Damian Priest On Rhea Ripley, Wrestling Bad Bunny, Winning The World Heavyweight Championship

Intro they say Enjoy the moment it's hard when you got to look forward to what's next but this is what I wanted I gave up on the idea of working for WWE when I gave up that's what they wanted to me when you sign with WWE versus now it's a huge difference the first big jump was after my match with f Balor after Wrestlemania 40 what was that like it was emotional holding the title in my hand my entire life flashed I thought I had regrets no this is the only way it would have happened the stuff with our truth is so good he broke me a few times backlash in Puerto Rico hands down my favorite match just because of what it represented what's a gun through chop feel like it's brutal you win your first world championship at 41 my best years are still ahead I want to be in the Hall of Fame well appreciate you making the time Winning the WHC at WrestleMania 40 we've been talking about doing this for so long yeah we have uh yeah it worked out so man I'm happy to do it how how's life life looks pretty good for you right now weird yeah weirdly cool though um and I can't complain it's like one of those things that everything you want and have it and then it's like like a kid in a candy store you don't know what to pick you don't know what to do with yourself uh it's exciting does it feel like at times that it's all coming at you so fast yeah I mean it has like I uh somebody put it in perspective the other day um I found on the main roster for three years when you really think about all the stuff that's happened the three years uh This is Wild so it's a lot being thrown at me and it's one of those things that it's they say Enjoy the moment it's kind of hard to when you got to like look forward at what's next and what's next and what's next you know every once in a while I'll take a breath and look around and like wow you know but it's one of those things that yeah it's a lot um but this is what I wanted how are you Being grateful for the life that he always wanted able to appreciate the moments when it's fly into a city do the show fly to the next city maybe you're home for a few days then it's you know rinse lather repeat uh you just got to like I said you got to take a breath and really think about it even if it's while you're laying in bed or you know just on a car ride to the building or on a bus to the next town or whatever it is look around and really appreciate you know this is a different life something that you couldn't have even envisioned but you wanted um and those are the those are the moments that I take to really appreciate it and every now and then it hits me hard especially like I said when I'm alone and like I'm if I'm I have a day home uh off I I just really like think about everything and just I'm in awe of everything that's happening around me like I I don't know how this happened but you know I'm happy it is you know that night after Wrestlemania 40 when you laid in your hotel room in Philly what was that like if I'm being honest it was emotional you know I I partied with my friends and family afterwards we had a celebration it was a great time but then when I got back to my room it was kind of one of those things where I was like what is this like H how is this happening you know um and just holding the title in my hand looking at it and just it was like a one of those things like my entire life flashed you know everything I had to go through to get to that point and know it was one of those realizations of I had I thought I had regrets I thought I wish I could do things differently and then it was one of those things was like no this is exactly where I'm supposed to be and this is the only way it would have happened when you find success later in your life like that do you feel like Giving up on his dream of working for WWE there's a point in your life where you're like oh man I just feel like this isn't going to happen for me of course I gave up on the idea of working for ww um you know I tried multiple times to get in and in 2017 when you know I got an email saying there's just no nothing for you here I gave up and I was just focused on you know what let me just live a happy life and figure it out you know and then they called me which is crazy how that worked when I gave up that's when they wanted me wow um uh and it wasn't like I gave up the dream of wrestling I was still wrestling when you were with Ring of Honor right yes yeah so I was like I guess I'll just stay in Ring of Honor and you know I get to wrestle and that's what I wanted to do anyway and it's cool and you know they have a a well Al be it small at the time but it was still television program so I was like hey I'm on TV uh I'm doing what I wanted to do when I was a kid it's okay you know and then here we are you know WWE so yeah there's many even in w W there was plenty of times I looked around and seeing everybody how people some some of them were progressing faster than others and although it happened still fast for me there were still times that I wasn't sure if it was going to be like that and you know maybe it's cool that I made it but you know this is it you know it was one of those things like I don't know if I belong I don't know if I I don't know what the future's going to be and not that I gave up but that I did doubt and and I was like I don't think this is going to happen I never thought I was going to be World Champ it's so interesting because there's a lot of people that are just Consistently setting higher goals for himself in WWE like I'm just happy to be here like I'm happy to be signed WWE was my goal and now I'm here then you push that a little bit further right you have to like you you set a goal right and to me I was like I wanted to make it to WWE and then I made it then it was like well now I want to be on NXT like I want to be a regular Superstar NXT then I got to do that then I was like well I want to Championship you know I want this I want that now actually I want to get called up you know and it's just a lot of things like that but you set shortterm goals but you keep moving forward and even when you doubt like I said like I like I wasn't sure about things it didn't mean I stopped and quit I didn't quit I still worked very hard and I still strived for more I just wasn't sure what was going to happen just I was just being realistic but in those moments of self-doubt how do you push it forward from there how do you get through that and get out on the other side of it so I I was never a believer in the power of positivity till I decided to change my life around and when I have those moments of doubt it's like all right well even though you doubt still strive for that because if you even if you don't make it you're going to encounter a lot of cool stuff on the way on the journey you know if you put your best foot forward and and you give it everything you got and you work your ass off for your own dream and your own goals even if you don't make it to the Finish Line the stuff you're going to experience and accomplish on that route you're going to be proud I mean there's no way you're not so then that's what me you know pushing there was that photo that people were posting Looking back on how he used to look physically of you and Gunther before your match at money in the bank and it was a throwback to what you guys look like at the start of your career yeah and then fast forward to what you guys look like now when you look at that photo of you back then who is that guy that's exactly what I asked who is that guy like how did I how did I think that way how did I think that was okay to be lazy and complacent and not work your hardest for what you want for your own life you know what I mean like it's wild to me that it it I it's like a distant memory of who I used to be like I don't know that person it was like to me it's like I watched a movie of a character but I don't know that person it's hard for me to to imagine being that way again like I it's it's like a form of life what was the thing that change in