Original subtitles

[SPANISH LANGUAGE]

- A QUICK CHEERS.

OBVIOUSLY I WANT TO THANK

EVERYBODY HERE TODAY AND BEING A

PART OF THIS SPECIAL SITUATION,

THAT'S FOR ME, WHICH IS CRAZY.

UM, BUT OBVIOUSLY YOU ALL MEAN

SOMETHING.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SITTING HERE

AT THIS DINNER TABLE.

AND I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU

TO EVERYBODY HERE.

CHEERS.

- CHEERS.

- ALL RIGHT, LET'S HAVE SOME

SOME FOOD.

DRINKS.

I GET ASKED ALL THE TIME.

WHAT'S THE BEST PART OF WHAT I

DO FOR A LIVING?

I LOOK AT THIS TABLE TONIGHT,

AND I SEE MY DAD BREAKING BREAD

WITH MY STEPDAD, MY MOM, MY

SIBLINGS, MY FAMILY SUFFERED

EMOTIONALLY, SEEING ME GO

THROUGH A LOT OF DOWNTIMES IN MY

LIFE.

WHAT I DO FOLLOWING MY DREAM

ALLOWS ME TO SHARE THIS WITH MY

FAMILY.

THERE'S NOTHING ELSE I WOULD

RATHER DO, AND THIS 100% IS WHY

I DO WHAT I DO.

I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING.

I'M ONE OF THE ONES THAT WASN'T

SUPPOSED TO.

AND IT'S BEEN A CRAZY RIDE.

BUT NO ONE WILL WORK FOR YOUR

DREAM.

BECAUSE IT'S YOURS.

THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A TIME

THAT I HAD TO SLEEP IN MY CAR.

I WAS CLOSE TO 400 POUNDS.

IT TOOK GUYS TO TELL ME, HEY,

YOU'RE FAT, YOU'RE OUT OF SHAPE.

YOU SUCK.

THOSE GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT

MADE ME BETTER.

- WHEN HE REALIZED THIS IS MY

CALLING TO DO THIS, THERE WAS NO

STOPPING HIM.

- WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT

MOMENTUM.

YOU HAVE TO TALK ABOUT DAMIAN

- HE HAS A PRESENCE ABOUT HIM.

PRIEST.

HE'S GOT THIS INTERESTING LOOK.

GETTING TO SEE HIM MOVE AROUND

IN THE RING.

- AND PRIEST SHOWING OFF

- HE KIND OF SET HIMSELF APART.

- IT IS DAMIAN PRIEST'S MOMENT.

- DAMIAN FELT LIKE HE HAD TO ACT

A CERTAIN WAY TO BE IN THIS

ROLE.

- I COULD TELL THAT IT JUST

WASN'T CLICKING.

- I THINK FANS KNEW SOMETHING

WASN'T GENUINE.

- AND THEN FINALLY HE FOUND THE

CORE OF DAMIAN PRIEST.

THERE WAS NO STOPPING HIM.

- DAMIAN PRIEST, A FORCE TO BE

RECKONED WITH.

- HE'S ALWAYS BEEN SO SUPPORTIVE

OF OTHERS AND IT WAS HIS TIME.

IT WAS HIS TIME TO HAVE

SOMETHING BIG.

- DAMIAN PRIEST IS NOW SEÑOR

MONEY

IN THE BANK.

- THAT'S THE KIND OF

GUY I WANT TO

GET BEHIND AND I WANT TO TRUST

AND LET HIM DELIVER.

- YOU THINK THEY'LL LET ME CASH

IN WITH MY SUNGLASSES ON?

THEY DON'T SEE MY EMOTIONS.

- NO WAY.

- OH, MY GOD.

DAMIAN PRIEST IS

HERE.

[SPANISH LANGUAGE]

- GETTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THE

PUERTO RICAN DAY PARADE, WHICH

IS THE LARGEST CULTURAL PARADE

OF THE YEAR IN THE UNITED

STATES.

AS THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPION, I'M PROUD IT WAS A DAY

FOR US PUERTO RICANS TO SHOW THE

WORLD, YOU KNOW, OUR CULTURE AND

OUR STYLE AND OUR VIBE, OUR

SWAG, ALL OF IT.

DUDE, THIS KID'S NOT GOING TO GO

TO SLEEP NOW.

- CAN YOU TAKE ONE OF ME AND

DAMIAN?

PLEASE, PLEASE

- BEING ABLE TO REPRESENT MY

CULTURE AND WWE IS MY DREAM AND

MY PASSION.

LIKE TOGETHER I GET TO REPRESENT

BOTH.

MAN, I'M A KID IN A CANDY STORE.

THIS DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN

THIS.

I WAS BORN IN NEW YORK CITY, WAS

RAISED IN THE BRONX.

I DON'T EVEN THINK I KNEW HOW TO

SPEAK YET.

I WAS TAKEN TO PUERTO RICO.

MY PARENTS SPLIT.

MY MOM TOOK ME OUT THERE WITH MY

SISTER, AND THAT'S WHERE I WAS

RAISED.

- MY KIDS WERE FREE.

THEY HAD PLENTY OF ROOM TO RUN

AROUND AND RIDE BIKES IN.

- OH YEAH, WE WE WOULD RIDE OUR

BIKES AND WE WOULD LITERALLY

JUST GO SIT ON THE BEACH.

BUT HE WAS A LITTLE BIT WILD.

- I REMEMBER WE USED TO TRAP

CRABS, TRY TO BRING THEM HOME

AND YEAH, MY MOM WASN'T TOO

PLEASED WITH THOSE.

BROUGHT A GOAT HOME ONE TIME

THAT DIDN'T GO OVER SO WELL

EITHER.

- HE ALWAYS MARCHED TO THE BEAT

OF HIS OWN DRUM, PUT IT THAT

WAY.

HE WAS AROUND EIGHT YEARS OLD

WHEN HE ASKED ME FOR AN ACTUAL

WRESTLING RING.

AND WRESTLERS.

- OH YEAH.

CHECK OUT THESE HOT NEW WWE

FIGURES.

WE GOT HIM A PAIR OF TWIN

WRESTLERS.

I KNOW THAT THEY HAD

ON RED JACKETS WITH SPIKES AND

THEY WERE BALD.

- DOOMSDAY FOR THE NASTY BOYS.

OH, WHAT A RUSH.

- WRESTLING IS ALMOST LIKE A

WHOLE NOTHER RELIGION IN PUERTO

RICO.

EVERYBODY KNEW EVERY PUERTO

RICAN WRESTLER THAT WAS FROM THE

ISLAND.

YOU KNOW, CARLOS COLON.

[SPANISH LANGUAGE]

- SAVIO VEGA,

THEY WERE LIKE OUR

SUPERHEROES.

IF I WASN'T RAISED IN PUERTO

RICO, I DON'T KNOW IF I WOULD

HAVE LOVED WRESTLING LIKE THE

WAY I DID, BECAUSE IT WAS JUST

SUCH A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

SO YOU HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO FALL

IN LOVE WITH IT.

I REMEMBER THE MEMORY I HAVE OF

THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO DO

WITH MY LIFE, I LOVE THIS.

- COME HERE, COME INSIDE MY

PARLOR.

- AND IT WAS A SPECIFIC PERSON

AND THAT WAS THE UNDERTAKER.

IT WAS A SEGMENT OF THE FUNERAL

PARLOR.

- THE UNDERTAKER FROM BEHIND.

- I REMEMBER HE STUFFED THE

ULTIMATE WARRIOR IN A COFFIN.

- NO, THEY'RE BURYING HIM.

THEY'RE SAYING HE'S FINISHED.

- GET OUT OF THERE.

NO.

GET HIM OUT OF THERE.

- AND LOCKED IT.

AND THEN EVERYBODY WAS TRYING TO

PRY IT OPEN BECAUSE HE COULDN'T

BREATHE.

- THE ULTIMATE WARRIOR HAS GOT

TO BE OUT BY NOW.

HE HAS NO AIR.

- AND IT WAS ON TWO DIFFERENT

CHANNELS AT THE SAME TIME.

ONE IN ENGLISH AND ONE IN

SPANISH.

AND I REMEMBER RUNNING TO MY

MOTHER'S ROOM, AND I'M TURNING

IT BACK AND FORTH SO SHE COULD

SEE HOW COOL THIS IS.

AND SHE YELLED AT ME, PICK ONE,

BECAUSE SHE WANTED TO SEE WHAT

WAS WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN IN

THAT MOMENT.

SHE WAS INVESTED.

AND I JUST REMEMBER, LIKE, I

WANT TO DO THIS.

I WANT TO MAKE PEOPLE FEEL

EMOTION.

I WANT TO DO THIS WITH MY LIFE.

AROUND TEN, 10,11 YEARS OLD.

ONE OF MY BROTHERS, STEVEN, WAS

BORN, SO I GOT TO SEE HIM AS A

BABY IN PUERTO RICO.

BUT UNFORTUNATELY, MY MOM HAD A

MEDICAL ISSUE WHERE SHE COULDN'T

REALLY TAKE CARE OF ME.

SO SHE SENT ME BACK WITH MY DAD,

BACK TO THE BRONX.

EVERYTHING WAS JUST SO CONCRETE,

YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A CONCRETE

JUNGLE.

YOU DIDN'T HAVE THE SAME

FREEDOM.

ESPECIALLY IN THAT TIME WHERE WE

LIVED.

IT WASN'T THE NICEST AND SAFEST

AREA.

- IF WE WENT TO A PARK WHEN

BASKETBALL, I WOULD SIT IN THE

BENCH READING A BOOK WHILE HE'S

PLAYING BALL WITH HIS FRIENDS.

I WOULDN'T LEAVE HIM ALONE FOR

ONE MINUTE.

HIS FIRST LANGUAGE WAS SPANISH

DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH AT ALL.

SO GROWING UP FOR HIM IT WAS A

LITTLE TOUGH.

- MY DAD WAS VERY STRICT, SO IT

WAS SCHOOL HOURS OF HOMEWORK AND

THEN AT NIGHT TIME, HE HE WOULD

MAKE ME WATCH WHEEL OF FORTUNE

TO LEARN HOW TO SPELL.

OF COURSE, EVERY YOUNG BOY LOOKS

UP TO THEIR DAD.

HE WAS LIKE A BIG DEAL IN

MARTIAL ARTS AT THE TIME.

SO HE WAS LIKE MY HERO.

I WANTED TO BE LIKE HIM.

- MY BACKGROUND CAME FROM

JAPANESE KARATE.

WHEN HE CAME TO LIVE WITH ME, I

INTRODUCED HIM TO THE ART.

