Damian Priest on the Fast Track to Main Event Stardom in WWE

Damian Priest is on the fast track to superstardom in WWE, thanks to a monumental 2021 that started with a main roster call-up and continued Monday with a clean pinfall victory over the face of the Raw brand for the last year, Drew McIntyre.

The victory over the former WWE champion sparked buzz on social media during the broadcast, thanks in large part to just how well-protected the Scot has been over the last two years.

For Priest to beat McIntyre clean in the center of the ring during a Triple Threat match was an announcement to the wrestling world that management is behind him and expects him to make the jump to the top of the card sooner than later.

It really shouldn't be a surprise, though, as evidenced in several booking decisions made along the way.

The Bad Bunny Effect

WWE brought in a multi-platinum recording artist and legitimate mainstream star in Bad Bunny and could have chosen anyone to partner with him to face The Miz and John Morrison at WrestleMania 37. The company chose Priest, straight off a main roster call-up.

Very early on, the higher-ups within the company trusted The Archer of Infamy in a huge spot that could have backfired on them. He had yet to make a splash on the main roster and was really just starting to find momentum in NXT prior to his jump to the main roster.

There was no guarantee he was going to be able to live up to the expectations that position came with, but he did. In a sink-or-swim position, he made like Michael Phelps, carrying the babyface end of things and routinely putting his pop-star partner in the position to succeed.

The result was an acclaimed WrestleMania performance in which he held things down until Bunny hit his spots and sent the fans home happy. Being associated with the rapper elevated Priest's star, helping him connect with audiences in a way that a dozen squash matches or underwhelming midcard feud ever could.

It also saved him from what could have been a disastrous turn a month later at WrestleMania Backlash, in a match with The Miz that featured "real" zombies from the Netflix film, Army of the Dead. 

Yes, zombies.

The SummerSlam and McIntyre Wins As Stepping Stones

Priest's victory over Sheamus for the United States Championship at SummerSlam not only earned him his first title on the main roster, but it also allowed him to show his toughness off to the audience.

It was a hard-hitting, high-impact title match that forced him to go blow-for-blow with an established star who has been to the top of the company and held every major prize there is.

The Celtic Warrior had been WWE champion, King of the Ring and won the Royal Rumble. He had built equity with fans and though he had lost to Priest leading into the pay-per-view, he still had quite a bit of credibility behind his name. Beating him definitively and taking his title meant something.

How many times have we seen a new star jump to the main roster, win a championship early on and then fade into obscurity shortly thereafter when Vince McMahon or the creative team lost interest and focus? It dates back as far as Carlito in 2005 and as recently as Ricochet.

What makes Priest different, though, is his size and style.

At 6'5" and 252 pounds, he is a big guy. He is also athletic, able to throw his frame around the ring or off the top rope with relative ease. His style reflects that of Scott Hall, if the former Razor Ramon was able to flip off the top rope and wipe out his opponent on the floor.

His athleticism, look, quiet charisma and star quality has led to McMahon and Co. getting fully behind the performer, as evidenced by the win over McIntyre.

Considering the lack of depth on the main roster and the dire need for a new babyface on Monday nights, Priest is in as favorable a position as anyone has been in quite some time. The company has built Bobby Lashley up to such a level as WWE champion that it will need someone to come along and knock him off his perch.

Priest is quickly becoming believable enough to do just that.

The quality of the wins he has enjoyed lately, and the opportunities to work alongside celebrities in high-profile WrestleMania matches, will do that for a character's credibility.