Damien Priest recently opened up about his challenging time in Ring of Honor, revealing that despite his best efforts, he struggled to connect with the fans. Priest explained on Busted Open Radio that his focus was on developing a strong character, but he found himself in a company that prioritized high-impact moves over character work.
“I was trying to be a character in a non-character company. They just wanted to see cool moves, and I was trying to give them something different.”
Bully Ray, who witnessed Priest’s journey firsthand, recounted how Priest’s attempts to stand out were often overlooked by the ROH audience, who were more interested in the in-ring action than the personalities behind the performers. Despite this, Priest would spend much of 2018 as Ring of Honor World Television Champion before later signing with WWE.
In WWE, Priest has been given ample opportunity to showcase his character, from being the ‘Archer of Infamy’ to a dark figure during his Judgment Day tenure. While ROH may not have been the right fit for Priest, he has proven that succeeding in wrestling relies on much more than moves in the ring.