Grade Sheamus a Year & a Half Later

[Midnite Express 2009]

This is going to be my first installment of "Grade A Wrestler" where I ask you to grade the superstar's progress after either a major feud or a big match, usually a year or so later. I will present facts on this person's progress & ask you to tell me if the superstar has exceeded expectations or if they have digressed backward or if they're pretty much at a standstill. The first person on my list is The Celtic Warrior, Sheamus.

Sheamus had one of the hottest streaks coming into the WWE in a long time during his initial debut, going on to win the WWE Championship on Dec. 13, 2009 in a Tables Match against then-champion John Cena. Many people thought this was the beginning of a dominate reign as Sheamus looked unstoppable early into his first title reign. Eventually Sheamus lost the title back to Cena in Feb. of 2010 during an Elimination Chamber Match after being eliminated by HHH which set up a feud heading into that year's WrestleMania. HHH stated to Sheamus during a promo hyping up their match that if Sheamus won then basically the sky was the limit but if he lost then he would fall back into obscurity. Sheamus lost.

He did however injury HHH during an attack at Extreme Rules that year, causing HHH to be out of action for 10 months. Sheamus seemed to have not missed a beat after his loss at WrestleMania XXVI, even going on to win the WWE title a second time & even winning the King of the Ring title as well. However his winning ways were haulted after Sheamus started to suffer a string of defeats to people whom he was probably better than. Eventually he got back on track, winning the United States title on March 7 against Daniel Bryan after putting his career on the line. He would go on to lose the title to Kofi Kingston after being traded to SmackDown! and he's stayed in the title picture recently, however hasn't had many opportunities for the World Heavyweight Championship as he has not been in a main event of a PPV in quite some time. So has Sheamus' career panned out great since his match against HHH at WrestleMania, has it fallen back a bit or is it pretty much at a standstill?

 

[#hamler]

B

Sheamus has been treated with much success since his arrival in the WWE and his quick rise to the top has proven him to be a force to be reckoned with. Sheamus has usually been over during his career and that's something not many superstars today can do. He is one of the few threats left on the WWE roster. He's even one of the select few foreign WWE Champions in recent years. Sheamus has claimed two WWE Championships, a United States Championship, and has even managed to take out Triple H on one occasion.

However, since his last WWE Championship reign, Sheamus has somewhat fallen off of the throne. He's become someone we're use to seeing in the midcard division rather than the main event. His steam has somewhat died down. It's not too often we see a former two time Heavyweight Champion win the United States Championship after already being on the top. But since moving to Smackdown, Sheamus has forced himself back into the spotlight getting in the way of the heated rivalry between Christian and Randy Orton over the World Heavyweight Championship.

I'll be the first to admit it, I hated Sheamus when he arrived. I remember physically saying "Sheamus will never be anything in the WWE." Well I was totally wrong. Besides CM Punk, Sheamus has become my personal favorite WWE Superstar on the roster. I love Sheamus. He’s one bad ass motherfucker and he's pretty good in all categories of a performer; Mic ability, in-ring ability, look, over with the crowd, feuds, overall Sheamus is great. Even though he's pretty much slipped off of his high horse since his debut, he's still one of those guys that can fill that role of the top guy on the roster.

Sheamus' year and a half has to be a B.

 

[772Attitude]

I give him a A-. He came on the scene as hot as his hair, beating down John Cena and HHH and got a couple of victory's over Randy Orton. He's a 2 time WWE Champion and a 1 time United States Champion. They gave him a push to the moon and he took the ball and ran with it. He's been nothing short of great so far, and the only reason why i don't give him a A+ is because that whole King Sheamus gimmick.

 

[H33LTurn]

B+
Like you mentioned, Sheamus definately made an impactful debut and has maintained himself relevant ever since. He did lose a bit of steam, and needed the King gimmick as well as being drafted to Smackdown to keep himself in the mix, but Sheamus is one of the few who has had a big debut and has been able to keep performing at the same level.

 

[Midnite Express 2009]

I will give Sheamus a B. The reason for it is because of everything else others have said. The guy is a monster & if packaged right, he could be that believable monster heel, ala Kane when he first arrived in the company, but better than Kane turned out to be. Two things got me. #1, when HHH came back, I was hoping they would resume their feud. If HHH & Sheamus had continued, wow, the possibilities for their battles. I was hoping against hope that something would've panned out for those two, but maybe when HHH comes back again, he'll dabble in a long awaited feud with Sheamus. Hopefully neither man would've lost steam with each other.

The other thing was the losing streak. I didn't quite get it & I felt he was completely underutilized on RAW. I know he had been around town with John Cena on several different occasions, but needless to say, I thought it was all but over when a former WWE Champion in Sheamus lost to none other than Evan Borune. I know they gave him a bone by his U.S. title run, but even that was mishandled due to the fact that he lost to Kofi Kingston. I could see if Kingston was on his way to the top, but Kofi will never smell the main event & to have Sheamus drop the title to him was a bit of a let down. That's like Lex Luger dropping the title to Michael Hayes. Hold on, he did lose the U.S. title to Michael Hayes lol...But still, I am not sure if the company is sure where Sheamus is heading right now. Personally, I like the guy & feel he should have a pretty long, JBL-like run with the title over on SmackDown. He should be the monster heel on that show, not Mark Henry.

