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KEITH LEE TALKS HIS GRUDGE MATCH WITH DAMIAN PRIEST, WHETHER HE'S ACCLIMATED TO PERFORMING WITH NO FANS, TALENTS HE WANTS IN THE RING, HIS ROLE IN WWE STUDIOS' 'THE MAIN EVENT', OPPORTUNITIES ON MILESTONE WWE PPV EVENTS, DIJAKOVIC AND MUCH MORE: COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Tonight's edition of WWE NXT will feature a double main event of championship matches, including a grudge match featuring North American Champion Keith Lee in a grudge match, defending against Damian Priest, who attacked Lee last week and struck him with a nightstick in the threat.  Yesterday, Lee, "groggy voice and all" sat down with PWInsider.com to discuss the match, the opportunities presented to him over the course of his run in NXT and adapting to today's world at large.

Mike Johnson:   Thanks for joining us. How you doing this fine day?

Keith Lee: Hello. Greeting and salutations. You'll have to pardon my voice, because it's not all there, thanks to Mr. Priest, I am okay though.

Mike Johnson: Let's talk about the match with Damian Priest. Obviously your voice is obviously sore, from the shot that we saw last week on TV.   I would assume you're looking forward to getting back into the ring with him this Wednesday. What can viewers expect from this match, which has been set up to have a lot of personal things at stake as well.  How will this be different from a typical Lee title bout?

Keith Lee: Without question, they can expect to see a slightly more brutal side to me, because as you mentioned, it's a little more personal. I'll stick to the [inaudible 00:01:26] not competition, to say the least. As a man that loves competition as a whole, this is something that I am looking to send a message for anyone that takes that pathway against me in the future.

Mike Johnson:  The story with Damian Priest has been one of the cornerstones of NXT since it's comes to the USA network. What's been the most redeeming part, or what's been the best part of having NXT on that platform, as opposed to just being seen on the WWE Network?

Keith Lee: I think that the amount of people that see us has grown. There's more opportunity for competitors like myself, who may not have had a lot of time or opportunity to showcase themselves, or what they're capable of, to maybe get that opportunity, and maybe get that chance to show that and know a little bit more on something that I take great joy in. Getting those opportunities in that competition has been helpful for many people, I feel like.

Mike Johnson: We've seen you get a lot of opportunities in WWE of late on the Netflix streaming movie, The Main Event you get to play Smooth Operator. What was that opportunity like for you? Were you surprised when WWE came to you with this offer and what were your favorite memories of filming the movie in Vancouver?

Keith Lee: It was an absolute surprise and I wish that I had more voice right now to express exactly how much I loved it. That was something I think I can only describe as magical. I think that, that experience is something that's probably going to live with me for quite some time. Hopefully, it'll lead to more opportunity because I had so much fun just working with so many different people. It's such an honor and it's just a completely different atmosphere, so I'm hoping for more chances with that.

Mike Johnson: Obviously, the Smooth Operator character is completely different than the Keith Lee we've gotten to know in recent years through the Independents and EVOLVE and WWE NXT, but would you want to, maybe when the throat is better, incorporate some elements of Smooth Operator into what you do?   The characters are very different, but you obviously, on a good day when you're healthy, you have the pipes. Would you want to bring that element to NXT?

Keith Lee: I feel like Smooth Operator is not what I would want to represent as a competitor. I think if I'm just having fun and enjoying the moment perhaps, but it is definitely not something that I necessarily focused on at the moment.

Mike Johnson: We're in a unique situation right now in how WWE produces its television. You had spoken in an interview a while back noting that the absence of the WWE audience makes the physical act of performing, of competing in the ring, hurt more. It makes it harder. Have you - or in discussions with other talents - have you found that it's become something you've acclimated yourself to, or is it still the same, where it's physically still harsher on your body than it was normally? Have you gotten used to it or does the physicality still hurt worse than when you were in front of one, two, five, 20,000 fans and that electricity is coming through the building?

Keith Lee: I feel like there's always going to be a void when there's not a lot of fans there. It makes you more aware of the more difficult portions of matches and the more painful portions of matches. I also think that I don't think I'll ever adjust to it because I have such an appreciation for what fans bring to a match, It's something that I am trying to adjust to. It forces me to take myself to a different level as an athlete in order to fulfill what is missing, At the end of the day, I am and I will continue to miss them.

Mike Johnson: The WWE Performance Center has been turned into the production stage for WWE television. How much do you miss the opportunity to get into the PC and train and better yourself and run tape and work with different coaches? How has the Performance Center turning into a television studio, for lack of a better term, changed how you prepare and how you train for your matches?

