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Damian Priest Recalls His First Two WWE Tryouts, Recognizing He Wasn’t Ready At the Time
– On the latest X-Pac 12360, Damian Priest recalled his first two WWE tryouts where he didn’t get signed and how he recognizes that he wasn’t ready at the time. Priest noted that he tried out for FCW in 2010 and then had a second tryout at the Performance Center before signing a contract with WWE in October of 2018, and that everything about him was more prepared by the time he finally signed on board.
You can see some highlights below, along with the full video:
On his previous WWE tryout: “[It was] at a different time than [Matt] Riddle, but yes. I did have a tryout at the PC. It was one of those situations where it was like, ‘Yeah, you impressed everybody, good. Just not right now. There’s nothing for you right now.’ And at the time, you know, the business has in a small amount of years, the business changed so much. Where at the time, I wasn’t what they were looking for.”
On if he thinks he wasn’t ready at that time: “It was different. Like, I’m a different person today than I even was then. And five, six years ago doesn’t seem like a lifetime ago, it really is something to a person individually. To me, I’m completely different than I was then. I think my work is better, I look better. I have a better mental awareness and preparation. I’m better prepared now for, at least this company, than I was then. So there is, yes. I will say that that was some of it. And you know, of course when it first happens, you’re upset and you know, ‘I guess I’m ready.’ But time happens and you’re able to look back and think and ah, maybe I wasn’t.”
On his original FCW tryout in 2010: “My first tryout with the company was in 2010 I believe? It was at FCW. It was when you had to pay to try out … and I remember then being upset that I didn’t get hired. Looking back, if I wasn’t ready five years ago, you know, nine [or] ten years ago, I definitely was not ready. Not even close. I wasn’t even in like — I was in a shape, it was round, you know. But I didn’t know the inside of a gym at all. You know, I looked horrible, I was sloppy in the ring. But to me, I thought I was ready. So looking back now, I can be honest with myself and know that, although it took me a very long time to get here, I’m the most prepared I could be as far as in comparison to my entire career.”
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit X-Pac 12360 with a h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.
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