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Damian Priest has been both a heel and a face during his short time with NXT, but it wasn't until he turned to face that he won his first title. The new NXT North American Champion recently revealed in an interview with Sports Illustrated that he got into the ring at the WWE Performance Center when The Undertaker made a voyage to the training facility. He says he learned a lot from the interaction.
The Phenom pays it forward
Even though Undertaker: The Last Ride debuted on the WWE Network a few months ago, Damian Priest revealed that his interactions with the WWE Legend were not a part of the project. When the Undertaker came to the WWE PC, he got into the ring with the up-and-coming star, Damian Priest. Priest is grateful for the experience as he mentioned what he learned during his time in the ring with 'Taker during an interview with Sports Illustrated.
“This isn’t on the Network or part of his documentary, but he came back to the Performance Center again and I got to work out in the ring with him, and I learned so much,” said Priest. “Ring positioning, look, awareness, being overly aware of your surroundings, he makes it all look easy. It might sound simple, but he has this gift of making sure everything he does means something. I really gained a lot from him.”
Spending time with a legend or veteran in wrestling is usually a great opportunity for new stars to learn the craft with WWE. Getting advice from one of the all-time greats, the man with the greatest gimmick of all time, is special.
Damian Priest learns to take advantage of special moments
NXT has utilized the stars from the past to pass on knowledge of the business to the stars of the future. Damian Priest is a star in the making. Moreover, he is taking from the past to help build the future. With stars like the Undertaker, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels showing up at the WWE Performance Center, there is plenty of information and advice to absorb.
The Undertaker doesn't show up weekly to the WWE PC, so it was certainly a special moment for Damian Priest to learn and grow. As a member of the NXT roster, the current North American Champion has certainly grown. He spent a long time as a midcard heel stepping stone for NXT faces.
Now, it appears that he may be starting his journey into the NXT Championship picture. Keith Lee went through a similar path before he earned glory in the WWE. Will this be the first stop towards Damian Priest truly living forever in the WWE record books?
It didn't take long for challengers to emerge as both Bronson Reed and Timothy Thatcher threw their names into the hat during Tuesday's episode of NXT. Austin Theory also reappeared after months of absence. Could he also be injected into the North American title scene? It would signal that his time on RAW is over for the time being.
No matter what happens next for Damian Priest, his interaction with a legend like The Undertaker is a once in a lifetime type moment.
