Damian Priest has the potential to be a huge babyface for WWE

WWE SummerSlam 2024 was a big show that successfully moved several storylines forward for both WWE Raw and SmackDown. One such featured Damian Priest being jettisoned from Judgment Day as Finn Balor turned on Priest to cost him the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The reaction has been a large swell of support for Priest, quickly making him a huge babyface for the company.

Since being called up to the main roster in 2021, Priest has been a well-protected performer. It took him three years before getting into the main event, but along the way, he was frequently given strong positions on the show. Even as Priest held the Money in the Bank briefcase, it never felt like he was going to be a top threat to the championship. Heading into WrestleMania season it was easy to overlook him in comparison to other top names on both shows. Still, Priest has come out of the matter in a stronger position than he went in.

Fans were quick to cheer for Priest during the August 5 edition of WWE Raw. His early promo face-off with the new Judgment Day and the match with JD McDonagh was met with cheers from start to finish. That culminated with Rhea Ripley’s support, further blowing the roof off the building.

WWE has an opportunity with Priest. He gives the company another Latino superstar to build around that community. When he was champion, Priest was quick to embrace his community, taking the championship to the Puerto Rican parade in New York City, and doing other media opportunities with Latino outlets. As the first Puerto Rican champion since Pedro Morales, it looked like WWE saw just how valuable he could be as a top performer.

It will be interesting to see how he’s booked in the coming months to the next year or so. The WWE main event picture is crowded on both Raw and SmackDown. Individuals like Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and several others are slotted ahead of him. The feud with Priest and Balor can have a sustainable run, keeping both men busy at least through the Royal Rumble. Where he goes after that is the true test of how valuable this company sees him.

Damian Priest has earned the opportunity to be seen as a top talent within WWE. He played his role well as “Senor Money in the Bank” and held the World Championship. Now, fans and critics alike will see just what WWE views of him coming out of those moments. The fans are firmly behind him as one of the newest babyfaces in the company and he should enjoy a strong run in that role.