When the concept of a "Winner Takes All" match was announced for The Great American Bash on NXT, fans were not sure what to expect. Night One featured a Triple Threat match with Johnny Gargano and Finn Bálor chasing Keith Lee's North American Championship. Lee won and went on to face Adam Cole on Night Two with both belts on the line. Lee defeated Cole, meaning that NXT has officially entered the Limitless Era, one that will see both the champion and the brand rise to new heights.
Keith Lee was officially announced as a member of the NXT roster on May 1, 2018. Fans were excited by this as his work in ROH, Evolve and PWG was highly respected. But the first several months of Lee's tenure in NXT did not go the way they should have. He quickly found himself on the back burner while other stars, like Matt Riddle, seemed to be receiving larger pushes. An injury that put him on the shelf for a couple of months sure didn't help things.
Then came Survivor Series 2019. It was the first time that NXT would field its own teams in the event. While the NXT Men's team ultimately did not win, Keith Lee made a huge impression on fans and management alike. Lee went on from there to win the NXT North American Championship and then made a well-loved appearance in the the 2020 Royal Rumble match, which pitted him directly against Brock Lesnar, teasing a future Lee versus Lesnar match fans will be dying to see.
Lee has been on an incredible hot streak ever since Survivor Series, seemingly unable to do any wrong in the ring. The man has been responsible for some incredibly memeable moments. The time he absolutely launched Adam Cole into the audience with a massive Pounce is still hilarious. Equally memorable was the moment when he menacingly appeared on the ring apron behind Bálor while he was standing in the corner. Lee did the same thing to Gargano in the recent Triple Threat match.
To paraphrase a line from Razor Ramon, the man absolutely oozes machismo. Lee is incredible on the mic and is one of the most charismatic wrestlers in the business today. While a victory over Cole to become the first person to hold both the NXT Championship and the North American Championship at the same time was far from certain, fans knew he was the man for the job.
During his record-setting 396 day run as the NXT Champion, Adam Cole became the man in NXT. He was top dog for a long time, but the men's division is ready for a change. Undisputed Era's prophecy of being draped in gold had come true -- then fell apart thanks to Keith Lee taking the North American Championship off of Roderick Strong. It was time to complete the transition away from the Undisputed Era and move the brand on to the next phase of its existence.
That phase will be led by Keith Lee, and it will be interesting to see how long he will continue to hold both belts. Being that he's held the North American Championship since January 2020, one would have to imagine that would be the first belt to go. Finn Bálor, Damian Priest and Cameron Grimes all have to be considered potential contenders for it. But there is already someone stalking the NXT Championship.
Karrion Kross and Scarlett had already made their intentions known to Adam Cole. Beyond simply winning the belt, Kross wanted the honor of being the man to end Cole's historic reign. Lee stole that moment from him, and it's unlikely that Kross will be happy about that. As great a wrestler as Adam Cole is, a feud between Lee and Kross holds a lot more potential for huge moments.
While there are no guarantees, Cole could be making his way to either Raw or SmackDown now that he's no longer champion, and Keith Lee will eventually make that leap too. But for now, being the history making, prophecy breaking, UE slaying double champion will certainly raise Lee's profile.
When he does inevitably make the jump to the main roster, you can bet more championship gold will follow him. Ric Flair math says that since Keith Lee beat the man, that now makes him the man -- and the man gets title shots.