Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley Planned For Main Roster, Note On Original Plans For Priest

UPDATE: PWInsider reports that both Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley are planned for main roster call-ups, which is why the two lost on last night’s NXT New Year’s Evil. Ripley lost to Raquel Gonzalez in a Last Woman Standing match. The losses were “devised with the idea” that it would be the end of their runs in NXT. It was noted that this could change based on the “whims of Vince McMahon.”

Original: It was reported yesterday that Damian Priest was rumored for a call up to Smackdown, possibly for the main event angle between Kevin Owens, Jey Uso and Roman Reigns. The move was nixed and Priest wrestled at NXT New Year’s Evil in a loss to Karrion Kross.

In the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed the reports from yesterday and gave some more details. According to Meltzer, someone in WWE decided that Smackdown needed more babyface stars, and Priest’s name came up.

So the idea would have been that Priest was Kevin Owens’ best friend to help him against Uso and Reigns. The plan was also to have a tag match between the four on last Friday’s episode. Priest was said to be at Smackdown and ready, but Owens told people that it ‘made no sense’ for Priest to be his best friend. Owens reportedly noted the two didn’t have anything in common and said that he could do it, but wanted a reason why. Reigns agreed and because of that, it was pulled.

The report added that Priest is still headed to the main roster, and the last Meltzer heard was that it would be RAW later this month.