Keith Lee’s arrival in AEW followed a stint in WWE where he had to endure Vince McMahon’s creative booking. Mr. McMahon pegged Lee with a “Bearcat” nickname, even after he rejected it. Then he sat on the shelf for a while until his eventual release. Now that Keith Lee has a bit more freedom in AEW, he wants to set a shining, and limitless, example for fans all over.
While speaking to Fightful’s Grapsody podcast, Keith Lee noted how comfortable he is with his look. That white hair is something he’s rocked since he was 16-years-old. In the end, his new look is a “middle finger” for anyone who said that he shouldn’t look like that to be a pro wrestler.
“This is definitely the same Keith Lee that left, alright? The Keith Lee that left is actually not the entirety of what Keith Lee is. I think that what inspired that look or return and all of that, I think in my previous interview the exact terminology I used was, ‘A giant middle finger to society and a lot of companies that want you need to look like, a lot of people that tell you what you need to look like.’ Instead I decided to say, ‘Okay, here’s reality.’ I’ve actually made statements about this in the past. I saw my first grey hairs at sixteen, which means they were coming in long before that, right? I want people to be comfortable with who they are.”
Keith Lee went on to say that he plans to change the game with his new look. Obviously, he wants people to take care of themselves and be healthy, but Keith Lee is going to prove that it’s over to be overweight with white hair.
“Now, don’t get me wrong, I want people to be their best versions of themselves. But not at the expense of their natural looks. While I want people to take care of themselves physically and do what they can to adhere to their health, things of that sort, I’m going to be the trendsetter that says, ‘Okay, naturally grey hair, white hair, however you view it, I’m going to be the one who sets it off.’ Because I am who I am and I don’t really care what people say or think about me, I am going to be successful doing this. I’m going to change the game once again. That’s what I always do. That’s really what it’s about.”
Keith Lee is still going strong in AEW as a babyface after Swerve Strickland turned on him. We will have to see if another title reign is in his future, but it appears that he has the perfect mindset to accomplish giant things as a big man in pro wrestling.
Keith Lee’s recent comments on his new look and mindset serve as an inspiration for those who have been told they don’t fit the mold in the professional wrestling industry. Lee’s decision to embrace his natural appearance is not only a powerful statement against societal beauty standards, but also a testament to his confidence and self-acceptance.
As he sets out to change the game once again, it’s clear that Keith Lee is not afraid to challenge the status quo and be a trendsetter in his own right. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the talented wrestler, but one thing is certain – his new look and mindset are sure to inspire many others to be comfortable with who they are and embrace their natural beauty. Keith Lee will also not stop leaving a destructive path in the ring.
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