WWE 24 – Damian Priest: The Rise of El Campeón

WWE 24 is a long-running show for WWE, dating back to 2015 and the early days of WWE Network. It’s always been one of the better shows, giving backstage access we wouldn’t see otherwise. It has been iced a bit with only one episode appearing a year, but has made its triumphant 2024 return with its August 5th episode focused on Damian Priest.

New York City. June 9, 2024. Damian Priest, atop a Puerto Rican Day parade, waves a flag to the adoring crowd. He takes pictures with adults and kids and tell us that representing his culture and WWE is his dream.

Damian was born in NYC before moving to Puerto Rico, where he was raised. Diana, his mother, says he was a little wild as Damian recalls bringing a goat home one time. At eight, he asked for a wrestling ring and figures, which turned out to be the Hasbro Legion of Doom figures. He recounts the importance of Puerto Rican wrestlers like Carlos Colon and Savio Vega, saying you almost had no choice but to love it in Puerto Rico.

We get a clip of Superstars from April 13, 1991. Damian says the person that hooked him was the Undertaker, particularly the segment of Taker attacking Ultimate Warrior and locking him in the coffin. Damian says it was on two channels at once – English and Spanish – and he was showing his mother, who told him to pick one so she could see what was happening. He said he was invested and he wanted to make people feel that emotion.

His brother was born, but Damian was sent back to the Bronx and his dad. Luis Sr., Damian’s father, remembers reading while the boys were playing ball because he wouldn’t leave him alone. Damian says his routine was school, hours of homework and then having to watch Wheel of Fortune to learn how to spell.

He says his dad was a big deal in martial arts and he wanted to be like him. His father owned a school and wanted him to be the best student and he was. Priest would see kids playing outside and he was stuck inside fighting his dad. Dad said they went to every show in Madison Square Garden and it was all Damian would talk about. DP was there for Survivor Series 1996 with Rock debuting and Taker coming down like Batman, saying he wanted to be just like him.

Priest didn’t continue school after high school. His friend, Charlie Corletta, realized they both had the same love and they had to do it. Charlie found the Monster Factory school and Damian was a natural. His dad wasn’t thrilled with it but his brothers – who since moved with his mom to Jersey – loved it. We see cool early footage of him wrestling with Monster Factory. Mom says it was hard for her to watch and his brothers would get every wrestler’s autograph including Damian.

Charlie tells us that Damian was frustrated as DP says, “You can’t really make money off of a handshake and a hot dog.” He remembers sleeping in his car and on the steps of a church. He didn’t tell his family because of pride. His car was broken into and his gear was stolen, so he had to stop wrestling. His family tried to push him to become a police officer and a bounty hunter, but he couldn’t let it go.

We move to 2010 as Damian has his first tryout at FCW. “Man, did I tank it.” He was close to 400 pounds and he was nowhere near the others. He says he blamed everyone but himself.

We get footage from ECPW in 2012 as Punishment Martinez makes his entrance. He says he was lazy and complacent and didn’t see the inside of a gym for years. “I was not a good human being.”

He worked at a club in Atlantic City and was given a free apartment and car but was wrestling on weekends. The club owner wanted to give him more responsibility but said he had to quit wrestling. Damian immediately gave his notice, knowing he’s back to nothing. He was living with his girlfriend and four kids and decided to turn his life around.

Eddie Orengo, now WWE referee, met Damian in the indies. Damian told him his goals and he jumped on them. We see a 2014 promo with Priest saying that he was embracing positivity. Paul Heyman appears, saying he met him for the first time in 2014 and immediately saw the charisma and star power. Priest was hired as an extra for a few WWE shows as we see him playing security for Stephanie McMahon and Rosebud for Adam Rose. It’s amazing just how many of the Rosebuds became bigger stars than Rose, who seemed “can’t miss” for a while.

We get 2015 footage of Priest doing a tryout at the PC and cutting a promo. He says he is 85 pounds lighter in the promo and very coachable. Triple H says that DP takes direction well and there was a lot of competition for spots, unfortunately there wasn’t room at the time.

