Suge D Recalls Being Told Billy Corgan Scratched His Name Off The NWA Talent List
Suge D (Sugar Dunkerton, Pineapple Pete in AEW), has bounced around the Independent scene for years. He’s competed in promotions such as GCW, PWX, Freelance, and more.
His most notable run came in AEW in 2020, but before that, he was scheduled to appear in NWA. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out.
“I came back from England after 18 months and thought I had a spot with NWA. We had talks for months. I land on a Monday, get a text on Tuesday, ‘We had your name on the final talent list. Billy Corgan saw it and scratched your name off.’ That’s the story of my career. I’m in the ring, a million people watching on TV with Chris Jericho, and there is nobody around. All I’ve ever wanted was to be in an arena with thousands of people and know what that sounds like. Even if I went 25 minutes with Chris Jericho, I don’t know what that sounds like and I don’t know if I ever will. I’m 36. They treat me like I’m the old man at the club. The people everyone admires are in the 40s, but no one says they are old, but I’m old because I’m Indie and know my worth. That shit bothers me,” Suge vented on the Public Enemies Podcast.
Elaborating on being scratched off the NWA talent list, Suge said, “I came back home specifically to take the opportunity with NWA. Not even 24 hours off the plane, I get the call, ‘I know we talked about this, but it’s not happening.’ I didn’t get a reason why. It’s no that I’m not used to hearing ‘no’ or no response, but you get enough that rack up and you’re so sure that this was my opportunity, and it didn’t go down, it didn’t sit well with me. I was walking wounded after that.”
Suge said that a match against Alex Shelley helped save him and then the AEW opportunity eventually came about.
Wrestling as Pineapple Pete, Suge wrestled two matches on AEW Dynamite, including one against Chris Jericho.
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