Freddie Prinze Jr. Praises Damian Priest’s Storytelling at Survivor Series, But Questions Booking Decision

Former WWE writer impressed with Priest’s performance despite another loss to GUNTHER.

While Damian Priest failed to capture the World Heavyweight Championship from GUNTHER at Survivor Series this past weekend, his performance didn’t go unnoticed. Former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. took to his podcast, “Wrestling with Freddie,” to sing the praises of “The Punisher” for his in-ring storytelling.

Prinze Jr. was particularly impressed with Priest’s selling of a shoulder injury throughout the match, highlighting how it elevated the contest beyond just a series of moves.

“Damian Priest is freaking awesome and I won’t just leave it at that,”

-Freddie Prize via “Wrestling with Freddie”

He even compared Priest’s selling ability to WWE legend Shawn Michaels, known for his masterful storytelling through physicality.

“Damian Priest’s story was the shoulder and the way he sold this shoulder pain and the way Gunther stayed on it and attacked it. This is where we get into next level wrestling, where it’s not just moves in a match, but it’s a real story and you can follow it.”

-Freddie Prize via “Wrestling with Freddie”

However, Prinze Jr. expressed frustration with the finish, which saw Finn Balor interfere and cost Priest the match. This marked the second time Balor has thwarted Priest’s title aspirations against GUNTHER, a callback to their previous storyline in The Judgment Day.

While acknowledging the history between the two, Prinze Jr. felt the continued interference was unnecessary and that the Judgment Day storyline had run its course. He believed Priest’s performance was strong enough to make the audience believe he could win without relying on outside interference.

Despite the booking decision, Prinze Jr.’s praise highlights Priest’s growth as a performer and his ability to connect with the audience through compelling in-ring storytelling.

h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription

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