Randy Orton Told Bad Bunny Backstage That He Had Earned His Respect

WWE star Damian Priest joined SHAK Wrestling to talk about his current run in WWE, including his famous tag team with Grammy Award winning recording artist Bad Bunny.

It was a year ago Bad Bunny and Priest teamed up at WrestleMania 37 to defeat The Miz and former WWE star John Morrison. Looking back on it, Priest recalls how fans, and wrestlers, were cold to Bad Bunny at first, but eventually grew to accept him.

"Just like the fans, you know, when you see an outsider, it's kind of like (rolls eyes), you know, just because we're so passionate about it," Priest said. "Not that we have a problem with that person, we're just passionate about our business and we like it being treated as such. So someone like Bad Bunny coming in, of course, there are going to be eye rolls and whatnot.

"But then you see the other side and it's like, 'oh no, he's one of us,' you know? I remember we were walking backstage, and at that time it was the Thunderdome, and Randy Orton stops because he was crossing us, and said, 'hey, I just want to say thank you for showing us the respect like no other. People don't usually do it this way. And he goes, 'I just want to say thank you and you've earned our respect.'

"It wasn't even about me. I was just standing there and I thought it was one of the coolest things ever. I was like, 'man, that's cool.' Because, first, it was Randy Orton, who is the man, and then just him going out of his way to say that to Bad Bunny, and then Bad Bunny actually understating how big that is. Like, he was so humbled by that. That was just cool stuff. That shows the respect.

"So when he acted that way, yes, everybody accepted him and everybody was happy that somebody from a different world came in like that and it gives hope. Like, 'oh, you know what? Maybe others will be like this from now on too.'"

Bad Bunny last appeared for WWE this past January at the Royal Rumble event. He entered the Royal Rumble match at number 27, and was eventually eliminated by eventual winner Brock Lesnar.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit SHAK Wrestling with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.