your life it's What was the major change he made in his life? weird because I don't like I remember the day that I made a big decision I I quit my job um they were offering me more money where were you working I was working a club in Atlantic City free apartment free car and anybody who knows my story knows I didn't have anything so that was everything literally everything yeah um I had nothing save nothing and they were like oh we're going to pay you an actual really good salary keep the apartment keep the car we just need you to stop doing that little wrestling thing you doing the week weekends without hesitation I was like you have my two weeks notice and then they were like oh well is that's how you feel and I was like yeah yeah this is not what I want to do in my life Wow walked out of there and then I was like oh my God oh my God oh my God what did I just do um but and immediately just immediately started going to the gym um and then dropped all these people that I was surrounding myself with that would basically just telling me what I wanted to hear tap on the back you know just you're going to be fine you're good man you're 6'5 like you whatever stupid compliment and I would be like yeah what's wrong with everybody else for not giving me everything you know um I just dropped all those people surrounded myself with a different type of mindset um yeah it was like a whole 36 I mean I completely turned my life around and again to the power positivity I just I made a decision I was like let me give this a shot I need something to believe in let me try even though I I don't even though I think it's silly even though I think it doesn't work it's not real and it's crazy how it's not that it's power you know it's just uh when you don't care about the negative stuff you keep moving forward instead of sitting there you know just complaining yeah you just keep working some more things are going to happen for you and that's how that's how I saw it I was like oh wow now there's an opportunity now there this door opened and then that's how I got a a try out in in with the WD in 14 or 2015 then that that's how I got my job in Ring of Honor you know like things like that I just kept on progressing and I lost like almost 200 pounds I think the biggest thing I want to key in on there is try and I think there's so many People being afraid to try their all and failing people that are just scared to try because they might fail it's one of the outcomes could be this doesn't work out but one of the outcomes is it could work out exactly and that's the fear right like you're telling me that I tried my hardest I gave it my all and I failed I'm worthless you know that I think that's what people think and when I realize that even if you don't make it it's still cool like everything like I said like what I was experiencing when the WD told me no in 2017 I wasn't even crushed I was like okay you know like I I'm happy you know like I wasn't like financially set or anything but I was happy I was good like mentally I was in a good mental place so I was okay and then and they called me and I was like did see like it's crazy how things work uh that's why you that's why you can't stop because at the end of the day at least you'll be mentally satisfied you know like nobody can take away my effort nobody can say I didn't try like nobody could take that away from me this episode is brought to you by rocket money and check this out they saved me $20 on my Direct TV stream Bill and all I had to do was upload a copy of my bill that's it they took care of the rest yeah rocket money will negotiate your bills lower for you sometimes up to 20% lower and this was a nice surprise I had kind of forgotten about this and then this email showed up and I was like okay 20 bucks in my pocket rocket money is a personal finance app that helps you find and cancel your unwanted subscriptions monitors your spending and helps you lower your bills like they did for mine so you can grow your savings you can see all of your subscriptions in one place so you know exactly where your money is going and for any subscriptions you don't want rocket money can help you can them with just a few Taps stop wasting money on things that you don't use cancel your unwanted subscriptions by going to Rocket money.com CVV that's rocket money.com CVV where did you even think that it was possible growing up you know Being raised as a Puerto Rican in New York born and raised in Puerto Rico then you you in New York yeah in New York right where do you even think it's possible it's wild I just it's one of those things since I was a little kid I I just I believed that I was born to do something else not not the norm like I wasn't born to do a nin to-5 yeah and I mean like Puerto Rican descent like New York orican right new new eure that's yeah I I just knew uh like there has to be something more for me you know um I thought it was fighting but UFC was like starting basically it was still illegal in most places yeah so like that wasn't a future um if if who knows if UFC would been like it is now right you say fighting because you gotten a lot of fights no well I did Making the decision to begin pro wrestling training that too but no I used to train my father had a martial arts school he so he was trained in traditional Japanese martial arts um and then he had his own school and he trained uh Fighters um so and obviously I'm the son so I had to be the best one so he was the hardest on me um but so I thought that I was pretty good so I was like all I'll do this but then there was there was really nothing to do with it there's no money so after I was I got out of high school I didn't I didn't want to go to school like this this this is not what I'm going to do with my life anyway you know that's the way I thought and I just you know bounced around job to job and then finally a buddy of mine from high school was like hey we always talked about being wrestlers why don't we do it and I told the story before but it was one of those things that was funny because I I no idea I didn't know what Indies were I knew WWF WCW and ECW that's it that's all that ever existed and I would see Japanese wrestling in magazines and whatnot and and you know tape trading or whatever but I didn't know Indies and then he was like but he was like I was like what do we do just show up to the Garden when they're there and you say hey we want to wrestle like sure a lot of people do that he's like no like anything else you got to learn you got to train you got to go to school and then we found the monster Factory in New Jersey man and then where does it go Training at the Monster Factory for his first match from there because then it's still a you know a long shot right yeah so at the time uh there's a system at the school at the time it's different ownership now but um it was very like secluded like it wasn't like we'll train you now go venture out do Indies I still while I was training had no idea what Indies were uh and and it was basically basic training you know I just knew basic wrestling um and I remember when they were going to run their first show in years A Little Indie thing at at a firehouse in Delaware I remember them telling me they're like hey you're going to be on the show in my head I'm like I made it that's it I'm I'm wrestling at at a stadium you know like I don't know and they're like uh it's going to be at this firehouse and I was like d this got to be a big Firehouse it was not it was like 30 people uh no music no nothing I just walked out and I was just like this is awkward you know just tights and no shirt on like it's just so weird um but then afterwards I was like oh man that that was cool you know just the adrenaline and everything um and then I fell more in love with it and then little by little I started learning but I still stayed secluded into with the school and just doing their shows and that's it you so nobody aside from the same people every month nobody else saw me and this went on for years cuz I didn't know I didn't know any better and Which wrestlers inspired him growing