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The WWE Universe is patiently waiting for Sheamus to return to the ring once again, but fans still wonder when and where he’ll be making his return.
We’ve watched the former World Heavyweight Champion deliver several strong promos in vignettes that are being aired on SmackDown every week, but we’re still not sure what character Sheamus will undertake and who he’ll go after once he finally does make his long anticipated return.
Sheamus has already named a few Superstars with whom he’s unhappy in his promos, but exactly who he will target will be up for speculation until it actually happens. Sheamus is one of the top Superstars in WWE, and also one of its longest-tenured wrestlers in the company, and figures to have a significant role heading forward. It will be interesting to see how WWE Creative builds up his return in order to build SmackDown again.
In this article, we will look at five ways in which Sheamus could make his return to the wrestling ring.
#5 By attacking a heel
Sheamus’ vignettes have shown that he is not happy with how the SmackDown roster is performing at the moment, and he’s promised to bring the life back into the Blue Brand.
During his initial promos, Sheamus called out several Superstars who are currently playing various roles on SmackDown, but has been vague about which side he will actually be on. By leaving the door open, Sheamus could return as a babyface, as SmackDown currently has several heels who certainly need to be taught a lesson. Dolph Ziggler and Shinsuke Nakamura are two mid-card heels who could do very well in a rivalry against Sheamus. Apart from those two, a rivalry between 'The Celtic Warrior' and longtime tag team partner Cesaro could prove to be a treat for fans.
At a time when it seems like Braun Strowman and Nakamura will be competing for the Intercontinental Championship, we could see Sheamus make a return and take out Cesaro, who is currently working alongside Nakamura. This could level the field for Strowman, and allow for Sheamus to engage in a high profile rivalry that is sure to be beloved by fans.
#4 By attacking a babyface
While Sheamus would work well as a babyface, the current tone of his vignettes and the intensity of his promos makes it seem like he will most likely return as a heel to “restore order on SmackDown.”
The Blue Brand seems to be lacking top-level heels as many Superstars are out due to injuries or WWE Wellness Policy violations. SmackDown’s heel department is currently ruled by ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt, King Baron Corbin, and Shinsuke Nakamura.
Since there are several babyfaces on SmackDown at the moment, we could see Sheamus return and attack someone like Shorty G or Ali during their match. This would be a good way for Sheamus to make a statement and also get warmed up before engaging in a top tier rivalry against even tougher competition.
Apart from that, Apollo Crews is also a good option for Sheamus. Crews has been off television for some time, and could hopefully work with some spotlight.
Having Sheamus as a heel on SmackDown could do wonders for the brand, as a shortage of heels has led to repetitive feuds.
#3 By interjecting himself into the Roman Reigns & King Corbin rivalry
If you take the Universal Championship rivalry involving ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt, Daniel Bryan, and The Miz away from SmackDown, the only consistent rivalry left is between Roman Reigns and King Baron Corbin. The two Superstars have been at it for several weeks now and traded victories in the process. They have also attacked each other during and after matches to keep the heat on their feud.
Sheamus is a former World Heavyweight Champion, and WWE will be looking to bring him back in an effort to build him back up to prominence. While SmackDown is continuing the Roman Reigns and Baron Corbin feud, we could see Sheamus appear and attack both men in order to get himself into one of the Blue Brand's hottest rivalries. This would allow him to compete with both men simultaneously and keep the option open for a singles rivalry between he and either Reigns or Corbin at a later date.
At a time when WWE will be looking to take Reigns and Corbin’s rivalry into the Royal Rumble, we could see 'The Celtic Warrior' insert himself and then carry on the feud with one of the two men heading into a grand match at WrestleMania.
#2 By interjecting himself into a championship rivalry
While the possibility of Sheamus competing with either Roman Reigns or King Corbin seems tempting, there’s another rivalry that could do well with Sheamus’ inclusion.
Braun Strowman and Shinsuke Nakamura seem to be heating up for what should be an eventful Intercontinental Championship rivalry. Nakamura has held the title for some time, but hasn’t had enough title defenses, while 'The Monster Among Men' is still looking for his first singles title reign.
Since both top mid-card Superstars look set to have an interesting rivalry, WWE could pull off a swerve and have Sheamus ruin a match between the two. This could allow Sheamus to be a factor in the Intercontinental Championship picture immediately.
Alternatively, we could also see Sheamus attack the person who ultimately comes out on top in this rivalry and straight away begin a new championship feud. Whether that will be Shinsuke Nakamura or Braun Strowman, only time will tell.
Since the Universal Championship picture is a bit crowded at the moment, Sheamus could find his opening in the mid-card title scene and win the Intercontinental Championship in the process.
#1 By participating in the Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is always a great match to bring back some legendary Superstars for one night, or grandly mark the return of top Superstars. With 30 men entering the Rumble, there is always a chance fans will see a new or familiar face whenever the clock counts down to zero, and a Superstar’s theme music hits.
Sheamus has been teasing his return for some time but hasn’t explicitly stated when or where he will be returning. Even though the surprise factor would have been even greater if the company would have simply returned him as one of the final entrants of the Rumble, it seems like they want to build up a backstory first.
With that in mind, we could still see Sheamus make a surprise entry into the match for his in-ring return. 'The Celtic Warrior' won the Royal Rumble in 2012, and we could once again see him deliver a great performance upon his return, which could keep the fans guessing on whether or not he will actually pull off the victory.
Even if Sheamus does not go on to win the Rumble, we could see him eliminate a few men and have a staredown with the likes of Cesaro. This could build a rivalry with a Superstar in the match, which could lead Sheamus to his first singles match in almost a year.