- MY FATHER OWNED A MARTIAL ARTS

SCHOOL WHERE HE WANTED ME TO BE

BETTER THAN EVERYBODY ELSE.

- WE HAD OVER 120 KIDS, AND SO

MY SON WAS THE TOP STUDENT,

OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE HIS DAD WAS

THE INSTRUCTOR AND I WAS REALLY,

REALLY HARD ON HIM.

- I WOULD LOOK OUT THE WINDOWS

AND I JUST SEE KIDS ON THEIR

BIKES THROWING FOOTBALLS OR

PLAYING STICKBALL.

AND HERE I AM JUST, YOU KNOW,

SQUARING UP WITH MY POPS.

I DIDN'T KNOW THAT.

OUT OF TROUBLE.

HE WAS JUST TRYING TO KEEP ME

HE WAS TRYING TO TEACH ME

DISCIPLINE AND RESPECT.

- I WAS SO STRICT IN MY WAYS.

I SAID TO MYSELF, OKAY, YOU NEED

HIM TO BE A CHILD.

YOU NEED HIM TO BE A BOY.

ALL HE TALKED ABOUT WAS

WRESTLING.

OH, MY GOD, HE JUST DRIVE ME

CRAZY.

WE WENT TO PRACTICALLY EVERY

SHOW IN MADISON SQUARE GARDEN

WHEN HE WAS YOUNG.

- I GOT TO SEE ALL MY HEROES.

I WAS THERE FOR A LOT OF COOL

MOMENTS AND A LOT OF COOL

SURVIVOR SERIES PSYCHO SID

MATCHUPS.

VERSUS SHAWN.

IN THE MAIN EVENT, I WAS THE

SAME NIGHT THAT THE ROCK

DEBUTED.

UNDERTAKER COMING DOWN LIKE

BATMAN.

EVEN AS A KID, I WANTED TO BE

LIKE HIM.

MY LOVE FOR THE BUSINESS GREW,

AND I JUST KNEW IN ME I WAS

LIKE, THIS IS WHAT I HAVE TO DO

WITH MY LIFE.

THERE'S NO WAY I WAS BORN FOR

ANYTHING ELSE.

I DIDN'T CONTINUE SCHOOL AFTER

HIGH SCHOOL, AND THEN AS I GREW

OLDER, I JUST DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I

WAS GOING TO DO.

I WAS DOING JOBS JUST TO MAKE A

FEW BUCKS, BUT I HAD NO

DIRECTION OR PURPOSE.

A BUDDY OF MINE, CHARLIE, CAME

UP TO ME ONE DAY AND HE WAS

LIKE, HEY, WHY DON'T WE DO THIS

WRESTLING THING THAT WE ALWAYS

TALKED ABOUT WHEN WE WERE KIDS?

- FIRST TIME I MET DAMIAN WAS

HIGH SCHOOL.

WE FOUND OUT REAL QUICKLY THAT

WE HAD THE SAME PASSION AND LOVE

FOR PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING.

WE'VE BEEN TALKING THE TALK UP

TO THIS POINT.

YOU KNOW, WE CARRIED OURSELVES

AS WRESTLERS OUR WHOLE LIVES.

I WAS LIKE, WE GOT TO DO THIS.

- WHAT DO WE DO?

JUST SHOW UP AT THE GARDEN WHEN

THEY'RE THERE AND JUST BE LIKE,

HEY, WE WANT TO WRESTLE.

AND HE EXPLAINED TO ME HE'S

LIKE, NO, LIKE ANYTHING ELSE,

DUMMY, YOU GOT TO GO LEARN.

- I WAS LIKE, DUDE, I FOUND THIS

WRESTLING SCHOOL IN SOUTH

JERSEY.

IT'S CALLED THE WORLD FAMOUS

MONSTER FACTORY.

- IT WAS A TINY LITTLE BUILDING

WITH TWO, 14 OR 16 FOOT RINGS,

WHICH IS REALLY SMALL.

ONE DIDN'T EVEN HAVE ROPES TIED

UP, BUT TO ME, I WAS IN A

WRESTLING RING.

THIS WAS THE COOLEST THING IN

THE WORLD.

- WE GET IN THE RING AND HE'S A

NATURAL.

YOU KNOW, THE FIRST BACK BUMP HE

TOOK WAS LIKE HE WAS DOING IT

FOR YEARS.

YOU COULD TELL RIGHT AWAY THAT

PRIEST HAD EVERYTHING IT TOOK TO

BE MONEY IN THIS BUSINESS.

- I WASN'T TOO THRILLED WITH IT.

I FELT THAT HE WOULD BE MORE

SUCCESSFUL GOING TO SCHOOL OR

WHATEVER.

YOU KNOW, I DIDN'T WANT TO

DISCOURAGE HIM, BUT DEEP DOWN

INSIDE, I SAID, NO, THIS IS NOT

WHAT YOU'RE DOING FOR THE REST

OF YOUR LIFE.

- MY BROTHERS AND MY MOM AND MY

SISTER.

AT THIS POINT, THEY WERE LIVING

IN NEW JERSEY.

MY TWO LITTLE BROTHERS THOUGHT

IT WAS THE

COOLEST THING IN THE WORLD.

- WRESTLING HAS ALWAYS BEEN IN

OUR LIVES AS FAR BACK AS I CAN

REMEMBER.

- HE WOULD HAVE US,

LIKE, PUT MATCHES TOGETHER.

IT'D BE SO RARE THAT HE PUT US

OVER.

LIKE HE WOULD ACT LIKE HE WAS

GONNA.

AND THEN STUNNER US OUT OF

NOWHERE A CHOKESLAM.

I JUST REMEMBER BEING YOUNG AND

THEY'RE LIKE, YEAH, YOUR

BROTHER'S WRESTLING.

I WAS LIKE, LIKE ON TV AND

THEY'RE LIKE, NO, IT'S A LITTLE

DIFFERENT.

- I HAD NO IDEA WHAT AN INDIE

SHOW WAS.

I REMEMBER JUST PUTTING MY HANDS

UP LIKE THIS AND LIKE, FOUR

PEOPLE CLAPPED.

IT WAS SO EMBARRASSING.

IT'S NOT JUST I JUST TRAINING

AND I'M IN WWE WRESTLING THE

GOT IT.

UNDERTAKER.

- MY MOM WOULD COME HOME FROM

WORK, THEY WOULD CHANGE THE

KIDS, GRAB SOME SANDWICHES, AND

THEY WOULD GO, WHERE WAS IT IN

NEW JERSEY?

- ALL OVER SOUTH JERSEY.

UH, PHILLY.

IT WAS VERY HARD FOR ME TO SEE

SOMEONE FLIPPING MY CHILD.

IT'S LIKE WHERE I COME FROM, WE

DON'T DO THAT.

NOT UNLESS WE WANT TO START

SOMETHING.

- WE'D GO TO EVERY SINGLE

WRESTLER, INCLUDING HIM, EVEN

THOUGH HE'S OUR BROTHER, AND

STILL GET HIS AUTOGRAPH.

TO US, IT WAS LIKE, THIS IS

AWESOME.

HE MADE IT.

- IT FELT THE EXACT

SAME AS WHAT I WAS WATCHING ON

TV.

HE'S LIKE A HERO, JUST BEATING

PEOPLE UP.

BUT I WAS LIKE, HELL YEAH, THIS

IS AWESOME.

I WAS JUST HAPPY ABOUT IT.

BUT NOW LOOKING BACK, I'M LIKE,

NO, HE'S GOING THROUGH IT.

- NOTHING GOOD COMES EASY.

THE CLOCK IS TICKING FOR HIM.

HE'S GETTING OLDER.

HE'S LIVING PAYCHECK TO

PAYCHECK.

AND I COULD SEE THE FRUSTRATION.

- WRESTLING WASN'T REALLY PAYING

ANYTHING.

YOU CAN'T REALLY MAKE MONEY OFF

OF A HANDSHAKE AND A HOT DOG.

YOU CAN'T REALLY, UH, YOU KNOW,

LIVE OFF OF THAT.

SO THERE WAS A LITTLE BIT OF A

TIME THAT I HAD TO SLEEP IN MY

CAR.

SOMETIMES I WOULD SLEEP ON THE

STEPS OF A CHURCH.

UM.

- I DIDN'T KNOW.

SHE DIDN'T KNOW IF HE WENT

HUNGRY.

WE HAD NO IDEA.

- OF COURSE I COULD ASK FOR

HELP.

OF COURSE I COULD HAVE TOLD MY

FAMILY VIA PRIDE OR WHATEVER.

I CHOSE NOT TO.

THEN MY CAR GOT BROKEN INTO, MY

GEAR GOT STOLEN.

I HAD TO QUIT WRESTLING BECAUSE

I DIDN'T HAVE GEAR.

I WOULD STAY HERE AND THERE WITH

PEOPLE, YOU KNOW?

MY MOM LET ME CRASH ON HER COUCH

AT TIMES.

- WE WOULD GET BACK FROM SCHOOL

AND IT'S LIKE WE HAD OUR BEST

FRIEND WAITING FOR US.

- HE NEVER SHOWED IT

THAT HE WAS, LIKE, GOING THROUGH

IT, LIKE, REALLY BAD.

YOU GET HOME AND IT WAS JUST

SMILES AND JOKES.

- MY FAMILY TRIED TO PUSH ME TO

BE A POLICE OFFICER, BOUNTY

HUNTER, FIREMAN.

I JUST DIDN'T SEE IT.

SO I DECIDED TO, UH, GIVE IT

ANOTHER GO.

SO IN 2010, I HAD MY FIRST

TRYOUT AT FCW, AND MAN, DID I

TANK IT.

I GAINED A LOT OF WEIGHT.

I WAS CLOSE TO 400 POUNDS.

MY SKILLS WERE SO SUBPAR

COMPARED TO EVERYBODY ELSE'S.

IT WAS AN EYE OPENER, BUT STILL,

AT THE TIME, I BLAMED EVERYBODY

ELSE.

I WAS LIKE, THERE'S NO WAY.

WHY WOULDN'T THEY HIRE ME?

I DIDN'T HOLD MYSELF ACCOUNTABLE

FOR NOTHING.

- PUNISHER MARTINEZ, PROBABLY

ONE OF THE MOST

INTIMIDATING FORCES

HERE AT ECPW, OVER SEVEN FEET

TALL.

- I COULD SEE HIM START TO KIND

OF MOVE TOWARDS THAT DARKER SIDE

OF LIFE.

WHEN YOU START SECOND GUESSING

AND QUESTIONING YOUR OWN

ABILITIES AND QUESTIONING

YOURSELF.

