Sheamus Champion – Best for Business

I’ve seen and heard a lot of criticism concerning the WWE’s decision to crown Sheamus the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. The fans seem unhappy because they wanted someone else to get the title. They wanted to be surprised at Survivor Series but they weren’t. The truth is that the cash-in on Reigns was predictable, yet logical.

It wasn’t hard for the WWE Universe to catch up on the recycled “Authority continuously screws up underdog face” storyline that made Daniel Bryan and is now being used to build up Roman Reigns. We could argue back and forth whether “good old storylines” are a cheap way out or a handy template. However, the WWE became an empire, reusing a few fundamental plots, so the common thinking would be that wrestling storylines, just like fashion will come back in style – what worked once will work again. Whether you agree with that logic or not, this is the premise the WWE Creative seems to be functioning on. Therefore, it was only natural that the Authority would need a strong but compliant heel. This is where the choice of Sheamus became inevitable.

Plotwise, the Authority’s first choice was Roman Reigns. That was an easy pick, knowing that he was the #1 contender already. He has the build to be the champion. However, his refusal left them with the tournament competitors. The best option for the bosses (and quite possibly for the fans) would have been Kevin Owens, just because he is a brilliant heel with amazing mic skills. Then again, Ambrose qualified and that idea fell apart. The fans were pushing for a heel turn in the Ambrose vs. Reigns match but from the perspective of the story, that would not have been logical. Reigns had already turned down the Authority’s offer and at that stage he had no need of changing his mind. As for Ambrose, that is the Lunatic Fringe we’re talking about. Why would the Authority even bother trying to buy him when he can’t follow simple orders and his entire character screams anti-authority of any sort? So, as dramatic as a heel turn in the remains of the Shield brotherhood would have been, it wouldn’t have made sense. On the other hand, having Sheamus cash in on either one of the two rebels in the final couldn’t have been more fitting. Ever since Sheamus became Mr. MITB in June, we knew his cash-in was coming the moment a face got the title of Seth Rollins. The Celtic Warrior is the perfect champion for the Authority. He’s big; he’s strong and he’s brutal in the ring. At the same time, he has no moral arguments against working for the bosses and getting benefits out of it. We can’t fault the WWE on the logic behind the events of Survivor Series.

The fans’ negative response seems to be largely influenced by the fact that the majority don’t want to see Reigns vs. The Authority, leading to Reigns, becoming the face of the company for the time being. However, this has nothing to do with Sheamus as a champion. Regardless of who would have taken Seth’s place as The Man in the Authority, the rivalry with Roman would have still happened. Bearing that in mind, Sheamus is not a bad choice at all. He is a natural at being a heel. His face run was marked by cheesy Irish jokes but his time as a heel was violent in the best of ways. It was a long time ago, so the WWE Universe’s memories might be a bit blurry but when Sheamus made his debut on the main roster he had a vicious feud with Triple H and that was the hottest rivalry at the time. The Celtic Warrior was the top heel and the fans were completely absorbed in his work. There is no reason why he couldn’t be on the same level once again. It was about time the WWE capitalized on his new gladiator look. Sheamus cannot be mistaken for anybody and that distinctiveness makes him a good candidate for a WWE World Heavyweight Champion. Obviously, the Celtic Warrior, who comes of the same European school of wrestling as Drew McIntyre and Wade Barrett, also has the in-ring ability to match his looks. And on the mic, well, let Sheamus enjoy himself as a heel and he’ll deliver. SmackDown was the proof of that.

The new champion’s first appearance without the support of the Authority allowed him to show what level of entertainment he can produce on his own. Sheamus came out just after Roman Reigns had finished talking about his childhood memories with the Usos and his dreams. It was a typical calm and collected promo by Reigns. Then suddenly Sheamus appeared and the tone changed drastically. He was so overexcited about his speech that I personally couldn’t stop laughing. At the end of that promo, Sheamus was out of breath and probably losing his voice, as well. He did not stop pacing from one side of the ramp to the other, while screaming ecstatically the endless flow of mockery, directed at Reigns and his misery. By the time the Celtic Warrior was done, the crowd had gotten so worked up that he actually needed to yell to the point of his voice cracking, only to get heard. Sheamus worked for that heat and he absorbed it with utmost pleasure. He seemed to truly enjoy being a heel and getting that deafening crowd reaction. Roman tried to play it off cool again and threaten Sheamus with a TLC match. However, his promo, despite being alright, fell flat, compared to Sheamus’ over-the-top delivery. The drop in energy levels was painfully obvious.

The reality is that Sheamus is the guy people love to hate and he couldn’t be happier to play that role. He’s also a perfect fit for the Authority storyline. This makes him a good choice of a champion. The fans might still be transferring their dislike of the Reigns storyline to Sheamus by default, but the WWE Universe will soon realize that the Celtic Warrior is the right heel for the job and therefore – best for business.

What do you think? Comment below with your thoughts, opinions, feedback and anything else that was raised