"I missed having that person next to me" - Damian Priest opens up about Rhea Ripley's WWE return
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest shared his heartwarming reaction to Rhea Ripley's return to the Stamford-based promotion. After being on the sidelines for months, she made a comeback on the July 8 installment of Monday Night RAW.
The Nightmare sustained a shoulder injury on RAW after WrestleMania XL due to a backstage assault by Liv Morgan. The Judgment Day member was forced to relinquish her title, which was later won by Becky Lynch and, subsequently, Morgan.
In Mami's absence, The Miracle Kid aggressively pursued Dominik Mysterio during her "Revenge Tour." After defeating the team of Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega on the July 8 edition of the flagship show, Dirty Dom and Liv Morgan got intimate in the ring, only to be interrupted by Rhea Ripley's stunning return.
On WWE TV, it was portrayed that El Campeon was the first to know about The Eradicator's impending return. In an interview with New York Post, Damian Priest talked about how much he missed the former Women's World Champion and credited her for helping him elevate his wrestling abilities.
"I don’t think there is one person around that’s not happy to have her [Rhea Ripley] back, maybe Liv [Morgan]. We just got back from the gym and we were riding in the car and I literally told her, ‘Man, it’s really good to have you back.’ I’ve felt like I’ve been missing something and it was my friend. It’s my road buddy. It’s my backstage buddy. Besides our TV dynamic, it’s everything else. I missed having that person next to me that also pushes me," said Priest. [H/T: New York Post]
Damian Priest addresses major botch at WWE Money in the Bank
The Archer of Infamy defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins at the 2024 Money in the Bank PLE. The title match saw a controversial referee stoppage after a two-count, despite Priest not kicking out before Drew McIntyre cashed in his MITB contract.
During the same interview, El Campeon finally addressed the issue, stating that he did not forget to kick out but acknowledged that there was a situation. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion said:
"The idea that I forgot to kick out [at WWE Money in the Bank], that’s not a thing. That’s not a thing. We don’t forget to kick out. Twenty years in, I’m pretty sure there is some kind of muscle memory there. So me forgetting was not the case. There was nothing outside that was supposed to happen. It was a matter of there was a situation, but I’m OK. Everybody’s fine; the story continues," he said.
Damian Priest is set to put his title on the line against Gunther at SummerSlam 2024. Meanwhile, Mami will face Liv Morgan for the WWE Women's World Championship at the Biggest Party of the Summer. Only time will tell what the future holds for The Judgment Day members after the premium live event in Cleveland.