Wrestling / Damian Priest

The Archer of Infamy.
Señor Money in the Bank.
El Campeón.

"All rise for the rockstar.
All rise for the outlaw.
All rise for the punishment.
All rise...for the bad guy."

Luis Martínez (born September 26, 1982) is a Puerto Rican-American professional wrestler, currently wrestling for WWE on its Raw brand under the ring name Damian Priest. He previously competed in Ring of Honor from 2015 to 2018 under the name Punishment Martinez. In WWE, Priest is a one-time and current World Heavyweight Champion. He is also a former NXT North American Champion, former United States Champion, and former two-time Raw Tag Team Champion and SmackDown Tag Team Champion (with Finn Bálor) ^note Priest and Bálor held both titles simultaneously when they were collectively known as the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship. In ROH, he is a former ROH World Television Champion.

Although born in New York City, Martínez grew up in Puerto Rico. Having watched the World Wrestling Council, he became fascinated with professional wrestling. After becoming of age, he began training in at the Monster Factory and won several championships at the facility's wrestling promotion. In 2015, Martinez signed with Ring of Honor, where he would win the ROH World Television Championship. During this time, he also appeared in New Japan Pro-Wrestling due to their working relationship with ROH.

After his contract with ROH expired in 2018, Martinez signed with WWE and the following year, began appearing on its developmental brand, NXT under the name Damian Priest, where he adopted a hedonistic rockstar-type character called "The Archer of Infamy." During his tenure on the black-and-gold brand, he won the NXT North American Championship. In early 2021, Priest was called up to the main roster and teamed with Bad Bunny at WrestleMania 37 to defeat The Miz and John Morrison in a tag team match. Later that year, he defeated Sheamus to become United States Champion. After losing the title in February 2022, Priest turned heel and at WrestleMania 38, helped Edge defeat AJ Styles and the two formed The Judgment Day, later joined by Rhea Ripley, Finn Bálor, Dominik Mysterio and (much further down the line), JD McDonagh, though Edge was expelled following Bálor's recruitment. In 2023, Priest won the Money in the Bank briefcase and later that year, became a two-time Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion with Finn Bálor. Although they would lose the tag team titles during Night 1 of WrestleMania 40, Priest would cash in his briefcase on Night 2 and defeat Drew McIntyre to become World Heavyweight Champion.