up? then until I did who were the people that really inspired you when you were watching wrestling growing up ah there there's a lot but the main one was the Undertaker never been shy about that one like that was my Idol um watching him and it wasn't even so much the wrestling it was just the aura the presentation everything that I was like I remember how I felt and then that's when I I knew I was like I need to make people feel this way I want to be because I was big into Comics I want to be a comic book superhero or super villain while where people are that emotionally invested in me like even as a little kid I knew that maybe I couldn't articulate that way but I knew that um and then you know obviously then I saw Razer rone who I legit thought was a Latino you know as a little kid you don't know the difference you I'm sure like my dad I'm sure he knew like this guy was fake accent you know but I didn't know I thought I I was like yo he's one of us you know um then as you get older you start you know you learn of other wresters sting was another one I loved sting um still do like just the character especially when he became the crow I thought it was the coolest thing and then attitude ever obviously happened and I was in high school so you know Austin Rock were my favorites and know obviously taker was always there yeah and then DX forget it you know and I was a Brett fan but then the NWO took over and then that was it for me you know NWO all the way uh but so it's was funny I watching WCW just for the NWO and then that's it when they W yeah yeah NWO and some of the the the cruiserweights and then I would switch back that first hour like when nitro went to three hours and the first hour was cruiserweight I was locked in yeah yeah there I had some favorites there I was a big fan obviously Ray de minko I was a huge fan of these guys so and the stuff they did Kidman like I just thought it was so cool because nobody was doing that stuff yeah you know nobody um the closest was ECW and you could barely see it yeah there were a lot of parts of your presentation that felt very much like Remember the first time he met The Undertaker the Undertaker like there's one where you're like you're kneeling in the ring the lights on you like like that that looks a lot like the Undertaker yeah when when uh they presented that to me they're like you're gonna play some Mind Games you know remember Edge wasn't there that day so this was like showing pres a representation of edge just playing mind games with AJ and they were like you're GNA do this and I was like so I got powers they're like no it's just you're just messing with them it was like you got you it's almost as if you planned this I was like all right they were like so kneel down and they're trying to explain to me I was like like the Undertaker they're like yeah I was like I got it I got it did you kind of like you kind of vanished yeah yeah I got sucked out like they madean like that there was like a sucking sound and I just disappeared it was pretty funny it's like the Undertaker I when people see stuff like that I know there some people that's not for everybody's taste um I love stuff like that I think it's the coolest thing because again now it's like the the comic books which I was a fan of so every once in a while I like doing stuff like that because it's the little kid in me that enjoyed this side of the business do you remember the first time you met the Undertaker yeah I was 1999 at a autograph dining in the Palisades Mall in New York Rockland County New York oh man that that day I was I was doing impressions there was so many people there was a long line I was doing impressions of him and everybody was every like you got to do it to him and I was I mean now you got to do it for us no no no but at the at the time as a kid like I could I could mimic his voice a little bit would do the eyes I was good at doing the eye rolles and and I had a trench coat on and his bandana like I was Decked Out and they're like you got to do it to him you know like do it for him and then I got when I brought up to him I choked I was like uh I watch wrestling because of you you know and he but he was so nice too which blew me away like he's the Undertaker right you're expecting like to set me on fire I don't know and especially that time he's in full character up until recently and he was so and that was the year he was banged up and he had he was leaving and then he came back as the American Badass um so he was was thinking about retiring so that's what I said to him I was like please don't retire and he was like ah stop you know like he was just cool um and I we got a picture shaking hands I was I was in my teens um that was the first time I met him and I I won't forget that I remember choking and then I remember meeting him again at at the performance center yeah so fast forward to when you're signed with WWE and you meet him again you know what's that like yeah I choked again I was like hi you know like I couldn't even like like man what's my name you know uh it was really funny like and he used just just a cool man what a cool dude he's such a good person too yeah he's such a good dude and just there's nothing fake about him like he's like a legitimate badass with swag like he just carries himself with so such a way that it's just it's cool you know like you see him and you're like I want to be like that guy you know and I was like I'm glad I looked up to him like he's everything I I I thought he should be and he was and it was it was cool and then he got to critique my matches and oh my gosh oh yeah and uh I went a different day so the first time I met him at the PC basically Eddie the referee Eddie one of my best friends this the best thing he text me he's here out of the blue just he's here I knew exactly what he meant I was home I drove to the performance center just just to meet him and then Bloom knows I'm a big Undertaker fan uh is dying laughing he goes you want to say hello I was like yeah so he brings me over and of course embarrasses me you know in the introduction they're like hey this is one of our fans that's and I'm like man um but then later on like I would go in like if I knew terer was going to be in to work with like the big guys even though like and when I mean big guys it was like Omas like all these guys that are close to 7 feet tall so like I'm small compared to these guys so I wasn't even invited to the big man class um uh but I would go and I would like if he was trying to demonstrate something and since everybody else was newer I I would be like yeah do it to me you know and i' would bump or whatever and just show so it was kind of cool that I got to work with him you know literally physically work with him demonstrating stuff I mean he just beat me up but it was Co beating life you're in the ring with the Undertaker it was so cool and and again like I said he was man and he's even D like he's so good like everything his explanations were very very clear and understanding but then just like his his punches and everything was so perfect uh and I was just like this is incredible if you're wanting to burn some extra calories or sweat out some toxins from a particularly big evening of food and drinks and indulging check out the infrared sauna blank blanket from Bond charge I've been using this since last year and I love how it raises your body temperature while you're just kind of sitting there relaxing reading a book or watching TV a session's usually 30 to 40ish minutes and you can burn up to 600 calories in one session I was looking into getting a sauna because I knew of all the health benefits associated with it and I knew it would complement the cold plunging really well I do it every day like I start the day with a cold plunge and then right into the sauna so extreme cold and then into the heat then I saw the cost of a sauna and an infrared sauna blanket from Bond charge is a fraction of that price and I think it might actually be better because you just kind of roll it out and crawl into it kind of like a sleeping bag it heats up in just