10 Wrestlers WWE Gave Up On In 2021
3. Keith Lee
Another former NXT Championship-winning hero to zero story here, and this one centres around a star who once had the world at his feet, only to realise that said world was hellbent on bending him to its will.
On NXT, Keith Lee quickly forged his own unique path, flipping and flying around the ring like a man a third his size and exuding bucketloads of charisma all the while. A life-changing 2019/2020 then saw the Limitless performer bump heads with Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar at Survivor Series and the Royal Rumble, respectively, setting the stage for one of the most euphoric moments in a once-adored show's history.
However, just a few months on from becoming both NXT and North American Champion at The Great American Bash, Lee was quickly shuffled into the main roster pack, disappearing entirely after pulling out of a triple threat over the US title at Elimination Chamber. A scary COVID-19-induced spell on the sidelines followed before a Bearcat emerged from the other side, stripped of the out-of-this-world move-set that once made Vince himself gush over the one-of-a-kind sensation backstage.
Likely sensing Lee would never be content with being Limited, WWE parted ways with him in November.