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Damian Priest Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 22, 2026 • 3 min read

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Quick Info

Date of birth26 September 1982

Age41 Years (as of 2023)

BirthplaceNew York

ProfessionWrestler

NationalityAmerican

Marital statusUnmarried

Damian Priest Biography

Damian Priest is an American professional wrestler known for his imposing presence, rock‑influenced persona and success across Ring of Honor and WWE. Bred—

Early life and background
Luis Martinez was born on September 26, 1982, and raised between New York and the municipality of Dorado, Puerto Rico. He developed an early interest in wrestling watching local promotions and drew inspiration from performers such as Pedro Morales, Scott Hall and The Undertaker. His father taught him Japanese Goju‑Ryu karate, providing a martial‑arts foundation that later informed his in‑ring style.

Before turning fully to professional wrestling, Martinez worked in nightlife venues as a bouncer and manager. He has spoken openly about financial struggle during that period, including a spell of homelessness before he began training to become a wrestler. He trained at the Monster Factory and later attended Ring of Honor’s training camp and dojo as he pursued a career in the sport.

Career
Martinez debuted in Ring of Honor in 2015 under his birth name and captured the ROH World Television Championship in June 2018. After ending his ROH contract later that month, he signed with WWE and was reintroduced on the NXT brand in 2019 under the ring name Damian Priest. His first televised NXT victory came on June 19, 2019, when he defeated Raul Mendoza.

Priest’s career in WWE has included stints on NXT, Raw and SmackDown, and a steady evolution of character work. He won the NXT North American Championship in August and held it into October. On the main roster he captured the WWE United States Championship in 2021 and later achieved multiple tag team title reigns.

In 2022 Priest allied with Edge to form The Judgment Day, a faction that has included a shifting roster and produced several high‑profile mixed tag and six‑person matches. As a member of that faction he and teammates have competed across major WWE pay‑per‑views. On September 2, 2023, Damian Priest and Finn Bálor won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at Payback. With the Money in the Bank briefcase in his possession that year, Priest became one of the few wrestlers to hold the briefcase while also being a tag team champion.

Across his pro wrestling career he has amassed a number of championships and accolades outside WWE as well, including multiple titles in independent promotions and tournament wins. Notable early achievements include tag team and heavyweight championships at promotions such as MFPW and KPW, the MFPW Invitational Cup and the 2017 Survival of the Fittest honor. In 2018 he held the ROH World Television Championship.

Style and persona
Damian Priest projects a dark, intense and rockstar‑inflected persona. Over time his character has grown more machismo and edge, accompanied by a distinct theme and presentation on television. His finishing move is a sitout chokeslam known as South of Heaven.

Physique and personal tastes
Priest stands about 6 feet 5 inches tall (1.96 m) and is billed at roughly 249 pounds (113 kg). He has light brown eyes and black braided hair. Tattoos covering his chest, arms, back and neck form a visible part of his presentation, and he collects hand‑to‑hand combat weapons. Outside the ring he enjoys listening to rock and heavy metal music and drinks alcohol occasionally.

Public profile
Damian Priest is presented as American and is often associated with both New York and Puerto Rico in background material. He is unmarried and keeps details about his parents private in public profiles. Media recognition has included ranking in industry lists and awards from wrestling publications, and he has been involved in both praised and criticized matches identified in year‑end summaries.

Latest updates
As of late 2023 Priest was a central member of The Judgment Day and was holding the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship with Finn Bálor. He also retained prominence through involvement in Money in the Bank and title defenses on SmackDown in November 2023.

Editorial Review and Sources

This F4U profile is written from publicly available career and profile information, then reviewed for clarity before publication. If you spot an outdated detail about Damian Priest, send the page URL and a reliable correction source to f4udotin@gmail.com.

Reference context: StarsUnfolded

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Recent Work

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship (with Finn Bálor)

Won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at Payback and defended the titles on SmackDown in November 2023.

2023
Money in the Bank (Men's)

Qualified for and held the Money in the Bank briefcase in 2023 while simultaneously a tag team champion.

2023
NXT North American Championship

Won the NXT North American Championship in August 2020 (held into October).

2020
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Career Highlights

  1. ROH World Television Champion (2018)
  2. WWE United States Champion (2021)
  3. NXT North American Champion
  4. Winner of Money in the Bank (Men’s) 2023
  5. Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion (with Finn Bálor)
Reviewed by F4U Editorial Desk

F4U profile pages are prepared from public career information, checked for readability, and updated when reliable correction sources are shared with the editorial team.

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Frequently Asked Questions

When was Damian Priest born?

Damian Priest was born on 26 September 1982.

What is Damian Priest known for?

Damian Priest is known for wrestler.

What is Damian Priest’s marital status?

Damian Priest's marital status is listed as Unmarried.