- I WAS LAZY, COMPLACENT.

I DIDN'T EVEN SEE THE INSIDE OF

A GYM FOR YEARS AND I WAS NOT A

GOOD HUMAN BEING.

IT WAS JUST LIKE, WHAT AM I

DOING WITH MY LIFE.

FOR YOU.

JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE.

WILL FALL TO THE PUNISHER.

I WAS WORKING ON ANOTHER CLUB IN

ATLANTIC CITY AT THE TIME.

THEY GAVE ME A FREE APARTMENT

AND A FREE VEHICLE.

I WOULD TAKE OFF WEEKENDS TO DO

SOME WRESTLING EVENTS AND

WHATNOT, AND I REMEMBER THE CLUB

OWNER TELLING ME, WE LOVE

EVERYTHING YOU'RE DOING.

WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU MORE

RESPONSIBILITY AND GIVE YOU A

RAISE.

AND HE GOES, YOU GOT TO STOP

DOING THAT WRESTLING THING YOU

DO ON THE WEEKENDS, THOUGH.

NO HESITATION.

I SAID, YOU HAVE MY TWO WEEKS

NOTICE.

AND I REMEMBER AS SOON AS I SAID

THAT AND I WALKED OUT OF THAT

OFFICE, I WAS LIKE, WHAT DID I

JUST DO?

BECAUSE NOW I'M BACK TO

LITERALLY HAVING NOTHING.

I'M OUT OF SHAPE.

I HAVE NO MONEY SAVED

WHATSOEVER.

WHAT DO I DO?

I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T SKIP OVER

THE FACT THAT AT THE TIME MY

GIRLFRIEND HAD TAKEN ME IN, SHE

HAD FOUR KIDS AND WE DIDN'T HAVE

ANYTHING.

SO IT WAS DOLLAR TREE SHOPPING

FOR ALL OF US.

BUT THAT DAY I REALLY DECIDED TO

CHANGE MY LIFE AROUND.

I STARTED ACTUALLY DIETING AND

WORKING OUT.

- SO I MET LUIS WHILE WE WERE

WRESTLING ON THE INDIES.

AROUND THAT POINT, HE HAD JUST

STARTED DIETING AND HE EXPLAINED

HOW HE HAD A GOAL AND HIS GOAL

WAS TO BE IN THE WWE.

- WHEN HE REALIZED, THIS IS MY

CALLING TO DO THIS, THERE WAS NO

STOPPING HIM.

- YOU KNOW, BEFORE I SURROUNDED

MYSELF WITH GUYS THAT WOULD JUST

TELL ME HOW GOOD I WAS AND IT

TOOK GUYS TO TELL ME, HEY,

YOU'RE FAT, YOU'RE OUT OF SHAPE.

YOU SUCK.

THOSE GUYS ARE THE ONES THAT

MADE ME BETTER.

I WAS NEVER SOMEBODY WHO

BELIEVED IN THE IDEA OF THE

POWER OF POSITIVITY, BUT I

NEEDED SOMETHING TO BELIEVE IN,

SO I GAVE IT A SHOT.

I WAS LIKE, LET ME BE POSITIVE

ABOUT EVERYTHING.

- SOUTH OF

HEAVEN CHOKESLAM.

- I MET DAMIAN PRIEST FOR THE

FIRST TIME IN 2014, AND I

IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTOOD.

THERE IS SO MUCH CHARISMA AND SO

MUCH STAR POWER JUST WRAPPED UP

IN THIS ENORMOUS PERSONALITY

THAT WALKED INTO THE ROOM, AND

HE GOT HIRED FOR MULTIPLE SHOWS

IN WWE AS AN EXTRA.

- ESCORT THIS PERSON OUT OF MY

BUILDING.

- I SAW HIM BACKSTAGE AND HE

WOULD SAY, WALK WITH ME.

AND THEN HEYMAN WOULD SPEAK TO

OTHER SUPERSTARS AND TELL THEM

WHAT THEY'RE DOING, OR GIVE THEM

ADVICE OR WHATEVER, BUT HE'D

MAKE SURE I WAS STANDING NEXT TO

HIM AND JUST LISTENING.

I HAD CONSTANT EXTRA WORK IN THE

NORTHEAST, AND HEYMAN EVERY

SINGLE TIME WOULD DO THAT.

AND I REMEMBER THE DAY I TOLD

HIM I GOT MY TRYOUT AND HE GAVE

ME A BIG HIGH FIVE, AND HE WAS

SO HAPPY FOR ME.

- THERE YOU GO.

[YELLING]

BUSINESS, I HAD TO FIX THE

- IF I WANTED A FUTURE IN THIS

VISUAL PART OF MYSELF.

I STAND BEFORE YOU HERE.

85 POUNDS LIGHTER.

I CAN LEARN, I CAN ADAPT, AND I

AM VERY COACHABLE.

- THERE YOU GO.

- HE JUST GOT HIMSELF IN GREAT

SHAPE.

WE GAVE HIM SOME FEEDBACK LAST

TIME HE WAS HERE.

HE IMPLEMENTED THAT INTO HIS

WHAT HE DOES.

SO HE CLEARLY TAKES DIRECTION

AND IS DRIVEN TO TRY TO DO MORE.

BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE WANTED TO

COME INTO THE COMPANY AT THAT

PERIOD OF TIME, AND THE

COMPETITION FOR SPOTS BECAME

GREATER.

SO HE WAS DOING THE WORK.

WE DON'T HAVE THE SPACE.

- I CONTINUED WORKING, I MADE A

BIGGER NAME FOR MYSELF.

I GOT SIGNED BY RING OF HONOR.

I WAS MAKING $40,000 A YEAR AND

I WAS LIKE, WE'RE SET.

WE'RE GOOD NOW.

THE FACT THAT I COULD NOW GO TO

A NORMAL SUPERMARKET AND BUY

GROCERIES AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH.

THAT WAS NICE.

AND THIS IS 2017.

IT'S NOT LIKE IT WAS 20 YEARS

AGO.

- HE KEPT DOING THE RIGHT THINGS

SO PEOPLE CAN BE LIKE, HE

DOESN'T BELONG IN RING OF HONOR.

HE DOESN'T BELONG IN NEW JAPAN.

HE BELONGS IN WWE.

- I HAD WENT TO THE SHOW IN

PHILLY AND I REMEMBER WATCHING

HIM.

THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME SEEING

HIM AND I COULDN'T HELP BUT

REALIZE HOW GOOD HE WAS.

- AND THEN I COME TO THE CURTAIN

AFTER MY MATCH AND SHE PULLED ME

ASIDE AND SHE WAS LIKE, I DON'T

UNDERSTAND WHY YOU'RE WORKING

HERE AND NOT IN WWE.

- I SAID, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU

INTERESTED IN GOING TO WWE?

BECAUSE I'VE SEEN WHAT THEY LOOK

FOR AND I FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE

EVERYTHING.

- HER SAYING, YOU KNOW, WHY

AREN'T YOU THERE YET?

REALLY MADE ME THINK IF THERE'S

A WWE SUPERSTAR TELLING ME THIS

IS THOSE THINGS MOTIVATED ME

MORE.

STAY THE COURSE.

WORKING AS HARD AS I COULD.

IN 2018, I GET A PHONE CALL,

HEY, WHEN IS YOUR CONTRACT

COMING UP?

IN ABOUT A MONTH OR SO.

WHEN THAT HAPPENS, WOULD YOU

MIND IF WE GIVE YOU A CALL?

STOP.

AND NOW I GOT AN OFFER.

IT'S ONE OF THE COOLEST DAYS OF

MY LIFE.

WELL.

- HELLO.

- YOU'RE GOOD.

- PLEASURE.

- GIVE ME A COUPLE CROSSED ARMS.

THERE WE GO.

THERE IT IS.

- HE'S LIKE, GUYS, I'M

BE ON NXT.

AND WE WERE LIKE, WHAT?

LIKE IS FOR SURE.

AND HE'S LIKE, IT'S FOR SURE I

MADE IT.

WE LIKE BRO, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

THIS AWESOME AWESOME.

- HE HAD ACCOMPLISHED WHAT I'VE

ALWAYS SAID HE WOULDN'T DO.

I SAID YOU PROVED ME WRONG.

SO I HAVE TO BE PROUD OF THAT.

- WAS REALLY EXCITING TO

SEE HIM ACHIEVE A GOAL THAT HE

WAS WORKING SO HARD FOR.

- I WAS SOBBING, SOBBING,

SOBBING.

I WAS JUST SO HAPPY FOR HIM.

I REMEMBER ALL THE

DISAPPOINTMENTS.

HE WOULD SAY, WELL, THEY DIDN'T

TAKE ME MOM.

AND.

MY HEART WOULD JUST BLEED FOR

THIS KID.

- SO TO MAKE IT.

AS MUCH AS IT MEANT THE WORLD TO

ME, IT, UH, IT MEANT THE WORLD

THAT MY MOM GOT TO EXPERIENCE

THAT.

- WHEN I WOULD SEE VIDEO FROM

HIM AND OTHER PLACES, HE ALWAYS

FELT LIKE THE GUY THAT WAS

PLAYING WRESTLER.

YOU KNOW, HE WAS ALWAYS TRYING

ON SOMEBODY ELSE'S PERSONALITY.

HE WAS ALWAYS FILLING SHOES THAT

HE LOOKED LIKE HE WAS

UNCOMFORTABLE IN.

- IT WAS LIKE, WHO DO YOU WANT

TO BE?

WE GOT TO COME UP WITH A NAME.

I'LL BE A ROCK STAR.

OH, YEAH.

WHEN I WAS BORN, MY MOM WANTED

TO NAME ME DAMIAN.

BUT MY DAD WAS LIKE, THE OMEN

JUST CAME OUT.

AND WE'RE NOT NAMING HIM AFTER

THE SON OF THE DEVIL, SO WE'RE

NOT GOING THAT ROUTE.

THE NAME DAMIAN IS COOL, BUT

WHAT'S THE LAST NAME?

MY FIRST EVER THEME SONG THAT I

USED IN THE INDIES WAS BY JUDAS

PRIEST.

DAMIAN PRIEST SCREAMS ROCK STAR.

THAT'S THE ONE.

MY MOMENT HAS ARRIVED.

- THIS MAN, DAMIAN PRIEST, IS

THE ROCK STAR OF NXT.

- DECISIVE AND IMPRESSIVE.

- THE ARCHER OF INFAMY, DAMIAN

PRIEST.

- THIS MURDERER'S ROW

HERE?

- AH.

- DON'T MEET YOUR HEROES.

