Damian Priest Talks Working In The Ring With The Undertaker

Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated recently spoke with new NXT North American Champion Damian Priest where he discussed his big victory at NXT "TakeOver: XXX". Priest revealed he spoke with WWE Hall of Famer Edge prior to the match since it was his first-ever ladder match.

"This was my first-ever ladder match, so I made sure I did my homework," Priest noted. "A big part of that was reaching out to people who have been in ladder matches, and I spoke with Edge for an hour about it. For me, the main thing I took out of our conversation was that the match was not going to play out the way I thought it would.

"And he was right, because that's exactly what happened. Very little happened the way I thought it would, but I was able to adapt. And he told me to stay in the moment, and that stuck with me, too."

Priest also talked about his maturity that has helped him become a star in NXT. He said that he goes to the Performance Center and offers help whenever he can.

"It's humbling," Priest stated. "They see something in me that other companies didn't, but that also has to do with my maturity. I've changed the way I live my life. The manner I carry myself and treat others, they notice these things.

"I still go to the PC and try to help whoever I can, and I'm not just here for a paycheck and a shot at being a star. Yes, I do want those things, but I want more. I love this business, and I can't go a day without it being a part of my life."

Another WWE legend that Priest met with was The Undertaker. He revealed that he met The Undertaker at the Performance Center and talked about what he learned from him.

"This isn't on the Network or part of his documentary, but he came back to the Performance Center again and I got to work out in the ring with him, and I learned so much," Priest revealed. "Ring positioning, look, awareness, being overly aware of your surroundings, he makes it all look easy. It might sound simple, but he has this gift of making sure everything he does means something. I really gained a lot from him."

Now Priest will be facing new challengers for his North American Title. He talked about the new challenges for himself and the history he hopes to make on NXT.

"The first step was creating something that can live on, like the ladder match, and now I need to continuously build off that," said Priest. "The best talent in the world is here, and I am looking forward to making history and solidifying myself as one of the greats."