Newly signed WWE NXT star Keith Lee spoke with WWE.com to talk about various topics. Here are the highlights.
WWE.COM: You’ve finally made it to NXT. How are you settling in?
LEE: Wonderfully. There is so much to learn and a lot of training to be had. Being intellectually stimulated is something I enjoy greatly. I was rather imbalanced when I first came here. But the training has been efficiently bringing balance my way. I’ve regained a lot of strength that I was unsure would return, so I am more than grateful for that. I can’t wait to see how much further I progress.
WWE.COM: You’ve had quite the road to get here. I understand you had your first WWE tryout 10 years ago?
LEE: Indeed. It’s been eventful, long and educational. I had a five-day tryout in 2008, a three-day tryout in 2011, and in 2013 I was part of the first tryout group at the WWE Performance Center. I believe there were 32 of us there.
WWE.COM: What kept you motivated to keep trying?
LEE: For a long time, it was merely my own drive and wishes. Eventually, that would fade, and other inspirations would take place. Sometimes it was people I admired and would study. Kurt Angle, early Brock Lesnar, Kevin Owens, Shelton Benjamin, AJ Styles, Cesaro, Seth Rollins and Samoa Joe were all people I watched and studied greatly. I also gained a lot of knowledge from William Regal. In 2013, if it weren’t for Dusty Rhodes and William Regal’s encouragement, I might have stopped wrestling. Since then, I’ve also befriended one of the big kahunas in fitness motivation, CT Fletcher, or as I like to call him, Pops. We have traded merchandise; I’ve signed his Wall of Fame, and he let me train in his gym. I cheer for him, and he kept me uplifted. He knew I’d be here before I did. Big shout-out to Pops; this grind is also for you! Time to #WorkForIt.
WWE.COM: Tell us more about how the late “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes made a lasting impression on you.
LEE: When I first met and worked with him, he let me know how much and where I lacked. I applied his words and honed myself. During the 2013 tryout, if you were going to show who you were on a microphone, you had to do it in front of The American Dream. When I finished, he pulled me aside and said to me, “That’s it, baby. You’ve got a presence I can literally bask in. Take it and do what you want.” And thus, “Bask in my glory” was born. It is now something I hold very dear.
