In a short period of time, Keith Lee has made quite an impact on Monday Night RAW.
He already finds himself right smack in the middle of the main event picture after only debuting less than a month ago. Last week, he battled Drew McIntyre for a chance to face him at Clash of Champions for the WWE Championship. Just when it looked like he was closing in on a win, Retribution made their presence known and attacked both men.
But tonight, Lee has another opportunity at a potential title shot. If he can defeat McIntyre and Orton is unable to compete, then it will be him vs. McIntyre on Sunday night. Now if this is the actual match-up, who’s to say he can’t walk out victorious? He’s shined in high-pressure situations before, so why would this time be any different?
So, here are five reasons why Keith Lee should be WWE Champion.
1. He’s Fully Capable
Starting things off is perhaps the most obvious reason of them all.
Once he debuted for NXT back in 2018, people could tell he had “star power” written all over him. He went on to prove it by winning the 2019 NXT Breakout Star of the Year Award and the NXT North American Championship in January 2020.
But perhaps his greatest achievement to date came just a few months ago during the second night of The Great American Bash. In the main event, he defeated Adam Cole in a winner-take-all match to become both the North American and NXT Champion. He made history that night by becoming the only person to hold both belts at the same time.
This kind of thing doesn’t happen to just anybody. Lee possesses all the qualities of a star: talent, uniqueness, and charisma. He’s a big man that moves like a cruiserweight, leaving fans in awe of what he can do inside the ring. He also has skills on the mic as well, using his soft-spoken nature to draw you in and keep you invested in his words.
It doesn’t matter what title he holds because he automatically adds prestige to the belt. He’s held gold basically everywhere he has wrestled, so RAW should be no different.
2. A Possible Need for A Title Change
While McIntyre has been a great champion, it might just be time for a change.
He’s held the title since April, defending it against the likes of Seth Rollins, Dolph Ziggler, and Randy Orton. Those guys aren’t pushovers, and neither is Lee, so him dropping the title now to a worthy challenger isn’t a horrible idea.
Both men showed last week that they can put on a good match. The two are also great friends, which is evident by how well they work together in the ring. But Orton turning this match into a triple threat still is a possibility.
Orton winning isn’t a bad option either; he could gain some measure of revenge on McIntyre and Lee for beating him at SummerSlam and Payback respectively. However, he doesn’t really need a title to keep his momentum going. On the other hand, Lee winning at Clash of Champions could be the breath of fresh air WWE needs.
3. Representation
With the current issues going on in the world right now, this one might be the most meaningful reason.
Lee becoming a champion could be a symbol of hope and positivity for the black community in a time where it’s desperately needed. Just look at Kofi Kingston’s title reign; he became the first African American WWE Champion, which meant a lot to so many people. But it’s forever marred by how it ended, which doesn’t sit well with fans to this day.
This could be an opportunity to right those wrongs; Lee is beloved by many and giving him a long and legitimate reign at the top would be a welcome sight to see. That and having him, Bobby Lashley, and The Street Profits as the major title holders on RAW would be a big deal.
WWE is often criticized for its representation, especially when they continuously preach about inclusivity and diversity. Time and time again they have had chances to back those claims up but continue to be stuck in their ways. Right now, they have the perfect opportunity to break that trend and have a black man be the face of the company for a long time.
4. He Deserves a Longer Title Run
This one is rather simple, a star like Lee deserves to hold a major title for a long time.
While he held the North American Championship for 181 days, he only held the NXT Championship for 52 days. That stands as the third shortest reign behind only Samoa Joe (14 days) and Karrion Kross (four days). Granted, his impending move to RAW certainly cut his reign short, but he still deserved to hold it for a little while longer.
If he were to win the WWE Championship at Clash of Champions, we can only hope he holds it for a while. Anything less would seem lackluster, especially for a guy like him.
Plus, a long reign also means more challengers and potential high-quality matchups. Imagine him defending against the likes of Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, and potentially Brock Lesnar. Those sound like a sure-fire match of the year contenders.
5. He Could Be Finn Balor 2.0, But Better
Now I know this reason seems a little odd but hear me out first.
Most NXT call-ups start at the bottom of the card and work their way up. However, one exception to the rule was Finn Bálor. RAW selected him as the fifth overall pick in the 2016 WWE Draft, and within a month he won the newly created WWE Universal Championship. Unfortunately, he tore his labrum during the match and had to relinquish the title the following night.
Lee’s first month on RAW is quite like Bálor’s (minus the injury); since he first appeared on August 24, he has yet to be pinned. Furthermore, he owns a clean pinfall victory over Randy Orton, during a pay-per-view no less. Now he is potentially challenging for the WWE Championship.
Who knows what could have happened if Bálor stayed healthy and kept the title. But WWE obviously saw how big of a star he was, or they wouldn’t have made him a champion. That’s why it looks like Lee is going to follow suit; why else would he be in the position he’s in right now? These kinds of situations don’t happen often, which shows you how much stock they are putting in The Limitless One.