"See you later" - Wrestling legend says AEW needs to release Keith Lee amid his absence

Keith Lee continues to be missing from AEW programming. Former wrestling booker-turned-podcaster, Jim Cornette, has now shared his view that the former WWE Superstar should be let go by the Tony Khan-led promotion.

The Limitless One was last seen in action on the Holiday Bash edition of Collision back in December 2023, where he emerged victorious against Brian Cage. The Texas-native was scheduled to finally take on Swerve Strickland at that year's Worlds End PPV, in the culmination of their feud that began towards the end of 2022. Unfortunately, he was pulled out of the match due to an undisclosed injury, and later underwent double surgeries in January last year.

Despite his ongoing hiatus, Lee has continued to interact with fans on social media, and has claimed that he is not finished with the squared circle. Regardless, while reviewing the AEW men's roster on the latest edition of his Drive Thru podcast, Jim Cornette suggested that the Jacksonville-based company should release the former World Tag Team Champion, citing his prior health issues.

"Every time he's gone, he says he's perfectly healthy, comes back, and we hear the story that he was near death, he looks near death, and he goes away again. And then he says 'I'm perfectly healthy.' I'm sorry, he's gotta be perfectly gone. I can't do this, the back and forth, and the Frazier promo and the gray hair and the f****** whatever, there was something there, it's long since passed, see you later, Keith." [5:27 - 5:52]

Notably, Lee was backstage for the promotion's weekly TV programs earlier this year.

AEW star Keith Lee's heartfelt interaction with a fan

Keith Lee made his All Elite Wrestling debut over three years ago. Despite the initial hype surrounding his arrival, the former NXT Champion's run in the company has fizzled out somewhat due to his extended absence. Regardless, fans of the powerhouse continue to check up on him, and eagerly anticipate his in-ring return.

Lee responded to one such supporter on X/Twitter recently, revealing that he had just finished an intense workout and wishing the user a good day.

"Just finished up a monster leg day, so I am quite excellent, and definitely enjoying the day. Happy Friday to you friend. May the day treat you kindly," wrote Lee.

Check out Keith Lee's tweet below:

Expand Tweet

It remains to be seen whether and when Tony Khan will bring Keith Lee back to AEW television.

About the author

Anurag is an AEW writer for Sportskeeda Wrestling. He holds a BA and MA degree in English along with a TEFL certification to teach English. Before Sportskeeda, he worked as a Content and Correspondence writer at Nayabad Titas, a theater group. He has also worked as a English language tutor.

To ensure complete accuracy, he uses internet resources, social media platforms, and especially pieces composed by his peers to find solid, verified information that he presents as objectively as possible. Thanks to his academic background, he can research different subjects thoroughly.

Anurag's interest in wrestling began as a child. He watched RAW and Smackdown frequently from age 10 or 11 and was officially hooked by the YES Movement story in WWE heading into WrestleMania 30.

As a lifelong wrestling fan and lover of stories, Anurag would read news, articles, and other content about the talent and events he enjoyed watching. His understanding of the business continued to grow with time, and his interest in the art and sport of wrestling led him to pursue a career as a writer.

Apart from writing, he loves to read books, watch movies and television programs, play and listen to music, and write poetry and fiction.

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Edited by Anurag Mukherjee