[9.0] "Very good match between this two. His chemistry is perfect, they can fight 9 times and the 9 times will be a banger, everytime no doubts. This match had a amazing atmosphere with the Wales crowd cheering Sheamus and the chop battle. Is a meat war, this word explains perfectly this type of match where they only fight with hard punches, slaps, chops. Is a war, is something satisfying. I almost forgot about the beginning, is one of the best beginnings that i can remember in a match, Gunther and Sheamus looked at each other while Pete Dunne and Holland fights Vinci and Kaiser, is incredible. As Gunther says, the mat is sacred and after the bell rang they start to punch each other in the first duel. For me is not 5 stars because they wait a lot between a move, the final moments of the match is a kickout, move, kickout. Not a big problem of course but is not original, the thing i liked is when Sheamus tries to hit the Brogue kick and he can't because his knee(well, maybe the entire body) is injured , that selling is incredible and the way Gunther is looking at him is very well done. ****/75"
[10.0] "This was a PROPER KNOCK! This man Gunther was out there butchering Sheamus. Chop after chop after chop, constant slaps to the face, vicious kicks right in Sheamus' face. There was a moment mid match where Sheamus is leaning against the ropes and Gunther is just viciously putting a beating on him, literally punishing the guy. At that point Sheamus just drops to his knees and you see the look of a broken man on his face. Even though this match was mostly Gunther being an absolute savage, it's not a squash match by any means. Sheamus gets plenty of offense and until the very end doesn't back down from the fight. His body fails him after taking a vicious beating for 20 minutes, but not once he backs up. From the entrances, to the face off, to the atmosphere in the stadium, to the slugfest they put on and the standing ovation in end, this match is truly remarkable. 5*"
[6.0] "This is a actually a very overrated match if I'm being honest. This doesn't even come close to some of Gunther's other great matches. Like, they hit each other hard and that's it. This wasn't fast paced. It lacked all the drama and near falls that we saw in the Wrestlemania 39 triple threat match between Sheamus, McIntyre, and Gunther. The stare down at the start was good, but that's about it. Just basic wrestling throughout the match. A very boring match that got carried by the crowd. I was happy that Sheamus got a standing ovation, but the match itself was very disappointing."
[10.0] "Banger man, just an absolute banger. This match was perfectly built, set-up, and showcased. Before the match even started, Sheamus and Gunther just stared at each other and the fans were going nuts. That just showed you that you're going to witness something amazing."
[8.0] "Stoic challenger unfaced by the carnage. looking like a brawl, really nice start, didn't know sheamus could go like that. lovely crowd. It's new to see Sheamus in this position, he is doing so well. Gunther is really good for matches where you want to show the fighting spirit and determination of the other wrestler - i get why they are building him up this way. Gunther actually taunting is really nice. The hand holding chops - into redemption by Sheamus was lovely. The Mania triple threat was just a little better"
"These two cannot have a bad match if they tried, so it speaks to their chemistry that even one of their more underwhelming matches is a good example of in ring storytelling and the occasional thrills. I could have maybe rated this higher if I hadn't seen the triple threat with McIntyre."
[9.0] "An incredible brawl that was very brutal and was going to be difficult to beat for match of the night. Gunther is one of those guys who can have a great match with anyone but this was on another level and one of the best matches from Sheamus I have personally ever seen. The beginning sequence with The Brawling Brutes and Imperium going at it while Sheamus and Gunther stood face to face in the middle of the ring looked awesome and it was great to see Giovanni Vinci back in the fold for Gunther's crew. Solid 4 stars."
[6.0] "Very disappointing, I sincerely don't understand the high scores. There's nothing violent except the blows on Sheamus's torso and towards the end Gunther does a botch. The technical level is low, during their career they did much better. In short, there's nothing special about this match."
[6.0] "As someone who watches regularly this kind of matches, I can't say this impresses me. It's a fairly good slugfest but I can see why people who aren't used watching to this kind of match on a regular basis think that this is one of the best matches of all time. *** 1/2"
[10.0] "Love me two wrestlers who aren't afraid to work a little bit stiff, and this crowd was red-hot for this match. Sheamus looked like he had been to hell and back at the end of the match. That guy has come so far as a wrestler, and Gunther has done a fantastic job over the years of slotting into his role as a main event monster that absolutely terrorizes all challengers."
[9.0] "[4.5*] Maybe the WWE MOTY in 2022 for me, better than Rollins vs Rhodes. Unbelievable match, this had everything and more that you can expect of these two. Hard hitting, stiff and dramatic action in Cardiff. Put some respect on Sheamus name, please. He got a big ovation after the bout and he deserved it. The best singles match of an awesome rivalry."