a minute and then you just let it do its thing and I always feel so refreshed when I'm done with the infrared sauna blanket head to bonch charge.com / CVV to check out the infrared sauna blanket and use my code CVV you'll save 15% on it they've got free Lightning Fast worldwide shipping and you're covered with a 12month warranty so that's Bond charge.com CVV and the code CVV to save 15% when His match at In Your House with Finn Balor being a turning point you look at you when you sign with WWE versus now it's a huge difference where do you think that shift started to happen I think the first well because I've morphed a few times but I think the first big jump was after my match with Finn Balor at in your house and at the performance center just during the co era um I don't know it I can't even explain what happened that day it was just something clicked and I just let loose and I remember getting to the back and Sean and Hunter were waiting for me and he was like that's the guy I don't need I need to see from now on there's no going back that guy that was out there that guy's money like you have to be that guy always he stop pretending you know and Hunter told me and it's cool because Hunter told me he gave me advice that I guess taker had given him and he goes when taker told me this once when you learn how to just be yourself you're going to make a lot of money in this business and then he was like I know that's weird because how the hell do you not know yourself it's you and sure enough I was like yeah what the hell does that mean and then I figured it out it's just we try to be version of ourselves that we think everybody else expects which is not you you're still pretending uh I think now it's the closest to really me that you you see you know especially with the Judgment Day and Ria um that's you saw a different version of me you know uh and I like that I could show off different layers like when I did work with truth you know that that just showed a different layer to me like oh I'm a normal person you know but still I'll kill you you know um but but yeah going back it was that moment with the match with Finn Balor he just brought something else out of me and then Finn and I became boys because after that match because I was like oh man I'd love to do that again and he was he was ecstatic about it and he chose me because at the time I think he was supposed to go into a program with Gunther the pandemic happened he couldn't they just couldn't work and I think they asked him like well who would you like to work with and he picked me wow and I'm grateful for it the stuff R-Truth getting him to break when he’s on camera with Art Truth is so good oh Ronnie uh that guy I mean look it goes without saying at some point we're gonna have to team uh like we're gonna have to properly the guy it's unbelievable how talented of a performer he actually I can't even say he's a performer that's him wow because we're in the locker room we're backstage just walking by off camera and like guy has me in tears sometimes laughing it's unbelievable how funny he is and just just his natural of being he's just a funny guy and a really lovable person so everything you see on TV that's that's real that's why and it's clear as day that I he broke me a few times it seems like his goal is to get you to break you know when you're on camera yeah I I I remember Hunter also telling me like laughing you know he was Hunter himself was laughing about it he was like you have the worst poker face when you're around true and I was like what am I supposed to do man you know like he does it to everybody it is what it is um yeah I really enjoyed working with him and like I almost feel like Caro was like a a different version of that comedy you know just bringing a different aspect and a different layer to the Judgment Day um or to me specifically I think car Carly does that a lot because like I react to stuff and then as soon as they're like okay I just die and laughing and I'm like bro you're really funny you know I love working with Caro what's the one where truth got you the wor first oh man that's there's a few but the one that always comes to mind is we were in the ring and I know he oh he said something about I could see it in your eyes or something and I turned around because I was supposed to be serious like I wanted to be serious in that moment for me yeah like I wasn't told to but I wanted to be serious so I turned around to laugh and the camera man is right there on me and that's what showed on TV was me laughing and then turning back around serious that's that one always stands out to me just cuz it was in the ring but there's a bunch of backstages that I just couldn't have I couldn't help it it is what it is I feel like the promos you cut now feel so effortless what's the work that you've put in on your promos over the last few years to make it feel so seamless before and after every anytime I have to speak uh I'll go to somebody like specifically hymon and and he just constantly reminds me of like where you from he goes are you from New York and I'm like yeah he goes why don't you talk New York and I just got to remind myself of stuff like that and then he'll critique my delivery on stuff and then he's always like don't worry about don't don't try to force remembering what you're going to say because then you you lose yourself just talk you know and um feel what you're saying and react accordingly because you don't have to pretend you don't have to go out there and then I think just having that those things said to me over and over now when I go out I'm not so much worrying about a script or what I plan on in my head to to say I just I know what I have to talk about and just talk and react you know and I I feel more comfortable I I really do and I think the Judgment they obviously helped me with that um having people to fall back on especially when we were all talking so it's like conversational it just having your friends there made it so much easier you know like they took pressure off it you you know in those backstage segments with the Judgment Day Having a booming voice for promos your voice booms through right because like you have you've got you know deep voice but it catches your attention right so if you're in another part of the room or if you're looking at your phone and they hear your voice it's like oh damn I gotta listen to this now yeah it helps the voice definitely helps uh in with whether it's intimidation or just standing out and drawing attention it definitely does help um coming from a six' five guy it it it definitely it seems imposing so uh I'm glad I was blessed with the deep voice ever thought about doing voiceover work yeah but I guess it's one of those things that like what I learned when I was in you know with my buddy when I was younger with like you got to go to school for something right cuz I was like well how do you do that you just show up and just be like hey I can talk I got a voice no you sure you have to go train for that too so in some way so but that'd be something of course once I'm done wrestling why not it's probably a lot I guess I would it's a lot less painful I would assume so I would assume so yeah and that's something you can do till you're 100 years old too you're just talking yeah yeah so that's of course that's there you know I got the voice might as well I feel like you could be like the new James Earl Jones know it's like Darth Vader's Voice or you could just say this is CNN you know that's the big deep booming voice yeah I just we got options you you've got plenty of options and I feel like uh it it just works so well with the promos that you cut you know you're big you're tall you're dark you're intimidating and you've got the voice too like it all comes together yeah I appreciate that um you work where where you got you know and you know i' I've been blessed with like I said like you said the side and the voice so um I use it to my advantage just like others before me did you know Scott Hall Undertaker these guys that had imposing voices and size yeah and they used it