Sheamus and The Brawling Brutes have become some of the most entertaining characters on WWE's roster, and fans can say thanks to Edge for that. Not directly, of course. The Rated R Superstar was busy coming up with—and getting kicked out of—his own faction, Judgment Day. But, according to the Celtic Warrior, a trip to Edge's house is responsible for his career resurgence and a renewed love of professional wrestling.
Speaking to SHAK Wrestling on YouTube, Sheamus had this to say about what fired him back up for a big-time run in WWE. "I was actually at Edge's house, and I saw his titles on the wall, and I saw the [Intercontinental] Title. I was like, 'I can't give up now. I'm so close to getting that piece in the puzzle.' It motivated me to get back and come back in the best shape possible." The 44-year-old former WWE World Champion also discussed why the original title run didn't click in 2012. "The crowd would turn against me because they thought the machine was behind me. No matter how hard I beat my body, I just wasn't gonna' win them over." (h/t and thanks to Fightful.com for the transcription)
Sheamus & The Brawling Brutes Have Clicked As A Unit
WWE had needed to be patient with its three major factions, including Sheamus and The Brawling Brutes. Just like most things in professional wrestling, it took some time for the group to get some legs. Pat McAfee putting them over with his signature "It's Fight Niiiiiight!" introduction on commentary didn't hurt. The crowds slowly started to come around to the combination of Butch, Ridge Holland, and Sheamus. They really started to get over during the build to Clash At The Castle, where the Brawling Brutes were feuding with Imperium. Fans seemed to support Sheamus and his chase of the one major title that has always eluded him, and his match against Gunther in the United Kingdom was a banger. He fell short of becoming a Grand Slam champion, but the money is in the chase, not the end result.
That standout match at Clash At The Castle led to a new "banger after banger after banger" catchphrase for the Brawling Brutes, and there's been no looking back since then. All three men have been involved in solid singles matches, and the tag-team fights tend to deliver as well. Sheamus is being discussed as a possible opponent for Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble premium live event in late January, meaning that the Brutes and Bloodline still have some unfinished business to take care of following WarGames. Given that Kevin Owens is also still involved in a feud with that faction, perhaps WWE fans will see them have each other's backs again as the storyline evolves. One thing is clear: Sheamus has never been this over with crowds, and the reactions he's been getting are well-deserved after working in such a hard-hitting style for so long. And a trip to Edge's house is, apparently, the genesis for it.
Source: SHAK Wrestling/YouTube, Fightful.com