Damian Priest Working Reduced WWE Schedule Due To Injuries – Damian Priest has revealed that WWE is intentionally limiting his in-ring workload as he deals with several ongoing injuries. The former World Heavyweight Champion shared the update during an appearance at Prince St. Pizza, explaining that the decision to slow things down was made by WWE management rather than at his own request.
Priest made it clear that taking time off has never been part of his mindset. Since arriving in WWE, he has prided himself on being available and pushing through physical issues without asking for rest.
“It’s unfortunate, and I don’t like to bring it up too much, and I don’t take breaks,” Priest said. “Since I’ve been in WWE, I’ve literally taken zero days off. I’ve never asked for time off because I’ve been hurting. The company now, this year, decided like, ‘Let’s take it easy on him,’ because I’ve been going hard for a while.”
Priest went on to detail the toll that schedule has taken on his body. He disclosed that he has suffered multiple shoulder injuries over the past year and a half, along with ongoing knee and back problems. Despite the wear and tear, Priest emphasized that he prefers rehabilitation and pain management over surgery or extended absences.
“Tore my shoulders a couple of times within the last year and a half,” Priest said. “My knees are banged up. My back is ooph. I need a lot of work done, but I choose to not, because if I don’t have to, I won’t.”
He added that WWE ultimately stepped in to protect his long-term future with the company, even if it has been difficult for him personally to slow down.
“They’ve been forcing me to take it easy, put it that way,” Priest said. “Not the easiest thing to do when you want to just go out there and perform because you love what you do.”
The reduced workload is evident in his match count. Priest has wrestled just 24 matches in 2025, with only nine occurring in the second half of the year. That number is a sharp decline from 76 matches in 2024 and 100 matches in 2023.
Priest opened 2025 with a Street Fight win over Finn Balor, followed by a program with Drew McIntyre that concluded on the May 24 episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event. Since the summer, he has been involved in a feud with Aleister Black and recently reunited with Rhea Ripley as the Terror Twins to defeat Black and Zelina Vega on the December 12 episode of SmackDown.
Despite the current limitations, Priest’s future with WWE remains secure. He signed a new contract in early 2024, ensuring he will remain with the company for the foreseeable future.
Damian Priest Working Reduced WWE Schedule Due To Injuries
WA on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/wrestlingattitude/
WA on Facebook (Women's Wrestling) - https://www.facebook.com/WrestlingDivas/
WA on X/Twitter - https://x.com/wa_wrestling
WA on Instagram (Women's Wrestling) - https://www.instagram.com/wa_wrestlingattitude/
WA on Google News - https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMJf3owsw2oG8Aw
WA on Bluesky - https://bsky.app/profile/wrestlingattitude.bsky.social