Keith Lee: I feel like it hasn't changed a ton. I always find a way to do whatever training I feel is necessary for myself. I do miss bouncing ideas off of our Coaches, but even then I will sometimes just use a message with them to figure it out. Somebody, especially a coach that you're closer to, will make a way and then try and figure out how to meet with you or whatever's necessary. One way or another we work it out. As they say, the show goes on.

Mike Johnson: You're going to be facing Damian Priest on Wednesday, but another rival who continues to pop up in your path is Dominic Dajakovik or Dajakovik, as he was known previously. Thoughts on that rivalry having followed you from place to place, and what is it about him that creates such a great chemistry between you two in the ring?

Keith Lee: It's followed me from place to place, rightfully so. You have two kids who fight each other out of respect. I often talk about competition and how important it is. That's Something that we do very handily. When it comes to our battles, they're all built on respect. You have two purely hyper athletes that, at the end of the day, push each other because of said athleticism, but also the wish to stand out and be different and make a statement for ourselves. When you have two people that want to be at the top, obviously they're going to push each other both physically, mentally, athletically, emotionally. All those things tie together. Us two have pushed each other since 2016, and I don't think that's going to stop, to be fair.

Mike Johnson: You've had the opportunity to appear on some pretty major WWE pay-per-views over the last year or so. You were in the Royal Rumble getting tossed out by Brock Lesnar. You've gone one on one with Roman Reigns at the Climax of Survivor Series. When you have those opportunities, does it make you hungrier to get to Raw and SmackDown or does it make you relish the opportunities you have with NXT currently? I think there's that narrative of everybody's trying to get to Raw or SmackDown, but NXT has changed in its positioning in the last six months or so, obviously, with the USA Network deal. So, how have those opportunities on major WWE milestone events changed how you look at NXT?

Keith Lee: It makes me grateful that I have a place to, as you say, express myself. More so, chill off, and then have those opportunities and whatnot, and having a place to unload the personality and unload the athleticism that we use as a whole. I don't know if that opportunity would be if I weren't in NXT.  That said, it also makes me hungry because I also feel like I know that there are many fans that now wish to see, instead of matches such as Keith Lee versus Brock Lesnar, Keith Lee versus Braun Strowman. Lee versus Strowman, Reigns. He'd be standing next to one of those guys. It creates that interest. I know that those are some top competitors, which also tickles my competitive nature, and then I now want to step in the ring, and I fight any of those guys. I'm grateful for where I am, but I'm also open-minded for opportunities, whether they're in NXT or on another brand.

Mike Johnson: Speaking of opportunities, as the North American Champion, you have the opportunity to have a marquee match anytime you step in the ring for a championship defense. Who are some of the NXT talents, once you get past, if you get past, Damian Priest this week, that you'd like to see get an opportunity to step in the ring with you because you feel they deserve a bigger spotlight then they've had the chance to get this far?

Keith Lee: I don't know. I liked the way you worded that, when I get past Damian Priest, because that's exactly how I feel about it. Pardon me. My throat's a little testy. If I have to choose opponents, it's a really, really tough call. I think even though he competes mostly on 2055, I think that Isaiah Swerve Scott is somebody that would be worthy competition without a doubt. Matt Riddle. We are boys, we are close but when it comes to fighting, just like myself and let it go, it is a matter of perspective, a love for competition. I know that he would jump at the opportunity. Those are the first two that come to mind.   I think a battle between myself and Adam Cole would be something very interesting, whether it's for both battles or a competition and then there will be something special at the end of the day. It's a matter of time, I think.

Mike Johnson: As we start to run out of time here, I want to thank you first of for all sitting down with me. I know your throat's "bothering you."  Tomorrow when you face Damian Priest, what is your prediction for what fans can expect out of that match?

Keith Lee: I would say the fans can expect repayment. Whereas, I like to say a receipt of brutality because there are certain lines that one should not cross and he has made the mistake before. He's going to have to pay in the price of bodily harm. I need to make that statement not just for me, but so people in the future understand that if you're going to do stuff to me, then I'll [inaudible 00:14:16] I'm ready for a competition and if he takes shortcuts I will [inaudible 00:14:22].

Mike Johnson: Thank you so much for your time and if you've got any final words to everybody who's been following since the early days of Texas when you were trained by Tim Brooks and moving on with your career, I'd love to give you that forum to close this out.

Keith Lee: Absolutely. To the people that have been around since then, I am eternally grateful to you, even if my voice cannot express it right now. Understand that I'm waiting on all of you. Understand that I miss all of you. When We're able to come back in earnest, I cannot wait to see you. Let us all move forward with all of our goals.

Mike Johnson: Keith, thank you for the time and we'll talk to you soon.

Keith Lee: Thank you, sir.

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