10 Weirdest WWE Tryout Stories
9. Dusty Rhodes Told Keith Lee He Sucked On The Microphone
Keith Lee's WWE career has had its fair share of ups and downs, and similar to many of his NXT colleagues, he got his act ruined by the main roster creative team before getting released in 2021. He had his first tryout with WWE in 2008, but didn't get signed to a contract, and only got to appear as an extra on an episode of Raw in 2009.
The former NXT Champion shared more details on his failed 2008 WWE tryout in a WWE 24 documentary. Lee claimed the tryout was a good learning experience and recalled the late WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes telling him he wasn't ready and giving him an honest review that he sucked on the mic. Lee continued to perform on the independent circuit, and honed his skills before landing a developmental contract with WWE in 2018.
Fans hoped he'd reach his full potential in AEW after he signed with the company in 2022, but he had a mixed run in the Jacksonville-based promotion. He has been out of action since December 2023 due to an unknown injury, and underwent double surgeries in January 2024.