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In one of the more baffling developments in recent weeks, a report emerged from Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer fame, about Vince McMahon throwing a fit and ordering further training sessions for certain big guys in the current WWE roster.
In a nutshell, the report stated the following:
Vince McMahon threw a fit about the working ability of certain guys on the main roster, mad in particular about some of the big guys. He’s ordered some of the guys back to the Performance Center with two classes per week with Adam Pearce and Drew Gulak as instructors.
It later came to light that Keith Lee, someone who has been pushed from the word go (remember his extraordinary win against Randy Orton and his performance against Roman Reigns at Survivor Series) was in the group of individuals shortlisted by Vince McMahon.
The news sent shockwaves around the pro wrestling fraternity if you consider how highly regarded Keith Lee is as an in-ring worker.
So, why was Keith Lee paired with Otis, Omos, Dio Maddin, and others to receive further training?
Mind you, this article is purely speculative in nature, based on reports and the writer's feelings about the situation.
#5 Vince McMahon may want Keith Lee to work as big men do
Keith Lee hails from the independent wrestling world, and as we've come to learn over many years, it is not a world that Vince McMahon is necessarily familiar with or overtly fond of.
Many top Superstars, be it AJ Styles or Shinsuke Nakamura, have had to tone down their moveset after coming to WWE, and big men, in particular, are expected to work a certain way in the company.
This may be why Vince McMahon may have asked Keith Lee to go back to the Performance Center.
#4 Keith Lee's promo ability may not necessarily resonate with WWE management
As incredible as Keith Lee is between the ropes, one has to admit that his promo skills on WWE RAW, the overblown, dramatic style may leave a lot to be desired.
Vince Russo, who has been an important backstage figure in WWE, WCW, and TNA is not a fan of Keith Lee at all. So much so, that he compares Keith Lee to William Shatner:
Bro, when Keith 'The Dragon' Lee breaks into his William Shatner, bro, it's the worst. I think it's the worst thing I have ever seen. Bro, what is he doing? Was he a Star Trek mark growing up? It's atrocious.
Obviously, this is an extreme reaction, but one has to believe that there may be others that are equally unimpressed by Keith Lee's promo skills.
Maybe the trip to the WWE Performance Center is an attempt to get Keith Lee to adopt a more WWE way of approaching a promo, to tone down on the theatrical element in the long haul.
#3 Keith Lee may have been grouped with the others because of his size
So, the main question here is why Keith Lee, whom everyone considers as one of the better workers in the company was sent to the WWE Performance Center by Vince McMahon. It may turn out that the decision to send him to the Performance Center could have been nothing more than a random grouping owing to his massive size.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful recently reported that Keith Lee may have gotten caught up with the other names owing to how big the man is. This is the only reason why he is probably being asked to report to the WWE Performance Center with the other big men.
There is apparently no heat on any of the men that have been sent to the WWE Performance Center to hone their skills and training sessions are a part of almost every organization (this includes SK Wrestling). Maybe Vince McMahon doesn't watch enough NXT and is not familiar with everything Keith Lee has accomplished in WWE's third brand?
#2 Much like Otis, Keith Lee too may be getting tutored about working safely
As great as Keith Lee is in the ring, he is a beast of a man, and not everyone that he faces may be similarly sized. The safety of one's opponent is of paramount importance especially when you're a big man. We know that Otis was sent to the WWE Performance Center to work in a safer manner, and the same may hold true for Keith Lee as well.
Sean Ross Sapp revealed on Fightful Select how Otis is generally well-liked backstage but a few spots had caught the attention of those backstage in recent months. While there is no heat with regard to Otis with regard to in-ring safety, the company just wants to plug all the loopholes and ensure that the man hones his skills until he is refined. Such may be true for Keith Lee too.
Neil Peart of Rush, considered to be the greatest drummer in history, took lessons at the height of his popularity, and so there's nothing shameful about honing your ability.
#1 Maybe Vince McMahon wants him to develop a more unique kind of character
One of the primary reasons why Vince McMahon has been able to create an empire that has transcended geographical boundaries and lasted for so many decades is because of his ability to tell stories and create compelling characters that endure over time.
Keith Lee, for all his accomplishments, is still little more than a skillful competitor, at least in the WWE main roster. Vince McMahon may want him to spend time in the WWE Performance Center to develop a character that endures the test of time, like Stone Cold Steve Austin or The Rock.
Just compare how much cooler Roman Reigns is, in his current avatar, as opposed to the man he was when he was just your standard, everyday babyface, and Vince McMahon probably realizes this about Keith Lee.
And when you're done with this article, check out our interview with someone who pioneered the NXT brand with Keith Lee, Johnny Gargano, by clicking on the link shared right above.
