# Saquon Shugars
**Saquon Shugars** is the ring name of Copeland Barbee, an American professional wrestler from Washington, D.C. who performs for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) on the NXT brand. He is a former NXT Tag Team Champion and a one-time member of the faction DarkState, from which he was expelled in May 2026.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/saquon-shugars) • [2](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/saquon-shugars?page=1) Before signing with WWE he competed on the independent circuit as **Lucky Ali**, where he held championships in Deadlock Pro-[Wrestling](https://www.edgepedia.org/wrestling) (DPW), Full Impact Pro (FIP), PWX, and ACW.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/saquon-shugars) • [3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Real name | Copeland Barbee, born in Washington, D.C., billed from Washington, D.C.[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/saquon-shugars) |
| Ring names | Saquon Shugars, Lucky Ali, Lavar Barbie[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/saquon-shugars) |
| Size | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm), 222 lbs (101 kg)[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/saquon-shugars) |
| Professional debut | July 6, 2018[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/saquon-shugars) |
| Championship | NXT Tag Team Champion (with DarkState)[2](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/saquon-shugars?page=1) |
| Independent titles | DPW Worlds, FIP World heavyweight, PWX Innovative Television, ACW heavyweight[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/) |
## Independent career as Lucky Ali
Barbee began wrestling in 2018 and spent roughly six years on the independent circuit, appearing for promotions including PWX, CZW, GCW, FIP, and Deadlock Pro-Wrestling under the name [Lucky Ali](https://www.edgepedia.org/lucky-ali).[1](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/saquon-shugars) • [3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/) His championship reigns, as recorded by Online World of Wrestling, were:
- **PWX Innovative Television Title**, won from Cam Carter in a ladder match on March 20, 2021, with defenses against Chase Owens, Chip Day, and Fred Yehi.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/)
- **ACW heavyweight title**, won from August Artois on May 15, 2022.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/)
- **DPW Worlds title**, won in a three-way match on November 12, 2022, and defended against SB KENTo, Colby Corino in a title versus career match, Jason Kincaid, Jackson Drake, and Mike Bailey before losing it to Jay Malachi in a Carolina Warfare match on September 17, 2023.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/)
- **FIP World heavyweight title**, won in a four-way match on July 30, 2023, and lost to Brian Brock on August 27, 2023.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/)
He also made taped appearances for national promotions, losing to [Frankie Kazarian](https://www.edgepedia.org/frankie-kazarian) on AEW Dark Elevation in April 2022 and Dante Martin on [AEW Dark](https://www.edgepedia.org/aew-dark) in June 2022, and appearing on NJPW STRONG and ROH on HonorClub.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/) A May 15, 2023 episode of Monday Night Raw lists him in a loss to Indus Sher under the name Lavar Barbie.[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/)
## WWE and DarkState
In February 2025 he debuted as part of DarkState, a four-man faction with [Dion Lennox](https://www.edgepedia.org/dion-lennox), Cutler James, and Osiris Griffin; the group's name was revealed in March of that year.[4](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/nxt/darkstate-kick-out-saquon-shugars-on-wwe-nxt/) • [5](https://wrestletalk.com/features/wwe-nxt-evolve-factions/) DarkState held the [NXT Tag Team Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/nxt-tag-team-championship) twice, including a win over the Hardy Boyz at [Halloween Havoc](https://www.edgepedia.org/halloween-havoc).[4](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/nxt/darkstate-kick-out-saquon-shugars-on-wwe-nxt/)
