Released WWE star on Triple H valuing in-ring experience but for ‘TKO, the bottom line is the dollar’

Dexter Lumis reflected on his first WWE release in 2022 after three years on NXT. He detailed the backstage environment when Triple H was in charge of the black and gold brand back then, and the transitions that followed. 

Lumis differentiated his 2022 WWE release with the one in April on the Insight Podcast. He highlighted his transformation from a ‘rosebud’ and other roles as an extra to being an official member of the WWE roster.  

“Well, I think the first release was that there was a lot of shakeups going on in NXT. Triple H, who I considered my boss back then, he went down with a heart issue, and then it just seemed like a Vince McMahon overhaul happened in NXT,” stated Lumis. “We went from black and gold to this splatter paint 2.0, very bright. John Laurinitis is down there every week and keeping tabs on talent now, and I’m not gonna feel the way I felt when I was an extra trying to get his attention every week. I’m a man now. I’ve had success at this place, and I’m gonna continue to have success at this place.”

He explained being self-conscious when signed in his mid-30s because at the time there was a general concern about wrestlers’ ages. They were viewed with much scrutiny unlike today. Lumis believes Triple H understood the value of years of in-ring experience while TKO is heavily focused on financial considerations. 

“Doesn’t matter if there’s a regime change. Doesn’t matter if that guy’s somewhat in charge now, I’m gonna do my thing. But I will say, I did feel like because I know how he operates. I know how that system before the NXT black and gold really came into play. I got hired at 35 years old back in 2009, and back in the FCW days, that was good luck. I think 30 was the cutoff. So you’re always like, ‘Oh boy, I’m now past 30 years old, do I have an opportunity?’ Slowly but surely, you start seeing yes, there are opportunities because I think Triple H understood you don’t really get good at this, really, really, really good, until you understand it fully, and you might need 15 to 20 years in the business to understand that. I’ve kept my body in shape, and I train hard. I can do athletic stuff, and I’m 35 years old. ‘So why don’t you hire me? I have a lot to offer this company.’ Now, I don’t know. I just feel like it’s different because TKO, the bottom line is the dollar.”

Lumis addressed how his latest release felt definitive, while acknowledging he has more opportunities to prove himself in the ring. 

“It does feel a little more final. You always hear, you know, the door could always still be open. Never say never; those types of things. But I feel like now, as opposed to back then, I got to go out and prove myself a little bit more.”