Keith Lee Reveals How Many Times WWE Turned Him Down

Keith Lee is positioned to be one of the top names in WWE’s NXT brand. There might be a time soon enough when he’s one of the biggest names in the company. It didn’t happen fast for Lee.

Like many others, he started with WWE as an extra on television. This never generated anything for Lee except valuable experience. While speaking to After The Bell, the Limitless NXT Superstar explained that he was rejected by WWE three times before they finally came around.

“About three years in (being a wrestler), some people know him as Lance Archer, some people know him as Lance Hoyt, was in the WWE and said to somebody that I should be one to look out for,” Lee informed. “Then, I got invited to do some work. In my case, I got thrown into a barricade by one Mr. Triple H and also got poked in the eye by Shane McMahon and punched in the face by Vince. That was my introduction to the bosses of today.”

“At some point, I gained interest in that first meeting and ended up with my first try out. That was in 2008. I was turned down. In 2011, I did some extra work, and I got asked to come back for another tryout. I was also turned down. I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do-wrestling wise going forward. In 2013, when the Performance Center first opened up in the fall, I was part of that first class. Then, I was turned down a third time, so, I wasn’t really sure if I was going to continue wrestling.”

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“Then, I had a conversation with Dusty Rhodes and William Regal and some brief words with Jim Ross. If I hadn’t spoken with those first two (Rhodes and Regal), I don’t think I would have continued wrestling. Eventually, I did enough good deeds and turned a few heads.”

Keith Lee found himself in a very good position as they finally came around on him. Lee doesn’t look like a typical Superstar, but he also possesses an eclectic move set to go along with that uniqueness. We’ll have to see what 2020 has in store for Keith Lee, but he could certainly be one to watch.

Thanks to Wrestling Inc for the quote