 

[multiverseman.com]

D

I'm not sure what you all were looking at, but what I saw was a forced push and failure.

He's got tons of potential no doubt, but what was delivered?

Saying he won this and won that doesn't really amount to much in a scripted product. What matters is if he sold it to you and I don't think he did. It's like they never really had that much faith in him so they didn't really get behind them. He should be a beast instead of the flukey champ they made him.

 

[mubzylicious]

B+

He has loads of potential but as of late the WWE has been misusing him. They left him off of two consecutive PPVs and they would've left him off of the MiTB PPV if it wasn't for the Ladder Match. My rating would've been higher if u asked me this before TLC last year.

 

[radec]

A-

Sheamus is maintaining a main event presence even with orton and christian in the tittle picture and was always felt in the main event after his HHH victory. Sure he hasent won many tittles but he sure has been felt through out his career and that what matters.

 

[iwinulose]

im gonna be honest up until recently (since being drafted to smackdown and excluding winning the king of the ring tournament), sheamus has fell majorely, but, recently, sheamus is getting more attention, with any luck, sheamus will win the MITB ladder match and will cash in on the WHC champ sometime after, and win the WHC and get the attention he deserves. he started hot and has been cooled down way to much, its about time he gets back to where he belongs!!!!

 

[WWWYKI777]

I'd give sheamus an...........

A

• Hes intense
• Hes a great wrestler
• Hes good on the mic/promos
• Hes intense
• He has a good original look
• Good theme song
• Badass finishers
• Hes a badass
• Oh yeah , did I mention hes intense?

Yep , an A all the way imo

 

[t619]

Before being moved to smackdown - D+ he was average and boring

Since being on Smackdown

B+

Has improved on the mic
Has improved in the ring

still think Drew Mcytrye is better.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I'll give him a C. There's something about him that I don't like and I'm trying to figure what it is. He hasn't had the greatest of matches with Cena and Orton and ultimately I feel he would do better with smaller and athletic guys like Morrison. I see him as a poor man's Jericho of sorts. I don't remember his second title reign at all but I will give him this. He isn't a cowardly heel like those who aren't superheavyweights.

 

[matthewchamilliard]

I would say back when he debuted I would give him an A, around the time he won the king of the ring I would give him a D, but now I give him a B+ he is my pick for the smackdown MITB mostly because they killed his character and even made him get punted so I think him wade barret, or cody rhodes are the most likely to win the smackdown MITB

 

[Mac Attack]

I am going to grade Sheamus on a whole since debuting and present my reasons as to why he deserves this grade. His overall grade C+. Now some of you might say that it is a rather low score for a two time WWE champion, however consider this. His nter on grade was lowered due to the fact that he is not a true main eventer yet. He started off a Main Eventer being a dominant force in ECW then destroying on Raw but after his seconf reign he was put on the back burner of the WWE and ultimately not used effectively. As somebody who would have deserved a B or higher you either have to except this losing streak OR do something outside of the WWE to get more recognition in the WWE ala the Miz. His work since returning to Smackdown has become better because he went back to his original gimmick however he is not a true main eventer in my eyes.

 

[Dagger Dias]

Sheamus had one of the best first year and a half of nearly anyone in WWE history. He is already a two time WWE Champion, King of the Ring winner, and former United States Champion. The man did more in a year and a half than most people do in their whole careers. He may not be dominating as much as some might want but his career is going very well because he got two world title reigns VERY early on and then added some prestige back to the US Championship as well by holding it as a former world champion. The only downside has been the random string of losses he had after he won King of the Ring.

I give him a grade so far of A-.

 

[JWGunslinger]

I have to say so far I would give him an A-
Sheamus has had a hell of a start in the WWE as we all know, but what i'm grading on is not how many titles he has held or anything like that, I am grading him on skill and the ability to be a lasting charecter that people remember years from now as one of the best guys in the company. The man's work ethic cannot be ignored, he puts everything he has into being the best wrestler he can be, he is ruthless and relentless in the ring, and he ofcourse has a great look that many would compare to Triple H. Not only is Sheamus one of my favorite superstars on the current roster but he has already scored a spot in my favorites of all time, considering how long he's been around that says alot because it takes time for me to feel out wrestlers and what I see in their future if they have one. I expect Sheamus to win the World Heavyweight championship within the next year and continue to be one of the leading superstars on Smackdown, the man has a great future and whether you like or dislike the guy you cant help but respect him.

 

[ipswichicon80]

To me the guy has been horribly booked. Why give him the KOTR gimmick and then job him out for weeks? He has good matches and is excellent on the mic so for me Sheamus get's an A. His poor booking is not his fault, after after SD this week I see a major push on the cards for my main Fellah!