In the world of professional wrestling, on-screen marriages almost universally end in disaster. Yet the union between Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis (nicknamed “Index” by fans) stands as a rare success story that continues to resonate with wrestling audiences years later. In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Hartwell shared insights into the unlikely pairing and its lasting impact.
When asked about her current relationship status with the silent, enigmatic Lumis, Hartwell playfully kept kayfabe alive:
“It’s complicated. As you look at your… I’m not wearing the ring. Everyone asks me that. Like all these signings that I’ve done recently, they’re like, ‘Are you still with Dexter?’ I’m like, ‘Ah, it’s complicated.'”
Breaking Wrestling Tradition
What makes the “Index” storyline particularly notable is how it bucked wrestling tradition:
“It was good because almost every wedding marriage in wrestling either ends in just a bunch of people beating each other up. Or it turns into you guys somehow fighting each other or a mixed tag or something like that. I think everyone thought that it would like go wrong. Yes. But it didn’t. No, it actually went very right. And again, one of the very few wrestling weddings that is call it successful.”
From Joke to Storyline
The unlikely pairing began as an impromptu moment that wasn’t originally planned as a long-term storyline:
“I think it was just a… It was supposed to be a one-off thing. I think it started with Johnny [Gargano] was having a match with Dexter and they had me ringside and we just had this moment where we looked at each other and I think I backed up and I hit the ring post and that’s something that I did in rehearsal like as a joke which a lot of things I would do as a joke and they’d be like, ‘Oh, do that on TV.’ So, we did it and it got really good reaction. So, then every week the creative was like something with me and Dexter and I didn’t know what it was going to turn into honestly.”
Connecting With Fans
The spontaneous origin makes the storyline’s massive success even more remarkable. Hartwell expressed surprise at how strongly it connected with fans, especially considering it took place during the pandemic era with limited live crowds:
“When I do the signings and stuff, like 98% of people will bring up Index, which I love. I love that people loved it.”
Perfect Character Dynamic
The contrast between Hartwell’s expressive character and Lumis’s silent, stoic persona created a dynamic that fans couldn’t get enough of:
“He’s a man of very few words. He talks a lot to me. That’s why I tell people he doesn’t shut up. Like I just saw this clip yet yesterday on Twitter and it was like when the story line first started and he’s on the apron and I’m in the ring and he’s just standing there and I’m saying to him like, ‘Shut up. You talk too much.’ And he’s not saying anything. He’s just like… so good.”
Despite both performers now being in different companies, the Index storyline remains a highlight of both careers. It demonstrates the power of unexpected wrestling pairings when executed with commitment and creativity, allowing both performers to showcase different dimensions of their characters.