Mick Foley may be something of a cuddly teddy bear these days, but the three-time former WWE Champion is ready to raise some hell as part of The Judgment Day.
This April will mark one year since the group debuted, and initially consisted of Edge and Damian Priest.
At WWE WrestleMania Backlash 2022, Rhea Ripley was added to the group, and Finn Balor’s entry not long after would see Edge be ousted as leader.
It was at September’s Clash at the Castle Premium Live Event that Dominik Mysterio joined the group, after betraying Edge and his father Rey Mysterio.
Foley’s Judgment
Mick Foley’s days in the ring are long behind him, but the WWE Hall of Famer has expressed a (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) interest in joining the faction.
On YouTube, Foley donned a distinct purple and black flannel to seek “gainful employment” as a member and referenced his decades of experience in the industry.
Foley also acknowledged his moniker as ‘King of the Death Match’ and mentioned reaching the New York Times bestseller list twice.
While praising the group’s various skills (including the abs of Finn Balor,) Foley requested his son Dewey to draw more tear ‘tattoos’ on his face.
Dewey instead wrote the word ‘Help Me’ on his father’s forehead (a not to Al Snow) and a more ‘phallic’ piece of ink on his other cheek.
Judgment Day at WrestleMania
The Judgment Day is yet to publicly respond to Foley’s resume, but with or without the Hardcore legend, they’ll be kept pretty busy at WrestleMania.
After becoming the first woman to win a Royal Rumble match from #1, Rhea Ripley will challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair this April.
On next week’s Raw, Edge and Finn Balor will have a confrontation, and it has been rumored that a Hell in a Cell match between the two will take place at WrestleMania.
There have been rumors that Dominik Mysterio will face his father Rey next month in the father and son’s home state of California.
WWE superstar Finn Balor shared some encouraging words for Dominik Mysterio’s development in the company.
Mysterio has risen as one of the biggest heels in the WWE. He made the change at Clash at the Castle on Sep. 3, 2022, when he betrayed his father, Rey, and Edge. Two days later, he would align himself with The Judgement Day(Balor, Rhea Ripley, and Damien Priest) to become a faction member. After several months of working with The Judgement Day, Dominik has started to get out of the shadow of his father.
In an interview with The Bump’s Kayla Braxton and Matt Camp, Balor spoke highly about Dominik’s transformation as a heel talent. While expressing his thoughts, Balor stayed in character during the interview.
“You know, it kind of makes me sad a little bit that Dominik hasn’t received the support from his family. The fact that he’s growing and achieving so much in a short time, but without that backbone or family support, it’s quite incredible, said Balor.
He continued, “…At the same time, you know my family has always supported me, so I take that kind of for granted that people should be supported by their family and the fact that Rey has continuously not shown support, not shown interest in his sons development and career, it’s quite saddening. So myself, Damian(Priest) and Rhea(Ripley) all been a shoulder for Dom to lean on and I think he’s stepped out of his father shadow in such a short time and I think he’s going to make his father pay.”
Will Dominik Challenge His Father At WrestleMania 39?
Photo Credit: WWE
It seems the WWE is looking to have Dominik face his father at WrestleMania 39, but it’s unclear in what way. Dominik and The Judgement Day have antagonized his father since he joined them. On the Feb. 24 episode of Friday Night Smackdown, Rey came close to attacking his son but chose to walk away. It’s possible WWE could be setting up a father vs. son match at WrestleMania 39. However, the company has also teased that Santos Escobar may assist Rey in dealing with his son.
During a backstage segment on the Feb. 24 episode, Escobar and Dominik had a brief confrontation about respecting Rey. Before Escobar could do anything to Dominik, Rhea stepped in the way, and the “couple” walked away. It’s possible the WWE can have a tag team match with Escobar and Rey against Dominik and Priest, as Priest is not involved in a match for WrestleMania 39.
Wrestling fans will have to wait and see how the ongoing story of Rey and Dominik will develop on the road to WrestleMania.
Fans eager to see a new United States Champion crowned at WWE Elimination Chamber 2023 may be in for a disappointing night in Montreal.
WWE Elimination Chamber will be the promotion’s next stop on the road to WrestleMania 39, and the first Montreal PLE since Breaking Point 2009.
The show will be headlined by Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns defending against Sami Zayn.
United States Championship
For the first time in history, the WWE U.S. Title will be decided inside an Elimination Chamber match.
Current and two-time champion Austin Theory will defend against Seth Rollins, Johnny Gargano, Montez Ford, Damian Priest and Bronson Reed.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that Theory has filmed content for WWE that is due to air in March and is holding the U.S. Title in the footage, making a title change unlikely.
