411 Interviews: Darius Carter of Beyond Wrestling

Darius Carter is an up and coming professional wrestler from the northeast scene, and he is best known for his work in Beyond Wrestling.

TJ Hawke: In Beyond Wrestling, you used to be in a tag team with TJ Marconi, called The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. However, the two of you recently broke up, and you are now a singles wrestler in Beyond. Why did you no longer want to team with Marconi, and can you tell the readers a little about the “Ascension to Eminence”?

Darius Carter: The reason I didn’t wish to team with TJ Marconi anymore is simple: I deserved more. Together, Marconi and I competed in four tag team bouts, and managed to only win ONE. Worst of all, that victory came about in our FIRST bout as a tag team. That means that we dropped three matches together consecutively, which is entirely unacceptable in my book! Take into account that I have won 3 of my 5 Singles bouts in Beyond Wrestling – with one victory being over Jefferson Saint, and the two losses by way of ring veterans Chris Dickinson and Jonny Mangue – and the statistics speak for itself: I am simply better off on my own than by teaming with the likes of Marconi. Let us be honest, though; with or without statistical evidence, it is still clear as day that a man of my calibur is above-and-beyond being reduced to teaming with inane Neanderthols such as him. To put it nicely, TJ Marconi is a clumsy, slipshod panderer who would much rather “live in the moment” and take unnecessary risks just for a few cheers, than to come up with a game plan and actually strive to succeed. He was always perfectly content with losing as long as he “gave it his all, and everyone had a good time watching”, which is the exact problem with not just him, but the world altogether! People settle in mediocrity, and allow themselves to become complacent due to their own lack of ambition. I am “The Debonair Millionaire” Darius Carter! Ambition is the key word in my dictionary, not just in professional wrestling, and not just in the business world, but in life as we know it! You have to want more – no matter how much you already possess – and that is what puts me on a pedestal amongst my peers.

The best part about our break-up, though, is that it happened naturally. I didn’t turn on him and put him on the shelf; he took HIMSELF out with his own aforementioned reckless abandon and self-endangerment. Because of he and he alone, TJ Marconi had to undergo surgery on his spinal column towards the end of last year, and is now legitimately out-of-action for the foreseeable future. As far as we know, his career may very well be over, and I say good riddance! If he truly learned anything from his injury, he’ll have learned that his place is not at all within the four corners of a wrestling ring, but moreso along the lines of a party jester for children’s parties. He should hire a negotiator, though, because Marconi honestly couldn’t talk his way out of a paper bag with holes in it.

That brings us directly to the “Ascension of Eminence”, which is my self-titled campaign to the very top of the Beyond Wrestling mountain. Now that I am rightfully a Singles competitor, coming up with a brand-new blueprint to success was a given. So, I therefore devised the Ascension, and have since dug deeper in my studies of ALL who make up the Beyond Wrestling roster. I’ve used my opulence (wealth, for the uneducated) to uncover footage of each competitor, and though some have quite a bit more than others, I can say that what I’ve gathered thus far will certainly suffice. That’s what makes my “Ascension to Eminence” more than just some new punchline, and unlike any other self-named crusade in wrestling history; I have taken proper steps and formulated the right plans to give myself the right to come up with such a phrase, and if you keep your eyes and ears glued to Beyond Wrestling, I personally guarantee that you’ll be hearing more and more of it. Soon enough, it’ll be the headliner of all things Beyond, and I will let time itself prove it to you.

TJ: You mentioned your loss to Chris Dickinson, which happened at Gospel of the Boards. I just saw that match and I definitely thought that it was one of my favorite matches in Beyond’s history. What did you think of the match? What’s it like to work with Dickinson?

