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First off, from all of us WWE writers at Sportskeeda, Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Ireland has always been home to some great talent in pro wrestling history. However, it's only been in the last couple of decades that the Emerald Isle has really brought us some game changers. That explosion of talent doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon, either.
So, to celebrate today's holiday, we will rank the top five Irish WWE Superstars of the last twenty years. We're looking at championship success, mainstream popularity, and overall skill.
So, pour yourself a pint of Guinness (or have somebody who knows what they're doing pour it for you), put on some U2, and eat some corned beef and cabbage (you don't really have to do any of that, we were just looking to see who would get mad) - and let's get started.
#5. WWE NXT's JD McDonagh (aka Jordan Devlin)
Debuting for WWE as part of the United Kingdom Championship tournament in 2016 (which also gave us current WWE stars like Pete "Butch" Dunne and Tyler Bate), Devlin quickly made an impression on the company. Before too long, he was a staple of NXT UK.
Devlin won the NXT Cruiserweight Championship at the beginning of 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic saw him unable to travel four months later, forcing WWE to crown an Interim champion until restrictions were lifted.
Unfortunately for Jordan, the Interim champion Santos Escobar won their match upon Devlin's return.
Devlin is currently known as JD McDonagh in the developmental brand. He's already had two shots against NXT Champion Bron Breakker and is a major presence in NXT overall.
#4. David "Fit" Finlay
Currently, David "Fit" Finlay, Jr. is a trainer for WWE. Older fans will remember him from his time in WCW, where he feuded with William Regal and even won the WCW Television Championship.
Slightly less older fans will also remember Finlay from his WWE work from 2001 to 2011. During this time, he was involved in introducing the world to Hornswoggle and winning the United States Championship. He even had a hell of a brawl against JBL at WrestleMania XXIV.
Despite his in-ring success, Finaly's legacy will probably be in his training of some of today's biggest stars. He had a hand in training John Cena and Randy Orton and was instrumental in making WWE's women's division what it is today.
Stars such as Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Lance Storm, and Cody Rhodes have all sung the praises of the Belfast Bruiser.
His son, also named David, is currently performing for New Japan Pro Wrestling - and even just declared himself the new leader of Bullet Club.
#3. Finn Bálor
Fergal Devitt - aka Prince Devitt, aka Finn Bálor - is, without a doubt, a future WWE Hall of Famer. He was the inaugural Universal Champion. He's held both the NXT and Intercontinental Championships on multiple occasions, and even teamed with Samoa Joe to win the first Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Balor is an interesting case in WWE. Every time it seems like they're pushing the Demon King aside, they suddenly let him do something new. From his sudden heel turn in his second NXT run to his taking over the Judgment Day faction.
Also, between him and AJ Styles, the company has attempted so many times to recreate Bullet Club with at least one of the two of them, along with Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.
Calling Finn the third most successful Irish Superstar of the last 20 years is not a knock on him. Despite being in his early 40s, the Prince still has a ton of potential in the ring - and there could be another world championship in the cards for him.
#2. Becky Lynch
Becky Lynch - or Rebecca Quinn - will win an Oscar someday. Make our words. Granted, since there's no expiration date for the Academy Awards themselves, you could technically say that about anyone. But there's no doubt in our minds that once (or even if) The Man decides to leave the squared circle for Hollywood - much like Dave Bautista before her - she's going to knock it out of the park.
But we're not here to talk about Becky's potential future - let's talk about what she's done in WWE so far. Lynch has had plenty of success on the main roster since moving on from NXT in 2015. She was the inaugural SmackDown women's champion, for starters.
She attacked Charlotte Flair after their Triple Threat match at SummerSlam 2018, which was supposed to turn her heel for the first time since joining the main roster. Instead, it rocketed her to heights of popularity the company hadn't seen since John Cena made it big.
Since then, Becky has won multiple championships and become a pop culture icon. Even a heel run following her return from pregnancy did nothing to dampen the crowd's affection towards her. She currently holds the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship alongside Hall of Famer Lita.
In a different universe, Becky Lynch would top this list. But for us, there's only one FELLA that belongs there.
#1. Sheamus
Sheamus is one of the greatest Irish WWE Superstars of all time. Not just in the past 20 years. He's the best overall.
The Celtic Warrior has won the WWE Championship, the World Heavyweight Championship, the United States title, and the tag team championships. He is only one Intercontinental title away from becoming a Grand Slam Champion.
The Great White is also a former Royal Rumble and King of the Ring winner. He's represented the promotion on late-night talk shows. He's riled up crowds as both a heel and a babyface.
Most importantly, when he debuted in WWE, Sheamus intended to play upon his Irish heritage - but without leaning on the stereotypes usually associated with it. We didn't see any four-leaf clovers or leprechauns when the Celtic Warrior came around. He was one of Ireland's High Kings (almost literally with his King of the Ring win). He was Fionn Mac Cumhaill.
Sheamus was (and still is) one of the first Irish pro wrestlers to not only shrug off the stereotypes associated with the Irish but thrive. He not only became a legend inside the rope but also did everything he could to represent the company - and pro wrestling - in the best possible way.
We're sure your list is probably different. So tell us! Share YOUR list in the comments section below.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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