Wrestling Bad Bunny at Backlash in Puerto Rico yeah let's go to backlash in Puerto Rico first of all when it gets announced what does that mean to you it was when it became official because what a lot of people don't know that there was back and forth that it almost didn't happen in Puerto Rico and play and simple I don't think we would have done the match if it wasn't in Puerto Rico like it was only we were only going to do the match if it was in Puerto Rico so when they announced you know backlash in Puerto Rico I was like okay this is real this is happening the island is getting some a little shout out we get to represent and it's and for me it was always of course I'm very proud Puerto Rican but it was just represent representing the the Latin Community you know all Hispanics that to me was look opening the doors for a lot of stuff and I'm not saying that Puerto Rico did but look at how many ples were doing outside the imedia country you know what I mean like yeah I feel like the crowd reaction there was like got the company excited for man let's see what else they can do um and so we were excited and thrilled that representation obviously I was nervous in the idea of this has got to be really good it's me versus Bad Bunny one-on-one you know in a high-profile match this isn't just typical celebrity match they do two or three moves and it's High by like we're we're going to go 20 plus minutes have to um get everybody emotionally invested into this and it's more than just again just people clapping hands for a celebrity people needed to feel sympathy excitement fear you know all of it that's what you want um so that that there was nerves in that sense I I I knew that the work was going to be put in on bunny side like I I did not worry about him not being ready but you never know of how things are going to come play out you know so that's a lot of confidence in you as well to be able to carry the majority of that match and make him look good and I would think there had to have been a concern in the office too like yes there's confidence in me but at the same time they have to have been like ah that we make the wrong decision here there had there has to be you know clearly they did not make the wrong decision thank you yeah I I don't think so either I don't think they do either but I'm sure beforehand there because there was talk of changing it to a tag match um but at the same time Bad Bunny and I were very adamant we were like we don't want to do a tag match and I I was proud of that one because you know obviously I helped trained by bunny um I piece this match together the way I I envisioned it and he did as well you know like he he had input and he had great ideas and then I was very adamant about other representation like I wanted to use dwo I wanted I requested Caro and Savio maybe requested it under the guys of you know Bad Bunny thought it was a good idea you know but uh but they added so much you know for especially for the crowd like it was a cool moment like it wasn't a typical match so it's like well then let's go all out if we're going to do it let's go all out um and it was great that everybody was receptive you know and they thought it was the the right move and clearly it was I mean every moment of that match was I thought was great uh hands down my favorite match just because of what it represented um it was bigger than any win or loss when you were standing in the ring and his music hits and it's one of the loudest reactions ever for an entrance what are you thinking oh my God that like it it was overwhelming like I and I've said this I never felt a ring like a rumble or or shake like not what you're standing in there you know you don't just don't feel it I actually felt the Matt shaking um during his entrance and I was like wow this is crazy and I even took a second to look around you know during his because it was just it looked like a wild scene like it was a mixture of a concert with I don't know but like a Woodstock type of I it just it was insane yeah it was one of the coolest things I've ever seen Goosebumps as you're talking about it's crazy and then you and it's funny because the following year obviously I faced Jay and France at backlash and that entrance was insane I feel like want to have the greatest entrance of your life face me a backlash quick time out here blue has sponsored this episode and they're giving you the first month for free when you use the code CVV blu.com you just have to pay $5 for shipping bluechew is a unique online service that delivers the same active ingredients as Viagra Calis and Levitra but at a fraction of the cost and in chewable form all you have to do is sign up at bluechew.com the process is so simple consult with one of their licens medical providers and once you're approved you'll receive your prescription within days the best part is it's all done online so there's no doctor's visits there's no awkward conversations no waiting in line at the pharmacy this is delivered right to your door so you can turn up the heat in the bedroom oh yeah blue chew wants to help you chew it and do it like I said before the first month is free you just have to pay $5 for shipping when you go to bluechew.com and to the code CVV that's right your first month is free at bluechew.com when you use that code CVV you just have to pay $5 for shipping big thank you to Blue for sponsoring the Crowds singing wrestling theme songs episode yeah it was like uh everybody every single person in the audience was singing his song that was incredible I mean since then now it it's like common now you see everybody does sing nobody's saying Randy Orton's theme and now they do now everybody sings it and I'm sure it wasn't like I'm sure some did but not it to the the scale just like Cody's song you know people do the wo and they sing along but it wasn't the whole song yeah it might be certain parts it's not 100% everybody this was like a literally 100% the entire Arena the first time ever seen anything like that yeah and and I think a testament to you and a testament to the hard work that bunny put in the match was good and whenever you put a celebrity in a match you kind of go uh I Bad Bunny feeling pain after their match don't know could be fun but is it going to be good and it was good so congrats to both of you thank you thank you no and that was the thing like it was both like we had fun um probably me more than him because he was in a lot of pain a lot of what hurt him the most he's just not used to bumping well that's that's the thing it's like when we were training and it was one of those things I was like we got to train a little harder than we did the last time I was like because and I explained to him I was like I'm gonna hit you really hard I was like I have to this is one-on-one I was like it's a street fight I was like I need you to not hold back like you're in a street fight for real give me all you got I was like I'm not gonna give you all I got because I you'll die but I I'll give you I'll give you a lot uh and I did and I gave it to him and you know that was the one thing like you got to respect a guy that's not from this business his body's not used to taking that much physical you know impact and he kept on getting up you know granted he told me that it's it took him a few weeks to recover he he messaged me like 3 days after and he was like I finally feel good enough to walk around like he was he was like I I've barely come out of my bedroom like I've been in so much pain he was I feel like I've been in a train wreck wow um and I think the worst thing for him was one of the Kendall shots and I I only G him he gave me like 20 of them I gave him one shot but I did tell him I was like I'm only going to hit you once don't worry and he goes oh okay he goes you sure I was like yeah yeah I'm sure and it was one I swung like a baseball bat then you you rode that Being told he was winning Money In The Bank momentum I mean really into money in the bank right so when did they tell you you're gonna win money in the bank shortly after it was like you know after that