DC: Glad to see you enjoyed it. Considering the two men in the ring for that match, you certainly should have, but I digress; that bout is one that will always be in my fondest memories, for a multitude of reasons. On that night, I was competing against a world-calibur athlete, and I not only accepted this fact going into the match: I embraced it! I had studied up on Chris Dickinson prior to the bout – as a true master of his craft always does – and though it certainly helped me a bit in dealing with his Barbarian style and unruly offense, he is one of those select few individuals that you can never fully read going into a bout, no matter how many tapes you evaluate and regardless of how many times you watch those tapes over. Why? Because he himself doesn’t know what he’s going to do before he does it. Chris Dickinson is a madman within that ring, and you recognize it the moment the bell rings and he comes charging at you like an unfed Wildebeest from the start. When a man such as he comes charging, something inside of you has to snap, and you have to not only adapt to your surroundings, but make the best of it and use it all to your advantage. That battle with Dickinson – because believe you me, it was a battle – forced me to reconnect with my own inner ruthlessness and rancour, for it was the only way I’d be able to endure the match and walk away with minimal damage. His attack threw a great deal of my planning out of the window, and gave me no alternative but to tap into that merciless side that every true man needs to have…and it felt tremendous! That attitude is precisely what I need to have not just in professional wrestling, but in the business world altogether! I’ve always had it to a certain degree, but you never know you need more of it until you are truly tested. To me, the amazing thing about what I do in my life is that it all parallels. In business, you need to have the drive, the initiative, the ambitionto succeed, and more often than not, you have to be willing to step on and over people to get to where you need to be. It doesn’t matter what their background is, how many children they have, or how badly they need that position; you have to either claim it as your own, or watch someone else get it and ascend as you remain in the same place. THAT is something I refuse to allow, because I am simply too great to dwell amongst the common people! I was born to survive and bred to excel, and I have no issue whatsoever squandering your dreams to make my own a constant reality. Enough is never enough, and more will always be more. That only-1st-place mentality was awoken in true form in that match with Chris Dickinson, and honestly, I will thank him forever for that contest.

It’s because of him, in a way, that my “Ascension to Eminence” holds such great truth and is bound to be nothing short of disaster for all who oppose me. That same viciousness I was originally forced to showcase in that duel with Dickinson, I now exhibit proudly in my matches. It carries over to business as well, as my aggressiveness and decision-making have improved exponentially due to my evolved willingness to push whomever aside to take their spot on the Road to Glory. No matter who you are, where you came from, or what your personal goals are, mine are more important, and I WILL claim victory by any means necessary! Though I am the type of person to learn something from each and every encounter I have in life – whether the adversary was worthy or not – I learned more as a whole from that bout that any other prior or since, and that is why I salute Mr. Dickinson. One day, I hope to compete again against him, as I guarantee the outcome will be in my favour when next we dance. Dickinson is savage, yes, but what happens when you face a man who is as ruthless as he is cunning? A man who is just as good at adapting to change as he is executing a flawless plan? That is the man Darius Carter is swiftly becoming, and I’m not even in my prime yet! Once that day comes, I may actually feel pity for the first time in my life…pity for those who stand against me.

TJ: That match was at Gospel of the Boards, which was like a majority of Beyond Wrestling shows, closed to the public. What is it like to work in front of only your peers?

DC: Competing in front of your peers is a very unique twist that Beyond has, and though I am quite familiar with the varied opinions of it, I for one can’t help but view Beyond Wrestling itself as – at the very least – a promotion sui generis. Why, you ask? Because it’s one thing for a fan – the paying consumer and, therefore, target audience – to react to what you’re doing in the ring, but it’s something different when you have athletes in the very same profession responding so vocally to your every move. With each reaction your peers give you, it is essentially each one directly informing you of how they feel about what you’re doing. There’s truly something unique about being able to get your peers to cheer or boo like a fan would; it ultimately means that you are doing precisely what you need to do within that ring, and that is to attentively attach viewers to your work. It’s comparably like being evaluated by your business partners and associates vs. being assessed by the persons who buy your products/stocks. Though you can learn from both, you grasp more at a quicker rate being before your peers than before fans, as you would from your business associates vs. buyers. It is a nicely intriguing approach, and is the only promotion offering such a fresh experience. If your peers respond well to something, the fans certainly will, and they will do so either to the same magnitude, or more. So, in actuality, Beyond Wrestling provides a genius learning experience for all who are a part of it, and growing is a fundamental part of not just this profession, but life in general.

