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Darkstate Bio
Darkstate is a faction in WWE NXT. The group was officially revealed on the April 1, 2025, episode of NXT. Its members are Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Cutler James, and Saquon Shugars.
Darkstate debuted at NXT: Vengeance Day after weeks of teasers. They were unmasked by Tony D’Angelo’s Family. On the same night, they attacked Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans, and Trick Williams. The group will face those three in a six-man tag match on the April 8 episode of NXT. They also won their first live match as a team in Gainesville, Florida.
Darkstate Members
| Members | Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Cutler James, and Saquon Shugars |
| Promotions | NXT |
| Debut | April 1, 2025 |
Dion Lennox
| Name | Andrzej Hughes-Murray |
| Finisher & Signature Move | Not Known |
| Theme Song | "Lionheart" - Single |
| Billed Height | 6 ft 2 in (188 cm) |
| Billed Weight | 248 lbs (112 kg) |
| Billed From | Federal Way, Washington |
Andrzej Hughes-Murray is an American wrestler and former football player. He is signed to WWE, performing in NXT as Dion Lennox, and is a member of the Darkstate faction. He played college football as a linebacker at Oregon State for six seasons and later signed with the Los Angeles Rams in 2022, but he was released before playing a game.
Lennox made his wrestling debut on August 19, 2023, at an NXT live event and his televised debut in the NXT Breakout Tournament in December. In late 2024, he was part of a mixed tag storyline. After several losses, Lennox changed his attitude in early 2025 and returned at NXT Vengeance Day as part of Darkstate. The group attacked top stars and later debuted in-ring on April 8, 2025, defeating Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Je’Von Evans.
Osiris Griffin
| Name | Joshua Black |
| Finisher & Signature Move | Not Known |
| Theme Song | Not Known |
| Billed Height | 6 ft 3 in (190 cm) |
| Billed Weight | 280 lbs (127 kg) |
| Billed From | Loves Park, Illinois |
Osiris Griffin is a professional wrestler signed to WWE's NXT brand. He is a member of the Darkstate faction alongside Saquon Shugars, Dion Lennox, and Cutler James. Griffin is part of the NXT mid-card.
Before his wrestling career, Griffin was a football player. He debuted in WWE under the ring name Josh Black on February 17, 2024, and transitioned to Osiris Griffin on February 12, 2025. He initially performed as a face but turned heel on February 15, 2025.
Cutler James
| Name | Jonah C. Niesenbaum |
| Finisher & Signature Move | Not Known |
| Theme Song | "Commander of Rock" - Single |
| Billed Height | 5 ft 11 in (180 cm) |
| Billed Weight | 157 lbs (71 kg) |
| Billed From | Allentown, Pennsylvania |
Cutler James is a professional wrestler signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT and LFG brands. He is a member of the Darkstate faction, alongside Saquon Shugars, Dion Lennox, and Osiris Griffin. His signature theme song is "Commander of Rock," which he began using in May 2024.
Before his wrestling career, James was a Division 1 amateur wrestler at Duke University. He debuted in WWE under the ring name Jonah Niesenbaum on August 22, 2023, and switched to the name Cutler James on April 29, 2024. James initially appeared as a face before turning heel on February 15, 2025.
Saquon Shugars
| Name | Copeland Barbee |
| Finisher & Signature Move | Grand Line/Grime Line - Northern Lariat Spin da Block - Cartwheel Suplex |
| Theme Song | "IDK Bro" by def rebel - Single "Athletic" by Tae Dawg - Single |
| Billed Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) |
| Billed Weight | 222 lbs (101 kg) |
| Billed From | Washington, D.C. |
Copeland Barbee is an American professional wrestler signed to WWE, performing as Saquon Shugars on the NXT brand. He is the leader of the Darkstate faction. Barbee began his wrestling career in 2018 under the ring name Lucky Ali, training with Caleb Konley and George South. He debuted on June 7, 2018, and later competed in AEW, where he lost to Frankie Kazarian in 2022.
In December 2023, Barbee signed with WWE and debuted on the March 22, 2024, episode of NXT Level Up as Saquon Shugars. After a knee injury sidelined him, he returned at NXT Vengeance Day in February 2025 as part of Darkstate, attacking top stars and making a major impact on NXT.
‘Darkstate’ Championships and Accomplishments
As of now, no member of Darkstate (Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Cutler James, and Saquon Shugars) has won any championships in WWE NXT. The group made their debut as a faction at NXT Vengeance Day 2025 and had their in-ring TV debut on April 8, 2025. They are involved in a major storyline against NXT Champion Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Je’Von Evans, as per The Wrestling Headlines.
Darkstate History
Darkstate is a mysterious faction that debuted in WWE NXT at Vengeance Day 2025 following weeks of cryptic teasers. The group was officially revealed on the April 1, 2025, episode of NXT. The members are Dion Lennox, Osiris Griffin, Cutler James, and Saquon Shugars. Their identities were exposed by The D’Angelo Family, with Adriana Rizzo, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, and Luca Crusifino sharing background information on each member, as per The Wrestling Headlines.
Later that night, Darkstate made a strong statement by attacking NXT Champion Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Je’Von Evans during a segment where the triple threat for the NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver was announced. The attack ended with Darkstate targeting Trick Williams last.
A six-man tag team match was scheduled for the April 8, 2025, episode of NXT, with Femi, Williams, and Evans set to face three members of Darkstate.
Also read about: NXT: Stand and Deliver 2025
FAQs on tag team Darkstate
A. The group consists of Dion Lennox, Cutler James, Saquon Shugars, and Osiris Griffin.
A. They debuted at NXT Vengeance Day on February 15, 2025.
A. Dion Lennox is a former Oregon State linebacker with a psychology degree.
A. Cutler James is a former elite wrestler from Duke University.
A. They attacked several NXT stars, including Fraxiom, Oba Femi, Josh Briggs, and Yoshiki Inamura.
