Damian Priest Quietly Battled Injuries During Drew McIntyre Feud

While all eyes were on Drew McIntyre’s brutal exit from WWE TV after his steel cage loss to Damian Priest, the real story might be what fans didn’t see—Priest fighting through legit injuries to keep the feud alive.

According to Fightful Select, Damian Priest was “working banged up during a lot of the feud with McIntyre,” and insiders say he sustained additional injuries along the way. Despite the physical toll, Priest pushed through without missing a beat—because he had SummerSlam circled on his calendar.

WWE sources say Priest wanted to make it to SummerSlam no matter what. As one person put it, working through that stretch was key to him because it’s considered a “home game” for the World Heavyweight Champion. That’s not just symbolic—there are serious plans for Priest as WWE builds toward its marquee summer show.

“Several WWE sources spoke well of Priest doing that,” the report added, referring to his grit throughout the McIntyre program. His resilience didn’t go unnoticed, and internally, there’s respect for how he handled the situation without needing time off.

While creative originally had him in the King of the Ring tournament—where he lost to Cody Rhodes—those plans were never the endgame. Sources close to the situation confirmed Priest is being “figured into the creative for [SummerSlam] significantly as to appropriately feature him.”

Injuries often derail pushes in WWE, but Priest’s approach is the opposite—he’s wrestling hurt, staying consistent, and locking down a top spot in the main event scene.

So while Drew McIntyre’s absence drew headlines, it’s Damian Priest’s quiet grind that may define the summer.