Priest is signed by ROH and celebrates making $40,000, feeling he was set. Bayley remembers seeing him at a show in Philly and realizing how good he was. She pulled him aside after, telling him that she didn’t understand why he was there instead of WWE. She told him he had everything they were looking for.

Priest states the course and in 2018 received a phone call asking when his contract is up. He told them in a month and they said they’d call him then. We watch him walk into his NXT orientation in 2018 with Matt Riddle, taking the “property of NXT” photo. His dad told him he proved him wrong and his mom said she was sobbing, remembering all the disappointments.

HHH tells us he always felt like Priest was being someone else in videos. Priest told him “a rock star.” His mom wanted to name him Damian and his first theme was by Judas Priest, so the name was born. We watch some early NXT clips as “the archer” is born.

The Heterosexual Undertaker meets the Bisexual Undertaker as Taker watches NXT matches with Priest and others and gives them advice. He says Priest moves around well for a big guy. DP also got to meet Scott Hall and ask him for permission to do the surfer walk in his ladder match. HHH says the more memorable moments, the more you get as Priest shows out at NXT In Your House. Priest says that match set him on this course.

He wins the North American Title and HHH knew what he brought to the table. HHH tells him he is getting called up, debuting at the Royal Rumble and getting into a program with Bad Bunny. DP questions it, saying they can’t just name a wrestler that name with the music star established, and they tell him they meant THAT Bad Bunny.

Priest says he is a disaster prior to the Rumble. He enters at 14. Sam Roberts tells us it is fun to see people debut at the Rumble as it gives you a taste. Then Bad Bunny comes in, with Priest taking his side against Miz and Morrison.

Bunny and Priest head into WrestleMania to team. Priest tells us they became friends and they both had the same passion. Miz says there is nothing harder than performing with someone who has never wrestled and pairing him up with Priest was a huge opportunity. Miz explains we’re getting a new audience with Bunny and if he succeeds, it’s a great opportunity. Priest felt “crazy pressure” and he’s helping train him. We watch video of the duo training and Priest feels if this fails, he’s screwed.

Priest wasn’t 100% going into Mania, telling us he was constantly in pain. He gets worked on by a chiropractor and told his brothers he didn’t know how he was going to do it, but he had to do it. He walks into the Mania stadium and remembers this is his first time performing in front of a live WWE crowd, as this was the return of the live audience after (or during) COVID.

Hall, X-PAC and Hulk Hogan hug Priest backstage, telling him to kill it. Bunny wrestles more than expected and very well, as we all know, and quickly became one of the best celebrities to wrestle. Bunny and DP win, getting love from HHH, Nattie, Naomi and others backstage. Priest tells us, tears in his eyes, that it was better than anything he could ever dream of. “I did it. Fucking WrestleMania!”

Priest keeps rolling, topping Sheamus for the U.S. Title at SummerSlam. HHH says we are still questioning who Damian Priest is and that Priest’s version isn’t who he is and that he’s trying too hard. Priest says it was awkward as a smiling babyface and Bayley said you could feel it wasn’t clicking. Finn Balor says he felt Damien thought he had to act a certain way and did that instead of being himself.

Priest loses the title to Finn. He tells us he thought he was done and there was no coming back, but then there was Edge. Edge wondered about forming a new Brood as we see Priest appear at Mania and distract AJ Styles. Priest says this is the best part of the dream, working with his heroes and becoming friends. Edge tells us that he knew he could work with this and Priest is so much further along than he was.

Judgment Day is born. HHH tells him to just be him. Finn says Priest was dressed like himself and it immediately changed him. Edge asked Damian how he felt about certain people, and one of those was Rhea Ripley.

Mami joins the Judgment Day. Rhea tells us she needed something new and they were excited to make this work. They added Finn Balor, Finn saying they all felt like they could have been doing a little more and this was exactly what they needed. Edge is beaten down. Rhea says she didn’t want Edge to leave but it added such a new dynamic.

Enter Dominik. Priest says it made zero sense at first until you saw him become his own person. Dom can’t thank them enough, telling us they really are a family and they do things together for real. Give me a minute, I need to go cry about the loss of Judgment Day again. That bastard.

