One of the most enduring characters in professional wrestling is the Monster Heel. Something from your nightmares come to life, be it a undead demon or hulking giant set on destruction and pain. There have been many notable examples, such as The Undertaker, Kane, Umaga, The Great Khali and more. They would have built up for the Heroic Babyface to take down, be that Roman Reigns, John Cena, or Hulk Hogan. It is a time tested character, but one WWE currently lacks on their roster. Lars Sullivan would fill that role, but he has been off TV for nearly a year now. The Fiend comes close, but is also the most popular act in the company and doesn’t get reactions of fear, but rather fans cheering him on. But there is one man in NXT who could very well be the perfect fit for a modern take on this gimmick, that being Dexter Lumis.
Dexter Lumis Is Unsettling And Low Key
Formerly known as Samuel Shaw in Impact Wrestling where he played a character like that of Patrick Batemen from American Psycho. He would become Dexter Lumis and make his WWE NXT debut as part of the Breakout Tournament, losing to Bronson Reed before vanishing once again. He doesn’t have the size of a typical monster heel, being 6 ft 2 in and 239 lbs, but his character is what makes him so good in this role. Over the past few weeks, he has destroyed Jake Atlas and Tehuti Miles, with a new haunting persona. He doesn’t blink, he doesn’t seem to register pain, and he will wait for you to try to strike you before picking you apart. All this while he stares you down with cold blue eyes. His gimmick is one that is only starting to begin, and he was looming over the tag team main event as well, just staring from the sidelines.
His expert level character work comes at a time when that is something WWE lacks at this time, but is starting to pop back up with people like Lumis, Dream and Elias.
Heavy Influence From Stranger Things
One of the most popular shows in the world is Stranger Things, with people eager to get their eyes on Season Four. His synth heavy theme song is a direct reference, and he acts like someone under the influence of the Mind Flayer. Viewers of both shows will notice how much he acts like Billy from Season 3 and while WWE will likely not directly mention the show due to potential copyright issues, it is very clear where the inspiration came from.
Do you think Lumis will realize his potential as a monster heel, or will his gimmick fizzle out before it can hit it’s peak? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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