moment great moment great for the community great for the island but now what it just lost to a celebrity at the end of the day right like okay was bigger than any wi loss like I said but the show continues sure so now we we got that business done but now what happens to Damen priest the character on TV um so I had those questions and then but I think I I don't know if it was already the plan but after that match like they knew they can trust me like more than ever uh and then shortly after within a few weeks but then it was with always that that that wording of things can change yeah but as of right now the plan is is um and I'm you know obviously fortunate that did plans did not did they tell you you're going to win and then the idea is you're gonna have this really cool WrestleMania moment no no every that's one of those things like we'll see what happens you know I I [Music] um when I won the briefcase I wasn't sure if I was going to catch him that night wow you know they don't tell you everything just just putting that out there L people think that we know no they might they might have a a long-term plan which I I know they did yeah um but they don't really articulate it fully to you probably for the main also the reason of they don't want you to get you know amped up and hyped and then yeah ah sorry things change yeah then you're heartbroken you know like that's not cool either so I'm pretty sure they they like to keep it you know but like I but when they do tell you they tell you with but you know things can change so take What was he feeling before his WrestleMania 40 moment it with a grain of salt type of thing that WrestleMania moment was pretty incredible yeah so before your music hits you're standing backstage what are you feeling I I just wasn't I couldn't believe it was happening you know like that whole day I didn't think I I knew that there was a possibility of things they told me the day before that look things can change we've seen things change yeah uh we saw that money in the bank when Brock won the briefcase they came out out of nowhere yeah you know like and that was a decision in that that day apparently from what I hear so to me I was like what if Brock's music hits you know like I don't know yeah uh just anything or at the last second they're like hey don't cash in you know do something or whatever I don't know but I was but then a part of me was like should I just go into business for myself kid um no but so like the whole day I I was I didn't want to have the same conversation with the talent and and just everybody in the building of are you catching in today what are you doing here so I stayed hidden for me not because I I didn't ask me to to hide I stayed hidden for me just because I didn't want to have these conversations only like the Judgment Day and ran because he saw me in the room uh like very few people knew where I was all day um and then even still all day I was just settle uh settle down because we don't know if this is actually going to happen to till it's till it happens and that's how I treated it but then when I went up to gorilla right before the match started then it was like oh boy is this really going to happen oh boy you know um and then I'm sitting there just watching the match and watching and I'm just trying to stay focused on the match and enjoy the match as a viewer to hold my nerves together but when that bell rang and I was like oh this is happening and I look around there's nobody telling me no I was like everybody's just oh everybody's relaxed nobody's coming up to me to be like hey change your plans all right I'm not listening to nobody now right now it's like it's over and I'm music hit and I was like oh right before I ran out all I was thinking about was I'm not gonna Sprint because God forbid I trip and fall I was like I'm gonna have a good stride watch my steps make sure I don't trip over the mat I don't want to do the funny around the corner you know just comfortable yeah look cool forgot all about that as soon as the music H just jetted down went around almost fell like got around the corner thank God I didn't slip I hit Drew so hard with that briefcase and it went flying I I didn't even know where it was it almost ended up in the the crowd can you imagine there goes my cash in get up in the crowd and somebody runs off with a briefcase so I I like I hit him and the it left and I didn't even know where it was and then it landed in front of me after I took like five steps and I was like oh it give it to Eddie to cash in uh but man that was uh when he hit the three and I just felt so accomp like mission accomplished um wow did that that was a cool one and that's one of those that I I took it in I really like I was in tune like as soon as a three hit I was very in tune with what was happening like I looked like I screamed I looked the crowd I see and that was the other thing the fact that they the way they react of course they they're more reacting because everybody wants to see something special something cool it's not because they were cheering for me I understood what it was but it was still that that Philadelphia crowd made it 10 times better than what I would expected because of how they reacted and their energy uh they were hyped and that of course now gets me going you know so uh I gotta thank that Achieving success at 41 crowd at WrestleMania for making it extra special there's a lot of people that think like oh man I'm 28 I'm way too old to do I'm 34 I'm way too old to do this you win your first world championship at 41 you're not too old for nothing no the world has changed like when they say my age out loud like you just did like I'm the same age so that's why I said It reminds me wow would have never guessed that it reminds me of like oh wow I I actually am that age but I don't think that way I don't feel that way yes um I feel the same way maybe it's maybe I'm just cuz I'm immature I don't know probably yeah definitely helps but I like when people were like well how many more years you think you do this I'm like I don't know a lot yeah because I'm fine you know and once I start getting stuff fixed I'll be even better yeah so like I I don't see any like I'm not Expecting his future to be even better than his past going anywhere but I think it's the idea there of like there's probably a point in your life when you're like this isn't going to happen anymore and I'm only going to keep getting older well now you're at a point where it's like well I'm a world champion life's only going to keep getting better from here it's Gotta like that's that's that's exactly the way I'm thinking you know and I'm not the first to do it there's guys guys way older than me that have been able to to continuously have success in not just in wrestling just in anything that they set their minds to so I I feel like I'm good like I I I have a lot left a lot left uh in wrestling and just entertainment business as a whole so I I'm pretty confident that yeah like to point I'm I'm my I think feel like my Who instilled his self-belief in him best years are still ahead who instilled this in you who instilled this mindset in you that you can accomplish anything like I said I just decided to think the opposite of what I used to I love that um of course you get advice from a lot of different people family friends you know people that you look up to Idols But ultimately on you to make the decision of what you're going to do with yourself and your life and I I uh just the choice I made I was like if I truly believe since I was a kid that I was destined for more than just the average then it's got to be and I got to I got to be this way I have to be this way and I have to be not just confident just positive and and willing to do what Was he almost cast in Black Panther 2 ? it takes when you talk about life outside of wrestling there was talk about you being in Black Panther too yeah what ended up happening there it's a long story story but uh basically it got taken away from me but not from Marvel did you have the role yeah oh wow because I know earlier on it was