Triple H justifies major WWE decision; believes top star proved the world wrong despite heartbreaking SummerSlam loss: "A lot of people doubted him"
This past Saturday night at WWE SummerSlam 2024, Damian Priest lost the World Heavyweight Championship to 2024 King of the Ring winner Gunther. Priest ended up losing the gold after his Judgment Day stablemate, Finn Balor, purposely cost him the match. Triple H has now opened up about Priest's first world title reign.
Priest initially won the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania XL, cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase he won at the namesake event in 2023, on Drew McIntyre. The Scottish Warrior had just captured the title from Seth Freakin Rollins, but after CM Punk attacked McIntyre, Priest took advantage and cashed in.
Following Sunday night's event, Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, WWE's Chief Content Officer, commented on Priest's title run during the SummerSlam Post-Show Press Conference. He stated that despite a lot of people doubting him, he proved them wrong and emerged as a great world champion.
"I said this to him [Damian Priest] after the match - when he became world champion, a lot of people doubted it. A lot of people doubted him. And I think over this period of time, since WrestleMania, he has proved them all wrong. He walked in as a guy, like, ‘They put the world title on him.’ And he walked out as world champion. Like, really as world champion. That’s how I feel about it," said Triple H. [1:02:52 onwards]
A distraught Priest will now have to move forward without Balor, but that's not the only issue facing the former World Heavyweight Champion and his Judgment Day stable.
The Judgment Day implodes at WWE SummerSlam
Not only did Balor turn on Priest during Saturday night's SummerSlam event, but Dominik Mysterio turned his back on Rhea Ripley, siding with Liv Morgan and helping her retain the Women's World Championship.
Reacting to the betrayals on social media, JD McDonagh, who was not involved in any Judgment Day match over the weekend, posted an image ripping off the stable's shirt, claiming he "never liked" it anyway.
Things are likely to explode this Monday night on WWE RAW, but it will be interesting to see if this is truly the end of The Judgment Day.
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