Rhea and Damian hang before Mania 39. Damian was sad he didn’t have his own match, but seeing the others in JD get ready made him feel a sense of pride. Dom has goosebumps and never expected their friendship to grow the way it was. Rhea wins the title in the match of the year and calls Priest her comfort person.

May 1, Raw. Bad Bunny appears on Raw with a kendo stick, challenging DP for Backlash Puerto Rico. Priest says this is his Mania. He and Bunny knew the importance of it being in Puerto Rico and they knew they had to deliver. Orengo tells us he could feel the nerves and knew Priest could handle it. Drew McIntyre notes it’ll be seen by not only wrestling fans but mainstream fans and it makes you think that the crappy times are worth it.

Bad Bunny has that killer entrance and it’s off to the races from there in front of maybe my favorite crowd ever. DP says he’s never felt a ring rumble before that. It wasn’t just about Priest and Bunny and getting to include Carlito and Savio Vega was amazing. Priest says it was bigger than any one win or loss and culturally they let the world know “we can do this.” Rhea hugs him backstage.

Heyman tells us he found the core of Damian Priest and once he found that confidence, there was no stopping him. HHH says the moment is right and we go to London’s Money in the Bank. Priest is afraid of heights so it was a struggle for him. Priest wins, gets the briefcase and says he could become a major champion. Rhea tears up backstage (adorably) and shares her pride. Drew says that while MiTB used to mean you’re going to be champ, that’s not always the case in recent years.

Finn notes the numerous misdirections during his first few cash in attempts. Rhea says it would always backfire on him and there were a lot of questions. He asked Finn what would happen if he didn’t get to cash in. Priest says he was aware of the reactions and Rhea says it made him feel silly. HHH says they were looking for the right moment and told Priest to shove it down the questioning fans’ throats.

Mania XL. Priest’s suit game is STRONG. He isn’t 100% sure what’s happening at Mania the night before. Finn gets the call that he needs to come to the arena, but not for anything creative. Just for the moment. Priest says he was hiding in a weight room, trying to avoid cash-in questions as we see the crowd fill in. Priest gears up and his tights rip.

DP walks up to gorilla and it’s happening. Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre have their match as all of Judgment Day are in gorilla waiting. Rollins hugs Priest on his way back (the Punk-Drew moment was happening in the ring) and tells him, “I told you it was all going to be worth it, baby. Biggest moment of your life.” Punk knocks Drew down and the music hits. Rhea absolutely spazzes backstage and Damien cashes in. Samantha Irvin excitedly announces the new champion with surprise clearly in her voice as JD celebrates.

Priest says it was an experience where he could see himself doing it with Eddie hiding his hand up. Orenga says how special it was, having made this journey with Damian, to be the one there holding his hand up. Rhea says it was a “genuine bloody reaction” and Finn says he gets more excited for others than himself. Dom says they were all tearing up and what a family they really are.

HHH gives the champ a hug in gorilla, telling him he deserves it. He tells him to let out the emotion and he does. Everyone from Cody Rhodes to Bobby Lashley to Bayley love on him backstage. Then the family gets their turn to tearfully hug. Dwayne Johnson of all people interrupts to hug and congratulate him. Damian: “Well, that’s cool.”

Taker hugs him and Damian introduces him to his family. Taker tells us that he’s proud and Heyman took his life from the streets to winning the title. Priest and Rhea have a dual champion photo shoot with glowing smiles on their faces. His mom says it’s amazing and she’s so proud because her son is living his dream. Priest says he wouldn’t change a thing because he wouldn’t be the person he is today.

“I can’t believe it’s real. It’s badass.” Priest walks WWE Headquarters, taking in the display posters of himself and Rhea as champions and wiping away tears. He says he wasn’t sure this would ever happen.

What a WELL done documentary. That’s nothing new for WWE 24, but this was one of their best.

I’ve made no secret of being a Judgment Day fangirl over the last little while, but a lot of that was Rhea. I always appreciated Damian, but this truly made me love the guy. Highly recommend watching this.