Dexter Lumis, the ring name of Samuel Shaw, wears broad blackwork over his right shoulder and a much more detailed sleeve on the left. His familiar look—short blond hair, mustache, black gloves and gray jeans—put that contrast on display; close photos show the lines and skin breaks that get lost at a glance.
Right upper-arm blackwork tattoo
Dark fill covers much of Lumis’s right shoulder and upper arm, reaching toward the elbow. From a distance it reads as a solid shape; closer in, narrow breaks of skin and the edges of the blackwork are easy to see. The forearm doesn’t continue the same uninterrupted field.
The ink wraps around the shoulder rather than sitting like a small badge on its surface. Its outline gives the right arm a strong silhouette, while the open lines keep it from being one featureless block. The photos don’t establish whether the blackwork covers an older tattoo.
Left shoulder tattoo and curved sleeve lines
The left shoulder uses curved outlines and shaded shapes instead of a broad black field. Lines turn back into the design or run down the arm, with lighter borders helping separate the layers. The rounded shoulder connects directly to the denser sleeve below it, so the upper and lower sections read as one composition.
Some shapes wrap out of view as the arm turns, which makes it hard to name every subject from a single angle. The curves and shifting patches of shade are clear on their own.
Left forearm tattoo with spotted shapes
Lower on the left arm, pale forms with dark spots sit among curved lines and shaded areas. Their lighter outlines stand out against the darker sleeve and draw the design toward the wrist. The pattern follows the length of the forearm rather than spreading across it.
In ring photos, black gloves cover Lumis’s hands; the gloves are separate from the tattoo, which reaches close to the wrist. The images don’t show ink continuing across his fingers.
Left elbow tattoo and the sleeve’s continuous flow
The left sleeve carries its shaded background and lighter passages across the elbow instead of ending at a straight band. One photo shows the line from shoulder to wrist as the arm extends. When the elbow bends, parts of the design fold out of sight and others turn toward the camera.
The shifting widths of the shoulder, elbow and forearm give the connected lines room to change direction. The photos show the sleeve reaching toward the glove, while the chest and back remain open.
Contrasting arm tattoos and open chest space
Seen together, the right arm has the larger areas of dark fill, while the left sleeve carries more detail from shoulder to wrist. The NXT-era photos show a mostly untattooed chest between them, giving each side space. Both arms use dark ink, but they don’t mirror each other.
In an interview with Chris Van Vliet, Shaw talked about making an impression through a cold stare and silence. The gloves, open torso and contrasting sleeves all contribute to his stark ring look; that doesn’t mean every tattoo was chosen for the character. His conversation with Van Vliet is below.