There has been a massive Irish influx in WWE over the past decade. For years, there wasn’t much of a contingent in the company, but that has changed massively. Irish stars have been flooding into WWE and have become the main parts of the roster.
Stars like Finn Balor, Sheamus, and Becky Lynch are some of the notable names that have graced the WWE roster. They have carved their place in the company and have been an integral part of the product. Of course, they would only be here with the trailblazing paths of veterans such as Finlay and Velvet McIntyre.
With the number of Irish stars that have broken through in the big leagues, it must mean some great matches are attached to them. Let’s take a look at the best of those matches.
Sheamus vs. Gunther (WWE Intercontinental Championship Match; Clash at the Castle)
When he first entered WWE, Sheamus had a rocket strapped to his back. Within a year, he was receiving a huge push as he won the WWE Championship over John Cena.
It was a reign that didn’t go particularly well, and Sheamus became an upper-mid card talent. That doesn’t mean that he never had any great matches. He was part of some of the best in history, including his five-star match against Gunther.
Gunther and Sheamus beat the holy h&^% out of one another at Clash at the Castle. This was as hard a hitting match as anyone has seen before. The welts on Sheamus were evidence of this. The shots were stiff, and both men kept up over the 20 minutes. It was a surprise that either man was standing as the match ended. This was a sure-fire match of the decade candidate.
Fit Finlay vs. William Regal (WWE United States Championship Match; SmackDown 2006)
Finlay was a steady hand wherever he went. In WCW and WWE, he would be the one to pull a good match out of anyone while getting them over. He was a well-known and liked man, but one who would never get to the main event scene. That doesn’t mean that he wasn’t going to be in some great matches.
Fit and William Regal were tailor-made for one another. Their styles were so similar that they could put on fluid matches almost effortlessly. It was hard to choose just one from their lengthy history, but the SmackDown U.S Championship match takes the cake. It was the perfect combination of hard-hitting and great wrestling. An ideal match to showcase both men.
Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair (Last Woman Standing Match; WWE Evolution)
Becky Lynch’s rise to the top has been amazing. She has become one of the most popular women in wrestling history. With her charisma and great character work, she has etched her way into the pantheon of great wrestlers, period. She has had great matches with just about every woman she has matched up against, but her best has to be against the Queen at Evolution.
Last Woman Standing matches have a reputation for being boring. The nature of the match makes it more of a war of attrition, and this makes it difficult to keep the fan’s attention. This was not the case here. Lynch and Charlotte Flair told a captivating story while sprinkling in some fantastic spots. It kept us engaged and was the best of the night.
Velvet McIntyre vs. Fabulous Moolah (Women’s Championship Match; WrestleMania II)
Velvet McIntyre may not have the notoriety that other Irish wrestlers have, but she will forever remain one of the most important in wrestling history. Her flashy style was great and set her apart from others of the day. She was a diva before the term became the norm in WWE.
In her era, women’s wrestling wasn’t taken very seriously. She didn’t have many memorable matches with the company, save her WrestleMania 2 encounter with the Fabulous Moolah. It was a short match but one that was featured on the card. For the time, this was a big deal, and it involved one of the original divas.
Finn Balor vs. Johnny Gargano (NXT TakeOver: Portland)
Finn Balor was one of the best gets by WWE. He was fantastic in various promotions and made a massive name for himself all over the world. When he got to WWE, he became well-known, and his popularity was immense. He became one of the best on the roster and had a laundry list of great matches over every brand. The best of which came against Johnny Gargano in Portland.
Balor and Gargano put on one of the best matches in NXT history. The wrestling was fantastic from start to finish, but it was the storytelling that made this an A-plus contest. They wove a beautiful story and took us all for the best ride of the night. It was a match where no one wanted the action to end. Balor was shown to be a main event guy on that night.
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