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Damian Priest spent many years waiting for his chance at the big time.
When Priest finally signed with WWE in 2018, he was already in his mid-30's and had years of experience under his belt. Many thought he would be a serviceable character in the company, but was way past his prime in terms of achieving star status. Many critics thought his ceiling would be at mid-card level, at best.
Boy...were they wrong.
Today, Priest has become one of the most appealing characters in the WWE Universe.
Priest went from being a dark, demonic character to more of a laid-back 'rock star'. He's handled his role on RAW like Cool Hand Luke, oozing confidence all the way.
The WWE Universe has responded and gotten behind the veteran performer. Priest's eventual elevation to world title status is almost inevitable. He's one of the few guys who seems to 'get it when it comes to being a performer on the RAW or SmackDown.
Priest has become one of those WWE Superstars who's starting to achieve fame at a mainstream level. His association with Bad Bunny, as well as his position as a hero among Latin American wrestling fans, makes him a very marketable name.
He has the talent, the look, and the charisma to be just the type of standard-bearer that is perfect for WWE. They should take advantage of his potential star power.
At Extreme Rules, Priest showed why he has what it takes to be one of the faces of the next generation of WWE.
Not only did Damian Priest go hold-for-hold with veterans Jeff Hardy & Sheamus, but he also displayed the charisma and ring presence that few NXT call-ups possess.
Most importantly, he has the intangibles that Vince McMahon loves: size, athletic prowess, and the ability to communicate. Priest is a performer with the look and the persona to eventually progress to the top of WWE. And there's no reason to think that this current US title reign isn't a litmus test for a possible world title reign.
With WWE desperately looking to build new stars, Damian Priest is making the case that he could be part of a new generation. He shined bright in his match at Extreme Rules and has been doing an admirable job as the WWE US Champion.
It may be time to think about elevating Priest to the holy grail of a world championship in WWE.
What do you think of Damian Priest's current run in WWE? Share your thoughts in the comments section below!