[10.0] "Hell yeah. This was fucking awesome. This match is what made me fall in love with this style of wrestling. They went out there and beat the ever loving shit out of each other. Sheamus's chest at the end of the match tells the whole story. That iconic image along with the match itself single handedly revitalized Sheamus's entire career. Ever since, he's become one of the top guys on the main roster. With Gunther, this was easily his coming out party for the main roster audience with him also becoming a top guy known for consistently great matches. I also think that this match proved just how valuable foreign markets are for hosting PPVs/PLEs. This crowd loved every minute of this match. They were vocal throughout and thoroughly behind Sheamus the entire time. For all those reasons, this is probably the easiest 5 star rating ever. Personally, this might be the best 5 star match up to this point for main roster WWE (the Dragunov matches are also damn good). To sum up the match as a whole, the best way to describe would be "big meaty men slapping meat". 10/10 [*****]"
[8.0] "Hard hitting slap fest, nothing but bruises. Aware of their technical limitations, the two go down the rocky road of an extremely hard brawl. This is not particularly varied for a long time, but it conveys an immense intensity and both workers are marked hard at the end of this mutual thrashing. Gunther's powerbombs fluctuate between careful and awkward, but Sheamus' Celtric Cross is an absolute highlight, almost jumping in. No offense to anyone, this is a really good match within the limits of individual ability."
[9.0] "A brawl in all the sense of the word, two badass bruiserweights beating the hell out of each other. What's not to love? Also, probably a nice redemption for Sheamus after many years of being mistreated by the company."
[9.0] "The day Sheamus finally found his soulmate; the man who would elevate him and help him produce the greatest matches of his career, and this one right here might be Sheamus' greatest singles match ever. Gunther gives Sheamus everything he craves for here, and that is a good ol' fashion brawl. It's hard hitting, it opens up with some sloppy brawling but quickly turns into Gunther handing Sheamus a proper ass-whoopin', and as always, it's a joy to watch. Sheamus' selling is great, his fire is awesome and the crowd's support made things even more special. Gunther truly brought the best out of Sheamus here, and I love the finish and the fact that Sheamus' stock went up after such a gutsy performance that would actually kick off the best years of his career. [ 92 ] **** 1/2"
[10.0] "In the hallowed halls of wrestling history, few matches resonate as deeply as the one between Sheamus and Gunther at Clash at the Castle 2022. This bout was not just a contest for the Intercontinental Championshipit was a brutal war between two gladiators of the squared circle, offering a masterclass in hard-hitting, old-school wrestling. The sheer physicality of the match stood as a tribute to the kind of in-ring style that transcends eras, speaking to fans who love the art of wrestlings rawest form. This was a match where every chop, every forearm, and every power move felt earned, creating an intense atmosphere that made you feel every moment. From the opening bell, Sheamus and Gunther made it clear that this wouldnt be a showcase of flashy moves or high-flying acrobatics; it was a battle of will and endurance. Sheamus, already a decorated veteran, showed he could still deliver at the highest level, with the weight of nearly 20 years of brawling experience behind him. His determination to capture the one title that had eluded him, the Intercontinental Championship, was palpable in every blow he struck. Gunther, the reigning champion, was equally relentless, displaying a raw power and brutality thats become his trademark. His chops echoed through the stadium, each one a reminder of why hes considered one of WWEs most dangerous competitors. What made this match truly special was the story it told, both in and out of the ring. Sheamus, battered and bruised, kept rising to his feet, driven by the desire to complete his resume with the Intercontinental title. Gunther, though a relative newcomer to WWEs main roster, proved that he was more than ready for the big stage. Every time it looked like Sheamus had a chance, Gunther would find a way to shut him down with another devastating maneuver. But it wasnt just a story of dominationit was a display of respect. Both men pushed each other to the absolute limit, and by the end, the fans were on their feet, not just for the winner but for the sheer quality of the match they had witnessed. In a year filled with remarkable matches, Sheamus vs. Gunther stood out because it was more than just a fightit was a reminder of what wrestling can be at its best. It solidified Gunther as a future megastar in WWE, showing just how much potential he has to be a dominant force for years to come. At the same time, it reminded everyone that Sheamus, even after all these years, can still deliver on the highest level when given the spotlight. This match was a perfect blend of storytelling, brutality, and pure wrestling, making it not only one of the best matches of 2022 but a defining moment for both mens careers."
[7.0] "I generally love matches built around chops and strong-style moves, and Gunther and Sheamus did those moves pretty well in this match. But I disagree with the consensus rating here. To reach an 8 for me, the match needs to have some element that makes me want to watch it again years down the road. I don't think there's anything to elevate this match to that level for me. This is nitpicking and a production issue more than a workrate issue, but a big knock for me is that while Gunther's chops look great on Sheamus's pasty chest, they don't really sound that powerful."