like you were reading for the role you were auditioning for it so you got the role yeah and I think we can read between the lines here that you know the regime was a little bit different at that time exactly maybe you need another Marvel opportunity it' be cool I'm ready and I feel like it could happen now well and it's funny cuz now busier than ever so and look come with me I'm good with it you know maybe I do something like that I go a different route and I'm not sitting here with you as the World Champ you know like being a world champion like I won a World Championship at WrestleMania like I don't know if that happens yeah so um look and I said this before like I I live a certain way now that I can't look and regret I can't think about stuff that didn't work got my way I got to think about what's next and what else I can do positively for myself so yeah it didn't work it didn't work out um not the end of the world the movie was great though it was a great movie but you're Not living life with regrets right everything happens in life like if this thing doesn't happen then this thing doesn't happen and then maybe you're not you know seeing your money in the bank and then maybe you don't cash in at Manan and then and then and then and all of that added up becomes the person who's sitting here in front of me right now there's no reason reason to live in regret you know exactly um especially when there's so much positive to come yeah like we don't know yeah so there's no point of being miserable over something that did or didn't but it's you know you can't go back in time at least not yet so yeah maybe one day maybe one day tell us something about His close friendship with Rhea Ripley Ria Ripley that we might not know oh she's a cornball uh I mean I pretty much I think we've in different whether it's interviews or in the ring or just social media we pretty much we're out there of how we are and and you know what people know about us um she's my favorite person like she really is that's that's my homie right or die like uh love her to death you know it's nothing I wouldn't do for her um but yeah she's corny as hell sometimes she was wearing when we interviewed her yesterday she was wearing like these 9 in ridiculous on these spiky boots I she sent me a video that the fans were taking yes the the walk down the ramp yes yeah yeah holding on to my shoulder she was like I'm not GNA make it and I was like hold on you know what's funny is her wearing those heels she's almost as tall as you which I was like what's wrong with you and and like all they like Hunter sees her and he's like of course then he he actually told a funny story from NXT he was like it was almost like a competition between between her and Raquel of who can seem toilet he was like I would do these interviews instead I stand next to them and I'm just looking at that Rael and Ria I started laughing because I do remember those days that they they were like doing it as almost like a rib to each other to see who could look taller yeah so they wear these ridiculous platforms and they're like 6465 I she's already very tall yeah exactly so this is not necessary not necessary where do you see things going How does he continue to motivate himself for more from here like life is pretty great if you're Damen priest right now how does it continue to keep going up it's one of those things that I don't know what it is but there's got to be more and I'm just going to keep striving for more you know obviously I've accomplished some goals but there's still more like I I want to have I want to be in the Hall of Fame so I I got a lot of work to do I like I said I've only been in the main wrestle for three years I feel like I need a a few more and a few more at a high level um I need just more moments I I I uh for me to to enjoy what my friends and family you know there's a lot more to Damien priest to go that I need to happen so that when I actually am done I could be like man I did everything you know and I haven't done everything yet so that I want I want to do it all I want to work with everybody I want to have every Changing his finisher due to Cody Rhodes coming in moment possible you know everything you used to do Hit the Lights as your finisher what was the conversation of like that looks a lot like the crossroads Cody's coming back you can't use that anymore that was pretty much the conversation no actually they didn't say you can't do it anymore it it was like a conversation of look obviously it's a similar move it's different but it's still similar like I do it differently but it's one of those things they're like you might want to but they never said change it and even Cody was like you didn't have to change it I was like yeah but if you come back and I'm doing this move every time I hit it people are going to think of you but who had it first actually I don't know the answer uh I mean Tess did it so that's that's also is it similar to play of the day remember elix Skipper used to do that elix Skipper oh yeah that's similar similar right kind of I mean I think even Steiner did it okay all right the move's been done it's a rolling cutter yeah variations of it yeah so um and he has his own twist the way he hooks the arms and twist back and forth I would do it more with you know taking my arm out and spinning underneath but it's at the end of the day it's a rolling cutter right so um and I was okay with it you know so basically anytime I face Cody I'm gonna hit him with it but but it's look it's a move it's not that serious like I think everybody else thinks of more serious than we do do I really didn't care uh like I was like okay I'll just go back to using the South of Heaven or razors or the the flatliner that I do I wasn't sure which one I wanted to use you're like I've got a lot of moves yeah and I haven't even started doing some missions yet oh uh oh uh so which I got a few um but that's a page right out of the Undertaker's book wow yeah and I have a different version of a go PL so okay but no but there's that's what I mean like there there's there's a lot of stuff that we can do like wasn't I wasn't mad I wasn't upset like I knew and I just didn't want people to think of him every time I did a move you know what I mean like it's one thing paying on M to somebody is one thing doing a similar move to somebody who works somewhere else but when they're working in the same company on the same show yeah it's all right you know there's got What was it like watching his documentary for Summerslam weekend to be a difference when you premiered the documentary at at SummerSlam what was it like watching it without audience odd uh it was although I was behind a curtain watching it was very uncomfortable I remember Punk was sitting right next to me and I would pretend to be on my phone sometimes just because I was feeling uncomfortable with certain scenes um just whether I was speaking or somebody in my family was speaking and it was emotional Parts I would just pretend like I was not paying attention just because I needed to distract myself and it was because it just it was a weird feeling of seeing something about you around a theater full of people and then around some friends it was just it's not something you're used to um but Punk was super cool with it he was like dude this is so good you know he was like don't feel embarrassed and I'm like bro this is weird you know but it it was odd but also I was proud because because at the end of it like I it kind of reminds you of your whole journey because it's not something you think about all the time like I like I said I think forward all the time like to today tomorrow next month like I'm looking ahead not necessarily just constantly thinking about what I've been through yeah this was like a crazy reminder even though I did a sit down interview about it but as soon as I was done talking it was all right go about your day this was different sitting there and watching it and then watching clips and pictures and having your family talk about it you know I don't really talk to my family about that stuff so it