Sheamus Confirms Famous Match Almost Never Happened

Sheamus nearly missed out.

Through the second half of 2022 and into 2023, Sheamus was on a quest to win the Intercontinental Championship. Not only is the title a prestigious one in its own right, it’s also the only major WWE championship Sheamus has never won.

This journey led him to Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales, and a date with Gunther. Although the Irish star lost, the match was dubbed an instant classic by fans and critics, and he was given a standing ovation as he left the ring.

During a new interview with Robert Jackman of Uncrowned, the veteran looked back on that famous night Wales and revealed that he wasn’t Gunther’s original opponent. Instead, Shinsuke Nakamura was the man initially scheduled to challenge for the gold.

“The original plan was actually meant to be GUNTHER defending his title against Shinsuke Nakamura.”

Sheamus Preparing For WWE Clash In Paris

Fast forward to 2025, and Sheamus will be back in action at Clash In Paris when he takes on Rusev. The pair have been constantly battling backstage for several weeks, and will now look to settle their differences in a Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook match.

Despite that upcoming match with Rusev, the Irish star remains focused on winning the Intercontinental Championship, an achievement he described as the “last piece of the puzzle.”

“Honestly, it’s like the last piece of the puzzle for me. It’s like when you collect those football stickers when you’re younger, and you just have that one item left to complete the whole set. So yeah, it’s often on my mind.” (H/t to Wrestle Purists )

Sheamus recently attended Vince McMahon’s 80th birthday party in New York with the likes of Drew McIntyre, John Cena, The Undertaker, and a host of other former and current WWE stars. This only added to speculation that McMahon could make an on-screen WWE return in the coming months, potentially, to celebrate Cena’s retirement in December.

However, a follow-up report cited top WWE sources who said there are no plans to work with Vince McMahon.