Sheamus has made a case to for him to beat Roman Reigns

In sports, we see athletes go through various career arcs. The most compelling ones feature their share of peaks and valleys.

We’ve seen elite players who struggle for years to win a championship or beat a specific opponent only to break through with a long-awaited win eventually. We’ve witnessed players who were among the best at their profession overcome injuries to perform at or above the level they once did. We’ve watched players who amble through journeyman careers unexpectedly have a period of top form.

Over the last couple of years, Sheamus has embodied all of those scenarios. A former top guy who underwhelmed during previous pushes (from a fan interest standpoint), it seemed like a spinal stenosis diagnosis would start slowing him down in the ring.

Instead, the former WWE Champion has enjoyed a career renaissance, stringing together great match after great match against various opponents. His most recent classic against Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER at Clash at the Castle impressed so many fans that he turned babyface as a result.

Sheamus is now pursuing GUNTHER and the one title that has eluded “The Celtic Warrior”, but perhaps he should turn his attention to another championship.

Sheamus has earned the chance to face Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship. There’s also a good case for him beating Reigns.

As it stands, Roman Reigns has only a few credible challengers, and a couple of those potential opponents are injured. Optimistically, WWE hopes that Cody Rhodes can heal up in time for the Royal Rumble to set up a story that would end with him beating Reigns for the Universal Title.

However, we still have plenty of time before then, and WWE seldom sees one of its wrestlers pick up momentum the way Sheamus has over the last few weeks. Even with him taking part in a compelling storyline with GUNTHER, there’s nothing wrong with taking advantage of Sheamus’ newfound popularity — he’s arguably more over now than when WWE tried to jam him into a top babyface spot in the mid-to-late 2010s — and jumpstarting a hot program with Reigns.

This doesn’t mean that Sheamus would need to hold the belt for nearly a year or anything. Still, a story where the aging veteran turns his recent hot streak into a win over the dominant “Tribal Chief” and a several-month championship reign would make for a compelling story for the fall and early winter.

WWE can always go back to Sheamus chasing GUNTHER and Intercontinental Title; in fact, holding off on that rematch would actually build more anticipation for it instead of going right to it. But Sheamus may never get this over again, and WWE should reward that with a run at the top opposite Reigns.

It certainly beats giving Logan Paul a title shot for “buzz” or whatever.