That’s what the Independent Scene is all about: testing yourself against the would-bes to properly tune yourself for the who’s who. I keep myself entertained by the Indies because it serves its purpose to me as just that: testing grounds for your abilities, and a true opportunity to hone your craft for the future. Whereas most, if not all, of the competitors in Beyond Wrestling will say that they benefit from the company by freely sharing successes and insight with one another, I personally profit by precisely analyzing those around me and picking up on their defects. Everyone who is wrestling for Beyond – and any other Independent promotions, for that matter – is not in the “big leagues” for a reason, and I make sure to study each individual and devise exactly why that is the case. It then becomes my duty to convert their weaknesses to my strengths, and to continue doing so until I essentially reach perfection. Or, at least, a greater and more refined perfection than what I already possess. I’ve always been the astute type, learning posthaste from my environment and each person within it, and adapting it to my own personal benefit. Make a mistake, and I record it not only to potentially use it against you in the future, but to avoid it myself may I ever find myself in a similar situation. Again, professional wrestling vs. business: they correlate to a tee. It has been this type of clairvoyance that has thrust me into the upper echelon of society as a millionaire, and it is this same clairvoyance that will bring me to the zenith of Beyond Wrestling as #1 Ranked Leader.

TJ: Beyond Wrestling still runs the majority of their shows closed to the public, but in 2011, Beyond started running shows open to the public. You have competed at all 3 live shows so far. Are there differences in performing for Beyond when the wrestlers and fans are mixed together in the crowd?

DC: I have indeed competed at all 3, and let it be known that the first two live shows I competed in, I was still confined within that tag team prison known as “The Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous” with TJ Marconi, and failed to win both matches. On the third show, however, in a Singles bout where I was completely devoid of TJ Marconi’s bootless partnership, I prevailed. See the difference? I sure do, and even the blindest of sheep could if they focused well enough.

As far as competing before a mixture of fans and wrestlers, it tends to serve as a great consensus as to where you stand with your work inside of the ring. Whenever you contest before a melting pot of an audience, you get the privilege of seeing how your skills affect a wide range of folk, which ultimately makes for one of the best opportunities to grow. For some, it may add pressure to have to test the gauges of both your peers and your target audience, but for myself, all it means is raising your game that much more and staying on point. It’s just another testament to Beyond Wrestling and the sheer creativity that comes along with it; only here do you have the occasion to wrestle before ALL audiences, and not just one. I’m one who lives to learn, so I’ll always be grateful for the chance, and it will continue to serve as a core reason why I continue returning to Beyond.

TJ: At Beyond’s last live show, Off the Grid, your original opponent, Louis Lyndon, had to cancel at the last minute and you faced a surprise opponent, Jarek 1:20. How did the match go?

DC: The match went exceptionally well, as I deservedly got to enjoy the spoils of victory. It was my second bout in Beyond Wrestling since kick-starting my “Ascension to Eminence” campaign, and my second consecutive victory, with the first being over a premier CZW star in Drew Gulak. Add the fact that this victory came at a Beyond Wrestling live show – and my very first one since being fatefully divorced from TJ Marconi – and I believe it helped tremendously in adding credibility and truth to the confident words I speak. It’s not arrogance if you can back it up, and I proved to not just the fans who came to see the event, but my peers in the Beyond locker room as well, that I am not a man to be taken lightly. I was a threat before, yes, but I’m ascending to an entirely new plateau now that I’m on my own. I can talk about it endlessly if I so chose, but at the day’s end, the wins will talk for themselves.