I DON'T BUY INTO THAT, BECAUSE

EVERY SINGLE ONE THAT I'VE MET

HAS TREATED ME LIKE GOLD.

INTRODUCTIONS.

UNDERTAKER IS MY IDOL, SO

GETTING HIM TO CRITIQUE MY

MATCHES WAS ONE OF THE COOLEST,

MOST BADASS THINGS I'VE EVER

DONE IN MY LIFE.

- OH, WHAT A COUNTER FOREARM

BY PRIEST.

- STUFF THAT YOU GUYS DID

LOOK STRONG AND AND

BELIEVABLE.

THAT'S BATTLE ONE RIGHT THERE.

- EVEN THEN, HE HAS A PRESENCE

ABOUT HIM.

HE CAN MOVE AROUND

GOOD FOR A BIG GUY.

THIS GUY CAN PICK UP PSYCHOLOGY.

THEN HE MIGHT HAVE A PRETTY NICE

RUN.

- A LOT OF THESE GUYS THAT I

LOOKED UP TO ARE NOW PEOPLE THAT

I CAN CONFIDE IN WITH, YOU KNOW,

LOOKING FOR KNOWLEDGE.

SCOTT HALL WAS ANOTHER ONE

GETTING TO MEET HIM, ASKING HIM

PERMISSION IF I COULD USE A

SURFER WALK.

X-PAC IS RIGHT THERE WITH THEM,

AND I MET HIM BEFORE I EVEN

WORKED IN WWE, AND HE'S BEEN

GIVING ME ADVICE FOR YEARS.

I CAN'T ASK FOR A BETTER CREW TO

SURROUND MYSELF WITH FOR

KNOWLEDGE, ADVICE AND ALL OF IT.

- YOU HAVE THIS OPPORTUNITY

WEEKLY OR HOWEVER OFTEN THEY'RE

ON TV TO CREATE THESE MOMENTS.

AND AS YOU CREATE MOMENTS,

PEOPLE START TO PAY ATTENTION.

THE MORE AS A TALENT YOU GIVE ME

THINGS THAT ARE MEMORABLE, THE

MORE I REMEMBER YOU.

- DAMIAN PRIEST PROVED WHAT KIND

OF SUPERSTAR HE IS TONIGHT

AGAINST FINN BÁLOR.

WIN OR LOSE.

- I DON'T KNOW IF ANYBODY HAD A

BETTER SHOWING TONIGHT THAN

DAMIAN PRIEST.

DAMIAN PRIEST CAME TO PLAY

TONIGHT.

DAMIAN PRIEST HAD A STAR MAKING

NIGHT.

- A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF

CONFIDENCE CAME OUT THAT DAY.

I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THAT MATCH

SET ME ON THIS COURSE.

- IF HE WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER.

THE ARCHER OF INFAMY JUST TOOK

THE FIRST STEP.

THE NEW NXT NORTH AMERICAN

CHAMPION.

- DAMIAN, AT THAT POINT WAS

PUTTING THINGS TOGETHER AT A

RAPID PACE.

YOU NEED TO HAVE CONFIDENCE IN

SOMEBODY AT THAT POINT, WHAT

THEY CAN BRING TO THE TABLE.

I KNEW WHAT HE COULD BRING TO

THE TABLE AND I KNEW HE'D DO A

GREAT JOB WITH IT.

- HUNTER COMES UP TO ME

BACKSTAGE AND HE'S LIKE, YOU'RE

GETTING CALLED UP.

YOU'RE GOING TO DEBUT AT THE

ROYAL RUMBLE AND YOU'RE GOING TO

GO INTO A PROGRAM WITH BAD

BUNNY.

I REMEMBER BEING CONFUSED AT

FIRST.

LIKE, YOU GUYS KNOW THAT THERE'S

AN ARTIST CALLED BAD BUNNY,

RIGHT?

LIKE, YOU CAN'T JUST NAME A

WRESTLER BAD BUNNY.

AND THEY JUST LOOKED AT ME LIKE,

THAT IS THE BAD BUNNY.

WE WEREN'T SURE IF YOU KNEW WHO

HE WAS.

I WAS LIKE, OF COURSE I KNOW HE

IS.

I'M PUERTO RICAN.

- BAD BUNNY.

A TWO TIME LATIN GRAMMY AWARD

WINNER.

AND HE'LL BE PERFORMING LIVE AT

THE ROYAL RUMBLE.

- MY FAVORITE PAY PER VIEW OF

THE YEAR.

SETS THE TONE FOR WRESTLEMANIA.

FOR ME TO DEBUT HERE TONIGHT,

INSIDE, I THINK I'M A DISASTER.

BUT YOU KNOW ON THE OUTSIDE, I

GOTTA SEEM COOL TO EVERYBODY

ELSE.

- THE MEN'S ROYAL RUMBLE MATCH

2021 IS UNDERWAY.

- THE EXCITEMENT OF SEEING ALL

THESE PEOPLE COME OUT.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, HE'S COMING

OUT AT SOME POINT.

WE DON'T I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT.

- NUMBER IS LIKE.

WHAT NUMBER.

WATCH.

HE'S LIKE, YOU GUYS JUST GOT TO

AND I'M LIKE, COME ON MAN.

HE'S LIKE, NAH, THAT'S TO BE

SURPRISED.

- FROM NXT.

THE ARCHER OF

INFAMY DAMIAN PRIEST.

- ALWAYS GREAT TO SEE PEOPLE

MAKE THEIR DEBUT IN THE ROYAL

RUMBLE BECAUSE YOU SEE JUST A

TASTE.

WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO OFFER?

SEEING DAMIAN PRIEST COME INTO

THAT ROYAL RUMBLE AND HAVE THIS

STRONG PERFORMANCE ELIMINATE,

KANE TOLD US INSTANTLY THAT

OKAY, WWE SEES SOMETHING IN THIS

GUY, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL BAD

BUNNY CAME OUT.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST STARS IN THE

WORLD CONFRONTS THE MIZ AND JOHN

MORRISON.

YOU KIND OF SEE DAMIAN PRIEST

END UP ON THE SIDE OF BAD BUNNY.

- OH NO.

OH MY GOD.

DAMIAN PRIEST ELIMINATED MIZ AND

MORRISON AND WHERE THE HELL'S HE

GOING?

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

- WHOA.

- I'VE HEARD A FLYING SQUIRRELS,

BUT FLYING BUNNIES.

- AND YOU REALIZE THERE MAY BE

EVEN BIGGER PLANS THAN YOU

THOUGHT FOR DAMIAN PRIEST.

- BAD BUNNY TEAMS UP WITH DAMIAN

PRIEST TO TAKE ON THE MIZ AND

MORRISON AT WRESTLEMANIA.

- BAD BUNNY.

I MET HIM BEFORE THE RUMBLE AND

IMMEDIATELY WE BECAME FRIENDS.

SO IN PUERTO RICO, I WAS RAISED

IN THE SAME TOWN THAT HE WAS

BORN.

WE STARTED TALKING ABOUT

WRESTLING AND GROWING UP

WATCHING WRESTLING ON THE

ISLAND.

HIS PASSION WAS THE SAME AS MINE

WHEN I GREW UP, AND IT WAS

REALLY EASY TO RELATE TO HIM,

AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS SO COOL.

- THERE'S NOTHING MORE DIFFICULT

THAN PERFORMING IN A RING WITH

SOMEONE THAT HAS NEVER WRESTLED

BEFORE.

TO PAIR HIM UP WITH DAMIAN

PRIEST.

THIS WAS A HUGE OPPORTUNITY FOR

DAMIAN BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING NEW

AUDIENCE WITH BAD BUNNY.

AND IF BAD BUNNY FAILS, THEN

THAT AUDIENCE MIGHT NOT STICK

WITH WWE.

BUT IF HE SUCCEEDS, IT'S A GREAT

MESH FOR BOTH PARTIES, BUT IT'S

A TREMENDOUS OBSTACLE.

- I FELT CRAZY PRESSURE.

THIS IS MY SHOT, AND YOU'RE

PAIRING ME WITH SOMEBODY WHO'S

NOT EVEN FROM THE BUSINESS, AND

I'M HELPING TRAIN HIM AND

DICTATE WHAT'S HAPPENING.

[SPANISH LANGUAGE]

THIS WAS A LOT OF WEIGHT PUT ON

ME VERY QUICKLY BECAUSE I FELT

IF THIS FAILED, I'M SCREWED DEAD

IN THE WATER.

THE COMPANY WILL HAVE NO FAITH

IN ME.

I WAS THE ONE WITH HIM ALL THE

TIME, AND HE'S ALSO NOW FEELING

MORE COMFORTABLE WITH ME.

SO NOW THAT'S EXTRA PRESSURE.

NOW I GOT TO DO IT FOR THE

COMPANY I GOT TO DO FOR MYSELF,

AND NOW I GOT TO DO IT FOR HIM.

AND I GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT I DO

IT IN A WAY THAT MAKES EVERYBODY

PROUD, INCLUDING MYSELF.

- ALL RIGHT, MOUNT UP, MY

FRIEND.

BREATHE.

- GOING INTO THAT WRESTLEMANIA,

I WASN'T 100% AT THE TIME.

I HAD TWEAKED MY BACK A FEW

WEEKS BEFORE, AND I DIDN'T KNOW

IF I WAS GOING TO BE ABLE TO

PERFORM.

- IT WAS JUST REALLY

BAD FOR HIM.

JUST CONSTANTLY IN PAIN.

THIS SUCKS.

SEE HIM GO THROUGH THIS KNOWING

THIS IS HIS MOMENT.

LIKE HIS FIRST MANIA.

FRIEND.

- ALL RIGHT, ON YOUR SIDE, MY

- IT WAS A REALLY SCARY

TIME FOR US.

I REMEMBER AT SOME POINT, ME AND

MY BROTHER JUST LOOKING AT EACH

OTHER ON THE COUCH AND WE WERE

LIKE, HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DO

THIS?

AND HE WAS LIKE, I DON'T KNOW,

BUT I HAVE TO, LIKE, I HAVE TO.

AND THAT'S JUST KIND OF ALWAYS

BEEN HIS ATTITUDE WITH

EVERYTHING.

THAT'S KIND OF LIKE WHAT GOT HIM

HERE TO BEGIN WITH.

- THIS IS EVERYTHING AND MORE

THAT I EVER PICTURED IN MY HEAD.

JUST LIKE WHAT THE AURA OF

WALKING IN TO A STADIUM FOR

WRESTLEMANIA CROWDS ARE BACK

POST-PANDEMIC, I HAVE YET TO

PERFORM ON THEIR MAIN ROSTER IN

FRONT OF A LIVE CROWD.

