The conversation around celebrities appearing in WWE and potentially displacing full-time talent is a frequent point of debate among fans. With recent high-profile examples ranging from successful integrations to fizzled-out partnerships, top company star Damian Priest has now offered his perspective on the matter.
Speaking to Busted Open Radio, Priest admitted that before joining WWE, his viewpoint aligned with many fans who were critical of non-wrestlers being featured. However, his opinion has evolved since being inside the company, noting a significant difference in the level of commitment shown by modern celebrities compared to those in the past.
“Before I was in WWE, like most fans, I was like, ‘They’re taking away time from the Superstars, they’re taking away spots, we don’t wanna see that, we want wrestlers.’ But now on the other side, first of all, it’s a little different with celebrities now from back then. Celebrities now, they’re not coming in just to promote a song or an album or a movie – they’re actually putting in the time.”
Priest’s comments are particularly timely, as WWE recently shifted its plans for SummerSlam by removing rapper Travis Scott due to a reported lack of commitment and replacing him with musician Jelly Roll. He highlighted the dedication shown by stars like Jelly Roll and Bad Bunny as a key factor in earning respect and creating value.
“Jelly Roll’s doing exactly what Bad Bunny did. He moved to Florida to be at the PC full-time, because he’s taking this seriously. So it’s a little different when somebody takes it a little extra serious. But on our side, it’s kinda like, you start realizing and appreciating what Bunny, Jelly Roll and guys like that – when they’re on a show and advertised, the extra eyeballs that get to see me. I’m not even in that match but I’m gonna get extra eyeballs on me, and I’m creating a new fan. Maybe that person will now in turn like me because of what they saw, and I’ll have another follower. A follower for the business or a follower for personal gain. You can’t lose. It’s good for everyone.”
Priest directly challenged the notion of celebrities “taking up spots,” arguing that the responsibility lies with the rostered talent to maintain their positions on television. He framed it as a matter of individual accountability rather than a zero-sum game.
“I don’t believe in ‘taking up spots’. We’re all in control of our own situation within the company – obviously within reason. And to me it’s like, we’re there, we got the job, and it’s on us to maintain staying on TV or whatever. So I don’t believe in the ‘taking up a spot’ – I believe in, you did something in your life to deserve this moment right now. That’s how you got here is because of whatever you did in your life. So everybody’s journey is different and whatever reasoning, so I don’t play into that. But I definitely appreciate what it brings to our business now.”