4 reasons why Damian Priest won the WWE World Heavyweight championship at WrestleMania XL
Damian Priest won the World Heavyweight Title at WWE WrestleMania XL Night 2 when he cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Drew McIntyre. After nine months with the contract, The Judgment Day's Punisher finally made good on his promise to shock the world with his cash-in. In the process, he became the second man after Seth "Freakin" Rollins to execute his opportunity at 'Mania.
Why did The Archer of Infamy wait until The Show of Shows to cash in? Why was The Showcase of the Immortals the right time and stage to make him World Champion? What brought about this epic decision?
Here are four possible reasons why Damian Priest dethroned Drew McIntyre as WWE World Heavyweight Champion at WrestleMania XL.
#4. WWE WrestleMania XL was the right time for Damian Priest to cash in
Damian Priest held the Money in the Bank contract for more than nine months, missing multiple golden opportunities to execute it. Whether due to Seth Rollins' injury layoff or storyline timing reasons, the stars never seemed to align for Priest. At WrestleMania XL, everything finally snapped into place.
Seth Rollins got his deserved opportunity to walk into The Showcase of the Immortals as champion, while Drew McIntyre finally got to win the title in front of a live crowd. With both men having got their moments, the path was clear for Priest to get his, restore the contract's prestige, and fulfill The Judgment Day's potential to be the top faction in the company.
Now everyone in the World Heavyweight title scene walks away with a satisfying payoff.
#3. The CM Punk factor helped Damian Priest at WWE WrestleMania XL
CM Punk's presence at WWE WrestleMania XL was always going to make headlines. The Voice of the Voiceless was on commentary for Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins after The Scottish Warrior took him out at Royal Rumble 2024 and continued to take shots at him throughout recovery.
McIntyre got so obsessed with Punk that the latter's presence was always going to make Drew take his eye off the ball. It would have been anticlimactic if this did not end up having major consequences. Priest's cash-in advances The Chosen One's character and feud with the soon-to-return Second City Saint, which is a possible reason why it was greenlit.
#2. Clash at the Castle may also have played a part in Damian Priest's WrestleMania XL cash-in
The second edition of WWE Clash at the Castle takes place in Drew McIntyre's native Scotland on June 15, 2024. The Scottish Warrior is expected to be a major player at the event, given that he's the British nation's greatest export to the company and a big reason why the first edition happened.
McIntyre got his deserved moment on the grandest stage only to see it snatched away because he let himself be distracted. What better redemption story than for him to reclaim it in front of his countrymen and family? The existence of a second chance to give The Scottish Warrior a world title moment may have played a part in the decision to have Damian Priest cut short his first.
#1. Drew McIntyre's WWE contract situation may have been a factor in Damian Priest's WrestleMania XL win
While it's true that Drew McIntyre deserved to win the World Heavyweight Title in front of a live crowd, it's also true that his WWE contract status has recently been up in the air. It is unknown whether The Scottish Warrior has re-signed with the company – and if not, when his current contract is due.
All this uncertainty may have opened up the path for Damian Priest to successfully cash in, keeping the title secure in the hands of a superstar whose immediate future is more certain. With Seth Rollins' contract also rumored to be up sometime this year, the World Heavyweight Title scene will be one to keep an eye on going forward.