I MEAN, FANS HAVEN'T EVEN WALKED

INTO THIS PLACE YET AND JUST

STANDING ON THE RAMP AND LOOKING

AROUND AND JUST VISUALIZING THE

FEELING, THE GOOSEBUMPS, THE

HAIRS ARE, OH MY GOD.

OH.

TONIGHT'S WRESTLEMANIA.

THE ISLAND OF PUERTO RICO IS

GOING TO BE ON FIRE.

WE CAN SHINE SOME LIGHT IN OUR

COMMUNITY.

NOT JUST PUERTO RICO, BUT ALL

THE LATINOS ALL AROUND THE

WORLD.

THAT'S A GAME CHANGER.

THAT'S HOW YOU LIVE FOREVER.

- WE WELCOME THE WWE UNIVERSE TO

THE GREATEST SPECTACLE IN LIVE

ENTERTAINMENT.

THIS IS WRESTLEMANIA.

[YELLING]

ROCK IT BRO.

- YEAH MAN.

THAT'S THE PLAN.

FIRST TIME IN THE BIG SHOW.

- ROCK IT BRO.

ROCK IT.

- KILL IT BRO

- IT'S ALL YOU, MAN.

THAT'S ALL YOU.

- APPRECIATE THAT.

- I GUESS I CAN'T MESS UP NOW

END UP PUTTING ME OVER.

NO PRESSURE.

- THIS IS HOW

YOU MAKE AN ENTRANCE

- AN INCREDIBLE ENTRANCE HERE

AT WRESTLEMANIA FOR

INTERNATIONAL RECORDING STAR BAD

BUNNY.

- DAMIAN PRIEST HAS BEEN

UNSTOPPABLE, AND HE IS THE

PERFECT TAG TEAM PARTNER FOR THE

IMPENDING DEBUT OF ONE BAD

BUNNY.

- TO SEE HIM IN THIS MAGNITUDE

IS JUST KIND OF SURREAL.

- THAT'S MY SON.

- DAMIAN PRIEST, SOAKING IT ALL

IN AT HIS VERY FIRST

WRESTLEMANIA.

WELCOME TO WRESTLEMANIA.

- NOW IT'S TIME TO TAKE CARE OF

BUSINESS.

- BUNNY, WITH A TAKE DOWN AND

MIZ IS IN A FIGHT.

- NORMALLY IT'S LIKE A WWE

SUPERSTAR.

SOME WILL SAY, LET'S NOT HAVE

BUNNY IN A LOT OF THE MATCH.

I NEED ALL THE MOVES.

I NEED THE COOL STUFF.

BUT DAMIAN HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA.

BUNNY NEEDS TO BE IN THERE A

LOT, AND THE REASON BEING IS

NOBODY'S EXPECTING THAT.

- WHAT DO PRIEST AND BUNNY

HAVE PLANNED?

- A PRIEST OVER THE ROPE AND

TAKING

OUT BOTH MIZ AND

MORRISON.

- HIS LOWER BACK WAS JUST MESSED

UP, AND I JUST REMEMBER WATCHING

THAT MATCH AND EVERY TIME HE

TOOK A BUMP, I'M LIKE, PLEASE

GET UP, PLEASE GET UP, YOU'RE

GOOD.

AND THEN GET UP.

AND I'M LIKE, ALL RIGHT, WE'RE

GOOD, WE'RE GOOD.

- THERE'S NO WAY ANYBODY

EXPECTED THIS.

- NO, NOT AT ALL.

- THE HELL IS HE DOING?

- OH MY GOD, ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

- OKAY, I'VE SEEN IT ALL NOW.

I'VE SEEN IT ALL

- BUNNY UP NOW

TOP ROPE, BAD BUNNY, CROSSBODY.

[BELL RINGS]

[CROWD CHEERS]

- BAD BUNNY AND DAMIAN PRIEST

WIN AT WRESTLEMANIA.

WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LONG

TIME, I CAN'T EVER I DON'T EVEN

KNOW WHAT TO COMPARE THIS TO.

- I GOT TO SAY, I HAD NO IDEA

THIS MATCH IS GOING TO BE THIS

EXTRAORDINARY.

- WRESTLEMANIA WAS THE BIGGEST

THRILL OF HIS LIFE, I'M SURE, IF

THAT'S ALL HE WANTED.

- HELL YEAH.

THANK YOU.

THANK YOU.

NO, YOU DID.

YOU DID GREAT

YOU'RE GREAT

OH, THANK YOU SO MUCH.

- I WATCHED IT WITH THE GIRLS,

AND I WAS LIKE.

I WAS LIKE A BIG FAN.

I WAS LIKE, OH

IT WAS SO GOOD.

THANK YOU.

- THAT WAS ON FIRE.

- I'M ALL SWEATY.

THANK YOU.

- THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS.

YOU NEVER KNOW HOW IT'S GOING TO

GO.

TO SEE IT EXECUTED THE WAY IT

WAS.

INSANITY, TO SAY THE LEAST.

[BACKGROUND NOISE]

GIVE ME A SECOND

- TALK ABOUT EVERYTHING YOU

DREAM FOR AND WHAT YOU EXPECT.

AND IT WAS BETTER.

I DID IT.

[BLEEP] WRESTLEMANIA.

WRESTLEMANIA.

MY FIRST ONE.

THERE WAS SO MUCH PRESSURE GOING

IN WITH SO MANY MOVING PARTS,

AND THERE WAS SO MUCH ROOM FOR

FAILURE AND WE KILLED IT.

I DON'T CARE WHAT ANYBODY SAYS,

WE KILLED IT.

- I DON'T THINK ANYBODY WILL

ARGUE.

DAMIAN PRIEST HAS AN EXTREMELY

BRIGHT FUTURE HERE IN WWE.

- WHEN NEW SUPERSTARS SHOW UP IN

WWE, THERE IS AN INITIAL

EXCITEMENT AND HE WAS HAVING

GREAT MATCHES AND HE WAS WINNING

IN IMPORTANT MOMENTS.

- ALL THE WAY UP SOUTH OF

HEAVEN.

WE HAVE A NEW UNITED STATES

CHAMPION.

- BUT EVENTUALLY, AS A FAN, YOU

GO, WHAT'S NEXT?

WE HADN'T REALLY ANSWERED.

WHO IS DAMIAN PRIEST?

- HIS VERSION OF WHO HE IS IS

PRETENDING TO BE SOMETHING THAT

HE'S KIND OF REALLY NOT.

HE'S A BIG DUDE THAT'S MENACING

LOOKING.

IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW WHO HE WAS,

AND THAT GUY WALKS INTO A

RESTAURANT OR A BAR OR WHATEVER

THAT IS, YOU THINK LIKE, I

WONDER WHO THAT IS.

THERE'S AN INNATE QUALITY THERE.

HE'S GOT AN X FACTOR, BUT HE'S

UNAWARE OF HIS X FACTOR, SO HE

LOOKS LIKE HE'S TRYING TOO HARD.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT.

BECAUSE YOU'RE ACTING, AND I CAN

CLEARLY SEE THAT YOU'RE

PRETENDING TO BE SOMETHING

YOU'RE NOT.

- AT THAT TIME, I WAS A CERTAIN

TYPE OF BABYFACE, A SMILING

BABYFACE AT ALL TIMES.

BUT IT WAS VERY, VERY AWKWARD.

AND I THINK FANS KNEW SOMETHING

WASN'T GENUINE.

- YOU HAVE TO FEEL A REAL

CONNECTION BECAUSE YOU CAN'T

FAKE IT.

IF YOU'RE FAKING IT, YOU COULD

TELL ON THE FACE, YOU COULD TELL

ON YOUR WORK IN THE RING.

I COULD TELL THAT IT WAS JUST

WASN'T CLICKING.

- AS A NEWER PERFORMER ON THE

MAIN ROSTER, I FEEL LIKE DAMIAN

FELT LIKE HE HAD TO ACT A

CERTAIN WAY TO BE IN THIS ROLE.

HE HAD TO SPEAK A CERTAIN WAY TO

BE IN THIS ROLE INSTEAD OF JUST

BEING TRUE TO YOURSELF.

- GOOD LUCK TO YOU NEXT WEEK.

- APPRECIATE IT.

YEAH.

IT'S FRUSTRATING.

VERY FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU KNOW

YOU HAVE SO MUCH TO GIVE.

AND I KNOW HE WAS FRUSTRATED AT

THAT TIME.

YOU KNOW, YOU GET ONE SHOT AND

IF YOU WAIT LONG ENOUGH ON A LOW

POINT, YOU MAY GET ANOTHER SHOT.

IF YOU DON'T MAKE IT COUNT, THAT

MIGHT BE IT.

- WILL WE SEE A NEW

UNITED STATES

CHAMPION?

- HE GOT HIM.

- YES WE DO.

- I THOUGHT I WAS DONE.

I REALLY DID.

I THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS NO

COMING BACK FROM THAT.

AND AGAIN, HERE COMES ONE OF

THOSE MENTORS.

AT THE TIME IT WAS EDGE, AND HE

WAS LIKE, WHAT IF WE FORMED LIKE

A NEW BROOD.

- THIS BROOD.

TREMENDOUS.

TREMENDOUS COMPETITORS.

- EDGE, GANGREL.

AND CHRISTIAN GOING LEFT TO

RIGHT THERE.

- I WAS LIKE, THANK YOU.

- HERE IT COMES.

STYLES IN POSITION.

- WHAT IN THE WORLD?

- IT'S FORMER UNITED STATES

CHAMPION DAMIAN PRIEST.

HERE GOES STYLES OH SPEAR IN

MID-AIR.

DAMIAN PRIEST DELAYED AJ STYLES

JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR EDGE TO

COUNTER.

- WHAT SORT OF UNHOLY UNION IS

THIS?

- OH MAN.

THAT WAS THAT WAS AWESOME.

DREAM, WHERE YOU GET TO WORK

THIS IS THE BEST PARTS OF THE

WITH YOUR HEROES AND WHO BECOME

YOUR FRIENDS.

AND SO FAR IN MY TIME IN WWE,

THIS IS RIGHT AT THE TOP.

- FROM DAY ONE, WHEN I SAW HIM,

I WAS LIKE, OH, OKAY, ALL RIGHT.

I LIKE THAT, I DIG THIS, THERE'S

SOMETHING THERE.

WE COULD WORK WITH THIS.

AND I FEEL LIKE PRIEST IS FAR

FURTHER ALONG THAN I WAS WHEN WE

WERE COMING UP SO IT MAKES MY

JOB EASIER.

