WWE Champion Drew McIntyre opened the last Monday Night RAW of 2020 reiterating what anyone watching his meteoric second shot at stardom can attest: McIntyre has had quite a year. As he reminded the Thunderdome, he defeated Brock Lesnar for the WWE championship, lost it to Randy Orton, and regained the belt from Orton. The latest challenge to McIntyre’s reign would be decided that very night, with a match between Keith Lee and Sheamus to decide which man would face him for the WWE Championship at the upcoming RAW Legends Night. Despite McIntyre’s best efforts to assemble the three as a team, the tension between Lee and Sheamus had come to a head at last week’s Holiday Street Fight. Despite being victorious against Miz, Morrison, and A.J. Styles, Sheamus turned on Lee, and kicked him. It was inevitable that the betrayal would be answered for. Far from a grudge match alone, their bout would anoint McIntyre’s challenger
McIntyre thanked WWE fans for their support, but his turn at the mic was interrupted by Sheamus, who seemed confident that he would be the one to best Lee and face his old friend, McIntyre, in a title bout, which both were eager for. However, Lee in turn walked the ramp and entered the ring, putting both McIntyre and Sheamus on blast: Sheamus for kicking him, and McIntyre to be wary of Sheamus, reiterating that he believes Sheamus will eventually turn on McIntyre.
As the animosity mounted once again, McIntyre called for a ref to officially begin the match between Lee and Sheamus. With McIntyre ringside at the announce desk pitching in on commentary, the battle for his belt, between two men he calls friends, began.
Lee and Sheamus traded blows, and Sheamus targeted Lee’s shoulder numerous times in an attempt to weaken the prodigious strength of the Limitless One. Getting Lee on the ground, Sheamus aggressively targeted Lee’s shoulder and face. Back on his feet, Lee went on the offensive, delivering hard blows to Sheamus, and taking the action outside the ring, trading shots by the barricade. Sheamus took to the ropes, and delivered a mighty frog splash to Lee, which sent him into the announce desk.
Lee’s impressive endurance served him well, and making it back into the ring he was able to lift Sheamus, no small feat. Lee hit Sheamus with a forearm smash, but Sheamus was able to get Lee into a corner, delivering a series of strikes. Lee got out of Sheamus’s grasp, and blocked his onslaught with a deflection. Lee knocked Sheamus about, tossed the Celtic Warrior like a beanbag, but Sheamus, as hard to put away as Lee, answered with a hard elbow assault to Lee. The renewed scuffle between the two led to Lee getting a cover on Sheamus, who kicked out. Sheamus delivered hard kicks to Lee, who nevertheless delivered a crossbody and got a cover on Sheamus once more, who again kicked out.
Sheamus looked to end the encounter with White Noise, but the powerful finisher was not enough. Lee survived, and the two struggled back to their feet where they traded headbutts and chest slaps. Lee unleashed a spirit bomb on Sheamus, and the matter was decided: it would be Lee who faced their mutual friend for the WWE Championship.
Lee, like his upcoming opponent McIntyre, is ending 2020 on a high. Fresh from NXT, new to the RAW roster, next week could find him claiming the WWE Championship on Legends Night.
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