[10.0] "This is an absolutely phenomenal match. Insanely hard hitting in ring action, spectacular chemistry between both men, the crowd was ballistic throughout it all, this was the actual launching ground of Gunther becoming the best WWE IC Champion and having the best midcard championship reign in all of wrestling and helped reinvigorated Sheamus by giving him the best one on one match of Sheamus' career."
[7.0] "Finally watching this match, I was honestly expecting more... it's not a bad match at all, but the way everyone sold and talked about, like it was the most violent and hard-hitting match of all time, made me really disappointed. I absolutely understand if a guy that only watches the WWE main roster thinks this is revolutionary and a classic match, but I can think of several matches that were extremely more stiff, and I don't need to go much deeper, Gunther/Walter has a lot, like almost every one of them in like, 2017 or 2018. It's also probably the only match I ever watch that the chop is the main storytelling, it's not something I personally appreciate, but I can understand because Sheamus is like, the whitest person ever, and of course the damage on his body will look bigger. Smart match that WWE knew how to sold, almost industry-planted I consider. It's a shame it was too soft for me, and with little variety. This one definitely didn't clicked with me like it did to some people, Gunther had an ugly botch with that powerbomb as well, and the ending with Sheamus back injury was pretty mediocre. The atmosphere was incredible though - {***1/2}"
[10.0] "Fantastic match backed with a fantastic crowd made this one an all-timer. Put Gunther on the map, renovated Sheamus' career, this match has "the sauce" and is a match anyone interested in either wrestler should watch. [*****]"
[6.0] "It's a good match and it's nice to see Sheamus finally get the light shined on him after being neglected to being a medicore midcarder for years when he clearly had something more in him. However, this match just ends up being solid for me, I think these two definitely do have a better match in them."
[10.0] "This match is a classic, plain and simple. Although I might be slightly biased because I watched it live, and being absolutely hyped for it the match ended up delivering massively."
[10.0] "This was definitely an all time classic. The visual of Gunther and Sheamus staring each other down while their teammates went at it is very iconic. The two beat the heck out of each other with chops, boots, all kinds of devastating strikes. Gunther was able to get the best of Sheamus but Sheamus still looked great in defeat."
[10.0] "i legitimately love this match. Like this is a match im thankful to be able to have witnessed. This is my 2nd time watching this match sense watching it live and it legit gets better each time i watch it. I love how for the first like 10 minutes of the match its just gunther dominating and then sheamus finally starts to come back and get some offense in. I really liked sheamus doing the 10 beats in multiple places outside that was pretty cool. I really didnt like the fact sheamus didnt hit the brogue one time in this match which thats the only thing i didnt like. The finish was perfect sheamus going for the brogue but the back gives out and gets hit with a powerbomb and a clothes line. This is a match that time legit just passes by this match flys by and i legit wish it never ended. 5 stars. Anything else as a rating for this is just wrong idc."
[8.0] "I'm glad that over a year later, and through a rematch at KOTR 2024, this match is beginning to be viewed as an all-time WWE classic. And now with Gunther's reign being the longest ever, I can go back and say that this was the only time where he was out-shined. Sheamus is a monster here. He shows the fighting spirit/iron will type of thing throughout the match and isn't afraid to show Gunther he hits hard too. The Crowd loved every second of this match, and who can blame them? Even the face-off with the Brutes brawling Imperium is cool. Still, the match is admittedly simple, but that doesn't mean it isn't charming. 4.25 Stars."
[10.0] "This might be my favorite match of 2022, like holy shit! I expected this much stiffness from Gunther, but Sheamus really kept up with him, throwing brutal blows himself. It's a very important match for both of them: Gunther wanting to prove to the audience that didn't watch him in NXT UK that he's one of the best, and Sheamus wanting to prove (and proving) that he can still go. Just sheer brutality, great psychology, and an amazing finish. 10/10."
[10.0] "Good lord. This match is somehow even better on a rewatch. I mean, this is genuinely a perfect wrestling match. Gunther is my favorite of all time for a reason and that reason is on full display here. He nails it all. The action, psychology, storytelling, selling, expressions, hes literally the perfect wrestler. Sheamus had kind of been floundering for a few years at this point and desperately needed something to get peoples attention once again, and this match did just that. These two BRUTALIZED each other. Chops, knees, kicks, big boots, forearms, punches, this was just so unbelievably stiff. Gunther was a made man because of this on the main roster as everyone at this point had realized that he gets peoples best matches out of whoever he works with, and Sheamus did so good that in the twilight of his career he entered a renaissance. The start of this match is easily one of my all time favorites. Kaiser kills it with the intro for Gunther and I got so damn hyped up when the brawling brutes and imperium started brawling while Gunther and Sheamus just stared daggers at each other without moving. It felt like a monster movie. And by the end of the match they both looked wrecked. Gunther was an exhausted mess whos eyes told a story of someone who knows theyve met their toughest opponent, and Sheamus chest was like a red Picasso painting. The ending is great as well with Sheamus refusing to stop and they both just shout at eachother from opposite sides of the ring until Gunther just obliterates him with a lariat. This is just perfection. Theres great selling from Sheamus as well with his lower back. This is one of my favorite matches of all time and yet its somehow not even either mans best."