Meltzer said that while the footage does not rule out a title change entirely, the line-up in the chamber does not suggest a title change will happen. He adds:
“Gargano and Ford are unlikely to win unless the plan is to split up the Street Profits, which has been talked about but unless they have a major plan for Ford there is no reason to do so. Reed is a longshot but they could and probably will try to portray him in a manner to become a bigger star. Priest could win at this stage and would probably be the favorite aside from Theory.”
WrestleMania 39
Theory may be leaving the Elimination Chamber as United States Champion, but there will be no rest for the wicked.
Current plans for WrestleMania will see Theory face John Cena, in a match that was teased throughout 2022.
Meltzer noted in his report that Cena Vs. Theory does not need the United States title, though it was John’s first title he won in 2004.
One WWE Hall Of Famer has a lot of praise for current Monday Night RAW star Damian Priest.
Road Dogg recently took to his podcast, Oh You Didn’t Know, and had nothing but good things to say abut the Judgement Day member. He suggested that Priest has the potential to go on and become a WWE Universal Champion.
“Damian Priest, I think I’ve said it said it before, actually maybe on here, but he has come so far.”
– Road Dogg
He added, “Think about the people that Damian Priest is surrounded by — Finn Balor, Rhea, Dom — and he’s even in that group stepping out and shining, and so, big things [are coming], I predict he’ll be a Universal Champion one day. I do believe that, and I believe he could carry it.”
Since joining the main roster from NXT in 2021, Priest has certainly been impressive. He has enjoyed one run as United States Champion before going on to join the Judgement Day faction alongside Edge.
After being joined by Finn Balor and Rhea Ripley, the trio then turned on “The Rated-R Superstar,” taking over the faction themselves and later adding Dominik Mysterio to the mix as well.
Priest recently defeated Angelo Dawkins on this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW to qualify for the United States Championship Elimination Chamber Match. On February 18 he’ll step into the chamber against Austin Theory, Seth Rollins, Johnny Gargano, Bronson Reed, and Montez Ford with the title on the line.
The Bloodline and Judgment Day are two of the strongest forces in WWE. What would happen if those forces collided?
The Bloodline is comprised of Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman (plus Sami Zayn, the honorary Uce). Reigns and The Usos hold the top singles and tag team championships in WWE. Meanwhile, Judgement Day includes Finn Balor, Rhea Ripley, Damian Priest and Dominick Mysterio.
It’s inevitable that these two groups will cross paths. If you ask Priest about who would win, he feels pretty good about his group’s chances. The Archer of Infamy discussed this topic and more on The Five Count, a podcast hosted by Dustin Wilmes & Juston “Ton” Cline.
Judgement Day vs. The Bloodline
Priest was asked about a Judgement Day vs. Bloodline feud, he took a moment to appreciate the vast amount of talent on WWE’s roster. That depth ebbs and flows over the years, but Priest thinks it’s a golden era for wrestling fans.
“There are a crazy amount of names when you think about the WWE,” he began. “It’s the best of the best, you have the best talent in the world and all these larger than life names and characters. It’s hard to pick one over the other, but it’d be a lie if I didn’t say at some point, we need the Judgment Day and the Bloodline to get in there and mix it up.”
Priest wants his name to live forever. He wants the fame, fortune and stardom that come with being a main event player. If you want to be the top dog, you need to test yourself against the best. Right now, that’s Roman Reigns.
“I have to do that, I have to run through Roman Reigns,” Priest continued. “That has to happen. At some point, I’m sure it will, we’ll cross paths down the line.”
Priest says working with Reigns is “always a thought in my head” and the two of them need to handle some business together.
When will these showdowns happen? When will Priest feel ready to challenge Reigns, and for Judgement Day to challenge the Bloodline? Surprisingly, he doesn’t think Judgement Day is ready just yet. “I know that’ll be great when it does happen.. We need to get the Judgment Day up to that level first.”
Will The Judgment Day one day walk down the ramp on Monday Night Raw glistening with gold? Perhaps, but that’s not something the group needs.
The Judgment Day was founded by Edge earlier this year and the Rated-R Superstar recruited Priest and Rhea Ripley.
After Finn Balor joined, the group turned on Edge and welcomed Dominik Mysterio as a member at WWE Clash at the Castle in Cardiff.
Championships
While all four members of The Judgment Day have held gold in the past, none have won a championship as part of the faction.