I’ll admit, Jarek was a tough test, and by no means a cakewalk of an opponent. He came in motivated and was determined to be the one man to silence me on my path to the top. Unfortunately for him, he’s just not enough of an obstacle, and me defeating him after having the match changed only a day prior is a greater testament to my abilities. Honestly, I should have earned two points – one coming from Louis Lyndon’s last-minute forfeiture – but I will accept the stepping stone Jarek kindly made himself for me.

TJ: At this point, I was hoping we could take a look at some of your more prominent matches in your Beyond career:

Developmental Hell: Darius Carter & TJ Marconi vs. Chris Dickinson & Jonny Mangue

DC: This match was perhaps the most unruly I’ve contested in Beyond. Take the fact that this was only myself & Marconi’s second time teaming with one another, and take into account exactly who our opponents were, and it all quite literally spoke for itself. I always prefer to take a very scientific and methodical approach – because it’s simply my niche – but at that point in my career, considering what we were up against, that was in no way an option. It was just non-stop chaos that took me out of my comfort zone, which ultimately allowed me to learn a great deal about myself and my own instincts.

Developmental Hell: Darius Carter vs. Jefferson Saint

DC: It’s rather difficult for me to say which match is my favorite thus far in my career, because I pride myself on making my latest match my greatest one. If I had to compile a list, however, this certainly tops it off. Jefferson Saint is nothing short of a mastermind inside the ring, picking his spots carefully and having that truly rare ability to capitalize on the slightest mistake in the biggest of ways. Everything he is is what I aim to be – but better – and I will always thank him for this bout. Facing Saint was beyond just a physical test, but a severe mental test as well,and though he was my very-first Singles match in Beyond Wrestling, he still stands as one of my grandest challenge to date. That is an honest testament to just how great he is.

World of Hurt: Darius Carter vs. Jonny Mangue

DC: This was my first taping without TJ Marconi at my side, and I was tested by not only the dangerous Jonny Mangue, but by the rest of the then-Doom Patrol in Chris Dickinson & Pitboss occupying ringside. At first, it was upsetting to have to go it alone, but again, being out of your comfort zone always can lead to great positive strides, and it did for me in this match. My back was against the wall in the worst of ways, and I found myself needing to rely on my own faculties not merely to win, but to survive. A new confidence was born inside of me here, and therefore – bizarre as it may seem – I can attribute thanks to them.

Crisis Precipitate Change: Darius Carter vs. Drew Gulak

DC: With Jefferson Saint inactive in Beyond, his place seems to have been filled in some manner by Drew Gulak, and that is a massive spot to take. Gulak is calculating, hard-hitting, and an expert student-of-the-game that only grows as time passes by. He, like Saint, are two individuals that I hold in the utmost of regards when it comes to in-ring craftsmanship, and have no shame in admitting learning a tremendous deal from. I’ve faced this man twice, and he was not at all the same man the second time around, proving his own sharpness and unwillingness to become complacent. He and I currently stand one a piece – with me defeating him in this outing – and I patiently await the rubber match between us. I’m positive I’m not the only one.

Off the Grid: Darius Carter vs. Jarek 1:20

DC: This was a clashing of styles to say the least, which, again, is one of the greatest aspects to Beyond. There is such a great variety of personalities and techniques that you’d have to be an airtight individual to not grow in this setting. Jarek’s approach of mixing trickery with fluid movement makes him one of the most unique competitors I’ve certainly seen, and it made for a nice balance to my technical, precision-based method. This business is all about adapting to what you’re challenged with, and Jarek provided a great one before falling to me in defeat. If only I could have done it in 1:20.

TJ: Besides Beyond Wrestling, where else are you working right now? What have been some of your favorite moments/matches so far in your career?

