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Native-Owned Wrestling Company Works With Sequoyah Seniors

Posted: Mar 25th 2014 By: Stacy Guthrie

Tahlequah-based United Wrestling Entertainment not only provides entertainment for the family but also is working with Sequoyah High School to give back to the Native American community.

UWE co-owner and Cherokee Nation citizen Brad ?Fuel? Eubanks said the UWE had its first event in 2009 at the tribe?s Talking Leaves Job Corps. He said even back then he saw an opportunity to give back to the students.

?I want to contribute back to especially an organization like Sequoyah High School,? Eubanks said. ?The way we do this is we got with one of the senior classes and they?ve been running the concession and they keep 100 percent of the concession?whatever the company makes at the door, then a percentage of that, part of the proceeds will go back to Sequoyah for whatever they need.?

While working with Sequoyah, Eubanks said he hopes the UWE continues to grow and provide entertainment to those who enjoy wrestling or just a good show.

?The hope is that this will be our permanent home every month,? he said. ?Hopefully we can continue to grow, continue to keep putting smiles on people?s faces because that?s our job.?

Eubanks said he owes a lot of his success to being a CN citizen. He also feels like he can relate to many citizens.

?Being a Cherokee Nation citizen has helped me in my career,? he said. ?When I first started training there was a group that we use to train all the time with. It was way down in Cherry Tree in Stilwell and it was at the Cherry Tree Sports Complex. It?s mostly?Cherokee Nation citizens down in that area and I think?a lot of our citizens around here can get attached because they know I?m Cherokee.?

UWE wrestler and Creek Nation citizen Brandon Walker said there are not many famous Native American wrestlers. He and others in the UWE have participated in some World Wrestling Entertainment events.

?Really, as far as the professional wrestling scene, there really hasn?t been too many Native Americans that have really made it,? he said. ?That (being Native American) worked as an advantage for me in WWE because they still have no Native Americans that are, you know, full-blood of whatnot. Going there, I always kind of have that, you know, as a advantage because they have just about every other race.?

Some famous Native American wrestlers include Chris ?Tatanka? Chavis of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and the late Edward ?Wahoo? McDaniel of the Choctaw and Chickasaw nations.

CN citizen and Heritage Elementary fourth grader Michael Chambers recently attended UWE?s Triforce event with his parents on March at Sequoyah. Chambers said he enjoys any type of wrestling and would like to be a wrestler one day. He said he?s liked wrestling since he was about 5 years old and has been to many wrestling events.

The next UWE event will be on April 19 at Sequoyah?s old gym. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and the event will start at 6 p.m. For more information about UWE, visit its Facebook page www.facebook.com/uwe09.