{"id":115329,"date":"2022-08-30T12:00:02","date_gmt":"2022-08-30T16:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?p=115329"},"modified":"2022-08-27T10:40:30","modified_gmt":"2022-08-27T14:40:30","slug":"gunther-sheamus-clash-at-the-castle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2022\/08\/30\/gunther-sheamus-clash-at-the-castle\/","title":{"rendered":"Match Point: Gunther vs. Sheamus, WWE Clash at the Castle (9\/3\/22)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em><a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/?s=match+point\" target=\"_self\">Match Point<\/a> is an ongoing series at Last Word on Pro Wrestling, where we look at intriguing matchups in indie wrestling and beyond. They may be dream matches, first-time matchups, or hotly anticipated rematches. At <strong>WWE Clash at the Castle<\/strong>, Intercontinental Champion <strong>Gunther<\/strong> defends the gold against number one contender <strong>Sheamus<\/strong>. Here&#8217;s what to know before the match takes place this Saturday.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>On the August 19 edition of <strong><em>Friday Night SmackDown<\/em><\/strong>, one of the most interesting matches set for <strong><em>WWE Clash at the Castle<\/em><\/strong> was established. This Saturday, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, <strong>Gunther<\/strong> will defend the Intercontinental Championship against <strong>Sheamus<\/strong>. On paper, this promises to be a hard-hitting affair between two wrestlers that have yet to meet in singles competition. Here&#8217;s what to know before Gunther faces Sheamus, with the IC title on the line, at <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Gunther vs. Sheamus \u2013 What to Know<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Gunther makes his SmackDown debut in brutal fashion against Joe Alonzo: SmackDown, April 8, 2022\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Yqlfj76LwQA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Ring General&#8217;s Reign<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Formerly known as <strong>WALTER<\/strong>, Gunther made <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2022\/04\/08\/gunther-ludwig-kaiser-debut-smackdown\/\" target=\"_self\">his <em>SmackDown<\/em> debut<\/a> in April alongside <strong>Ludwig Kaiser<\/strong>, the former <strong>Marcel Barthel<\/strong>. It didn&#8217;t take long for \u201cThe Ring General\u201d to make an impression on the blue brand, topping <strong>Ricochet<\/strong> for the Intercontinental Championship the following June. Since then, Gunther has been a dominant champion, retaining the gold in a rematch with Ricochet and against <strong>Shinsuke Nakamura<\/strong>, the latter proving to be one of the best IC title matches in recent memory.<\/p>\n<p>The dominance of Gunther should come as no surprise to wrestling fans familiar with his work. The Austrian powerhouse was the longest-reigning NXT United Kingdom Champion, holding the title in question for a staggering 870 days. From <strong>Dave Mastiff<\/strong> to <strong>Tyler Bate<\/strong> to <strong>Pete Dunne<\/strong>, Gunther&#8217;s reign as the NXT UK titleholder was a clear showcase of his dominance. Thus, when he made the move to SmackDown, it was expected that similar dominance would be showcased. Needless to say, viewers have not been disappointed. At <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em>, however, Gunther faces arguably his greatest challenge yet in \u201cThe Celtic Warrior,\u201d Sheamus.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ricochet vs. Moss vs. Sheamus vs. Corbin vs. Zayn: SmackDown, Aug. 19, 2022\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/R8XKhOYsJAg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Sheamus Aims for the Missing Accolade<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>The August 19 episode of <em>SmackDown<\/em> saw Sheamus compete in a Fatal Five-Way contest that also featured <strong>Madcap Moss<\/strong>, <strong>Happy Corbin<\/strong>, Ricochet, and <strong>Sami Zayn<\/strong>; the winner of said match would be declared the #1 contender for the Intercontinental Championship, going on to face Gunther at <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em>. This was a competitive affair, featuring everything from high-flying maneuvers by Ricochet to an earnest in-ring performance by Zayn, who was competing in front of a partisan Quebec crowd. However, this match belonged to Sheamus, who executed a Brogue Kick on Corbin for the pinfall victory.<\/p>\n<p>On <strong><em>The SmackDown LowDown<\/em><\/strong> later that evening, Sheamus was interviewed backstage regarding his upcoming match with Gunther. \u201cThe Celtic Warrior\u201d recognized that the Intercontinental Championship was the only major WWE title he never held. Despite numerous attempts to capture said title, Sheamus said he was \u201cshortchanged.\u201d However, he believed <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em> to be his stage to claim the proverbial missing piece of the puzzle. Sheamus then shifted his attention to Gunther, telling \u201cThe Ring General\u201d he would drag him \u201cinto the belly of the red dragon\u201d and defeat him for the Intercontinental Championship.