Speaking on The Archive of B-Sox show, Priest said that the group’s success without titles just goes to prove how impressive all four members have been.
“How do you become a focal point of the show not being a champion? That makes you just that much more valuable, and I think that’s where we’re at right now. Let’s make this show revolve around us. Let’s be the main thing on this show, without even having championships.”
Damian Priest
While The Judgment Day is yet to hold gold, Rhea Ripley recently teased going after Bianca Belair and the WWE Raw Women’s Championship.
The Future
The Judgment Day has been around for less than a year, but Priest is optimistic about the future.
Speaking about his tenure with the group so far, the former U.S. Champion said that The Judgment Day is just getting started.
“It’s been awesome. It’s been a roller coaster, yes, but we’re ending it at the highest point. We all feel like we’re not even where we need to be yet, which is crazy. The things that we look forward to, the things that we talk about, and what we want to accomplish, we’re just getting started.”
In recent weeks, The Judgment Day has been feuding with the O.C. (AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, and Mia Yim.)
Damian Priest has proven himself in WWE as part of NXT and the main roster and has seemingly caught the eye of Hollywood.
Priest debuted on the main roster as part of the 2021 Men’s Royal Rumble match and captured the United States Championship at Summerslam that same year.
Earlier this year, Priest turned heel and aligned himself with The Judgment Day, which consists of himself, Rhea Ripley, Finn Balor, and Dominik Mysterio.
Damian Priest – King of Talokan
Earlier this month, Marvel Studios released Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, a sequel to the 2018 film Black Panther.
Fightful Select reports that Priest was asked by Marvel to read for the role of Namor, the primary antagonist of the film.
The iconic Marvel antihero made his comic-book debut in Marvel Comics #1 back in October 1939.
The report adds that Priest was also considered for a role as one of the other “featured members” of Namor’s kingdom, the Talokan.
Priest has no official acting credits to his name, and it is unclear whether he attended the line reading.
The Judgment Day member does not appear in the film, with Namor instead being played by Mexican actor Tenoch Huerta.
Wrestling and Comic Books
Priest is not the latest high-profile name to join the MCU, but the world of wrestling and Comic Book movies are linked.
In Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, Batista has made several appearances as Drax the Destroyer, part of the Guardians of the Galaxy.
‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage played Bonesaw McGraw in the 2002 Spider-Man film, while NJPW/WCW name Tyler Mane would play Sabertooth in the 2000 X-Men film.
For DC Comics, The Rock wowed audiences earlier this year with his work as Black Adam, while John Cena plays Peacemaker in 2021’s The Suicide Squad and the HBO Peacemaker series.
Damian Priest passed on the opportunity to be managed by Scarlett during both star’s tenures as part of the WWE NXT brand.
After making his name in Ring of Honor as Punishment Martinez, Priest joined WWE in 2018 and captured the NXT North American Championship in August 2020.
The Archer of Infamy has had similar success on the main roster, becoming the WWE United States Champion at Summerslam 2021.
Manager
Priest can nowadays be seen alongside his fellow Judgment Day members but WWE once planned for him to be managed by Scarlett.
Fightful Select reports that when NXT jumped to the USA Network in late 2019, plans were made to introduce Scarlett to TV.
The plan for the ‘Smokeshow’ to manage Priest dated as far back as September that year, and sources said that some in WWE thought the act was going to make it to TV up until the week it was nixed.
Priest reportedly felt the idea was not a good fit for him and passed on the spot.
Had he gone ahead with the plan, Priest and Scarlett would have been on NXT as a unit within the first few weeks of NXT on the USA Network.
Scarlett and Kross
After Priest passed on the idea, Scarlett’s character was put on the back burner, as Kross had not signed with WWE at that time.
Once WWE knew for sure he would be signing, plans were put in place for the real-life couple to be paired on-screen.
Those that spoke to Fightful said that everything worked out better for all involved.
Kross and Scarlett were released in November 2021 but returned to WWE in July this year.
While both Matt Riddle and Damian Priest weren’t part of the Extreme Rules go-home SmackDown, they did get to compete in a dark match after the episode.
The main event of this week’s season premiere episode of the Blue Branded show saw Gunther once again putting the IC title on the line against Sheamus.
At one point during the bout, Gunther tapped out to a Clover Leaf from Sheamus but the referee didn’t see it and the match continued.
The ending of the bout saw Giovanni Vinci, Ludwig Kaiser, Butch and Ride Holland all coming out to the ring side. These four brawled as Gunther hit Sheamus with a shillelagh and picked up the win.
