Join on-air personality Denise Salcedo on Speak Now Pro Wrestling as she recaps the August 23, 2022 edition of NXT 2.0. This show featured more NXT UK talent, belt unifications, the build to Worlds Collide, a promo exchange between Apollo Crews and Grayson Waller, a noteworthy promo from Cora Jade, the love story between Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis, plus a lights out main event with Wendy Choo and Tiffany Stratton. This is the perfect podcast to stay up to date with NXT!
After Blair Davenport defeated Hartwell on Tuesday’s show, Hartwell appeared defeated outside of the ring and said she had hit rock bottom. Dexter Lumis then emerged from under the ring and appeared in front of Hartwell. The two embraced and left the ring together.
However, as they were exiting the Performance Center, Lumis handed Hartwell a goodbye note, then left the building. Hartwell watched through the windows as police apprehended Lumis.
Later on Twitter, Indi Hartwell shared the message Lumis gave her:
Lumis and Hartwell had been together in the last year, eventually marrying in the fall on the first episode of NXT 2.0. Lumis was released from WWE back in April, and as a result the storyline between him and Hartwell ended without any resolution. Hartwell only addressed Lumis’ absence by no longer wearing a wedding ring.
Lumis was brought back to WWE earlier this month, causing several disruptions during Raw, often being led away by security. On this past Monday’s Raw, he kidnapped The Miz during a tag team match, likely leading to the arrest on NXT.
Last night’s Raw featured the return of another wrestler from Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s NXT.
After AJ Styles defeated The Miz in a no disqualification match in last night’s main event, it appeared that a fan was at the barricade and being handled by police. But as police were taking him away, it was revealed that the person was Lumis. Styles looked at the commotion but then continued to celebrate as the show went off the air.
Lumis’ return came after there were a couple of disturbances throughout the episode. In the background of an interview with Kevin Owens, there was a car crashed in the parking lot. Police were also seen running through a backstage segment with Asuka & Alexa Bliss and Bayley, Dakota Kai & IYO SKY.
Lumis was released by WWE as part of several NXT roster cuts made this April. In NXT, he was Indi Hartwell’s storyline husband and was formerly involved with The Way (Hartwell, Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae & Theory).
Kai, Karrion Kross, and Scarlett have also made their returns to WWE since Triple H took over creative.
Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer is back with tons to talk about including the deaths of TNT and Mike Masters, All Elite Women, ratings, Tales from the Territories, RAW from Monday night with the start of the women’s tag team tournament and more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Timestamps:
Start: TNT, Mike Masters pass away
11:18: All Elite Women trademark
13:32: Sammy Guevara, Tay Conti get married
14:19: Ratings
18:44: Tales from the Territories to premiere in October
25:52: Bryan Alvarez is wrestling All Out weekend
27:36: Dexter Lumis back in WWE, more thoughts on Karrion Kross returning
Lumis appeared briefly at the end of Monday’s Raw, being led away by police in the crowd as AJ Styles was celebrating his victory over The Miz in a no disqualification match. The announcers brought up his name briefly, but quickly focused back on Styles winning the match as the show ended.
WWE’s Instagram later showed clear footage of Lumis being led away by police.
Monday’s Raw featured a show-long storyline where police were seen investigating a crashed car in the background of a Kevin Owens interview. Later, during a Asuka/Alexa Bliss promo hyping their Women’s Tag Team title tournament match for next week, police were seen rushing through the backstage area as the car was being towed away.
Fightful on Monday reported that Lumis had been discussed internally to be brought back to the company.
Lumis was released from WWE back in April. He had been involved in a months-long storyline in NXT involving a relationship between himself and Indi Hartwell. He’s the latest to make his return to WWE after Dakota Kai and Karrion Kross made WWE returns after being released in the last year.
Samuel Shaw, formerly Dexter Lumis in WWE NXT, has been announced as returning to the ring at the NWA Alwayz Ready pay-per-view on June 11.
NWA made the announcement on social media on Friday evening. In a tweet, the promotion stated that Shaw will be ready to compete at the show, but no opponent has been announced.
Breaking: We’ve received word that on June 11th, Samuel Shaw will be at #ALWAYZREADY‼️
No word yet on his plans although we’ve been informed he WILL be ready to compete.
Shaw was with WWE from February 2019 until April 2022, when he was released from his contract. He was with the NXT brand for the entirety of his WWE run. Shaw made appearances for NWA in 2018 and 2019 prior to joining WWE.
Here is the announced lineup for Alwayz Ready:
Samuel Shaw returns to action
Bully Ray will serve as a guest commentator
NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Matt Cardona defends against Nick Aldis (this will either be a steel cage match or a death match)
NWA World Women’s Champion Kamille defends against KiLynn King
NWA National Champion Jax Dane defends against Chris Adonis
NWA Television Champion Tyrus defends against Mims
NWA Tag Team Champions La Rebelion (Bestia 666 & Mecha Wolf) defend against The Commonwealth Connection (Doug Williams & Davey Boy Smith Jr.)