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/i.imgur.com\/bJxIfzB.jpg\" alt=\"Gunther and Sheamus Meet on SmackDown\" width=\"1200\" height=\"675\" \/><\/p>\n<h3><strong>The Two Contenders Meet<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>It was on the August 26 edition of <em>SmackDown<\/em> that Gunther and Sheamus met ahead of <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em>. Sheamus didn&#8217;t come alone, however, as his fellow Brawling Brutes in <strong>Ridge Holland<\/strong> and <strong>Butch<\/strong> stood at his side against Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser. Sheamus took umbrage with Gunther calling himself &#8220;Ring General,&#8221; as Sheamus believed himself to fit the term better, having bested everyone from <strong>Roman Reigns<\/strong> to <strong>John Cena<\/strong> to <strong>Triple H<\/strong>. Furthermore, Sheamus claimed he had &#8220;banger after banger after banger&#8221; in the ring before noting he saw much of himself in Gunther, noting the Intercontinental Champion&#8217;s brutal approach in the ring. Despite this level of respect, Sheamus made it clear that, at <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em>, he will seize the Intercontinental title.<\/p>\n<p>Gunther took the mic, stating that while Sheamus deserved respect, they were not alike. Gunther aimed to protect the Intercontinental Championship, and to do that, he would teach &#8220;The Celtic Warrior&#8221; what violence really meant at <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em>. Not only would Gunther chop Sheamus&#8217; chest to bits but break his body and spirit. This segment ended with Butch suddenly attacking Kaiser, Holland soon becoming involved in the melee. All the while, Gunther and Sheamus stared one another down in the ring. They understood the importance of their match at <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em>, and regardless of what transpired outside of it, little else mattered as much.<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"fGYPMSgQQ5pAmmREGlAEKQ\" class=\"gie-single\" style=\"color: #a7a7a7; text-decoration: none; font-weight: normal !important; border: none; display: inline-block;\" href=\"http:\/\/www.gettyimages.com\/detail\/485069364\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Embed from Getty Images<\/a><script>window.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'fGYPMSgQQ5pAmmREGlAEKQ',sig:'VApkk5o48EzKn_a0eInTltf0luCPGy1gmrzAyyG4Iag=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'485069364',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })});<\/script><script src=\"\/\/embed-cdn.gettyimages.com\/widgets.js\" async=\"\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Gunther vs. Sheamus, Clash at the Castle &#8211; In Closing<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>To say that <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em> is an important platform for Sheamus would be an understatement. Since 2009, \u201cThe Irish Curse\u201d himself has become one of the most decorated WWE Superstars. Five tag team titles, 3 United States titles, 3 world titles, not to mention the King of the Ring tournament and Royal Rumble matches, are collective evidence of his success over the years. However, as mentioned earlier, the Intercontinental Championship has long eluded him. By capturing the gold at <em>Clash at the Castle<\/em> against Gunther, Sheamus has the opportunity to become, in his own words, the first-ever Ultimate Grand Slam Champion.<\/p>\n<p>The status of Grand Slam Champion is one that&#8217;s shared by a select group of wrestlers. Such names include, but aren&#8217;t limited to, <strong>The Miz<\/strong>, <strong>Kofi Kingston<\/strong>, <strong>Rey Mysterio<\/strong>, <strong>Seth Rollins<\/strong>, <strong>Edge<\/strong>, <strong>Kurt Angle<\/strong>, and <strong>Eddie Guerrero<\/strong>. Given his accomplishments, including the aforementioned ones, Sheamus would not be out of place in this company. However, to reach this milestone in his career, \u201cThe Celtic Warrior\u201d will have to best Gunther, not only capturing the Intercontinental Championship but handing \u201cThe Ring General\u201d his first loss since his April debut. Can Sheamus become Ultimate Grand Slam Champion, or will his hopes be dashed by an overwhelming effort from Gunther?<\/p>\n<p><em>Stay tuned to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/\" target=\"_self\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/a>\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/watch.wwe.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">WWE Network<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peacocktv.com\/watch\/home\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Peacock<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Match Point is an ongoing series at Last Word on Pro Wrestling, where we look at intriguing matchups in indie wrestling and beyond. They may be dream matches, first-time matchups, or hotly anticipated rematches. At WWE Clash at the Castle, Intercontinental Champion Gunther defends the gold against number one contender Sheamus. Here&#8217;s what to know [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3354,"featured_media":115331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,2192,26,4,3],"tags":[8238,329,399],"class_list":["post-115329","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-wrestling","category-smackdown","category-wwe","category-wwe-universe","tag-gunther","tag-intercontinental-championship","tag-sheamus"],"modified_by":"Robbie Sutter","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115329","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3354"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=115329"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/115329\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/115331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=115329"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=115329"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=115329"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}