"I wished I could do things differently" - Top WWE star reflects on winning major championship at WrestleMania XL
The wrestling world saw many WWE titles change hands at WrestleMania 40. Among the stars like Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn, and a few others, Damian Priest also claimed the World Heavyweight Championship for the first time. Recently, The Archer of Infamy discussed the night after he won one of the most prestigious titles in sports entertainment.
The 41-year-old had won the Money in the Bank briefcase in 2023. Despite multiple unsuccessful attempts to cash in his contract, Priest seized the opportunity at WrestleMania XL. The former Judgment Day member turned his MITB contract into gold by cashing in on Drew McIntyre, pinning him, and claiming his first-ever WWE World Title after The Scottish Warrior had won the title from Seth Rollins.
During an appearance on INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet, The Archer of Infamy reflected on the night after he won the World Heavyweight Championship in Philadelphia. Damian Priest described the emotional rollercoaster he experienced, from celebrating with loved ones to grappling with the reality of his achievement.
“If I’m being honest, it was emotional. I partied with my friends and family afterwards. We had a celebration, it was a great time. But then when I got back to my room, it was kind of one of those things where I was like, What is this? How is this happening? And yet, just holding the title in my hand, looking at it, and just it was like one of those things, like, my entire life flashed, everything I had to go through to get to that point."
The 41-year-old WWE star initially felt regret and a desire to change the past, but ultimately realized that his journey was exactly as it should have been.
"It was one of those realizations of I thought I had regrets. I thought I wished I could do things differently, and then it was one of those things where it was like no, this is exactly where I’m supposed to be, and this is the only way it would have happened,” said Priest. (H/T CVV)
Listen to the full episode below:
Damian Priest lost his WWE World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam 2024
At this year's Biggest Party of the Summer, The Archer of Infamy defended his world title against Gunther. The two men delivered an exceptional performance to a packed crowd in Cleveland.
Damian Priest believed he had The Ring General defeated, but Finn Balor betrayed his former stablemate and cost him the World Heavyweight Title at WWE SummerSlam.
Balor, along with Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh, Carlito, and Liv Morgan, ousted Rhea Ripley and the 41-year-old WWE star from The Judgment Day. The rivalry culminated in the Terror Twins (Priest and Ripley) defeating the duo of Daddy Dom and Morgan at Bash in Berlin.
It remains to be seen if Damian Priest and Finn Balor will face off in a singles match as their rivalry continues to escalate.