Dexter Lumis Says 2026 WWE Release Feels More Final Than 2022 Release

In April 2026, Dexter Lumis was among a handful of releases made by WWE, which included the entire Wyatt Sicks.

For Lumis, it was his second time being released as he was previously let go in April 2022, but brought back in August.

Speaking to Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Lumis discussed the differences in the two releases.

“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. 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 it’s like 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. 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 like 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, like, really, really, really good, until you understand it fully, and you might need 15-20, 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.”

Asked if this release feels more final, he said, “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.”

Lumis has been active on the independent scene, and continues to team with Joseph Sawyer (Joe Gacy in WWE), who he teamed with in the Wyatt Sicks.