[7.0] "Good match. However, i don't think it ranks among the best of WALTER's career. The moments where he sets the pace were excellent, after all he has the aura of a FINAL BOSS. Any move he makes feels like his last, which makes him very convincing even against guys as big as him. But i think the match will lose momentum as it becomes Sheamus's hands to dictate the pace. I won't be unfair to say that the match was bad, but i thought the ending didn't do justice to the amazing beginning [****]."
[10.0] "What can I say about this one, it was a banger from start to finish, reminded me of them brutal banger Brody and stan Hanson had in Japan, European wrestling style at its finest , the best wwe macth of 2022 this will go down as an all time classic"
[7.0] "Well, I wasnt too much into the match, for sure it was brutal and a really heavy battle between two colossal wrestlers, but I think maybe it lacked of a better ending. The crowd was really hot and that really helped to increase the emotion around the match. Anyway, it wasnt bad, neither good, a little upper than average. [***1/2]"
[10.0] "This was a BANGER of a match. Brawling Brutes and Imperium started to brawl while Gunther and Sheamus had an epic staredown. As soon as the bell rang, they engaged in a strike exchange. The crowd chanted, 'Let's Go Sheamus.' Gunther delivered stiff chops, big boots, and slaps to the face. Sheamus attempted to perform the 10 Beats to the Bodhran, but Gunther kept slipping away. Gunther chopped Sheamus, who was on the top rope, sending him to the outside. The crowd then chanted, 'WALTER.' Gunther executed a Scoop Slam onto the steel steps. Sheamus and Gunther exchanged chops, with the crowd firmly behind Sheamus. Despite Gunthers onslaught, Sheamus kept trying to get up, displaying determination and resilience. Gunther landed another chop to Sheamus back. Sheamus attempted the 10 Beats to the Bodhran on the announcers table, but Gunther escaped into the ring. Sheamus tried again, receiving applause from the crowd. He then performed the 10 Beats to the Bodhran on the barricade. Sheamus delivered a loud Bicycle Knee Strike, but Gunther kicked out, resulting in a near fall. Gunther hit a Shotgun Dropkick followed by a Powerbomb onto Sheamus tailbone and Sheamus kicked out. Sheamus sold the Powerbomb by clutching onto his lower back. He managed to execute the Celtic Cross, but Gunther kicked out, a rare feat only a handful have kicked out of. Sheamus attempted a Brogue Kick, but his lower back gave out, allowing Gunther to hit another Powerbomb on the tailbone. Gunther finished the match with a Lariat, securing the win. Overall, it was a 10/10 BANGER of a match. Additionally, after the match, the crowd gave Sheamus a standing ovation, turning him face in the process, despite both competitors initially being heels heading in the match."
[9.0] "Match of the night featuring two of my favourite heavy hitters on the roster at the time, I love Gunther but I was behind Sheamus hoping to see him come out on top A 9/10 match for me."
[9.0] "Incredible, hard hitting match here between probably the 2 most badass wrestlers WWE has today. Sheamus has consistently proven that he is incredible in the ring ever since his work with Cesaro years ago and Gunther is incredible as always. Side note but there was a point during the match where the camera constantly cutting around the ring and then to various audience members made me feel like I was losing my mind."
[10.0] "Couldn't see much in person during this match, but watched it back a few times since, and it's truly a brutal classic. Maybe not as brutal as Ilja vs Walter, but still a 5 star classic."
[10.0] "I mean.. where do I start with this match, one of the most hard hitting matches I've ever watched and theres never been a Gunther match that disappoints to be fair, Sheamus' chest in this match was arguably more redder than Daniel Bryan's during the Greatest Royal Rumble. The crowd was so in this match as well it made it even better, this match really turned sheamus' dying career back around and made him so deservedly popular with the fans once again. 10/10."
[10.0] "Everything about this match is great. From the start where Gunther and Sheamus face each other, stoics, while their factions batters each other ; to the end, where Sheamus back breaks after being in a such a hard match. A great fight, amplified by the visual of Sheamus' white chest turning red throughout the match. The crowd was also amazing and carried this match to a whole other level. 10/10."
