Why should Damian Priest retain his World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam?

Damian Priest will be defending the World Championship against Gunther at SummerSlam.

Why should Damian Priest retain his World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam?

Damian Priest (via WWE)

SummerSlam is just around the corner, and the world title match is all set to steal the show. It is going to feature Damian Priest defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Gunther. The match is getting a lot of buzz in the WWE Universe, and the build towards it has been nothing short of intense. With that being said, the Punisher is heading into the match as a top star, and there are chances he might even retain the title.

Damian Priest has been working as the face of Monday Night Raw. He won the world title at WrestleMania and has been a defending champion ever since. The reason he needs to win at SummerSlam is the build towards his ongoing feud with Gunther. The storyline has been a battle of classes, and The Judgement Day member is being portrayed as an underdog.

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Therefore, WWE might play the story of the underdog overcoming the odds in Priest’s favor and retaining the title. Additionally, WWE might solidify a top star out of him, and a win over a wrestler like Gunther would work tremendously for him in the long term. So far, his reign has exceeded a lot of fans’ expectations, as he has defeated stars like Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, and even Jey Uso.

A win at an event like SummerSlam can be key to creating a main event-caliber star. The Ring General has tried to get under the skin of the Punisher for so long. Therefore, a win might provide closure to this feud and might cement the legacy of Priest as a babyface.

Damian Priest broke his silence over the controversial botch at Money in the Bank

Damian Priest had an amazing match against Seth Rollins at Money in the Bank. He had a great showing as a champion and even walked out victorious. However, one controversial aspect of the battle was the botched pinfall.

Damian Priest
Damian Priest (via @wwe/YouTube)

Recently, the Punisher reacted to this in an interview with the New York Post. He stated that it was some kind of muscle memory loss. He added that wrestlers usually don’t forget to kick out of a pin. However, The Judgment Day member said it was an event of the past, and now everyone has moved on from it.

The idea that I forgot to kick out, that's not a thing. We don't forget to kick out. Twenty years in, I'm pretty sure there is some kind of muscle memory there. So me forgetting was not the case. It was a matter of there was a situation, but I'm OK.
Damian Priest via New York Post

Moreover, the botched pinfall received major criticism from the fans. It questioned the credibility of Priest as a champion. However, there was no backstage heat, and even Triple H reacted to this calmly and with open arms.

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