- REPRESENTING JUDGMENT DAY.

DAMIAN PRIEST.

- ONE OF THE

THINGS WE TALKED A LOT ABOUT IS

JUST HIM BEING HIM, BECAUSE WHEN

THAT RED LIGHT GOES ON, IT DOES

DIFFERENT THINGS TO YOU AND YOU

BEGIN TO PERFORM.

- WHEN YOU'RE DRESSED AS

YOURSELF AND YOU'RE COMFORTABLE

IN YOUR OWN LOOK, THEN

AUTOMATICALLY YOUR CONFIDENCE IS

GOING TO INCREASE.

AND I FEEL LIKE THAT HAD A HUGE

IMPACT.

- OH.

- DOMINANCE.

- I ALWAYS APPRECIATED THAT.

I WAS ASKED MY OPINION, LIKE I

JUST WANTED TO KNOW WHERE I FELL

WITH CERTAIN PEOPLE.

AND I REMEMBER THE FIRST PERSON

HE BROUGHT UP WAS RHEA.

- THE NEWEST MEMBER

OF THE JUDGMENT

DAY, RHEA RIPLEY.

- I NEEDED SOMETHING NEW AND I

WAS PRETTY DOWN.

AND THEN I HAD A COUPLE

CONVERSATIONS WITH EDGE AND

PRIEST TOGETHER, AND WE WERE

JUST LIKE, COMING UP WITH IDEAS

AND PLANS AND WE WERE ALL SO

EXCITED.

AND THAT'S WHEN WE KNEW IT WAS

GOING TO WORK.

- EDGE WAS LIKE FINN BÁLOR, AND

I WAS LIKE, ALL RIGHT, ARE YOU

JUST SAYING TO PEOPLE THAT, YOU

KNOW, I'M A NERD?

THESE ARE MY PEOPLE.

- WAIT, WAIT, WHAT?

- WE ALL FELT LIKE WE COULD BE

DOING A LITTLE BIT MORE, BUT WE

JUST HADN'T FOUND OUR WAY.

- NO, THIS CAN'T BE.

I DON'T BELIEVE IT.

- I FEEL LIKE ALL OF THAT WAS

JUST, LIKE, ENOUGH FOR US TO GO.

YOU KNOW WHAT?

LET'S SHOW THEM.

- WE ARE READY TO SHED THE LAST

BIT OF LIMITATIONS HOLDING US

BACK.

OH.

- THE PATRIARCH OF THE JUDGMENT

DAY BEING SACRIFICED

BEFORE OUR VERY EYES.

- I REALLY DIDN'T WANT EDGE TO

LEAVE, BUT IT ALSO OPENED UP

SUCH A MASSIVE DOOR.

- AND THEN THE INCLUSION OF

DOMINIK.

- THE JUDGMENT DAY ARE THE ONLY

ONES WHO.

EVER BELIEVED IN ME

- WHEN HE

FIRST JOINED.

I MEAN, IT MADE ZERO SENSE.

HE WAS REY MYSTERIO SHINY KID.

LIKE, IT JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE

FOR HIM TO FIT WITH THE JUDGMENT

DAY TILL YOU SAW HIM BECOME HIS

OWN PERSON.

- MOM.

SHUT UP.

- THAT A BOY DOM

THAT A BOY.

- ALL THREE OF THEM.

MAN, I CAN'T THANK THEM ENOUGH

FOR JUST HELPING ME ALONG THIS

WHOLE JOURNEY.

WE REALLY ALL JUST HANG OUT AS A

FAMILY.

WE RIDE TOGETHER, WE'LL HAVE

BREAKFAST TOGETHER.

AND THEY JUST BROUGHT ME IN WITH

OPEN ARMS, MAN.

AND IT WAS GETTING EMOTIONAL,

MAN.

IT WAS.

IT WAS REALLY COOL BECAUSE THEY

DID A LOT FOR ME.

- IT'S REALLY EXCITING TO SEE

HIM WITH A GROUP THAT HE'S IN

THERE.

THEIR OWN LITTLE FAMILY, AND YOU

CAN SEE THAT THERE IS A REAL

RESPECT AND CONNECTION AND

EVERYONE'S WORKING TOGETHER.

I LOVE TO SEE THAT I LOVE IT.

- THERE WE GO.

NOW IT'S LIKE ALL THE OTHER ONES

[LAUGHING]

- GOING INTO THAT WRESTLEMANIA,

I REMEMBER I WAS LIKE, MAN, I

DON'T HAVE A MATCH, I DON'T HAVE

MY OWN THING.

THEN THE DAY OF SEEING THE

JUDGMENT DAY, EVERYBODY ELSE

GETTING READY, I FELT A SENSE OF

PRIDE.

- YOU ADD SOMETHING TO THE

BATTLE.

- THAT'S SO COOL.

- I WAS JUST HAPPY FOR THEM.

- OH, MAN, THAT GIVES ME

GOOSEBUMPS.

YOU KNOW, BECAUSE THAT'S, UH.

I NEVER EXPECTED OUR FRIENDSHIP

TO GROW THE WAY IT DID.

THE FACT THAT DAMIAN WASN'T ON

WRESTLEMANIA, AND HE WAS MORE

THAN WILLING TO BE A PART OF MY

MATCH.

HE DIDN'T CARE ABOUT HIMSELF AT

THAT TIME.

HE JUST WANTED TO BE THERE FOR

HIS FRIEND.

AND, UM, THAT'S REALLY COOL.

THAT'S REALLY SPECIAL.

- YOU'RE READY NOW.

YOU'VE BEEN READY ALL THIS TIME.

- COVER

RHEA REMAINS THE SMACKDOWN

WOMEN'S CHAMPION.

- PRIEST IS LIKE MY COMFORT

PERSON.

HE MADE ALL OF US FEEL SO LOVED.

SO WHEN IT CAME FOR HIS TURN, WE

WERE ALL THERE FOR HIM.

FOR SURE AS WELL.

- BAD BUNNY IS HERE.

HEY, DAMIAN.

I'M GOING TO PUERTO RICO TO

KICK YOUR ASS.

- YOU'RE CRAZY YOU'RE TALKING TO

DAMIAN PRIEST SON.

- BAD BUNNY AND DAMIAN PRIEST

SQUARE OFF A SAN JUAN STREET

FIGHT WHERE ANYTHING GOES AT

BACKLASH.

- NOT HAVING MY OWN MATCH AT

WRESTLEMANIA STUNG A LITTLE BIT,

BUT HAVING MY MOMENT IN PUERTO

RICO, THE ENTIRE ISLAND IS ON

FIRE AND EXCITED AND JUST IN AWE

OF THIS MATCHUP AND THIS

SPECTACLE THAT'S GOING TO BE,

YOU KNOW, BACKLASH.

THIS MAKES UP FOR IT.

THIS WAS ONE THAT BENITO AND I

UNDERSTOOD THE IMPORTANCE OF IT

BEING IN PUERTO RICO.

AND WE WENT TO WORK.

- PRIEST WAS ALWAYS TRYING TO

STRIVE TO DO SOMETHING BETTER,

SO IT ALWAYS KEPT MY CONFIDENCE

UP THAT HOWEVER WE CAN GET TO

PUTTING HIM IN THAT NEXT LEVEL,

HE'S GOING TO DELIVER.

[SPANISH LANGUAGE]

- I CANNOT BEGIN TO EXPLAIN HOW

EXCITED, HOW PROUD HE WAS TO BE

ABLE TO GO BACK ON THAT ISLAND,

BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE HE FELL IN

LOVE WITH WRESTLING.

[SPANISH LANGUAGE]

- GOING INTO IT I KNOW HE WAS

NERVOUS.

THIS IS FOR OUR PEOPLE.

THIS IS FOR OUR CULTURE.

THIS NEEDS TO BE PERFECT.

[SPANISH LANGUAGE]

- THAT'S THE KIND OF MATCH

THAT'S GOING TO GET SEEN BY NOT

JUST WRESTLING FANS.

IT'S GOING TO GET SEEN BY

EVERYBODY.

AND TO HAVE THAT FEELING OF,

WOW, YOU KNOW, ALL THOSE CRAPPY

TIMES WERE REALLY WORTH IT.

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

AND EVERYONE'S RUNNING UP TO ME

FOR PICTURES AND AUTOGRAPHS, AND

I'M GETTING TO REPRESENT MY

PEOPLE AND GIVE BACK.

MORE IMPORTANTLY.

- CAN I GET A QUICK PICTURE?

THIS IS THE MAYOR OF SAN JUAN.

- OH, YEAH.

- HE TOOK A SELFIE BEFORE, BUT

HE'S THE MAYOR OF SAN JUAN.

OH, YEAH.

HOW ARE YOU?

- WHENEVER WE'RE WITH EACH

OTHER, WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER

LIKE WE'RE GETTING PAID FOR

THIS.

LIKE WE'RE AT THE BASKETBALL

GAME.

WE'RE HANGING OUT, TALKING

[BLEEP] TO PEOPLE.

[BLEEP]

- NATURALLY, FOR DAMIAN, HE

WAS GOING UP AGAINST BAD BUNNY

WHO WAS GOING TO GET BOOED.

BUT HE JUST HE EMBRACED IT, MAN.

[CROWD CHANTS "BAD BUNNY"]

- EVEN SOME PEOPLE WERE LIKE,

HEY, BEAT BAD BUNNY'S ASS,

- BEAT BAD

BUNNY'S ASS.

- THAT'S THE PLAN

MY MAN SAID

BEAT BAD BUNNY'S ASS.

LOVE IT.

LITTLE HOMIE JUST SAID BEAT BAD

BUNNY'S ASS.

[BAD BUNNY'S MUSIC]

- I'LL BE HONEST.

I'VE NEVER FELT A RING RUMBLE.

DURING BAD BUNNY'S ENTRANCE, AS

THE FIRST TIME IN MY CAREER THAT

I FELT THAT

- LET THE GAMES BEGIN.

BAD BUNNY SAID, WE ARE

SUPERHEROES HERE.

- THERE'S TIMES I JUST WATCH THE

VIDEO JUST TO GET AS A

PRE-WORKOUT AGAIN, BECAUSE IT'S

LIKE A PRE-WORKOUT MANIAC.

JUST TO SEE PEOPLE GET THAT

CRAZY.

- IT IS THUNDEROUS HERE.

- BACKLASH WASN'T JUST ABOUT

DAMIAN PRIEST VERSUS BAD BUNNY.

IT WAS MUCH MORE THAN THAT AND

GETTING TO INCLUDE CARLITO.

[CARLITO'S MUSIC]

DID SOMEBODY SAY CARIBBEAN COOL?