[9.0] "When I originally watched this match I thought it was one of the hardest and physical matches in WWE history, with a very simple but compelling storytelling and a great atmosphere provided by one of the best crowds in recent memory. However, I've never considered this to be as good as many people thinks, and by no means a 5 star match. It was really good, but it never reached that level of excellence in my opinion. My original rating for this match was **** 1/4 star, but there is something I have to praise about this, and that is how it reached an iconic status among wrestling fans with so little but very good job done, so I upgrade my rating 1/4+ star. (**** 1/2)"
[9.0] "Bloody hell, what a hard hitting fight that was. I mean you could have expected what it will be, but this match really put up a standard for all of Gunther's matches in the future. Sheamus turned his career around with this rivalry and he proved that he can do wonders when given the right opponent. I also love the fact that they didn't have to do any fancy moves to get the crowd into it and the match ended with one finisher. Brilliant stuff."
[10.0] "I was lucky enough to be live in attendance for this match. It was magic, two absolute beasts just battering each other for the duration of the match. The ovation Sheamus receives from the crowd is beautiful and emotional to see him finally get his flowers. Oh, and Gunther is top 5 in the world for a reason."
[10.0] "Match of the night! I thought this was absolutely perfect and I loved every second of it. Up there for WWE's best match of 2022. It was hot from the offset with Gunther's many chops which Sheamus kept fighting back from. Sheamus had the crowd's support, he was a determined face and he used it to craft a wonderful story. Sheamus' selling of the back injury was also excellent and it played into the finish. It stopped him from performing that final Brogue Kick which allowed Gunther to deliver a powerbomb and lariat for the win. Both men went to war with each other, beat the ever loving p**s out of each other and did it spectacularly. It was especially awesome to see Sheamus get his flowers and have the best singles match of his career. The UK crowd embraced him fully. However, Gunther retaining was the right choice. It led to another rematch down the line on SmackDown. Overall, this match exceeded all expectations. They deserve a 10/10. I don't care for flippy spot fests. Give me hard hitting storytelling any day!"
[9.0] "To anyone who doesn't respect this match: open your eyes and take a glance at Sheamus' chest. What do you think now? This match was incredible, with many edge of your seat moments throughout. For many, the devastating chops were the highlight of this match, but an underrated spot of the match is when Gunther narrowly survived the Celtic Cross delivered by Sheamus; a very close near fall it was."
[9.0] "Brutal from bell to bell, the pair of Gunther and Sheamus mesh really well despite Gunther being more of a technician and Sheamus being an all-out brawler. The crowd was very alive for this match with Sheamus being the designated crowd favourite. and the shot of Gunther and Sheamus staring down as Brawling Brutes and Imperium fight at the beginning is an epic picture."
[7.0] "Good match, potentially very good. It's a "genre" of match that's somewhat new to WWE and if it's your first exposure to the style then of course it'll be a higher rating. However I have seen many matches of this style and while I felt that this was good, it was still somewhat lacking. The Wrestlemania Triple Threat that serves as a sequel to this match is much, much better."
[10.0] "While this is not One of the five best matches of the year this remains THE best brawl i Ve haver see (Ishii not included:It s another style for me). Two men that destroy their selfes each others with pounches and chops for nearly 20m. The point in which Sheamus hits a Celtic cross (a move that now uses really rarely) Just let me Think that Sheamus could been the Champions but fortunately Gunther won. (I love Sheamus and I Hope He One day he ll be the First ever ultimate Grand Slam champion but here he didn't has to win) At the end, they exit this match as too strong sons of a bitch. Motherfucked five stars Classic. *****"
[9.0] "Probably the highlight of the year, and WWE is more than lucky to have the character and worker that Gunther is nowadays. Slightly better than the triple threat at Wrestlemania 39 with both of these men and McIntyre, but there was never any doubt that this would be fantastic."
"Best match of the night by far, incredibly hot crowd and very very brutal to the point of Sheamus' chest looking like delicious grilled cheese from the amount of punishment it endured. The finish kinda annoyed me because of how cartoonish it was with Sheamus' back just giving up during a Brogue Kick and then Gunther picking up the win. Fabulous match though."
[10.0] "Brutality, Chaos, Violence, Bedlam, Destruction, Savagery, Intensity - these are the words that come to my mind whenever I think of this match. These two have insane chemistry which allowed them to fabricate this masterpiece. For me this is Sheamus' career best match. I ran out of adjectives to describe Gunther's greatness and in ring work. That man cannot have a bad match even if he wanted to."
[10.0] "Gunther and Sheamus have phenomenal chemistry. While people usually talk about the brutality and physicality of this match, what I believe is this match's defining quality is how genuine it seems. This is not a wrestling match it's a fight, and every little detail from the selling to the pacing keeps up your suspension of disbelief. The spectacle of this taking place in front of a red-hot crowd of 60, 000+ only adds to the match. *****"
[10.0] "Match violent, sans technique inutile, sheamus qui à le rôle de face c'est cool, Imperium de retour. C'est tout ce qu'on pouvait espérer de ce match, il manque plus que le nom de walter revienne !"
