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Jim Cornette recently lashed out about Keith Lee's recent release from WWE.
On November 4, WWE announced that over a dozen talents had been released from the company. The list included some main roster superstars such as Keith Lee, Karrion Kross, Mia Yim, and Nia Jax.
On the latest episode of the Jim Cornette Experience, former WWE manager Jim Cornette addressed the recent talent cuts from WWE. Cornette mentioned that he was baffled by WWE's decision to put Keith Lee through a name change and a change in gimmick only to release him a couple of months later:
"Before the COVID break, they bring him to the main roster and put him in a tennis skirt. Then the COVID break was actually a good thing because people forgot about the tennis skirt. But then, he's changing clothes, he's changing music and then he changes his name. And then they release him? As a guy who's given guys gimmicks or changed their gimmicks, or just booked guys in general, I don't know why any of these things were done," Cornette said.
You can watch the full video here.
He pointed out that he had also been involved in a lot of gimmick changes in the past, but this decision did not make sense to him.
Keith Lee was a force to reckon with on NXT
Gradually working up the ranks of NXT, Keith Lee became a dominant force in the black and gold brand. Under the creative direction of Triple H, Keith Lee won the North American Championship and then became the first superstar ever to hold the North American Championship and the NXT Championship at the same time when he defeated Adam Cole.
Lee had a strong showing at Survivor Series 2019 and was instantly over with the crowd when he appeared in the 2020 Royal Rumble to square off with Brock Lesnar.
However, prior to his release, Lee was asked by top brass to refine his craft in the Performance Center. Lee worked several dark matches on both RAW and SmackDown before reappearing on the main roster as "Bearcat" Lee.
He may very well go down as a missed opportunity for those in the company. Wherever he ends up next, his talent is sure to shine through.