CARLITO'S HERE.

- PLUS THE RETURNING SAVIO VEGA

[SAVIO VEGA'S MUSIC]

- SAVIO VEGA

[INDISTINCT]

- EVERY ASPECT OF THAT FELT SO

SPECIAL.

- OH MY GOODNESS.

BAD BUDDY.

WITH THE WIN.

- WHAT WE DID IN THAT COLISEUM,

MAN, THAT WAS IT WAS BIGGER THAN

ANY ONE WIN OR LOSS.

- TONIGHT BELONGS TO SAN JUAN.

- WHAT A CELEBRATION.

- WHAT WE DID CULTURALLY, WE

BASICALLY LET THE WORLD KNOW WE

CAN DO THIS.

- HE WAS THRILLED ABOUT IT

BECAUSE HE KNEW THAT IT WOULD

OPEN THE DOORS FOR HIM AND FOR

EVERYONE IN THE LATIN COMMUNITY.

- YOU ALWAYS THINK BACK.

WHAT WERE ONE OF YOUR PROUDEST

MOMENTS?

I THINK THAT WOULD BE ONE OF

THEM FOR HIM

- ABSOLUTELY.

- HE FOUND THE CORE OF DAMIAN

PRIEST, AND ONCE HE FOUND THAT

AND HE BROUGHT THE CONFIDENCE

ALONG WITH IT, THERE WAS NO

STOPPING HIM.

- A LOT OF TIMES IN WHAT WE DO,

THAT'S REALLY ALL THAT IT IS, IS

MOMENTS, RIGHT.

LIKE THAT REALLY PUT HIM ON THE

MAP.

- THE JUDGMENT DAY HAS ARRIVED.

- IT'S NOT WHAT YOU SAY.

IT'S HOW YOU SAY IT.

IT'S HOW YOU MAKE PEOPLE FEEL.

- WELCOME TO THE JUDGMENT DAY.

- AND IT'S ALL ABOUT THE STORY

THAT YOU'RE TELLING.

- THE MONEY IN THE BANK, THE

BRIEFCASE.

IT COMES HOME WITH ME.

- LIKE THE TIMING IS THERE.

THE MOMENT IS RIGHT.

LIKE HE CAN HANDLE IT.

YOU ARE LOOKING LIVE AT A SOLD

OUT O2 ARENA IN LONDON.

MONEY IN THE BANK.

- BEING AT THIS LADDER MATCH IS

HUGE ENOUGH.

ELEVATES ANY SUPERSTAR IN THE

MONEY IN THE BANK LADDER MATCH,

BECAUSE YOU'RE REALLY CLOSE TO

TAKING THE NEXT STEP.

IF I WIN THIS LADDER MATCH, IF I

WIN THAT CONTRACT, MY CAREER IS

GOING RIGHT TO THE TOP.

- WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY.

GRAB THE BRIEFCASE INSIDE A

CONTRACT.

YOU CAN CASH IN ON ANY WORLD

CHAMPION AT ANY TIME.

- I REMEMBER JUST

SITTING THERE LIKE.

YOU THINK THEY'RE GONNA TRUST

YOU WITH THE BRIEFCASE RIGHT

NOW.

AND HE WAS LIKE, I HOPE SO.

AND I WAS LIKE, I HOPE SO, TOO.

- WHOA.

ON TO THE PRIEST.

ON TO THE LADDER.

- HE'S AFRAID OF

HEIGHTS.

EVERY TIME I SEE HIM ON THE

LADDER, I CAN SEE HIM BEING VERY

CAREFUL.

LIKE.

- AND NO ONE'S GOT EYES ON

GOT THE LONGEST LIMBS

PRIEST.

IN THIS MATCHUP.

- LA KNIGHT DOES.

LA KNIGHT LEAPS TO THE LADDER

AND NOW DELIVERS A BACK SUPLEX.

- NEVER KNOW IF IT'S FOR SURE.

GONNA WORK OUT TO WHERE, BUT WE

KNEW HE WAS GONNA HAVE A CHANCE.

AND THAT'S ALL HE EVER NEEDED.

LA

KNIGHTS GOT TO WAIT A MINUTE,

DAMIAN PRIEST.

OH MY GOD.

- DAMIAN PRIEST IS THE

ONLY ONE UP.

HE'S ABOUT TO CHANGE THE ENTIRE

TRAJECTORY OF HIS CAREER.

[BELL RINGS]

[MUSIC]

- HERE I AM A PERSON WHO ALWAYS

QUESTIONS DO I BELONG HERE?

AM I GOOD ENOUGH?

AND I'M ACHIEVING THIS.

THAT FEELING OF HOLDING THAT

BRIEFCASE, I WAS SOMETHING ELSE.

BUT THEN IT'S ALSO.

WAIT A MINUTE.

I CAN BECOME LIKE A MAJOR

CHAMPION.

- I KNOW HOW MUCH HE WAS LOOKING

FORWARD TO THIS MATCH, AND HOW

MUCH IT'S BEEN ON HIS MIND THE

PAST FEW DAYS SLASH WEEKS.

SO I'M VERY HAPPY FOR HIM.

- I REMEMBER HIM ALWAYS TELLING

ME, DAD, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE

MORE OF ME AND I'M GOING TO BE

ON TOP.

AND I WOULD SAY, I WISH

SO OF COURSE, I WAS SUPER PROUD

OF THAT MOMENT.

- THE FIRST FEW YEARS OF MONEY

IN THE BANK, THAT WAS, HEY, YOU

KNOW, YOU GET MONEY IN THE BANK.

YOU'RE A FUTURE WORLD CHAMPION.

BUT AFTER THE LAST FEW YEARS,

IT'S A VERY POSITIVE SIGN.

THAT WE BELIEVE IN YOU.

BUT ALSO, WE'VE SEEN THE CASH

INS NOT WORK A FEW TIMES, SO I'D

BE VERY NERVOUS.

- I'M CASHING IN.

- CLAYMORE BY MCINTYRE.

- THERE WAS A LOT OF CONFUSION

AND KIND OF MISDIRECTIONS FOR

THE FIRST COUPLE OF MONTHS THAT

HE HAD THE BRIEFCASE.

- WAIT A MINUTE.

[CROSSTALK]

- PRIEST DRIVEN

INTO THE RING POST AND IT'S SAMI

ZAYN.

- DAMIAN'S CASH IN BECAME A MEME

BECAUSE HE HAD TRIED TO CASH IN

SO MANY TIMES IN THAT BRIEFCASE

WAS ABSOLUTELY CURSED, AND IT

WOULD JUST BACKFIRE ON HIM ALL

THE TIME.

- I'M HERE TO HELP MY BROTHER.

- HE HAD AT ONE POINT EXPRESSED

HIS CONCERN TO ME ABOUT, HEY,

WHAT IF THIS DOESN'T WORK?

WHAT IF I BLOW THE CASH IN?

WHAT HAPPENS THEN?

- I WAS AWARE, UM, HOW WHAT

PEOPLE'S OPINION WERE OF ME AND

STILL ARE.

- I DON'T BLAME HIM FOR LETTING

IT GET TO HIM, BECAUSE WE HAD SO

MANY FAILED CASH INS THAT AT

SOME TIMES IT MADE HIM LOOK A

LITTLE SILLY.

- PEOPLE, THEY DON'T KNOW WHERE

IT'S GOING, SO THEY JUST

WHATEVER THEY SEE IN THAT

MOMENT, THEY'RE REACTING TO.

AS A TALENT THAT'S DIFFICULT TO

DEAL WITH.

SO AS A TALENT YOU'RE DAMIAN

PRIEST GOING LIKE, HOLY [BLEEP],

AM I, AM I ARE THEY RIGHT?

DO I LOOK DUMB?

LIKE I WON THIS THING

I THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE A

GREAT THING.

NOW IT'S GOING TO BE NOTHING.

WE'RE LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT

MOMENT TO MAKE THE BIGGEST THING

POSSIBLE FOR HIM.

- HUNTER HIMSELF TOLD ME HE WAS

LIKE, ALL THAT CRAP THAT'S OUT

THERE, HE GOES, SHOVE IT DOWN

THEIR THROATS.

PROVE THEM WRONG.

I SAI OKAY

- THIS IS THE CITY OF

BROTHERLY LOVE.

TONIGHT, PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA, WILL HOST THE

GREATEST SPECTACLE IN

ENTERTAINMENT.

WELCOME TO 40 YEARS OF

WRESTLEMANIA.

- NICK ALWAYS SAYS THAT A BIG

MACRO TRANSACTION LIKE WHEN WE

DO A BIG DEAL, IT'S THE RESULT

OF THOUSANDS OF MICRO

TRANSACTIONS THAT TAKE PLACE

OVER TIME.

LIKE ME WORKING WITH HIM IN NXT,

ME AND WORKING WITH HIM ON THE

MAIN ROSTER, UNDERSTANDING HOW

MUCH HE WANTS THIS, HOW MUCH

HE'S WILLING TO PUT INTO IT, ALL

THOSE THINGS COME TOGETHER TO

MAKE MOMENTS LIKE THAT.

- THIS BUSINESS IS FUNNY, MAN,

AND SO MANY THINGS CAN CHANGE.

THERE WAS A LOT OF CHANGES GOING

INTO WRESTLEMANIA, SO I'M NOT

SURE 1,000% WHAT'S GOING TO

HAPPEN AT WRESTLEMANIA.

- I SAW HIM THE NIGHT BEFORE, SO

I WAS LIKE, WHAT'S GOING DOWN,

BIG GUY?

WHAT'S HAPPENING?

AND HE WAS LIKE, JUST, JUST COME

THROUGH.

WE'LL SEE WHAT'S UP.

- I GOT A PHONE CALL AND THEY

SAID, HEY, I NEED YOU FOR

SOMETHING.

I SAID, WHAT DO YOU NEED ME FOR?

HE SAYS, OH, UH, IT'S NOT IN THE

CREATIVE.

BUT WE NEED YOU.

SO I TEXT DAMIAN AND SAID, DUDE,

ARE YOU GOING TO THE ARENA

ALREADY?

HE SAYS, YEAH, I'M OVER HERE.

I SAID OH

- YOU GOOD?

- I'VE BEEN SAYING THAT I WANT

THE PERFECT OPPORTUNITY TO CASH

IN.

WRESTLEMANIA XL IS ALREADY

SUPPOSED TO BE THE GREATEST

WRESTLEMANIA OF ALL TIME.

DOES IT GET ANY MORE PERFECT?

I HAD MY FIRST MATCH IN FRONT OF

LIKE 20 PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.