[10.0] "tbh I think that I could just write the word "brutal" until I reach 100 characters and have that be my explanation. Whereas the Summer Slam main event of the same year - as great as it was - upheld the wacky zaniness we've come to expect from the fed, this was NOT a WWE match. It was a WALTER match, and a phenomenal one. And that's not to discredit Sheamus, who easily put the performance of his career in this match, which stands as one of the best in company history. 10/10 / *****"
[10.0] "Very reminiscent of GUNTHER's previous matches with Ilja Dragunov. In terms of purely in-ring action, this is my pick for Match of the Year (2022; However, my overall MOTY pick goes to Rhodes vs Rollins @ HIAC 2022). This was just two outstanding European wrestlers beating the absolute piss out of each other, and I loved every single second of it. My personal match of the night on a show filled with great stuff. Sheamus has been having a career resurgence since like 2020-2021 and this has to have been his best match to date. A battle filled with intensity and brutality, and I'm really hoping that Sheamus ends up taking the Intercontinental Title off GUNTHER."
[10.0] "This match lived up to the expectations, it truly did. The beat down these two gave each other was on another level entirely. The near falls had me on the edge of my seat and either one of them could have taken the win at any moment, this was an incredible match."
[5.0] "The first 7 or so minutes of this was painfully mediocre and boring. They traded strikes and brawled around for a bit outside the ring. Gunther's work on top consisted almost entirely of chops. At least 90% of his offense were chops with the rest of them being a couple kicks and power moves. I've always thought Gunther was overrated as "the best striker in wrestling" but since coming to WWE (specifically the main roster) his offense has rarely looked this poor. That's not to say all of his strikes lack impact, but many of them are light and underwhelming. That was one of my biggest issues with this match. Gunther's offense wasn't impressive, and now his lack of creativity is more noticeable. Sheamus' eventual comeback in the middle of the match wasn't anything great either. The finishing stretch consisted of more strikes, a few unconvincing power moves from Gunther (his shotgun dropkick and powerbomb looked outright bad). A very poor attempt at a strong style match. **1/2"
[10.0] "Best IC Title match I have ever seen and one of the best main roster matches I have had the pleasure of watching. Even before the match began, this felt epic. Gunther and Sheamus were staring a hole right through each other ready to strike at a moment's notice while everyone else was in a chaotic brawl. The match was incredibly brutal, there was nothing technical about it, It was pure flesh on flesh action. Gunther just brings violence and physicality to another level. Everything he does looks painful and the whelps that formed on Sheamus' chest as Gunther chops the living hell out of him best shows how vicious Gunther is. The Champion was intense, he was relentless in his assault. Sheamus showed great resilience in the match, he took an insane amount of punishment but just wouldn't stay down. They fought tooth and nail, slugging it out, throwing bombs at each other. They didn't need tables, ladders or chairs to make this match as violent as it could be, all they needed was their bare hands. Amazing match. *****"
[9.0] "Definitely one of the best WWE matches in the last decade and a style of match I hope to see more of in WWE. Sheamus takes the beating of a lifetime and comes across better than I've ever seen, gaining immense sympathy and support from the UK crowd. Sheamus being so damn white means you can see the effect of every chop on his body. For how long this match went, there were very little moves, this was a slugfest. If you're gonna do that kind of match you need to lay your shit in and both of these guys certainly did that. I'd be lying if I said a couple more moves wouldn't have brought this higher for me though. As it is, the offence is slightly too samey. That's just a minor gripe on a truly fantastic match. I especially liked how Sheamus' back gave out going for his finish and that tied directly into him being beat. Although Gunther wins, both men come out of this match on a major high. Great fight. (4.5*)"
[10.0] "This year was the year people finally started to appreciate Sheamus, and I? m glad that it happened. I have been a fan of his for the past 10 years so it was cool to see other people come around and appreciate what he has done. This year has been his best work in the ring, and arguably out of it too. And this was the match that grabbed the headlines. It was a stiff and brutal brawl where the two men beat the piss out of each other. While Gunther arrived in this match as the final boss type character we all know and love, this match also tested his own resilience, and made you believe that Sheamus could win. Everyone got elevated by this match, and even the belt as well, which has not been this relevant in a long time. Bravo to everyone involved."
[9.0] "This match was a BANGER, and an amazing demonstration of force and power. I don't watch NXT and didn't know much about Gunther/Walter's in-ring ability, although this match proved his talent, and elevated him as a credible heel. The match was a bit slow, however incredible brutal in a hard-hitting contest."