What Happened After SmackDown
Damian Priest and Riddle came out and had a fun match after the cameras stopped rolling. Priest tried to walk out of the bout at one point but the Ultimate Bro brought him back.
The ending of the match saw Riddle hitting an RKO on the Judgement Day member and then pinning him for the victory.
This was the final episode of SmackDown before the upcoming Extreme Rules PPV. WWE dropped many more White Rabbit clues on the show and teased the reveal at the upcoming PPV.
Bobby Lashley appeared on tonight’s episode of RAW in a backstage segment with Seth Rollins.
Seth cut a promo about his victory over Matt Riddle at Clash at the Castle and claimed he had no interest in a rematch. Riddle interrupted the promo and chased Seth through the crowd.
The Judgment Day joined the party and tried to recruit Riddle to the faction but Matt declined. This led to a singles match between Finn Balor and Matt Riddle. Seth interfered and the distraction allowed Balor to hit Riddle with a slingshot DDT for the pinfall victory. After the match, The Visionary got into the ring and delivered a Stomp to Riddle.
Seth was interviewed backstage following the attack but was quickly interrupted by United States Champion Bobby Lashley. Rollins said he was the face of RAW and Lashley disagreed. Bobby claimed that having the United States Championship makes him the face of the show. Seth challenged Bobby to a match for the title and it was made official for next week’s RAW.
Bobby Lashley Retains The United States Championship After WWE RAW
United States Champion Bobby Lashley put the title on the line against The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest. The finish to the match saw the champion planting Damian with a Neckbreaker in the middle of the ring.
Damian struggled to his feet and Lashley went for the Hurt Lock. Priest was able to block the submission move and caught Bobby with a boot to the face. The challenger went for a Chokeslam but Lashley escaped and connected with the Spear for the pinfall victory. You can check out the finish of the title match in the video below.
Damian Priest will be in action this Saturday at WWE Clash at the Castle. The 39-year-old lost to Edge in the main event of the August 22nd edition of RAW.
The Judgment Day lost to The Mysterios at SummerSlam after The Rated-R Superstar made his return. Rhea Ripley brutally attacked Dominik Mysterio but he returned this past Monday on RAW. The Mysterios came to help Edge during his face-off with his former group.
There have been hints of Dominik betraying his father and that continued on RAW. Dominik wondered why Rey chose Edge as his tag team partner and Mysterio claimed that he needed his experience by his side. Dominik reluctantly accepted to be in their corner for the tag team match this Saturday.
Judgment Day member Damian Priest is getting himself prepared for WWE’s first stadium show in the United Kingdom in three decades. Clash at the Castle is set to have an enormous crowd in attendance this Saturday in Cardiff, Wales.
Damian will be teaming up with fellow Judgment Day member Finn Balor in a tag team bout against Edge & Rey Mysterio at the premium live event.
BT Sport recently ran an advertisement for Clash at the Castle with WWE Superstar Damian Priest. In the advertisement, The Archer of Infamy lived with a Welsh family and worked at a brewery ahead of the premium live event. He successfully herded sheep and cooked Welsh treats as well. You can check out the full video below.
Beth Phoenix was in the front row this past Monday to watch her husband, Edge, battle Damian Priest in the main event of RAW.
The match took place in Edge’s hometown of Toronto, Canada. Edge defeated The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest in the first step in destroying the group that betrayed him a couple of months ago.
After the match, Rhea Ripley hit the 48-year-old with a low blow and Finn Balor brought a chair into the ring. Beth hopped over the barricade and entered the ring with a chair of her own. The Judgment Day retreated as Beth stood tall with her husband as the show went off the air.
After the show went off the air, The Ultimate Opportunist revealed that he plans on retiring when WWE returns to Toronto. You can check out his full comments here.
Beth Phoenix warns Rhea Ripley
The Glamazon joined Busted Open Radio today with Dave LaGreca and Tommy Dreamer. During the discussion, Tommy asked if a potential match with Rhea is a possibility. Beth didn’t answer the question directly but hinted that it could happen.
“We’ll have to see. I don’t know. With wrestling, it’s like, I take it one day at a time. Everything changes, anything can happen,” said Pheonix. “I feel that is a young lady that I have loved watching grow, flourish and thrive, and Adam’s promo was a shoot. The intention in having Rhea, Damian Priest, and Finn Balor from the start was to give three talents that deserve to be at the top of the heap that platform.” [00:09-00:40]
She then discussed Rhea hitting Edge with a low blow and admitted that it really pissed her off.
