#213: Sheamus vs. Daniel Bryan, WWE Extreme Rules (4/29/2012).
This is a 2 Out of 3 Falls Match for Sheamus’ World Heavyweight Championship.
A few weeks prior at WrestleMania 28, Sheamus won his first World Heavyweight Championship, and 3rd World Title overall, by pinning Daniel Bryan...in 18 seconds. We can all look back on this moment in hindsight and see that everything worked out well for Bryan, as he would ride the wave of that loss to the most successful period of his career, culminating at WrestleMania 30 in 2014 when he was the hottest wrestler in the world, and he beat Triple H, Randy Orton and Batista in one night to stand tall as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.
But in 2012? Yeah, people were a little pissed about this decision. When the match was announced, people were excited, as history had proven that these two could go in the ring, and getting a chance to do so at the biggest show of the year would’ve been a great sight. So, naturally, nope! 18 seconds. An AJ Lee distraction, and a Brogue Kick saw Sheamus decimate Bryan. Bryan would see a surge in popularity in the weeks that followed, as his “Yes” chant became the talk of WWE events everywhere, even on shows that he wasn’t on.
He’d use his rematch clause to go after Sheamus at Extreme Rules, with the new stipulation being 2 Out of 3 Falls. Fans were elated to see these two get the chance to go all out this time, while also being red hot for Bryan, despite being the heel. Sheamus, the poor fella, was the babyface World Champion getting subpar reactions. Still, the dude can fucking wrestle, and this was guaranteed to be a great one.
Bryan enters to a loud positive reception, while Sheamus – who is donning an 18 second T shirt – enters to an overwhelming negative reception. Not so much that the fans don’t like Sheamus, but they love Bryan.
The bell sounds, and the crowd is very hot thus far. Sheamus takes the side headlock, and follows up with a shoulder tackle. They lock up, and Sheamus executes a side headlock takedown. Bryan counters with a head scissors, and blocks a Brogue Kick. The match has offically lasted longer than 18 seconds. Little victories! They lock up again, and Bryan takes control of the arm. Sheamus uses his power to force Bryan to the mat. Quick nearfall, and they separate.
They lock up again, and Bryan takes the back. Sheamus with a shoulder tackle, and he catches Bryan in mid air, and he hits the rolling senton for a 2 count. Bryan rolls to the apron, and hits a sunset flip roll up, but Sheamus counters it into the Texas Cloverleaf. Bryan counters a Cloverleaf attempt with a small package for 2. Sheamus explodes with a clothesline. He sends Bryan to the turnbuckle, and drives his knee into the midsection.
Bryan flips out of the corner, and hits a diving forearm. Sheamus rolls to the apron, and Bryan hits a baseball slide that sends him to the floor. Bryan dives off the apron, and Sheamus catches him, hitting a spinebuster into the barricade! Sheamus goes to the top rope, and Bryan hits the ropes, crotching him. Bryan stomps on the leg, and drives his knee into his face repeatedly. Bryan hooks the arm, and bends the fingers back on the opposite arm. Joint manipulation!
Bryan hammerlocks one arm, and tries to stretch the other to the mat. Sheamus rushes Bryan, and eats a knee to the midsection. Sheamus attempts to fight back, and gets uppercutted for his trouble. Bryan with another nearfall off of a roll up, and back to the uppercuts. Bryan grabs the arm and hyperextends it across his shoulder. He hammerlocks the arm, and lands more uppercuts. He kicks him in the chest, and Sheamus begins his comeback with forearms to the head, and a running knee to the chest. Bryan rolls to the apron, and Sheamus grabs him for the 10 Beats. He lifts Bryan back into the ring for a fall away slam for a 2 count. Bryan with a drop toe hold into the middle turnbuckle, followed by a hard kick to the face. Bryan stomps on Sheamus in the corner. He places him on the top rope, and looks for a hurricanrana, but Sheamus blocks it. He hits a shoulder block from the top, and Bryan kicks out.
Sheamus tries for a suplex into the ring from the apron, but Bryan counters and sends Sheamus to the outside on the opposite end. Bryan gears up, and goes for a Tope, but he eats a forearm by the champion. Back in the ring, Sheamus lifts Bryan up for the Razor’s Edge, but Bryan slips out and gets a nearfall. Sheamus blocks the Yes Lock repeatedly, and ends up going shoulder first into the ring post. Bryan goes to the floor, and sends Sheamus shoulder first into the steel repeatedly.
Next, Bryan swings Sheamus’ hurt shoulder into the post. Back in the ring, Bryan connects with repeatedly kicks to the injured arm. He goes past the referee’s 5 count, and ends up getting disqualified. Sheamus has taken the first fall by DQ, but Bryan seems happy about that. He connects with a running dropkick to the injured arm, and he goes right into the Yes Lock. Bryan yanks it back, and Sheamus goes unconscious. He’s out, and Bryan takes the next fall by submission. We’re all tied up!
Bryan celebrates, as officials check on the World Champion. Sheamus lets them know that he’s able to continue the match. Bryan rushes Sheamus, and the Celtic Warrior catches him out of nowhere with the Brogue Kick! Sheamus crawls to the cover, and Bryan is able to kick out. Both men struggle to get back to their feet, and Bryan is first to strike with a kick to the shoulder. Sheamus responds with a hard strike. Bryan kicks Sheamus in the head, and the champion is able to kick out.
Bryan goes to the top rope, and Sheamus cuts him off with some clubbing blows. Sheamus joins him on the top and looks for a suplex, but Bryan counters with a series of headbutts. He goes for a diving headbutt, and Sheamus is able to move out of the way. Bryan misses the running dropkick in the corner, and Sheamus with some axe handles to the face. Irish Curse Back Breaker connects, as Sheamus prepares for the Brogue Kick. He hits it perfectly, and gets the 3 to take the final fall and retain the World Championship.
What a war! That had about a little bit of everything, and it was tremendous to watch. The first fall was incredible, with nice back and forth wrestling between both men, and great limb psychology on the part of Bryan, who stayed on target with the arm work. Sheamus, to his credit, sold the injury so well that he deserved an Oscar. There were great sequences towards the end of it, and Bryan giving Sheamus the first fall by DQ was genius heel work. From there, you have Bryan taking the second fall by using the DQ to his advantage, which was a great example of character work in this match.
In the final fall, it was a bomb fest, as both men showed their exhaustion and threw everything they had at the other. Sheamus’ selling of the arm stood up, as he didn’t forget it as the match wore on. I personally didn’t like how the match ended, as it seemed kind of sudden, but that doesn’t take away from the work these two put in. Easily their best match together, and a true highlight from WWE in 2012.