Luis Martinez was born on September 26, 1982. He is a Puerto Rican-born American professional wrestler. He is presently contracted to WWE, where he competes on the Raw brand as Damian Priest as part of the stable The Judgement Day. He is also well-known for his performance in Ring of Honour (ROH) as Punishment Martinez, where he is a former ROH World Television Champion. He has also worked in Japan as Punisher Martinez as a result of ROH's collaboration with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW).
| Name | Luis Martinez |
| D.O.B | September 26, 1982 |
| Height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Weight | 113 kg |
| Occupation | Professional wrestler |
| Professional Debut | 2004 |
| Ring name | Damian Priest |
| Girlfriend | Mandi Elaine |
READ MORE: Rick Boogs
| Table of contents: |
Martnez was born in New York City to Puerto Rican parents but grew in Dorado, Puerto Rico. He became interested in becoming a professional wrestler after seeing the World Wrestling Council on television while living in Dorado. His martial artist father taught him Japanese Gj-ry karate. Martnez opted to pursue a career in professional wrestling after winning two national titles in full-contact martial sports. When he returned to the United States, Spanish remained his primary language, and he went through a period of cultural assimilation.
Martnez trained at Monster Factory and went on to win multiple Monster Factory Pro Wrestling championships. Martnez joined a Ring of Honour (ROH) training camp in 2014 and then trained at the ROH dojo.
His first ROH debut was under his true name, Luis Martnez, in 2015, where he wrestled in two dark bouts, losing the first against The Romantic Touch and winning the second alongside Shaheem Ali against Hellcat and Mattick. Martnez made his Ring of Honor debut as “Punisher Martinez” in the ROH Top Prospect Tournament, defeating Colby Corino in the first round. Martinez was defeated in the semifinals by Lio Rush; nonetheless, despite the defeat, Martinez was signed to a contract with Ring of Honour.
He wrestled for the promotion until signing with WWE in late 2018. During his time in ROH, Punishment Martinez had notable feuds and matches, showcasing his unique and imposing in-ring style. He had notable encounters with wrestlers such as Jay Lethal, Adam Page, and Silas Young. Punishment Martinez’s time in ROH helped elevate his profile and paved the way for his subsequent signing with WWE.
Martinez inked a deal with WWE on October 12, 2018, and six days later he was formally presented to the NXT brand among other new recruits. On December 5, he made his NXT debut as a villain, losing to Matt Riddle. Martinez was relaunched as “Damian Priest” on April 15, 2019, while he still retained the “Punishment Martinez” identity at house shows. Soon after, vignettes reintroduced Martinez as Damian Priest. He made his NXT debut as the character on the June 19, 2019, show, defeating Raul Mendoza. In his second appearance on NXT, he beat Keith Lee on July 24.
On the October 2 edition of NXT, Priest began a feud with Pete Dunne and Killian Dain, which culminated in a triple threat match for #1 contenders to the NXT Championship on November 23 at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, which Dunne won. The next day, Priest competed in the 5-on-5-on-5 Survivor Series pay-per-view match for Team NXT, which lost to Team SmackDown and Team Raw and was eliminated by Randy Orton. In January 2020, Priest was part of a storyline centered on the NXT North American Championship, with Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic. Priest would have a chance to win the championship against Lee and Dijakovic on April 1, as well as a singles match versus Lee on April 22, but he would lose on both occasions.
In the intricate tapestry of WWE’s NXT brand, one name emerged victorious, basking in the glory of a successful tenure and laying claim to the illustrious NXT North American Championship. This prodigious talent, none other than Damian Priest, etched his name into the annals of wrestling history on that fateful night of August 22, 2020, at the awe-inspiring NXT TakeOver: XXX extravaganza. In a clash of titans, Priest vanquished the formidable Johnny Gargano, seizing the coveted title with an indomitable spirit.
Embracing the mantle of NXT North American Champion, Damian Priest stood tall as the guardian of the illustrious title, defending it against a pantheon of audacious challengers who dared to vie for his golden prize. Among the valiant adversaries that dared to test his mettle were the likes of the relentless Timothy Thatcher and the resurgent Johnny Gargano, thirsting for redemption in a riveting rematch. Yet, Priest, a paragon of fortitude and skill, emerged victorious, thwarting the ambitions of those who sought to dethrone him.
Within the tumultuous confines of the squared circle, Damian Priest found himself embroiled in a gripping and memorable feud with none other than Johnny Gargano. Their rivalry, a conflagration of seething animosity and unrelenting ambition, reached its crescendo in a breathtaking and cinematic spectacle at NXT TakeOver: WarGames in the hallowed month of December 2020. In this immersive encounter, the boundaries of reality blurred as they unleashed their pent-up fury, etching an indelible mark upon the collective consciousness of wrestling enthusiasts worldwide.
The reign of Damian Priest as the North American Champion of NXT stood as a testament to his unyielding dominance, stretching its glorious tendrils across the temporal expanse of approximately five months. Alas, as the wheel of fate turned, and the winds of change whispered their enigmatic melody, Priest found himself relinquishing the mantle of the title on that fateful night of January 6, 2021, at the mesmerizing spectacle known as NXT New Year’s Evil. It was in this very crucible of competition that Johnny Gargano, driven by an unquenchable thirst for glory, emerged triumphant, reclaiming the coveted championship and etching his own name upon the annals of wrestling lore.
He made his main roster debut at the Royal Rumble and lost. He and Bad Bunny resumed battling with The Miz and John Morrison after Rumble. Bad Bunny and Damien Priest beat The Miz and John Morrison at WrestleMania 37. Priest won a rivalry with The Miz and Morrison over a few months. Priest beat Sheamus to win the United States Championship at SummerSlam. In 2022, he was defeated by Finn Balor in the United States Championship.
During the bout between Edge and AJ Styles on WrestleMania 38 Night Two, Priest appeared from the ringside and looked down at the latter. Edge was able to spear Styles and win as a result of the diversion. Following the contest, Edge and Priest hugged, proclaiming their union, which would later be revealed to be known as – The Judgement Day. Rhea Ripley subsequently joined the faction at WrestleMania Backlash a month later.
The three then went on to attack AJ Styles, Finn Balor, and Liv Morgan, which resulted in a Six Person Tag Team Match at Hell in a Cell, which The Judgement Day won. The next night, the group announced its newest member, Finn Balor. Balor, Ripley, and Priest abruptly turned on Edge and threw him out of the organization he formed.
In the months that followed, Priest, Balor, and Dominik wrestled with The O.C. in a winning effort, but they missed out on the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Championship. Priest joined the Royal Rumble battle at #22 but was eliminated by the returning Edge. He would later lose his bid for the United States Championship at Elimination Chamber within the terrible edifice.
Dominik clashed with Bad Bunny on RAW following WrestleMania. Despite the fact that the rapper was Priest’s partner at WrestleMania 37, The Archer of Infamy choke slammed him through the announce table. Bad Bunny returned to SmackDown on April 24 and challenged Priest to a San Juan Street Fight at WWE Backlash.
Priest was defeated at Backlash after Savio Vega and Carlito intervened on Bad Bunny’s behalf. Priest and Bálor were chosen as Raw contestants for the new World Heavyweight Championship tournament on May 7. However, on the May 8 edition of Raw, Priest lost his qualifying battle to Seth “Freakin” Rollins in the quarterfinal round.
