Dexter Lumis' Creepy Gimmicks In Impact Wrestling & WWE, Explained
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Making his pro-wrestling debut in 2007, WWE's Dexter Lumis has wrestled across the world in a number of different promotions, with major stints in TNA, OVW, NWA, NXT, and now as a part of the WWE main roster. Currently embroiled in a marquee feud on Monday Night Raw with both The Miz and his wife, Maryse, Lumis has returned to the company following a release earlier in 2022. Bringing his creepy, stalker character back to life for the WWE Universe to see on a bigger stage, it remains to be seen if it will be as big of a success as it was during his run in NXT alongside Indi Hartwell. For now though, fans can look back at the early stages of this character that he developed in TNA before moving onto NXT, and now, Monday Night Raw.
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Dexter Lumis Was Known As Sam Shaw In TNA
In 2013, the future Dexter Lumis would undergo a character change in TNA, one that would stick with him into his current WWE run. Adopting the name of Samuel Shaw, he would begin targeting TNA's Christy Hemme, beginning with a segment in Hemme's home. Modeling himself off of Patrick Bateman from American Psycho and Dexter Morgan from the TV Show Dexter, Shaw would begin playing a psycho on television.
From 2013 until 2015, Shaw would go through a number of changes, including a stint where he was "locked up" and placed under the supervision of fellow TNA star, Gunner. Much of his time in the company with this role would see him targeting Christy Hemme though, which would be uncomfortable for many fans watching. Eventually turning face, Shaw would appear to be rehabilitated, though it would be short-lived as he would attack Gunner, aligning with Santana Garrett briefly. In the Summer of 2015, Shaw would leave TNA.
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Dexter Lumis' Romance With Indi Hartwell Was One Of The Best Parts Of NXT
Four years after leaving TNA, fans would see the self-proclaimed "creepy bastard" from TNA debut in WWE NXT. Signing with the company in 2019, Shaw would not debut until the following Spring, during NXT's no-crowd era of shows in the COVID-19 Pandemic. This would actually benefit the star, now named Dexter Lumis, as Triple H and the creative team would introduce him quite well during a string of episodes, having him slowly lingering in the background of shots, in a very creepy manner. Eventually, Lumis would wrestle and would feud with Undisputed Era early on.
Easily the biggest change for Dexter's career, and a positive one at that, would be the introduction of Johnny Gargano's The Way faction. Made up of Gargano, Candice LeRae, Austin Theory, Dexter Lumis, and Indi Hartwell, the stable would help elevate the younger stars involved. It allowed Lumis to show a totally new side of himself during an on-screen romance with Hartwell, as Dexter and Gargano would make for a strong comedic pairing. Culminating in the wedding between Indi and Dexter, the two would eventually feud with Persia Pirotta and Duke Hudson before Persia and Lumis would be released.
RELATED: NXT's Indi Hartwell Has Suffered Greatly Without Husband Dexter Lumis
Triple H Brought Dexter Lumis Back And Put Him On Raw
Three months later, after being released in April, Dexter Lumis would make his surprise return to the company on the August 8, 2022 episode of Monday NightRaw.Throughout the episode, there were subtle hints to something going on during the show, such as a car wreck during a backstage segment as well as cops running through the backstage area. At the end of the show, Lumis was spotted in the crowd following AJ Styles and The Miz's no disqualification match, though he would be detained after trying to jump the barricade. Weeks later, Lumis would kidnap The Miz in storyline during a match before reuniting with his kayfabe wife Indi Hartwell on the following episode of NXT.
The Miz and Dexter Lumis have been tied together since, in what is likely the worst storyline of the Triple H era so far. It has been a bit of a mess and completely undid the work that Lumis did in NXT, where he got a chance to shine as a creepy, yet funny character alongside Indi Hartwell and the rest of The Way faction. Still, Dexter is a featured star on Monday nights and will likely remain that way for some time.