NWA Women’s Tag Team Champions The Hex (Allysin Kay & Marti Belle) defend against Pretty Empowered (Ella Envy & Kenzie Paige)
Taya Valkyrie vs. Natalia Markova
Ricky & Kerry Morton vs. The Fixers vs. AJ Cazana & a mystery partner
After being released by WWE last Friday, the former Dexter Lumis (Samuel Shaw) has already started booking indie appearances.
Atomic Revolutionary Wrestling has announced Lumis for their Born in Blood show in Melbourne, Florida on Friday, June 24. The event is a taping for Fite TV.
In storyline, Lumis was the husband of Indi Hartwell in NXT. Hartwell & Lumis and Pirotta & Duke Hudson were involved in an angle where Hartwell and Pirotta debated who the hottest couple in NXT was.
Pirotta was also released by WWE in last Friday’s cuts.
Lumis’ final match for WWE took place on the April 19 episode of NXT. Pretty Deadly retained their NXT Tag Team titles against Lumis & Hudson.
Dave Meltzer and I are back on Wrestling Observer Radio talking all the latest news in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter including his story on AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery and his analysis on pro wrestling TV ratings.
We start off the show discussing the NXT releases, then talk about WWE’s stadium strategy, The Rock’s new wrestling show, the new WrestleMania Backlash main event, TripleMania and Sammy Guevara, and COVID-19.
Eight wrestlers, a manager, and a referee have been released by WWE as part of a set of NXT roster cuts.
Dakota Kai, Malcolm Bivens, and Dexter Lumis are among those who were released by WWE today. The 10 releases are listed below:
Dakota Kai (real name Cheree Crowley)
Malcolm Bivens (the former Stokely Hathaway)
Harland (Parker Boudreaux)
Dexter Lumis (Samuel Shaw)
Persia Pirotta (Stephanie De Landre)
Draco Anthony (Reginald Chase Crews)
Referee Blair Baldwin (Paige Prinzivalli)
Vish Kanya (Sanjana George)
Mila Milani (Kellie Morga)
Raelyn Divine (Jaylen Williams)
The releases were first reported by Fightful.
Fightful reports that WWE asked Bivens to re-sign with the company this February, but Bivens made it clear that he didn’t want to do so. Bivens was the manager of NXT’s Diamond Mine faction.
On Twitter, Bivens posted a video joking about his release:
Kai was a two-time NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, holding the titles with Raquel Gonzalez both times. Kai worked several WWE dark matches in 2021 and one dark match this January, but she was never called up to the main roster. Kai also wrestled one match on Main Event last year.
Harland was an offensive lineman for the University of Central Florida before signing with WWE. He made his NXT debut last October and was paired with Joe Gacy. Over the past couple of weeks, Harland didn’t appear on television and was no longer part of Gacy’s act.
Anthony had recently feuded with Gacy and Harland.
In storyline, Lumis was Indi Hartwell’s husband in NXT. Hartwell & Lumis and Pirotta & Duke Hudson were involved in a storyline where Hartwell and Pirotta debated who the hottest couple in NXT was.
Kanya, Milani, and Divine had yet to be featured on NXT TV.
A poker showdown, as well as two matches, were announced for next week’s WWE NXT.
Duke Hudson challenged Cameron Grimes to a poker showdown after Grimes defeated Ru Feng on tonight’s program. Hudson was mad that Grimes had beat him in poker the previous week, running down his appearance and calling Grimes a hick. Grimes accepted the challenge for next week.
A six-man tag team will also take place. Diamond Mine (Roderick Strong and the Creed Brothers) will team together to take on Jacket Time (Ikemen Jiro and Kushida) and Odyssey Jones. The Creed Brothers defeated Jacket Time on this week’s NXT due to interference from Strong. Jones came out and evened the odds as retaliation for Diamond Mine’s assault on Jones the previous week.
Tony D’Angelo is also set to face Dexter Lumis on next week’s show. D’Angelo met with Indi Hartwell tonight during a promo and gave her a fish as a gift, saying it was for Lumis.
NXT North American Champion Carmelo Hayes and Johnny Gargano are set to face off in tag team action.
WWE has announced that Hayes & Trick Williams vs. Gargano & Dexter Lumis will take place on next Tuesday’s episode of NXT. A feud between Hayes and Gargano began when Gargano set his sights on Hayes’ North American title last week.
Hayes won the North American Championship on NXT two weeks ago. After Isaiah “Swerve” Scott retained the title against Santos Escobar, Hayes cashed in his title shot contract and pinned Scott to become North American Champion.
Gargano interrupted Hayes on last week’s NXT, and their segment ended with Gargano and Lumis in possession of Hayes’ North American title belt. Hayes and Williams went to a haunted house on Halloween Havoc tonight to get the belt back from Gargano and Lumis.
WWE has also announced that Cameron Grimes will enter Duke Hudson’s Poker Room on next Tuesday’s NXT, and Tony D’Angelo will appear on Lashing Out with Lash Legend.