[6.0] "Fun, but I fail to see what everyone else is seeing in it. It's cool to see two guys hit each other hard, but this feels a lot like any other standard WWE match for me. I'm happy that two big guys got to bludgeon each other, but I would be lying if I said it did much for me. I'm happy that everyone else likes it though."
[10.0] "BANGER AFTER BANGER, AFTER BANGER, AFTER BANGER What an incredible match, brutal as hell, with two great wrestlers in a personal war giving all they got in a fantastic demonstration of force, agility and pro-wrestling."
[10.0] "This match is a match that helped to elevate GUNTHER as a real, credible heel on the main roster and it brought back a lot of shine to not only the Intercontinental Championship but Sheamus too. I don't know how long Sheamus has left in WWE or wrestling in general, but with wht he does have left, hopefully he can continue to produce bangers (after banger, after banger) like this."
[9.0] "Ein sehr gutes und vorallem hartes Match. Die Atmosphäre passte, die Fans waren gut drauf, für die Höchstwertung fehlte allerdings die Dramatik. Trotzdem ein MOTYC 2022. ****1/2"
[10.0] "This match will go down as one of, if not the best WWE Intercontinental Championship matches in history. A war between two incredible workers, with the crowd loving every moment. The reuniting of Imperium prior to the match was wonderful, and then the match was somehow even better. The chops in this match were sick and I loved them. Sheamus gave GUNTHER just as good as he got as well. The end of the match was great, reminding me of the incredible Tyler Bate vs WALTER match at UK TakeOver: Cardiff three years prior. Just an incredible match with an incredible crowd. Match of the year for me so far."
[9.0] "Very good, hard hitting match. Very typical "strong style" match you usually see in British/European wrestling, loads of hard hitting shots as well as some technical battles here and there with a lot of strong moves in a contest to overpower and outhit your opponent. Great match at a really good pace to keep you entertained and on the edge of your seat from start to finish."
[9.0] "I think it was really good. Lots of hard, painful blows, you could see their charisma in the ring and dedication from Sheamus. But I don't think it was 10/10, I lacked a stronger, more definitive ending here, Sheamus has suffered so much and it rains for Lariat. I know this is part of presenting the story and showing Gunther as a destroyer, but I wish it had ended differently."
[6.0] "Personally, I expected more out of this match. It felt rather underwhelming with a few exciting spots where both men clearly brought a lot of power and intensity, but they just looked so exhausted, and it felt like everything slowed down whenever the brawl was really starting to get good. The way the match ended was really frustrating, and just felt like there was so much more to see. Overall I thought this was heavily overrated and could have been much better."
[9.0] "Fans expecting a hard-hitting, physical match between intercontinental champion Gunther and top contender Sheamus got everything they wanted in the next match while still being surprised at the intensity of the bout. This was a hard-hitting battle that felt more real than predetermined, with the combatants throwing whatever they had at each other in the name of victory. Gunther won, but the incredible show of respect shown to Sheamus by the fans in Cardiff"
[10.0] "Sheamus and Gunther are both known for their hard-hits and chops. And what do they do here? They beat the crap out of each other. Sheamus' chest is raw meat by the end, and Gunther's desperate face says it all. The outside brawl was also amazing. One of the best IC title matches in recent memory."
[9.0] "Woah man, what an affair. Your classic WALTER match and what better opponent for this type of match than Sheamus? Hard-hitting, compelling from start to finish. Under Triple H, I have no doubts there are monumental plans for GUNTHER in the future. And how about that? It took Triple H ONE MONTH to get the crowd behind Sheamus, and Vince could not do it for just about over a decade even if his life depended on it. ****1/2, and I will not argue with anyone giving it the full ***** because it was that great. Easily one of the best Intercontinental Championship matches of all time."
[10.0] "This was fantastic. Easily match of the night. Maybe even match of the year. Gunther and Sheamus are two of the hardest hitting guys of the roster and this didn? t disappoint one bit. The selling by both guys was on point. Extra points to Sheamus for taking those chops and the extraordinary selling for his back. We all need more matches like this in our lives. *****"
[10.0] "Absolutely fantastic, brutal brawl. Sheamus's chest was blistered purple by the end of the match, after Gunther's vicious chops to his chest. Sheamus didn't back down, and by the end both men were beat to hell, until Gunther came out on top. It's hard to really describe how great this symphony of violence was, I absolutely recommend it."
[5.0] "Ich bin verwirrt, so verwirrt dass ich nochmal checken musste ob ich wirklich das richtige Match gesehen habe. Ich weiß wirklich nicht was daran ein 5 Sterne Match sein soll. Es war bei weitem nicht vergleichbar mit z.B. Shibata vs Ishii oder diversen anderen Schlachten die ich schon gesehen habe. Der Spirit beider Wrestler hat komplett gefehlt, sodass vieles verloren geht. Schade, da ich mich auf 5 Sterne Matches immer freue. So war es nur mittelmäßig."
