Damian Priest reveals why he left WWE RAW

WWE Superstar Damian Priest officially moved to SmackDown last night. Following the Friday Night Show, the former World Heavyweight Champion revealed why he left Monday Night RAW.

The Street King was a part of the red brand's roster for nearly four years. He defeated Finn Balor in his final match on RAW, in a Street Fight on January 13, 2025. Last night, in a backstage segment, Nick Aldis introduced Damian Priest as the newest SmackDown signee and Carmelo Hayes' opponent.

The former Judgment Day member picked up a huge win over Hayes in a one-on-one match. During a backstage interview with Byron Saxton, Damian Priest explained his decision to move from RAW to the blue brand. The 42-year-old star stated that after nearly four successful years on the red brand, where he achieved numerous accolades, he was ready for a fresh start on SmackDown.

"It's a big one, man. Four years in WWE, all Monday Night RAW, and I feel like, this is the right time to move. I accomplished everything that I wanted to accomplish on Monday Night RAW. World Champion, United States Champion, [and] multiple-time tag team champion. Now, it's time for something new, a new challenge, new rivals, and I am here on SmackDown, ready to take them all on," Priest said. [From 00:24 to 00:44]

You can watch the interview below:

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Wrestling veteran bashes WWE fans after Damian Priest and top star's move to SmackDown

Along with Damian Priest, two-time Grand Slam Champion The Miz also switched brands from RAW to SmackDown last night. Later, wrestling veteran Vince Russo commented on the situation.

In the latest episode of BroDown Live with Mac Davis, Russo criticized fans for their excitement surrounding the annual Draft, despite the frequent roster shuffling. The veteran argued that the wrestling world falls for the same trick every year, tuning in to see which WWE Superstars are assigned to which brands, only to see the rosters eventually become fluid.

"They know they pop a cheat number with the Draft. So there's gonna be the Draft. There's no doubt about that. These idiots will tune in for the Draft thinking like, 'Oh my God! This guy is on this show; this guy is on that show.' Meanwhile, three weeks later, everybody's on every show. They know they do a number with the Draft. The Draft will definitely continue," Russo said.

Meanwhile, The Archer of Infamy was welcomed to SmackDown by Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes last night. It will be interesting to see if Damian Priest challenges The American Nightmare for the title in the coming weeks.

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Please credit WWE and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.