I FEEL LIKE IT'S FULL CIRCLE.

IT'S ALL IT STARTED HERE AND IT

FEELS LIKE I'M ABOUT TO HAVE THE

BIGGEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE HERE.

I WAS HIDING IN A WEIGHT ROOM.

I DIDN'T WANT TO HAVE THE SAME

CONVERSATION OVER AND OVER WITH

PEOPLE, WHETHER I'M CASHING IN

OR NOT.

GOT A LOT OF TIME TO KILL TODAY

AND THINKING ABOUT OTHER THINGS.

FIGURED A GOOD WAY TO DISTRACT

MYSELF WITH JUST GETTING A QUICK

WORKOUT IN.

- I REMEMBER STANDING ON THE

FLOOR IN PHILADELPHIA.

YOU COULD FEEL THIS COLLECTIVE

ENERGY.

PEOPLE REALLY HOPED THAT DAMIAN

PRIEST WAS GOING TO CASH IN.

- I WAS NERVOUS

I DON'T WANT ANYTHING TO GO

WRONG WHEN I'M PUTTING ON MY

TIGHTS.

AND OF COURSE, IT RIPPED.

LUCKILY, I HAD A PAIR OF

LEGGINGS THAT I COULD PUT ON

UNDERNEATH SO IT MATCHES BECAUSE

THEY'RE BLACK.

BUT OF COURSE.

- HE LOOKED AT ME AND HE GOES,

KIND OF NERVOUS.

I SAID, WHY DUDE?

I SAID, YOU GOT THIS.

- ARE YOU OKAY?

DO YOU WANT TO TALK?

DO YOU WANT A MINUTE?

YOU WANT SILENCE?

SO THEY WERE THERE TO SUPPORT ME

IN WHATEVER I NEEDED.

AND THEN TELL ME, JUST RELAX.

YOU KNOW, YOU'RE EXACTLY WHERE

YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE.

WALKING UP TO GORILLA.

NOW IT'S WHEN, LIKE, THIS IS

HAPPENING.

OH, MY GOD.

- DOES WE CONTINUE TO COUNT DOWN

TO WRESTLEMANIA.

WE ARE EIGHT MINUTES AWAY FROM

GETTING THIS THING STARTED.

- WE'LL GO TO THE

STADIUM LIKE NORMAL.

SOMEONE LIKE CALLS US OVER TO GO

TO THE FRONT AND I'M NOT

REALIZING WHAT'S HAPPENING YET.

- YOU COULD JUST SEE THEM GOING

LIKE THIS.

AND HE WAS LOOKING DOWN IN HIS

BRIEFCASE, SO I KNEW HE WAS

READY.

- LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, WHAT A

SURPRISE TO KICK OFF

WRESTLEMANIA.

- WE HAVE A WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH GOING DOWN

RIGHT NOW.

- ALL OF JUDGMENT DAY.

WE WERE ALL IN GORILLA, AND WE

WERE LIKE, WAITING.

JUST WAITING FOR HIM AND HIS

MUSIC TO HIT.

MCINTYRE HAS WON THE WORLD

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP.

- ROLLINS WAS ABLE TO SURVIVE,

BUT ULTIMATELY.

MCINTYRE CLAIMS THE GOLD.

- CM PUNK STARTS

DOING THE THING WITH

DREW.

- GET A SHOT.

I WANT THIS FRAMED ON MY WALL.

- I'M LIKE, WAIT A SECOND.

WHAT'S HAPPENING RIGHT NOW?

- THERE'S SUCH BAD BLOOD BETWEEN

THESE TWO MEN PUNKS ON THE

INJURED LIST BECAUSE OF

MCINTYRE, AND HE HASN'T

FORGOTTEN IT.

[YELLING]

HE'S COMING.

SEÑOR MONEY IN THE BANK.

DAMIAN PRIEST IS HERE.

- LET'S [BLEEP] GO.

COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.

DAMIAN

PRIEST RUNNING TO THE RING.

AND HE BOUNCES THE BRIEFCASE OFF

MCINTYRE'S FACE.

- I'M CASHING IN RIGHT NOW.

- AND HE'S CASHIG IN RIGHT NOW.

PRIEST IS CASHING IN

[BELL RINGS]

[CROWD CHEERS]

[BELL RINGS]

- HERE IS YOUR WINNER AND NEW

WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION,

DAMIAN PRIEST.

[YELLING]

- IT WAS ONE OF THOSE

EXPERIENCES THAT I CAN SEE

MYSELF DOING EVERYTHING.

SOUTH OF HEAVEN CHOKESLAM.

- ONE TWO, THREE.

EDDIE HOLDING MY HAND UP.

IT'S WILD.

- TO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR

EVERYTHING.

IT'S JUST VERY SPECIAL.

KNOWING HIS PAST TO THE MOMENT

WHERE HE BECAME CHAMPION.

AND I WAS THERE NEXT TO HIM.

DAMIAN PRIEST CASHED IN ONLY THE

SECOND TIME IN WRESTLEMANIA

HISTORY.

- US BEING THAT EXCITED WAS A

GENUINE BLOODY REACTION.

WE WERE SO HAPPY FOR HIM.

- AND THE JUDGMENT DAY

CELEBRATING.

- I THINK I GET MORE EMOTIONAL

FOR OTHER PEOPLE'S SUCCESS THAN

FOR MY OWN.

INSTANTLY YOU KNOW HOW MUCH IT

MEANS TO THEM AND THAT JUST

BRINGS ME SO MUCH JOY.

- WE WERE ALL TEARING UP.

IT JUST SHOWS HOW MUCH OF A

FAMILY WE REALLY, WE REALLY ARE.

- TONIGHT WAS

THE MOMENT

DAMIAN PRIEST IS THE WORLD

HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION.

[CLAPPING]

- WE ALL CAME BACK INTO GORILLA,

AND IT WAS AT THAT POINT WHERE,

LIKE, DAMIAN WAS JUST MOBBED BY

EVERYBODY.

- CONGRATULATIONS AGAIN, AND

WELCOME TO THE CLUB.

CONGRATULATIONS.

- THAT MEANS MORE THAN I THINK

ANY OF THEM REALIZED.

- TO CASH IN AT WRESTLEMANIA.

I MEAN, AH, COULDN'T HAVE

HAPPENED IN A BETTER SPOT.

- HE DID IT.

HE DID IT.

HE WENT ALL IN.

AND HE FOUGHT HARD.

AND TRUST ME, THERE WERE TIMES

THERE THAT I KNOW HE WANTED TO

GIVE UP, BUT HE

DIDN'T.

AND I'M SO PROUD OF HIM FOR.

SORRY.

- BOY.

I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT HE'S

ACTUALLY DOING WHAT HE TOLD ME

SINCE HE WAS A CHILD.

NOW, I SAID YEAH.

HIS DREAM HAS COME TRUE.

- SORRY TO INTERRUPT.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

CONGRATULATIONS, BROTHER.

CONGRATULATIONS.

THANK YOU.

AWESOME.

AWESOME JOB.

- THAT'S COOL.

THAT'S THE THING.

- WHEN WOULD IN MY WILDEST DREAM

EVER BELIEVE THAT MY SON WAS

GOING TO BE MINGLING WITH THESE

PEOPLE?

WELL, YOU KNOW.

YEAH, HE'S A BIG SUPERSTAR, BUT

HE'S STILL MY SON.

- YOUR MOMENT, RIGHT?

CONGRATULATIONS

- THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THIS IS MY FAMILY.

MY FATHER AND MY BROTHERS.

- HOW ARE YOU GUYS DOING?

HOW ARE YOU, SIR?

A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU.

- LIKEWISE.

- GOT GOOD BOY HERE.

- YES I DO.

- HOW'S IT GOING?

- WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE TYPE OF

PEOPLE BELIEVING IN YOU AND

HAPPY FOR YOU, LEGITIMATELY, IT

MAKES EVERYTHING FEEL MORE WORTH

IT.

- THAT'S A BIG MOMENT IN HIS

CAREER.

AND, YOU KNOW, THOSE KIND OF

THINGS COMING FROM THE RIGHT

PEOPLE SOMETIMES ARE JUST WHAT A

TALENT NEEDS TO REACH THAT NEXT

LEVEL.

- THE ROAD TO THAT TITLE IS

FILLED WITH A LOT OF POTHOLES

AND DETOURS, AND HE NAVIGATED

THAT PATH LIKE A PRO.

HE HAS COMPLETELY TAKEN HIS LIFE

FROM THE STREETS TO WINNING A

TITLE AT WRESTLEMANIA.

- PRIEST CARES.

HE'S ONE OF THE FIRST GUYS.

WHEN HE COMES BACK FROM THE

RING, HE WALKS OVER AND

HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT HE DID,

RIGHT?

WANTS TO KNOW WHAT HE DID WRONG.

AND HE'S GENUINELY INTERESTED.

AND TO ME, WHEN SOMEBODY IS LIKE

THAT, THEN THAT'S THE KIND OF

GUY I WANT TO DO BUSINESS WITH.

THAT'S THE KIND OF GUY I WANT TO

GET BEHIND, AND I WANT TO TRUST.

- VERY FEW PEOPLE WE

KNOW THAT HAVE REACHED THEIR

ACTUAL DREAMS.

HE JUST HAD TO KEEP PUSHING, AND

THAT'S SOMETHING HE KNEW SINCE

HE WAS YOUNGER.

- AS A PARENT, TO SEE YOUR CHILD

DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS IS

AMAZING.

I'M JUST SO PROUD BECAUSE MY SON

IS LIVING HIS DREAM.

- DAMIAN PRIEST

CASHED IN AND WON

THE WORLD HEAVYWEIGHT

CHAMPIONSHIP.

- IT'S BEEN A CRAZY RIDE.

WOULD I CHANGE ANYTHING?

I DON'T THINK SO.

BECAUSE I DON'T THINK I'D BE THE

PERSON I AM TODAY.

BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF COOL

THINGS THAT WILL HAPPEN ALONG

THE WAY.

YOU WON'T REGRET A DAMN THING.

[MSUIC]

- JUST CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S REAL.

IT'S BADASS.

AND I THINK ABOUT EVERYTHING.

THE JOURNEY.

ALL OF IT.

IT'S PROUD.

EVERYTHING THAT HAD TO HAPPEN TO

GET HERE WOULDN'T CHANGE

ANYTHING.

REALLY BADLY WANTED THIS, BUT A

PART OF ME WASN'T SURE IF IT WAS

EVER GOING TO HAPPEN.

SEEING THIS PICTURE UP WITH THE

BEST IN THE BIZ RIGHT NOW.