was a lot it was Heavy um but I was proud at the end of it and then the the reaction to everybody was it was pretty neat how did it how did it even get pitched to you that they wanted to documentary so I went to Connecticut to the headquarters for like some other interviews I think I went to do the bump and do some other content and then I was just telling stories and then when I was done one of The Producers came with to me he's like I'm not sure if we're going to use this he goes but I'm going to show this to some of the execs and I think this is going to develop into something more I didn't even know what he meant by that I was like okay like what oh all right whatever had me come out here just talk for an hour and then like for nothing but I didn't realize what it was uh and then they came back they're like remember when we told you and I was like yeah they're like okay so we want to do a documentary on you and I immediately said no I was like ah no no way no shot no I was like to show my like my personal side like my personal life I show glimpses like I've talked a little bit about it very you know sporadic like once in a while the social media I'll post something but I really don't do personal life too much I'm Damen priest Damen priest is completely different um but then they convince me with the idea of maybe somebody who's in a similar spot that you were in can listen to your words and see your journey and it could change their life yeah the moment they said they word it to me that way I was like yeah fine like of course said like if I can Inspire like and that was the thing if I can Inspire one person just one um to change something for the better for themselves it was worth doing it I His promo in the ring with Gunther before Summerslam feel like in that promo that you did with Gunther there there that inspired a lot of people he's talking about your upbringing you know and it wasn't as good as his and I think there's a lot of people that see a truth in that and go man the way I grew up maybe wasn't that great Damen priest is my guy that's the thing and that's that's why I was okay with it once it got worded in a certain way and explain yeah because people can relate you know there there's there's a lot more people struggling than there are people that are setad yeah you know that's just the unfortunate reality of the world so but I am one of those not supposed to so if I'm here I'm sitting here with you talking about this right now why should anybody else it's possible it's all on us Gunther really went in on you on that promo yeah it wasn't very nice at all and I really went in on that right hand oh if you see the way he Dro like that there's no phoniness in that um to be fair I may have told him to say that but it still got me hot when you hear somebody else say it um no no I but it was especially with the amount of time that we had to put in to make our match of SummerSlam worth you know people's interest we needed to get personal fast and make it intense and I think we What does a chop from Gunther feel like? accomplished that yeah what's a gun through chop feel like I can't even there there's no explanation there's nothing you can compare it to um I know grab a frying pan and have somebody swinging as hard as they can against your chest um but like and it's him Drew like these guys just with these heavy hands just ginormous people and they perfected the art of slapping which is crazy right is ridiculous um it's brutal I mean you see how you've seen it yeah yeah it sucks yeah like there's no other word for it it sucks I I hate being marked up like that for like and it doesn't go away right away that you just marked up and you take a shower it hurts take a deep breath it hurts you put on a t-shirt it hurts like it all hurts yeah so yeah not Rebranding the MITB briefcase at Senor Money In The Bank fun was it your idea to Rebrand the Money in the Bank briefcase yeah to make it senior money in the bank yeah it's great because it you know everybody knows your your heritage but now it's in front of your face it's like okay we see it yeah what after a few failed cashings I was like it doesn't seem like I'm cashing in anytime soon so I went and I was like hey got an idea um and I presented it as merch and they were like great idea you know I was like do a custom and I was like and I want to be called seor you know like throw a little little difference like did everybody that's had uh different briefcases had like a a thing to it you know Ed was the rated R RVD with his you know like there was different ones I was like I want to be seor you know it's the first one that's completely different and that's why you always trying to be different right and I was like we'll do purple obviously for the Judgment Day and then they made a mock of it and as they showed me and I was like yeah that works that looks cool um and I loved it um and I'm glad I was able to hold it for so long now retos because I had a cool briefcase that I was able to hold for so long it also came from the idea it looked like I was carrying around a giant lunch boox around the airports it was embarrassing so that's really why I wanted to change it and it becomes your carry-on luggage right yeah it becomes your personal item when you board a plane yes a lot of times I would put it in my I would check a bags just so I could put it in my check-in gotcha um even though I didn't need a check-in bag but I would just but now you gotta wait for luggage on you know when you land in the city I I but the purple one was a little easier and then it was you know when you're taking a Money in the Bank briefcase through the TSA checkin when you don't check it are people like what money in the bank what what is this yeah first of all is the funniest thing is every was like you got money in there I'm like it literally says in the bank it literally says in the bank but okay let's let's let that one go and then uh like some would be like money in the bank manifesting that's good good for you and I'm like thanks you're like well actually kind of that's exactly what I'm doing yeah but then is it empty on the inside just a contract but I would put I would put my toilet trees uh sometimes like like I wouldn't put put my dirty stuff that was a complaint that they told me from the gigo they're like hey don't be like previous holders that they would put their dirty stuff in here and then just breu these briefcases I was like I'm good don't worry like I would just put like literally like stuff like that like toilet trees or take my gear to a show in them um but yeah I used it like I legitimately use like a brief a real briefcase just I don't have like paperwork so I have to use other stuff they just have the contract in 3 things Damian Priest is grateful for there my sunglasses and stuff like that that's so funny your story is really inspiring and I'm sure you heard this when you aired the documentary but there's something about that that people can relate to and just the whole idea through this whole conversation we've had of like if you can believe that it's true if you can believe that you can do it if you work hard enough you can accomplish it you can and worst case scenario you don't it's still a great scenario because you would have experienced so many cool things on the ride yeah you're in a much better place than you would have been if you just gave up and didn't try at all exactly yeah exactly congratulations on everything man thank you I appreciate that and I appreciate you making the time here I'm goingon to hit you with the question that I end every conversation with because gratitude's so important to me what are three things that you're grateful for as we sit here right now the number one thing is able to help my family you know I wasn't in that position before so I am extremely grateful for that I am grateful for the fact that I've changed my life around and I I live positively and I'm mentally healthy and I'm grateful for the fact that my story can Inspire others to do the same for themselves appreciate you man thank you pleasure thank you