #TFT316 bout alongside TJ Marconi vs. The Kimber Bombs was ultimately a travesty & will be kept to the side). The #TFT I do consider is the Tournament For Tomorrow II, where I had a bye in the 1st Round, yet STILL had to face Aaron Epic, the man who won the inaugural #TFT. I defeated him, and then proceeded to face Green Ant in Round II with a knee injury entering the bout caused by Epic. This would cost me the match AND the tournament altogether. The clear point is that I have been held back from the crown due to shenanigans/chicanery in the past, but this year, the glass ceiling gets shattered. From going toe-to-toe with Matt Tremont at “King of Arts” to leading my Crusade into War Games, from testing the mettle of reigning EVOLVE Champion Timothy Thatcher to being the 1st man to literally TAKE OVER the Fete Music Arena at Americanrana ’15, I have made 2015 my most successful year yet. Come the 28th, the #TFT4 will be the feather in my cap. It will be the icing on my cake, and I’ll get to eat it as well. My time has come, and I have surrounded myself with loyalists to ensure there is no tomfoolery. The crown is mine. The time for change is NOW.
A special thanks to all the Beyond Wrestling talent for allowing PWP Nation to cover the “Tournament 4 Tomorrow” shows this weekend in Providence, Rhode Island!