“But they also have to shine on that platform. You saw Damian Priest kick ass on Monday. We saw Rhea Ripley, she’s standing out, and stepping up like she deserves. But I’m not really happy about the ball shot, but that really pissed me off. So, I hold a grudge really deep in my heart, and whether or not I get to exact some revenge remains to be seen, but I’d love to see that happen.” [00:41-01:05]
When WWE talent transitions from developmental (NXT) to the main roster, there’s always the issue of how much of their act will be changed. There is the old adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” When talking about the creative side of pro wrestling, this adage isn’t always followed.
Damien Priest is one of the lucky performers who did not skip a beat after leaving NXT. His success in WWE comes down to timing, but also making the most of an opportunity. The Bad Bunny mainstream rub certainly helped. At the same time, the two’s alliance felt far deeper than your typical celebrity involvement. Priest was entrusted with helping one of the biggest music stars in the world succeed in the ring. The imposing Raw superstar opened eyes and turned heads, showing what he could do when given the ball.
The former United States champion continues to prove himself as a pillar of Judgment Day. Among his biggest tests comes in a marquee match on Raw against rival Edge from his hometown of Toronto.
Over SummerSlam weekend I had the chance to sit down with Priest to reflect on some of his biggest recent moments, the impact Bad Bunny made, and Judgment Day’s future.
Rey Mysterio’s Influence
You were part of Rey Mysterio’s big 20th anniversary in WWE live from Madison Square Garden. What did that night mean to you as a fan and New Yorker?
Damian Priest: “Obviously, we’re feuding, but realistically, when I go out, the main thing I get told is ‘Thank you’ for representing. There isn’t any of that without Rey Mysterio. He was someone who was looked at as somebody who shouldn’t have achieved the success he has. Forget his size. Just being Latino. That meant a lot. I remember growing up watching him, so it was meaningful. Now I’m in that role of also someone representing our culture.
I’m still learning a lot from him. The way he treats people and tries to enhance representation. It was a big deal. Then it’s The Garden, so many things. Talk about the perfect place and time. It became, ‘Man, I just worked Rey Mysterio in Madison Square Garden on the night he was celebrating his 20th anniversary with WWE.’ That was just wild to me.”
Judgment Day
(via WWE)
It seemed things were really picking up with Edge leading Judgment Day. How did you react to this change of guard?
Damian Priest: “Our idea is still the same. With Rhea Ripley healthy, we’re excited. We’re all giddy in the back talking about the chaos we’re going to cause. Even without the cameras on, we’re dangerous. The three of us are dangerous together. We’ve been looking forward to this. That’s the idea. We were all fine on our own and as singles competitors, but this gives us a different look. A different vibe, and opportunity. Growing up I’ve always wanted to be in a faction. I was a big faction guy. The nWo, DX, Four Horsemen, Evolution. So many groups I was a fan of.
To be a part of one and the idea there is no leader. We support each other. Whoever a particular moment is about, we’re going to support that person in the front. It’s all the same. It’s a revolving door of leadership. As long as we maintain that mentality, I think now the fans are really going to see something special. We haven’t really been able to do it yet, but we’re just getting started. The future is going to be really cool for us and for the fans.
Working with Bad Bunny
Your profile really grew alongside Bad Bunny. You can see he really put in the work. Do you think he helped change the overall perception when celebrities decide they want to wrestle? That it’s more than a publicity stunt.
Damian Priest: “We’ve had celebrities before, but I think he is an example of what someone from a different world can do in our world. You don’t have to come in, promote something and leave. You can earn the respect of the fans and the talent. You can create something special for yourself, your fanbase, and us working together.
I haven’t been here the longest, so I can’t speak on celebrities who have been here before, but what he did was unprecedented in the way he treated us and this business. The respect he showed everyone. When you have guys like Randy Orton going up to him saying, “Hey, thanks for showing us respect. Thanks for doing this. You are one of the boys.” I was there and felt emotion for Bad Bunny.
That’s amazing when you have someone of that caliber saying that to you. That’s awesome. Now you got guys like Logan Paul signing a contract. These guys are not coming in for just a one-off or for a joke or laugh. They are taking this seriously. Bad Bunny may have changed the narrative about how celebrities should treat us and how the company should accept celebrities coming in. Not just opening the doors to anybody. Earn it. He may have changed a little bit of that culture.”
Damian Priest has refuted a longstanding report about Edge’s departure from The Judgement Day.
Shortly after WWE Hall Of Famer Edge was kicked out of The Judgement Day when he was attacked by Finn Balor and Priest, reports began to circulate regarding the situation. Given that Edge had formed the faction only a few weeks before, many found it strange he was kicked out so soon.
