Three things are certain in life: death, taxes, and Sheamus putting on banger matches in WWE.
Since arriving in WWE in 2009, The Celtic Warrior has built a career defined by hard-hitting classics. From world championship victories to unforgettable wars, Sheamus has captured nearly every major accolade in the company, aside from the Intercontinental Championship, while earning a reputation as one of WWE’s most consistently reliable big-match performers.
Whether trading stiff strikes with John Cena, Gunther, Drew McIntyre, or countless other rivals, Sheamus always delivered when the stakes were highest. With Sheamus’ future now unknown as he has left WWE, there’s no denying that more often than not he had the match of the night.
These are just some best matches from an outstanding career.
Biggest WWE Matches Of Sheamus’ Career
Winning The WWE Championship From John Cena – TLC 2009
You never forget that first World Championship victory. Presented as a top star right out of the gate, Sheamus was set to face John Cena in a tables match at the inaugural TLC show. With this being the era of Super Cena, there were concerns that a rising star could have been fodder for WWE’s golden goose. However, with both men on the turnbuckle, Sheamus shoved Cena out of the corner and onto the table below. With this being the first of his 4 World Title reigns, Sheamus made history by accomplishing what so few in wrestling have.
Royal Rumble Win – 2012
While few have gained the top prize in WWE, fewer have been the last man standing in the Royal Rumble match. It’s no secret that Chris Jericho was the one who fans wanted to win, but this was Sheamus’ night in St. Louis, Missouri. With 3 eliminations, Sheamus last eliminated Jericho to join an even more exclusive club.
Demolishing Daniel Bryan – WrestleMania 28
After winning the Royal Rumble, Sheamus secured his spot at WrestleMania against the World Heavyweight Champion, who at that point was Daniel Bryan. With Bryan not yet the incredibly over babyface, fans were not as behind him as they would be 2 years later. However, with Sheamus defeating Bryan in just 18 seconds, one of the shortest matches in Mania history, some have said that this was the moment that kickstarted the “Yes!” movement.
They Are The Bar! – Roadblock: End of the Line
When it was first announced that Sheamus and Cesaro would have a best-of-7 series, some groaned at the apparent lazy booking of the rivalry. However, following the final fall, which went to a no contest, the two were reluctantly forced to team up. Initially sceptical at first, Sheamus and Cesaro eventually got on the same page and became The Bar. Faking a tag, The Bar outsmarted the veteran tag team to make history in WWE. From there, Sheamus and Cesaro had feuds with the likes of The Usos and The Hardys in what was a brief resurgence in the tag division. Along with dethroning The New Day to bring their record-breaking title reign to an end, the duo went on to win the titles 5 times.
A Banger In Cardiff
When WWE announced they would be returning to the UK for the first stadium show since 1992, there was a genuine buzz in the air. Although Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre was the main event, Sheamus vs. Gunther was the match fans were looking forward to the most. With The Celtic Warrior desperate to win the Intercontinental Championship, there was a feeling in the air that the Irish star may be the one to hand Gunther that pivotal loss. With a packed Cardiff stadium cheering on Sheamus, both men gave it their all in what was the best match of 2022 by some margin. Gunther picked up the win, but the fans made it clear that the hard-hitting Irishman lost nothing in defeat.
Sheamus Gunther 2, With Added Drew!
Unsurprisingly, adding Drew McIntyre to the Sheamus and Gunther rivalry made the match even more hard-hitting than the Cardiff encounter. One of the most physical matches in WWE history, and easily the best match of WrestleMania 39 weekend, all 3 delivered non-stop strikes from the opening bell. With no shenanigans or interference, this was all about who was the best man on the night. Gunther won, but no one looked worse off after the bell. Some have said that it is the best triple threat match of all time, and it’s hard to argue!
A Rated R Farewell
With SmackDown set to take place in Toronto, Canada, Edge was looking to have a big match in his home country. Given their history, the Hall of Famer hand-picked Sheamus to be his opponent. While the match was already set up to be something big on paper, news outside the ring made the match that much more special. In the lead-up to SmackDown, is was reported that Edge would be leaving WWE, and the Sheamus match would be his last in the company. With those rumours turning out to be true, Edge gave the fans a match to remember, and Sheamus did everything possible to give The Rated R Superstar a fitting farewell.
Le Brawl In Paris
Much like the battles with Gunther and Drew McIntyre, facing off against the physical Rusev was also a highlight for the 4-time World Champion. When Rusev made his return to WWE in 2025, the former United States Champion needed a credible feud to remind the fans that he could be an imposing force. Facing off against Sheamus, the two met in a Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook match at Clash in Paris. Taking advantage of the weapons at play, the 20-minute brawl saw both men use weapons just the right amount in a match that justified the stipulation. Arguably Rusev’s best match since returning to WWE, this was another banger for the man who became known for constantly putting on the match of the night.
Featured image: WWE
