AEW has stirred the wrestling world by releasing a surprising revelation about Damian Priest AEW WWE bombshell fans did not see coming. The promotion recently showcased a classic match featuring Priest, known then as Punishment Martinez, from his time before joining WWE. This unexpected release highlights his earlier career and indirectly contrasts with his current WWE status.
Damian Priest has been with WWE since 2018, initially making waves in NXT before advancing to the main roster, where he earned the World Heavyweight Championship. Before signing with WWE, Priest worked under several ring names—including Punisher Martinez and Damian Martinez—in Ring of Honor (ROH). Since ROH is now owned by AEW’s Tony Khan, the company often posts historic matches on its YouTube channel, including one memorable bout between Punishment Martinez and Jay White.
WWE’s Breakup of Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley Draws Criticism
Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley shared a strong bond as members of The Judgment Day faction in WWE. However, the pair was removed from the group last year, after which they briefly teamed up against their former stablemates before pursuing separate paths. This breakup has sparked both fan disappointment and industry critique.
On a recent episode of Legion of RAW broadcast on Sportskeeda’s WrestleBinge, veteran wrestling figure Vince Russo voiced his frustration with WWE’s decision to split the duo. He stressed that the pair brought a unique dynamic to WWE as a rare male-female team that appeared as “legit superheroes.” Russo thinks WWE squandered potential by dissolving their partnership and then leaving both wrestlers without significant storylines since.
“When they broke out Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley from Judgment Day, they had something. And let me tell you why they had something, because there was never a guy-girl combo like that. And they really look like legit superheroes. And if they would have kept that team together and that relationship together, that was different. Since those two split, they’ve done nothing with Rhea Ripley, and they’ve done nothing with Damian Priest. So why wouldn’t you have kept something together that was different and was special? You break that up, and now the two of them have been in no man’s land for the last six months,” Russo said.
Currently, Damian Priest, also known as “The Archer of Infamy,” is engaged in a storyline rivalry with Aleister Black, but the momentum from his earlier alliance with Ripley has clearly waned.
The Broader Impact of AEW’s Revelation on WWE’s Storylines
AEW’s decision to highlight Damian Priest’s ROH matches serves as a reminder of his versatility and past accomplishments outside WWE, which might cast a shadow on WWE’s current handling of his character. This creates tension between the promotions, especially since Priest’s career trajectory has become a talking point among wrestling fans and insiders alike.
The exposure of Priest’s earlier success in AEW-owned ROH contrasts starkly with WWE’s apparent underuse of him and Ripley since their breakup. This ongoing situation may influence WWE’s future booking decisions and depends heavily on fan reactions and internal strategy. Meanwhile, wrestling enthusiasts will be watching closely to see whether WWE reinvigorates Priest’s character or continues down the current path.
