Keith Lee Didn’t Think About Not Competing During Coronavirus Pandemic, Trusted The Protocols

Keith Lee is set to defend his NXT North American Championship on Wednesday’s NXT in a triple threat match against Dominik Dijakovic and Damien Priest. 

With the coronavirus pandemic shutting down events and many self-quarantining, WWE has continued to hold shows at the Performance Center with no live audience. And though talent have the option of not performing due to the circumstances, Lee never considered not stepping in the ring. 

“It probably has been a consideration for any and everyone, but with the protocols that we’ve had, it’s kind of made it possible for us to get it done. I think that for me, it never was really a thought because I knew of what the protocol would be and the things necessary in order to even be okay and cleared to enter the building and things of that sort. So I was fairly confident in the circumstances that were set forth before us,” Lee told Chuck Carroll of CBS New York.

With no crowd to perform in front of, Lee discussed the lack of adrenaline he typically gets when the audience is there to back him. 

“Yes, there is definitely a certain level of adrenaline that the crowd offers, and I feel like it makes things hurt a little bit less when they’re there. I feel like there’s a very natural, like as soon as you come out of the back and you hear them, right away you’re in the zone. But I feel like just based on last week’s episode and there being nobody there, the first punch to my ear really rocked me, and that’s not a normal thing for me. So that’s something that I’ve taken note of, and I’ve tried to prepare myself going forward. Things are going to hurt more and that’s okay. All I can do is absorb those and use those instead to hopefully reset adrenaline level where I can push forward,” he said.

Lee’s NXT North American Title defense is set to headline Wednesday’s NXT. 

Fightful will have live coverage of NXT beginning at 8 p.m. ET on Wednesday.