Big issue with Damian Priest's RAW call-up revealed (Exclusive)
Damian Priest made his RAW debut on the episode after Royal Rumble, and the former NXT North American Champion picked up his first main roster victory over The Miz. WWE also got Bad Bunny back on RAW, and the Latin Grammy award-winning artist introduced Preist during a Miz TV segment.
While Damian Priest was a champion in NXT, his debut on RAW could have been a much bigger deal, as Vince Russo explained on the latest edition of SK Wrestling's Legion of RAW show with Dr. Chris Featherstone.
Russo highlighted that people who don't watch NXT would have had no clue about Damian Priest. The former NXT Superstar's debut would have been more impactful had WWE aired a few segments or vignettes to hype it up before the show.
"They put him in there with a guy that if we never saw NXT, I don't know who this guy is either. So, now I'm watching Miz and Morrison carry on like two total imbeciles, and I'm watching two guys. I have no idea who these guys are. So, why am I watching?"
Chris Featherstone was quick to note that only a small section of the main roster viewers watch NXT, which warranted more promotional tactics for Damian Priest's move to the Red brand.
I don't get it: Vince Russo on how WWE booked Damian Priest's call-up
Damian Priest is not the only one, as Russo added that WWE had done the same with several NXT Superstars in the past. He named Ricochet and Aleister Black as Superstars who suffered a similar fate following their move to the main roster.
"This guy, I'm watching tonight. I don't watch NXT. Okay, bro, this guy, Ricochet, got the same treatment. Aleister Black got the same. I can go on and on and on with guys that just appeared on the show, and none of them are over. So, what should be the difference between him and Aleister Black and him and Ricochet, and him and the millions of guys they have done it with? I don't understand that. I don't get it."
Russo concluded by stating the importance of vignettes and how it has played a pivotal role in building up Superstars for several decades.
"You can go back to way, way, way before. Every time there were the vignettes. You got excited; you knew you were going to see this guy in the WWE. It worked every freaking time. They got you excited before the guy ever came out there."
Do you agree with Vince Russo's opinions about how WWE handled Damian Priest's RAW debut?
If any quotes are used from this article, please credit 'Legion of RAW' and give a H/T to SK Wrestling and link it back to this article.