DarkState exploded from the inside during the May 19 episode of NXT, but a new backstage update may reveal why one member suddenly became the target.
The faction battled Vanity Project in the main event of NXT this week in a match that ran through a commercial break and featured plenty of chaos before Vanity Project escaped with the NXT Tag Team Titles still intact.
After the match, things completely fell apart for DarkState. Dion Lennox, Cutler James, Osiris Griffin, and Saquon Shugars had been together since the faction debuted, but the group turned on Shugars after the loss. The attack started slowly before the entire stable joined in and destroyed their teammate inside the ring. The beatdown ended with Shugars being dragged to ringside and put through the announce table.
The segment immediately fueled speculation that WWE could be positioning Shugars for a singles push, especially since tension within the group had already been teased in previous weeks.
Now there’s another interesting development connected to the faction. According to False Finish, DarkState member Cutler James is expected to appear on WWE Evolve in the coming weeks.
That timing stands out considering DarkState just underwent a major shakeup on NXT television. WWE Evolve has become another platform for the company to continue developing younger talent and storylines outside the main NXT broadcast.
At this point, it’s unclear whether Cutler James appearing on Evolve will directly tie into the DarkState storyline or if WWE simply wants to give him more individual exposure following the group’s split angle. Either way, WWE clearly isn’t done doing things with DarkState after the events that went down on NXT this week.
Do you think Saquon Shugars benefits more from breaking away from DarkState, or should the faction have stayed together longer? Let us know your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
