Keith Lee is one of the biggest rising Superstars in NXT in recent memory, and it’s because WWE fans can’t wait to see him take on all sorts of opponents. But with Lee willingly giving up the North American title to offer an opportunity to newcomers, it was the kind of move that further emphasizes that Lee might be a big fish in a small pond. Because while he did note that it was to give others the same kind of opportunity he had, it was also the kind of braggadocious move that makes you wonder what he really has in mind.
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It’s kind of like he’s ready to take on a new class of opponents, right? If that’s the case, who should Lee move onto next? Who should be in the next line of opponents for Keith Lee to take on in the future? Not limited to NXT, Monday Night Raw, or Friday Night SmackDown, these are the WWE Superstars Keith Lee should take on next.
Read on for our choices for seven opponents Keith Lee needs to take on next and let us know all of your thoughts in the comments! Who would you like to see Keith Lee go toe to toe with?
Karrion Kross
It’s a good thing this match is actually going to happen soon as Karrion Kross is currently one of the strongest builds in NXT’s roster. The reason Keith Lee vs. Karrion Kross is such an interesting match up is because the both of them have essentially been built as indestructible power houses. Keith Lee could not possibly lose this match as it would essentially ruin him, but it could be the same for Kross whose whole deal right now is the fact that he’s super strong. So who even goes over in this match up?ย
Dexter Lumis
Another major NXT star on the rise has been Dexter Lumis as he’s carved out a pretty unique serial killer identity among the roster. His size and intensity would make him a perfect wall to bounce off Keith Lee’s bravado promo style as this match up would have a lot of fun weeks of building for. The only problem here is that by the time Lumis is ready to move onto the main title picture, Lee might be ready to move onto other titles and accolades with the Monday Night Raw or Friday Night Smackdown roster.ย
Finn Balor
Speaking of moving on, there’s the major question of when we’ll actually see a full one on one between Finn Balor and Keith Lee. Balor’s been floating around throughout the majority of the pandemic period so far, and only recently has re-emerged with a new direction in mind. It’s not exactly a direction pointed straight at Keith Lee just yet, but would be a fun way to go. We’ve seen what these two can pull off in a triple threat alongside Johnny Gargano, but Finn Balor and Keith Lee definitely deserve to have a full match time with just the two of them.ย
Braun Strowman
Now when Keith Lee does make his way toward the Raw and SmackDown rosters, which way should he go? There is actually quite a bit of opportunity present for him on either brand’s roster. If he does go the SmackDown route, then one of the matches we definitely need to see off the bat is one between Keith Lee and Braun Strowman. Ever since all of the bigger gentlemen came out nearly at the same time during Royal Rumble 2020, there has been nothing but excitement over which of the Raw or SD’s roster’s big boys would stand well against Keith Lee. Being that they are both pretty nimble, huge in their own ways, and both have the take on all challengers vibe that makes for good matches. This would be an explosive one for sure.ย
Roman Reigns
Speaking of big boys, before the pandemic you wouldn’t exactly put Roman Reigns in the same boat as superstars like Keith Lee. But if recent photos of Reigns are anything to go by, Reigns is going to be on a huge tear when the COVID-19 pandemic passes and it’s safe for him to work again. Reigns is going to need a huge opponent to reintroduce himself to the world, and Keith Lee would be the perfect one to help him do so. Whether it’s on Raw or SmackDown, this would be quite the killer match to put them both at the top pretty much instantly.ย
Rey Mysterio
If his work in NXT is anything to go by, Keith Lee matches can be a lot of fun when he faces off against opponents that are much smaller and more flighty than he is. Not only has he kept up with the movements of former champion Adam Cole and the like, but Lee has proven himself to be an excellent anchor to the action like the best big men of the past. Someone like Rey Mysterio (or heck, even his son Dominick at this point because of the whole eye thing) would lead to some high flying action that Lee excels at countering. It would be a fun one to watch!ย
Seth Rollins
The best aspect of Keith Lee’s identity is that it’s based on his unshakable belief in himself. He perceives himself to be limitless, so then he makes good out of that limitless potential. Someone like that would be an excellent creative foil to someone like Seth Rollins, whose currently villainous identity is carved out by such a belief in himself that he’s developed a god complex. Seeing these two clash would not only lead to a few weeks of great promos to build the story as Rollins comes across someone who’s basically like himself, but just not as evil about the whole thing. It’s the superhero vs. supervillain type stuff the WWE used to be built on! Lee could definitely be used as a way to tap into this old vein once more.ย