Initial reports suggest that there were creative differences between Edge and Vince McMahon over the direction of the faction. Edge apparently didn’t want the stable to go the supernatural route.
In an interview with Stephanie Chase of Digital Spy, Priest addressed these rumors, shooting them down as inaccurate.
“I guess I understand why people thought that,” Priest said. “I don’t know where the actual rumor came from that that’s what was planned, because it never was.
“If anything, we had conversations of how we didn’t want that and that included Vince [McMahon] himself, who did not want the group to be supernatural-based. We were all in agreement.
“We did some things that seemed that way, I know I did a thing with lightning one night, and the idea wasn’t about supernatural, but it came off that way and then we immediately went, ‘OK, let’s not revisit that because it came off that way’.”
Currently, Priest and Balor seem to be leading The Judgement Day together. On this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW, Priest actually challenged Edge to a singles bout in two weeks.
This is because RAW will be in Edge’s hometown of Toronto, and Priest said he wants to beat the Hall Of Famer in front of his friends and family. Edge has seemingly aligned himself with The Mysterios against The Judgement Day.
It will be interesting to see what creative direction The Judgment Day goes in now that Triple H has assumed creative control within WWE.
WWE Superstar Damian Priest recently spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston about Bad Bunny returning to a WWE ring.
“You know it comes down to he (Bad Bunny) had a perfect time in his schedule that he was like I’m not doing anything, I’m gonna move to Florida just to train and completely invest all my energy and time into this. You know he’s not someone that just wanted to just come in and then leave or just promote something. He wanted to get invested, if he gets that time again where he could devote himself I believe we’ll see Bad Bunny in the WWE ring again.”
WWE Superstar Damian Priest recently spoke with SEScoops correspondent Steve Fall for NBC Sports Boston about his first meeting Vince McMahon.
“The first time I had a meeting with Vince McMahon, you know, I even told him, I was like, ‘You know, you’re very intimidating, it’s because, you know, we have this perception of you.”
“His first thing [Vince] said to me was like, ‘Yeah, don’t believe what you hear.’ He’s a human being, you know, he feels like we do.”
“Don’t believe everything you hear.”
He then humanized the WWE boss, stating that McMahon is human like the rest of us.
Has emotions like we do too, so you know I think there is a perception because of the business, but at the end of the day he’s a human. He’s very friendly and you know I kind of like the guy.”
“I don’t want to give him too much away. I don’t want to ruin his wrath, but I will say, that was his line, he was, ‘Don’t believe everything you hear’, and he said that with a smile and I was like oh…. he’s a cool dude.”
Catch Steve Fall’s chat with Damien Priest here via NBC Sports Boston:
Damian Priest wants former world champion AJ Styles to stop fighting and join their Judgement Day faction led by Edge instead.
The former US champion recently had an interview with Bleav in Pro Wrestling podcast. He talked about things such as his upcoming Hell In A Cell match and more.
When asked which star he would like to join their faction next after Rhea Ripley, Priest took the name of Styles. Damian said that when he first came to WWE, AJ was on the top of the list of people he wanted to work with:
“AJ Styles. We need him to come over to the other side. I mean stop fighting against and fight with, fight alongside. When I first signed a contract to come to WWE, he was on top of that list of people I wanted to work with and I knew he would elevate me.”
Damian Priest continued to praise the Phenomenal One. He claimed that if you can’t have a good match with Styles, then you don’t belong in WWE.
The Judgement Day is currently scheduled to compete in a six-man tag team match against Finn Balor, AJ Styles, and Liv Morgan at the Hell In A Cell PPV this Sunday.
“The Rated R Superstar” Edge could be getting a new heel faction.
Edge made his surprising heel turn after attacking Styles on the Feb. 28 episode of Monday Night Raw. Since turning heel, Edge has changed his character to be more sinister. The veteran also altered his appearance and started doing promos in the dark with a spotlight. However, WWE may have more creative changes to Edge’s character.
WWE is reportedly considering Edge to lead a heel faction, per Fightful. Former United States Champion Damian Priest is said to be among several names under consideration for this new group.
Edge has been in a few factions during his lengthy WWE career. He started off in The Brood with Gangrel and Christian. Later, he was flanked by two “Edge Heads” that later went on to be known as Zack Ryder (Matt Cardona) and Brian Myers (Curt Hawkins).
Does the Alleged Edge Heel Faction Spoil his Wrestlemania Match?