**Expulsion from the group.** On February 24, 2026, DarkState's Osiris Griffin and Saquon Shugars lost the NXT Tag Team titles to [The Vanity Project](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-vanity-project-professional-wrestling) ([Brad Baylor](https://www.edgepedia.org/brad-baylor) and Ricky Smokes).[3](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/) On May 19, 2026, after Shugars was pinned in a tag team championship match, Lennox, Griffin, and James attacked him and removed him from the faction.[6](https://wrestletalk.com/news/darkstate-betray-saquon-shugars-wwe-nxt/) • [5](https://wrestletalk.com/features/wwe-nxt-evolve-factions/) The following week the group presented a red X over his image in their entrance video and justified the expulsion by calling him an "indie wrestler" who did not match their Division I college-athlete backgrounds, with James adding that Shugars had become reckless.[7](https://www.blogofdoom.com/2026/05/27/nxt-review-05-26-26/) • [8](https://www.wrestlingmoments.com/content/darkstate-is-holding-saquon-shugars-back-from-becoming-nxts-biggest-star/)
## Feud with Dion Lennox and singles run
The split launched a singles rivalry with Lennox built on weeks of sneak attacks, ambushes, and interference, which forced NXT General Manager Robert Stone to intervene.[9](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2026-08-25/shugars-lennox-cage) He has since competed in singles and multi-man matches on NXT, including a number one contender's match for the [NXT Championship](https://www.edgepedia.org/nxt-championship) interrupted by Tristan Angels.[10](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/wwe-nxt-9-15-2026-052131386.html)
## Wrestling style and character
WWE's official bio describes Shugars as "incredibly unpredictable and equally as violent in his movements and his demeanor," and calls him the former wildcard of DarkState.[2](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/saquon-shugars?page=1) His in-ring style, developed during his DPW tenure, is built on speed and spatial awareness: rapid transitions, springboards, and lateral movement, using the ropes for handspring elbows and springboard dropkicks to keep larger opponents defending their perimeter.[11](https://wrestlingmoments.com/content/saquon-shugars-and-dion-lennox-are-ready-to-steal-the-great-american-bash/) Commentators on the CAGEMATCH database have highlighted his promo work and his pre-WWE matches as Lucky Ali, with several recommending his independent-circuit matches.[12](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=25321&page=98)
## References
1. [Saquon Shugars: Profile, Career Stats, Titles & Gimmicks, Pro Wrestlers Database](https://www.thesmackdownhotel.com/wrestlers/saquon-shugars)
2. [Saquon Shugars, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/superstars/saquon-shugars?page=1)
3. [Saquon Shugars, Online World of Wrestling](https://www.onlineworldofwrestling.com/profile/luck-ali/)
4. [DarkState kick out Saquon Shugars on WWE NXT, F4W/WON](https://www.f4wonline.com/news/nxt/darkstate-kick-out-saquon-shugars-on-wwe-nxt/)
5. [Every Faction Currently On WWE NXT, WrestleTalk](https://wrestletalk.com/features/wwe-nxt-evolve-factions/)
6. [DarkState Betray Saquon Shugars, Remove Him From The Group Following WWE NXT Tag Team Championship Match Defeat, WrestleTalk](https://wrestletalk.com/news/darkstate-betray-saquon-shugars-wwe-nxt/)
7. [NXT Review - 05.26.26, Scott's Blog of Doom!](https://www.blogofdoom.com/2026/05/27/nxt-review-05-26-26/)
8. [DarkState is holding Saquon Shugars back from becoming NXT's biggest star, Wrestling Moments](https://www.wrestlingmoments.com/content/darkstate-is-holding-saquon-shugars-back-from-becoming-nxts-biggest-star/)
9. [Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox battle in a Weaponized Steel Cage Match, WWE.com](https://www.wwe.com/shows/wwenxt/2026-08-25/shugars-lennox-cage)
10. [WWE NXT - 9/15/2026: 3 Things We Hated & 3 Things We Loved, Yahoo Sports](https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/wwe-nxt-9-15-2026-052131386.html)
11. [Saquon Shugars and Dion Lennox are ready to steal the Great American Bash, Wrestling Moments](https://wrestlingmoments.com/content/saquon-shugars-and-dion-lennox-are-ready-to-steal-the-great-american-bash/)
12. [Ratings, Saquon Shugars, CAGEMATCH](https://www.cagematch.net/?id=2&nr=25321&page=98)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Individual sports and outdoor recreation › Combat sports and professional wrestling › Professional wrestlers and stables › American wrestlers › Modern era wrestlers › NXT wrestlers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license