Pro-wrestler Damian Priest is the first to admit that sometimes when his employer, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), books a celebrity to fight in the ring, the cameo isn’t well-received by everyone. Does anyone remember Britney Spears’ ex-husband, Kevin Federline, beating John Cena on Raw in 2007?
“Being honest, just like the fans, when you see an outsider you [groan],” Priest told CBS Sports. “Just because we’re so passionate about it. Not that we have a problem with that person. We’re just passionate about our business. We like it being treated as such.”
Priest, makes an exception, however, for someone like reggaeton superstar and self-described wrestling superfan Bad Bunny, who he believes respects the sport. Whenever El Conejo Malo stops in for a match at a big wrestling event like he did earlier this year at the Royal Rumble, Priest knows the star is going to take the job seriously.
“Someone like Bad Bunny coming in, of course, there are going to be eye rolls and whatnot,” Priest said. “But then you see the other side and it’s like, ‘Oh, no. He’s one of us.’”
It’s not only Priest who has noticed Bad Bunny’s tireless work ethic when he’s making an appearance on a televised WWE special. Priest said that he remembers once when fellow wrestler Randy Orton stopped Bad Bunny backstage and thanked him for his contribution to the show.
“[Orton] stops and says, ‘Hey, I just wanted to say thank you for showing us the respect like no other,’” Priest said. “‘People usually don’t do it this way and I just want to say thank you and you’ve earned our respect.’ I thought that was one of the coolest things ever. […] And then Bad Bunny actually understanding how big that was. He was so humbled by that.”