Edge will face AJ Styles at Wrestlemania 38 Night Two on Apr. 3. As the new heel, it’s unclear if WWE will have Edge lose against “The Phenomenal One.” The report noted that it was initially thought that Priest would challenge Finn Balor at Wrestlemania 38. However, both Priest and Balor will compete in the Andre The Giant Battle Royal on the Apr. 1 episode of Smackdown.
WWE could have Priest involved in the Edge vs. Styles match at Wrestlemania Night Two if the report is accurate. The company hasn’t confirmed or had “The Rated R Superstar” allude to creating a faction. Although, it could also help establish Edge more as their new heel.
WWE United States Champion Damian Priest says that the string of WWE roster cuts this year has left him with “survivor’s guilt.” He recently spoke to Metro about how the releases from the company have made him feel.
“That’s the unfortunate part of life. Especially in a business where you’re living your dream – so it hurts, because we care about these people. We know they’re hurting, so we hurt,” Priest said.
“It’s unfortunate. It’s like that survivors guilt – you feel guilty, but at the same time… it’s an odd feeling.”
“But then you come to the realisation – wait a minute, these are all incredible people! They’re gonna be fine! There’s that positive, and that’s always my sentiment. Well, now the world is yours. Go out and grab it!”
WWE has released 71 Superstars from its roster in 2021. More information about who has been let go this year is available in the link below:
Priest has a match upcoming this weekend at Survivor Series. As part of the brand vs. brand, champion vs. champion format of the show, he’ll be facing Smackdown’s Intercontinental Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura. Priest became the 99th wrestler in history to win the US title when he did so at SummerSlam over Sheamus this year. It was the 172nd title change in the belt’s lineage which dates back to 1975 when Harley Race was the inaugural champion.
Damian Priest was at a storyline disadvantage when he put the WWE United States Title on the line in his latest title defense at the Extreme Rules pay-per-view event when he wrestled Jeff Hardy and Sheamus in a triple threat match.
The match saw everyone get their key spots in. Sheamus even mocked Hardy’s signature celebrations before hitting a knee drop off the top rope to Priest. Priest with a chokeslam off the top rope to Sheamus but Hardy hit a Swanton Bomb to both stars. Priest rolled up Sheamus for the win.
WWE originally announced that Sheamus would challenge Priest for the United States Title at Extreme Rules. However, on Monday’s Raw, WWE booked Sheamus against Jeff Hardy with the stipulation that if he won then he would be added to the title match and make it a triple threat bout at Extreme Rules.
Obviously, Hardy won the match and was added to the title bout. After it, a brawl between Priest and Sheamus was broken up by officials. It started when Sheamus got in Priest’s face and shoved him.
Last month at SummerSlam, Priest won the United States Title from Sheamus. Two weeks ago on Raw, Priest retained the title against Hardy after Hardy answered his open challenge.
Sheamus earned a title shot to become the number one contender after defeating Drew McIntyre on Raw three weeks ago.
Tonight (Sept. 26), Hardy will be featured in a triple threat match for the United States Championship. Sheamus will also be a part of the match, while Priest is the defending champion. The action will take place on the Extreme Rules card.
Appearing on WWE’s The Bump, Hardy said that Priest gives him flashbacks of a younger version of himself.
“Damian Priest, I am such a huge fan of him and he has been on fire lately, man. We actually got to team last night and it was amazing. He reminds me a lot of my younger self. So that’s what’s kind of scary and intimidating and all that good stuff that creates a wonderful match so I’m looking forward to getting in there with Damian and Sheamus at the same time. It’s going to be insane.”
Priest has been given a steady push on WWE TV. He had a pivotal match on the WrestleMania card back in April. He teamed with pop star Bad Bunny to take on The Miz and John Morrison. Priest and Bad Bunny emerged victorious.
As for Hardy, he’s suddenly in a better role on TV than he has been over the past several weeks. Many fans criticized WWE for throwing Hardy into the 24/7 Championship mix randomly. He has quickly found himself back in a better spot.
Stick with SEScoops tonight for Extreme Rules results throughout the event.
While many WWE employees are afraid to confront Vince McMahon, Damian Priest is not one of them. The US champion actually claims his conversations with the boss to be very positive. The Archer of Infamy recently appeared on the Fightful podcast. He talked about things such as being a fan of archery in real life, owning more than one bow and arrow himself, and more.
