Damian Priest is set to face Rusev on tonight’s WWE Monday Night Raw in the first round of the ‘Last Time Is Now’ tournament. The 16-man tournament will determine who will face John Cena in his retirement match at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13.
While speaking in a backstage promo ahead of tonight’s Raw in Boston, Priest noted the massive importance of this opportunity for everyone in the locker room. “For me personally, it would mean the world. It’s career defining moment,” Priest said. “You remember his first, right? Like when he came out with the Kurt Angle thing, how could you not remember his last? So there’s a reason why there’s a tournament for that privilege.”
Priest continued, explaining that the company’s treatment of Cena shows exactly how significant this chance is. “There’s a reason why the company itself calls him the greatest of all time while he’s still doing it. That’s reserved for when you retire. So the fact that the company believes in him so much, tell you how much this should mean to all of us.”
He ended his promo by comparing the opportunity to the biggest show of the year. “This is our WrestleMania, that’s the moment. So for anybody who gets that honor, it’s gonna be a huge deal.”
Priest’s match with Rusev is one of two tournament matches scheduled for Raw, with the other being Sheamus vs. Shinsuke Nakamura.
This is our WrestleMania."@ArcherOfInfamy knows that being @JohnCena's final opponent would be a career-defining moment.
? 8e/5p on @netflix pic.twitter.com/HFSuGD3rWJ
— WWE (@WWE) November 10, 2025
