Damian Priest reveals recruiting 5-time WWE champion to The Judgment Day was "no-brainer"
Damian Priest has been trying to move on from The Judgment Day since getting kicked out of the group. Priest recently discussed recruiting Rhea Ripley back then when they were just starting, and he called it a "no-brainer" decision.
Judgment Day was originally created by WWE Hall of Famer Edge along with Damian Priest in 2022. They would later bring in Ripley as the third member of the group before recruiting Finn Balor next.
Priest, Ripley, and Balor would eventually turn on their leader to begin their path to dominance, adding Dominik Mysterio after months of torment. They would go on to become one of the most successful stables of their generation.
Speaking to The Wrestling Classic last week, Damian Priest was asked about how he recruited five-time WWE Champion Rhea Ripley to the group. Priest recalled that it was an easy decision because The Judgment Day was on their path to greatness, and now they're two of the top stars in WWE.
"Here's the conversation, 'What do you think of bringing Rhea in?', and it's like that's a no-brainer for me. That's my homie. ... I obviously had to talk with her before we joined The Judgment Day, and it was like, 'Well, this is the reasoning. I think this can help us get to where we believe we belong.' And here we are as two of the top faces in WWE. ... So as far as the Judgment day goes, it's mission accomplished. That's exactly what the point of The Judgment Day was," Priest said. [H/T: Wrestling Inc.]
Damian Priest won the RAW and SmackDown Tag Team Championships twice and the World Heavyweight Championship once as a member of the Judgment Day. Priest is also one of the top babyfaces on the red brand and is set to challenge Gunther for the World Heavyweight Title soon.
Damian Priest looks back on his time with Edge in the Judgment Day
More than two years after forming Judgment Day with Edge, Damian Priest reflected on the original plans for the group. It was all about making new stars, and its mission was accomplished, according to Priest. He couldn't thank the legend enough for taking him under his wing and teaching him how to be a top star.
"I was a fan of Edge, so now I get to have somebody who I looked up to be a mentor, and he's like, 'What do you think?' And I'm like, 'Of course it's a yes', and worst case scenario, I just get to have fun with somebody that I'm a fan of, and I became friends with; we're friends to this day. I can't thank him enough for taking me under his wing and just simplifying things for me on how to be a bigger star," Priest said. [H/T: Wrestling Inc.]
Edge left WWE at the end of September 2023, when his contract expired. He joined All Elite Wrestling but is currently out with a leg injury.