The Tropes of Infamy

• Arch-Enemy:
  • Finn Bálor in NXT after Priest was revealed to be the mystery assailant who attacked Bálor. The two squared off at NXT TakeOver: In Your House 2020, which Priest lost.
  • He briefly feuded with Austin Theory after he was attacked by a masked assailant (later revealed to be Theory) costed Priest his NXT North American Championship at NXT Halloween Havoc 2020. The assailant along with his gang later interfered during a triple threat match between Priest, Johnny Gargano, and champion Leon Ruff at NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2020, which costed Priest the match.
  • Upon being called up to the main roster, he immediately began feuding with The Miz and John Morrison and teamed with Bad Bunny against them at WrestleMania 37. He would cap off his feud with them by beating Miz in a Zombie Lumberjack match at WrestleMania Backlash 2021.
  • Bad Bunny in 2023 after he aligned himself with Rey Mysterio's LWO faction. The two fought each other in a street fight at Backlash 2023, which Priest lost.
• Arrogant Kung-Fu Guy: He's become more arrogant after becoming the World Heavyweight Champion.
• Baritone of Strength: He has a deep booming voice and he's very intimidating and powerful in the ring. As a heel, this overlaps with Evil Sounds Deep.
• Berserk Button: During his split personality gimmick in late 2021, disrespecting him was a big no-no, as T-Bar learned the hard way after he threw a chair at Priest outside the ring. Priest responded by beating him senseless after the match.
• Big Applesauce: From New York City, but also lived in Puerto Rico. Vignettes of him living the high life are implied to be from here.
• Big Guy, Little Guy: The Big Guy to rapper and fellow Puerto Rican Bad Bunny.
• Book Ends: He began his face run in June 2020 by showing respect to Finn Bálor after losing to him. How did it end in February 2022? By attacking Bálor after losing to him.
• The Casanova: Often seen in the company of beautiful women. Also more likely than most to flirt with one of the female backstage interviewers during his promos. He's even outright invited them to his hot tub parties once or twice.
• Dark Is Not Evil: After his Heel–Face Turn, Priest is shown to be in a better light despite changing almost nothing about his character.
• Dark Reprise: His theme after joining The Judgment Day, "Punishment," is a slower, more ominous version of his original theme, "Infamy," complete with a choir.
• "Do It Yourself" Theme Tune: Performed vocals on his entrance theme, "Rise for the Night," which debuted the night after WrestleMania 40.
• The Dragon: Served as Edge's right-hand man during the first run of The Judgement Day.
• Early-Bird Cameo: Prior to signing with WWE in 2018, Priest appeared as a security guard at Money in the Bank 2014, standing behind Stephanie McMahon as she confronted The Bella Twins.
• Early-Installment Weirdness: His early run in WWE had him a play a dark, menacing character that wasn't too different from the Punishment Martinez character he played in ROH. He wouldn't develop the Archer of Infamy persona until a few months later.
• Evil Versus Evil:
  • Due to previous interactions, he and fellow heel Killian Dain do not get along, to put it mildly.
  • There's also the strange three-way feud with Finn Bálor and Cameron Grimes whilst all of them were heels, resulting in Priest and Bálor both turning face in the end.
• Expy: His gimmick bears a strong resemblance to the one Baron Corbin was using during his NXT run.
• Face–Heel Turn: After Priest lost the United States Championship to Finn Bálor on the 2/28/22 episode of Raw, Priest snapped and attacked Bálor, thus turning heel and later joining The Judgment Day.
• Fame Through Infamy: His whole gimmick as "The Archer of Infamy."
• Finishing Move:
  • In ROH, he used a sit-out chokeslam called "South of Heaven." It was initially demoted to a Signature Move in WWE, but became a finisher again after Cody Rhodes returned.
  • During his first few years in WWE, he used a rolling cutter he's dubbed "The Reckoning." Upon his main roster debut, it was renamed to "Hit The Lights" in order to prevent confusion with the wrestler known as "Reckoning." Once Reckoning dropped said moniker, Hit The Lights became The Reckoning again.
  • Following the death of Scott Hall, he's used his finisher, the Razor's Edge (a kneeling crucifix powerbomb) as tribute.
• Formerly Fat: Was at one point about 100 pounds heavier than he is currently, and lost the weight on the advice of Gerald Brisco, who told him his look might hold his career back.
• Heel–Face Turn: After losing to Finn Bálor at NXT TakeOver: In Your House 2020, Priest congratulated him in a backstage segment on the following episode of NXT, turning face in the process.
• Hoist by His Own Petard: Cheaply won a match against Pete Dunne by kicking him in the balls while the ref was preoccupied with ducking out of the way from ending up a little too close to the action. The next time they fought and Priest found himself with a similar opportunity, he tried to repeat the trick, only for Dunne to block it and punt Priest below the belt as hard as humanly possible. Fingore ensued.
• Insistent Terminology: After winning the Money in the Bank briefcase in July 2023, he insisted on being called Señor Money in the Bank.
• Large and in Charge: At 6'5", he's very tall, very powerful and intimidating in the ring, and became the World Heavyweight Champion in 2024.
• Lightning Bruiser: Strong enough to do the Razor's Edge (crucifix powerbomb) on many competitors. He's also deceptively quick and is capable of flying over the top rope with ease if the situation calls for it.
• Paying Evil Unto Evil: Damian Priest cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania XL, right after he won the World Heavyweight Championship he coveted for so long. While an undeniably scummy move in most contexts, Drew's constant picking on CM Punk for his injuries that sidelined him from competing at the event, and smug attitude throughout it all hardly warrants him any sympathy when his moment is ripped away at the height of his triumph.
• Pet the Dog: Despite his contempt for JD McDonagh since he started associated himself with The Judgment Day, Priest was the one who welcomed him into the group on the 11/13/23 episode of Raw after McDonagh took a spear from Jey Uso in place of Priest. He also congratulated JD on the 2/12/24 episode after he got a victory against R-Truth.
• Power Stable: The Judgment Day with Edge and Rhea Ripley in the first run. Finn Bálor joined The Judgment Day after Hell in a Cell, but both Priest and Ripley betrayed Edge with the two on Balor's side. At Clash at the Castle 2022, Dominik betrayed his father Rey Mysterio and Edge, later joining The Judgment Day on Raw the night after.
• Real Men Wear Pink: He's a baker outside the ring, and particularly loves to bake a cookies and cream cheesecake.
• Red Baron:
  • "The Archer of Infamy."
  • "Señor Money in the Bank" after winning the briefcase.
  • After winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40, he began calling himself "El Campeón."
• Red Oni, Blue Oni: His two distinct personas during his Split Personality gimmick. "The Priest" (Blue) was calm and composed, not unlike his previous character, whereas "The Damian" (Red) was fierce and aggressive.
• ShoutOut: Scott Hall was one of his heroes growing up, and he had already borrowed a couple of his well-known wrestling moves. After Hall passed away in 2022, Priest adopted several more of his mannerisms as a direct tribute. Furthermore, during his entrance theme, "Rise for the Night" when he says "All rise...for the bad guy," he imitates Razor Ramon's Cuban accent when he says "for the bad guy."
• Signature Move: A release Falcon Arrow he calls "Broken Arrow".
• Sinister Shades: Mostly wore them in his entrance.
• Split Personality: Debuted one in late 2021, where he unleashed a fiercer, more aggressive side when provoked or disrespected. This was even reflected in his titantron video, which displayed a silhouette of himself, with one-half in a demonic red (representing his aggressive side), the other half in an angelic gold (representing his calm and composed side). The gimmick was retired in April 2022 after forming The Judgment Day with Edge.
• Sweet Tooth: As revealed in his appearance on Sheamus' YouTube channel, Celtic Warrior Workouts, Priest enjoys cookies and cream desserts.
• Took a Level in Badass: In the span of three years since his main roster debut, Priest went from a floating upper midcarder to winning Money in the Bank briefcase holder...and then cashed in that briefcase to become a world champion.
• We Used to Be Friends: With Bad Bunny. Priest made his main roster debut as a friend of Bad Bunny during their feud with The Miz and John Morrison and the two teamed together at WrestleMania 37. By the time they crossed paths again in 2023, Priest had turned heel and joined The Judgment Day while Bad Bunny hooked up with Rey Mysterio's faction, the Latino World Order, with which The Judgment Day were feuding with at the time.
• Wearing a Flag on Your Head: He has incorporated the flag of Puerto Rico into his ring gear.