Damian Priest Details His Backstage Equation With Triple H
WWE Superstars were busy doing the media rounds during WrestleMania 39 Weekend, and in a recent interview with Ryan Satin on the “Out of Character” podcast, Damian Priest discussed his dynamic with Triple H, WWE’s Head of Creative, and head of NXT while Priest was down there.
Damian Priest expressed his admiration for Triple H’s expertise in the wrestling business, saying that he feels like he doesn’t know anything after talking to him. He also talked about how he and Triple H share a love of metal music and biker culture, and how they both appreciate the showmanship aspect of wrestling, particularly entrances. Priest also appreciated that Triple H listened to his ideas and got excited about creating something special together, despite still being his boss. He sees Triple H as a good balance of being one of the boys but still having the respect of a boss. He said,
“Oh, it’s great. And you’re correct, there’s a different understanding with certain people. First of all, he gets just about anyone in this business, because he’s a wizard of this business. I’ve — I think I know a lot, you know? I don’t think I know it all, but I think I know a good amount about this business. Then I have a conversation with Triple H, and I feel like I don’t know anything. I’m like, ‘…What? Send me back to NXT. Man, I need to learn something.’ Because he’s just so good, and it’s great. But with me particularly, we’re two metalheads that like chains and biker stuff and you know, same type of just everyday — we just have so many similar likes that we can just have conversations that have nothing to do with wrestling. So he gets the person. I also am a big fan of the showmanship of what we do. Like, I was always big on entrances. Even when I worked with Ring of Honor, I made sure that was a thing. I was like, ‘Hey, I want my entrance to be cool. I don’t want to just walk to the ring. We have to do stuff; I need lighting and smoke or something.’ And it was great to work with Hunter on that, because he has the same passion clearly for that part of the spectacle.”
“So getting to talk to him, and him actually listening and being invested in what I’m saying. And he getting excited as well because we’re going to create something special? That’s neat to have that with your boss, you know? Because as much as it’s Triple H, The Game, King of Kings — but he’s still the boss, right? But he still has that other side that he’s one of the boys. It’s a good combo because he — nobody treats him like one of the boys, he’s still the boss that has a respect. But in return, we get that understanding, as one of us. It’s a good balance that he has.”
Damian Priest also shared the advice he received from Triple H about being himself in front of the camera. He mentioned that Triple H often gives him suggestions and ideas that seem obvious but that he had never thought of before. However, the main advice that stuck with him was when Triple H told him something passed onto him by The Undertaker. Recalling one particular instance that served as one of the most important moments in his career, Priest continued,
“Well, it goes every week, you know, when we’re just talking about a segment and he’s like, ‘Well, why don’t you just do it this way.’ And I’m like, ‘Why wouldn’t I just think of that? It’s like so obvious.’ But one of the main ones that goes back to me is when I was in NXT, and I don’t remember who I had just finished working [with]. When I get to the back, he just goes, ‘Look, I’m gonna give you the same advice that Undertaker told me.’ He goes, ‘When you figure out how you’re gonna be yourself in front of the camera, then you’re gonna make a lot of money in the business.”
“And then I just stood there. I was like, ‘Thank you.’ And he goes, ‘I know you have no idea what I’m saying right now.’ And I was like, ‘Nope!’ It was like, ‘How could I not know how to be me?’ But there was something to that. I think I was at the time, pretending to be a version of myself that I thought people wanted to see. And I didn’t get it at the time. It wasn’t until my match with Finn Balor that it clicked, and when I went to the back [Triple H] goes, ‘That’s the guy I was looking for.’ He goes, ‘From now on, only be that guy.’ And Shawn was right there too. Shawn Michaels was like, ‘I don’t ever want to see you revert backwards. Like this and forward.’ And I said, ‘Okay. You got it boss!’”
Damian Priest is set to address last week’s vicious assault on Bad Bunny on tonight’s episode of Monday Night RAW.
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