WWE has made an added effort to retain its main event stars this year. Going into 2024, top talent like Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Drew McIntyre, and Damian Priest all had their contracts set to expire in and around WWE WrestleMania 40 season. All four men have since signed new deals. The past month alone saw Rollins, Balor, and McIntyre all ink renewals for big money while Priest’s fresh contract was made public on the WWE Monday Night Raw after WWE WrestleMania 40. Priest was someone WWE was especially keen on keeping considering he had been directly connected to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship for the duration of his time as Mr. Money in the Bank.
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Damian Priest’s Last-Minute WWE Contract Extension
WWE nearly had its first instance of a Mr. Money in the Bank becoming a free agent.
As reported by Fightful Select, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest officially signed his new WWE contract “a few months ago,” as his prior deal was set to expire in February. The report noted that Priest was “just a few days away” from becoming a free agent, but ultimately re-signed with WWE before that could happen.
Priest is currently a centerpiece of WWE Monday Night Raw as the brand’s world champion. He remains intertwined with The Judgment Day, effectively serving as the group’s leader while Rhea Ripley is out with injury. Priest has quietly been turning babyface, as he berated his stablemates during WWE Backlash for interfering in his title defense against Jey Uso, making it known that he wants to achieve his victories without outside help.
It’s unclear as to if Priest will defend the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WWE King and Queen of the Ring later this month. This past Monday on WWE Monday Night Raw, Priest promised a title shot to Drew McIntyre as soon as McIntyre is medically cleared for competition. That bout will likely go down at WWE Clash at the Castle, as that returning premium live event is set to emanate from McIntyre’s home country of Scotland.
Priest’s reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion is still in its infancy. He had only captured the title this past April at WWE WrestleMania 40, cashing in on McIntyre minutes after the Scottish Warrior defeated Seth Rollins to win the championship. Priest’s win makes him a triple crown champion within WWE, as he had prior reigns with the WWE United States and WWE Tag Team Championships.