When asked about his interactions with the chairman of the boards, Priest claimed that his conversations with Mr. McMahon have been positive so far:
“Positive to be honest. He knows what he wants for his show. He knows what he wants out of you. He’s been honest with me. He’ll tell me, ‘I need more of this, or I need more of that, or less of this.’ But, it’s always positive and he’ll explain to me why. So it’s like, ‘Oh, I get it.’
The former NXT champion went on to claim that Mr. McMahon has a special way of speaking to people. According to Damian Priest, one shouldn’t be in WWE if they don’t understand what he is saying:
“He has a way of speaking to people that if you don’t get it after he talks to you, you shouldn’t be here. So my interactions with him have been very positive. He seems like he likes me, so that’s a good thing.”
Apart from this, Damian Priest also discussed how he likes going back to NXT so he can help the newcomers while also learning things from Shawn Michaels and Triple H.
Damian Priest picked up a big win at the SummerSlam PPV. He was not only congratulated by fans on his victory but by a couple of wrestling veterans as well.
Priest revealed that Goldberg interacted with him backstage at the show after his victory and the former Universal champion congratulated him on his big win:
“Goldberg, the last time I saw him, he came to greet me when I won the championship. And before his match, he gave me a hug and congratulated me. He told me that he was happy for me and all that, and we did not know each other.”
Goldberg was not the only big name to congratulate Damian Priest at the event. He revealed that Edge also reached out to congratulate him and gave him a hug:
“Edge also congratulated me, and gave me a hug, and told me that he was happy for me. They are people that I saw on TV when I was young, and now, I have them there and they give me advice and help me. And it is incredible for me.”
Priest went on to say that he doesn’t know how he got to this place. Though he claimed that he is very happy to be able to share conversations with these legends.
Damian Priest says he was allowed to keep the Punisher Martinez name in WWE but he’s glad he didn’t.
Before making his way to WWE, Priest was known as Punishment Martinez. He competed under the Ring of Honor promotion where he captured the Television Title. Priest signed with WWE in the fall of 2018. In New Japan Pro Wrestling, he was known as Punisher Martinez.
Speaking to the folks at ViBe & Wrestling, Priest recalled being allowed to keep the Punisher Martinez name but feeling Triple H had a better idea.
“In my professional career, whether it was in the indies, ROH, or NJPW, I always had a character who in this case was Punisher Martínez. But it was always something artificial, it was not me. They are things that I like, like horror movies and rock music, but it is not who I am. When I started in NXT, Triple H told me that I could continue being Punisher Martínez but that he saw someone better in me and wanted me to show my personality. I had no problem changing.
“It was a different life and I could start from 0. We agreed on the name, and I told him that I loved rock music, archers, so many things in life that we decided to put together. And it was very easy and natural. Now, I’m not acting. It’s me. The Damian Priest that you see on television is the same that you can see on the street. It is the same person, and it made it easier for me to relax and be me, and the fans realized and they love me more because they know that it is real. That I am like this.”
Damian Priest is the current WWE United States Champion. He recently received praise along with Drew McIntyre and Sheamus for an exciting triple threat match for the title on the Aug. 30 edition of Monday Night Raw. Priest is set to defend his gold against Sheamus at the Extreme Rules PPV on Sept. 26.
At WrestleMania this year, Damian Priest teamed up with Bad Bunny and defeated John Morrison and The Miz. According to comments he made recently during an interview with Metro, however, Priest attempted to goad Triple H into a match on the show.
“Mania – Hunter didn’t have a match, and that was the first time all these legends, none of them [on the show],” Priest said. ‘I was like, ‘I mean, did you bring your gear? Because you can have a match, I’m right here!’ He started laughing and said, “You’re on a list of people that have asked me that”.
“I was like, I bet, I can imagine – he gets it all the time by guys being like, ‘Hey you wanna work? You wanna wrestle?'”
Priest would continue to talk about other wrestling legends he would like to face. Since he’s returned, Priest specifically mentioned working with Edge as something he would like to do. He also noted Kane as someone he’d like to wrestle.
“I think the closest one that I know that there’s a chance – and we’ve already kind of had an interaction at the Rumble – is Edge,” Priest said. “Obviously Kane, we had a little bit of an interaction. But I’m not satisfied, I need a lot more of that! Those feelings, just standing across from those guys – super cool, super, super cool.”
Priest is scheduled to face Sheamus at Extreme Rules. Sheamus earned a shot at Priest’s United States Championship on RAW this week after defeating Drew McIntyre. Priest defeated Sheamus for the title at SummerSlam. He’s since defended it once in a triple threat match against both Drew McIntyre and Sheamus on the August 30th episode of WWE RAW.