Ahead of their wedding, this Tuesday’s NXT will feature InDex’s bachelor and bachelorette parties.
“It’s time to party,” WWE announced. “This Tuesday, the NXT Universe are invited to witness the bachelor and bachelorette parties of soon-to-be husband-and-wife Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell on NXT! There is no telling what kind of fun InDex will be having a week before they are set to tie the knot.”
Pictures from the segments were posted on social media over the weekend. The bachelor party featured Lumis, Johnny Gargano, Cameron Grimes, Odyssey Jones, and Drake Maverick, while Indi Hartwell, Candice LeRae, Kayden Carter, Kacy Catanzaro, and McKenzie Mitchell were present for the bachelorette party.
The wedding angle was set up when Hartwell proposed to Lumis on NXT three weeks ago. It was later revealed that the wedding will take place on the Tuesday, September 14 episode of NXT.
The September 14 episode will also be the start of NXT’s revamp.
Lumis helped Gargano during his match against LA Knight on last week’s NXT, but Gargano lost when he was distracted by Lumis trying to give him a high-five.
Here’s the updated lineup for Tuesday’s NXT:
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch
NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions Io Shirai & Zoey Stark defend against Kacy Catanzaro & Kayden Carter
Ember Moon vs. Kay Lee Ray
Carmelo Hayes vs. Santos Escobar
Tian Sha’s Mei Ying will make her in-ring debut
Diamond Mine’s Julius & Brutus Creed will make their in-ring debut
During a backstage interview on NXT tonight, it was announced that an angle with Hartwell and Lumis getting married will take place on the Tuesday, September 14 episode of NXT. The wedding comes after Hartwell proposed to Lumis on NXT last week.
Hartwell said during tonight’s interview that being in love is amazing and being engaged is even better. After McKenzie Mitchell asked Hartwell if they had a wedding date in mind, Lumis revealed an invitation announcing the wedding for September 14.
Hartwell & Lumis teamed together for the first time on NXT last week, defeating Jessi Kamea & Robert Stone. Hartwell then proposed to Lumis after the match and Lumis accepted.
Lumis lost a Love Her or Lose Her match to Johnny Gargano in the main event of NXT three weeks ago. The stipulation was supposed to be that Hartwell had to forget about having a relationship with Lumis if he lost. But after being infatuated with Lumis for months, she still chose to get together with him. Hartwell ran back down to the ring and made out with Lumis after his loss.
Cole and O’Reilly’s match at TakeOver is being called “The Undisputed Finale.” It will be a two-out-of-three falls match, with each fall having a different stipulation. The first fall will be a traditional wrestling match, the second fall will be a street fight, and the third fall will be a steel cage match.
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WWE has announced a couple of additions to the lineup for tonight’s episode of NXT.
Indi Hartwell & Dexter Lumis will team together for the first time as they face Jessi Kamea & Robert Stone in a mixed tag team match. There will also be an interview segment where NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai will “issue their last words to one another” before their title match at TakeOver 36 this Sunday.
Lumis lost a Love Her or Lose Her match to Johnny Gargano on NXT two weeks ago, but Lumis and Hartwell still got together after the match. Last week’s NXT featured an angle where they went on their first date.
WWE uploaded a post-show video last week where Kamea, Stone, and Franky Monet watched Hartwell and Lumis’ date. Monet called the date pathetic. Kamea said she would mess up Hartwell if she ever had a shot at her, and Stone claimed that he’d probably be able to take out Lumis in under a minute.
Tonight’s NXT is the go-home show for TakeOver 36. It’s also being billed as the “Title Tuesday” edition of the show, with the NXT Cruiserweight Championship and NXT Tag Team titles both on the line tonight.
Here’s the updated lineup for tonight’s episode:
NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida defends against Roderick Strong
NXT Tag Team Champions MSK defend against Imperium’s Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner
NXT Breakout Tournament semifinal match: Duke Hudson vs. Carmelo Hayes
Face-to-face segment with NXT Champion Karrion Kross and Samoa Joe
Mixed tag team match: Indi Hartwell & Dexter Lumis vs. Jessi Kamea & Robert Stone
Interview with NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai
Though Dexter Lumis lost last night’s Love Her or Lose her match, Indi Hartwell and Lumis still got together in the end.
The stipulation of last night’s Johnny Gargano vs. Lumis match was that Hartwell would have to stop pursuing a relationship with Lumis if Gargano won. If Lumis won, he’d be allowed to date Hartwell. Gargano defeated Lumis after hitting One Final Beat.
When Gargano kicked out of a roll-up near the finish of the match, Lumis accidentally knocked Hartwell off the apron. Lumis then went to check on Hartwell. Gargano dove out of the ring and gave Lumis a DDT on the floor. Gargano then threw Lumis back into the ring, hit One Final Beat, and pinned Lumis to get the win.
Hartwell was visibly upset after Lumis lost. She started to head to the back with Gargano and Candice LeRae, but Hartwell then ran back into the ring. She jumped on Lumis and started kissing him. The show ended with Hartwell and Lumis making out.