DC: Aside from Beyond Wrestling, I am also currently competing for Bodyslam Wrestling Organization in New Jersey, where I am currently reigning as their United States Champion. I have since properly dubbed myself as “America’s Champion”, having just recently surpassed the 200-day mark in my championship reign as I single-handedly rebuild this country into the excellent nation it once was. Not since 1776 has America witnessed a chance as revolutionary yet necessary as the one it has undergone since I won the title on August 20th at their annual “Beach Party” event. Additionally, I’ve been working very closely with NWA, competing within a number of their branches, such as NWA On Fire (based in Maine) and NWA Mountain State (based in the West Virginia area). I also occasionally compete in the PA radius, for up-and-coming promotions such as Elite Hybrid Wrestling and Prime Time Wreslting, the latter of which I am holding their version of the United States Championship as well. A true Champion of Capitalism, I am.

As far as favorite moments and matches go, most of them have indeed taken place at Beyond Wrestling and have been discussed justly, though I have had some truly memorable encounters with the likes of “The Rock ‘N Roll Renaissance Man” Ray Ray Marz and “The Paparazzi Prince’ TJ Marconi within the BWO ring. I’m a man who enjoys testing himself and facing only the most resilient of competitors, and wrestlers such as those two – who I have faced multiple times all over the East Coast – always bring their own unique style which creates nothing short of dynamic bouts that you should certainly catch a glimpse at.

TJ: A lot of people out there want to become professional wrestlers. Based on your experiences so far, what would be the most important things you want to tell an aspiring pro wrestler about the profession?

DC: If I could state one thing, I would say that you will ultimately get out of this business what you put into it, sooner-or-later. A tad cliché, surely, but as is the truth most often. Never cease studying the business any way you can, and if you ever believe you’ve spent too much time analyzing, you haven’t spent enough. Enough is never enough, period. Persistence is no less key than dedication, and you need to have a desire to improve with each passing moment of each day. We again return to the word “ambition”, as it is not only what brought me to where I am, but shall bring me further and higher up the ladder in the future. Find icons in this business that you can relate closely to and watch them. Study them from top-to-bottom, then morph it and make it your own. You should never stop learning, and you should always want more. Travel; see the world and grow from it. There is an immense amount of information to be seized all around you; just keep your eyes and ears open so you capture it then-and-there. Finish first as frequent as possible, and if you don’t, respect why you didn’t. Adapt, overcome, and be victorious. it is that simple, folks, and you can take that to the bank.

TJ: Thanks Darius for taking the time to do the interview. Is there anything you would like to plug (Facebook, Twitter, merch, Youtube page, how to be booked, etc)?

DC: I would sell merchandise, but I couldn’t bare watching someone get their bodily filth all over a T-Shirt with my name on it. As far as contacting goes, however, I am frequently on Facebook and Twitter, under these links:

Mr. Darius Carter’s Facebook

Mr. Darius Carter’s Twitter

So simple, even a caveman could do it, no? Twitter is becoming a rather grand favorite of mine, so feel free to especially check that out. I accept bookings through my e-mail account, [email protected], and will be sure to respond to promoters as often as possible in those regards. Feel free to contact my aforementioned Facebook account for bookings as well, via messaging. Simplistic, yet effective. Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter, and watch my assortment of matches on YouTube. I promise you a marvelous time in doing sorter

For more info on Beyond Wrestling, check out their:
Website
Updated Wrestlers’ Win-Loss Standings
Facebook
Twitter
Youtube Page with Weekly Free Matches
Information for Beyond Wrestling’s next event, Off the Grid, is here.

Thanks everybody for reading! You can send feedback to Twitter or at my email address: [email protected]. If you are a wrestling personality who would like to be interviewed by 411mania, you can also contact me in either of those ways.

PLUGS!

I am now the editor of a brand new wrestling website, FreeProWrestling.com . What is this site, you ask? It’s a website that posts a free wrestling match every single weekday. All matches are legally provided by the promotions that originally put them on. If you like wrestling and you hate spending money, I think you will enjoy it! (The first match will be posted on February 13th 2012)

Be sure to check out some of my past 411 Interviews

Kevin Steen Part 1 & Part 2
Eddie Edwards
Johnny Gargano
Mike Quackenbush
Nigel McGuinness
Lance Hoyt/Vance Archer/Lance Archer
Adam Cole
Gran Akuma

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