[10.0] "This is what professional wrestling is all about. Brutality. The match was slow but they worked the slow pace perfectly and they literally tried to murder each other and you could tell. Sheamus is extremely underrated and he is legitimately one of the best in ring wrestlers in WWE today, and Gunther/WALTER is well... Yeah, we already know how perfect he is. This was the match of the weekend without a doubt, and definitely WWE's Match Of The Year. [*****]"
[8.0] "I was in the stadium for this show and I didn't quite get why this match was so loved when I looked online after, but I think that was because you couldn't see how physical this was unless you were right by the ring, so maybe this style of match wasn't ideal for the stadium setting as people in the back aren't going to comprehend how stiff this match was. I definitely enjoyed this more when watching it back. I'm of the opinion that Gunther is one of the best wrestlers in the world right now and Sheamus has always been criminally underrated, so this was right up my street. These two pounded the crap out of each other and we get a rare look at Sheamus working as an outmatched babyface, a role that he surprisingly excels at. Sheamus not being able to hit the Brogue Kick after his back gave out was a brilliant bit of selling. This was a rough and rugged fight, but it's not just the hard strikes that gave this match an edge. Every hold had a struggle to it and you couldn't see through their work. This is a strong WWE MOTYC, even if I don't love this match as highly as others clearly do."
[10.0] "I don't watch that much WWE these days, but when WALTER (or "Gunther", I guess) has a match that gets a lot of hype odds are good I'm going to take the time to take a look. I feel like it's been quite a while since he actually had a match of real note, which is a shame, but this feels like a step back in the right direction. It's also my first time seeing skinny WALTER, which is just very strange. I have to say personally I prefer the hulking superheavyweight version, but he's still WALTER dammit. And that became very clear as the match progressed! This was a truly brutal fight, which I very much expected with a hard hitting opponent like Sheamus. Spending his whole career in the WWE midcard has kind of hidden him from view but I always thought Sheamus had a lot of talent and that too was quickly clear here. Brutal fight, hot crowd, if WWE was always like this I'd probably watch all the time. My new WWE match of the year."
[10.0] "Hell of a brawl here. Both men traded stiff shots and various big moves for some compelling near falls. Slow in pace, but brawls like this work best in a more methodical style so the offense can sink in. The finish was well built and the crowd was absolutely electric. Really good. [*****]"
[10.0] "What a phenomenal physical hard-hitting match. The story of this match depicted about Sheamus was a hero in UK who fought with Austrian monster Gunther. He gave everything he had to triumph over gunther. Sheamus was really amazing at underdog role and great at selling his back as well. Meanwhile, Gunther was a perfect monster heel who mostly dominated the whole match with some devastating chops and various arsenal moves. Sheamus made a great comeback and the crowd was totally behind him. and also had some great nearfalls like celtic cross. Without a doubt, This is Shemus's best match of his career. Highly Recommend. ****3/4"
[10.0] "That was absolute magic. Legendary performance from both. Everything it promised to be on paper and more. An absolute spectacle, the atmosphere was incredible and the two of them played to the crowd so, so well. It's a testament to the match that even with the babyface losing, the crowd was still electric after the fact."
[9.0] "I love smacky smacky wrestling. brutal without any weapons. Look at sheamus's chest I only recall there being three pin attempts this entire match. 4.75 stars watch it"
"This was a great match. Would get 5.25 stahs in my super important book. Definitely the best match in WWE this year, overtaking Cody/Seth by a hair. Sadly the goobers for workrate and movez are gonna miss the point entirely and do their dork internet thing. "Not da sportz entertainment! " ?"
[7.0] "A great match, I loved the pop received from the fight for Sheamus (who since the beginning of this HHH era has been delivering great matches), but about the fight itself, the way it was conducted was brutal as it was a brawl between two great brawlers (besides of the red flesh look of the Celtic warrior's chest), but apart from these good points it was not a match that captivated me so my evaluation ***1/2"
[9.0] "Das ist für mich mein Match of the Night (****1/4). Der Staredown war schon geil und als Imperium Mitglieder dann mit Sheamus Leute brawlten möchte ich einfach bei Extreme Rules ein Six Man Tag Team Match sehen. Die Chops hier waren so brutal und wie Sheamus Brust blut gechoppt wurde das sah aus."
[8.0] "Ich bin tatsächlich noch hin- und hergerissen, ob ich 8 oder 9 Punkte geben soll. Ich höre mal auf mein erstes Bauchgefühl, welches 8 gesagt hat. Ein richtig geiles Match, welches genau das liefert, was ich mir erhofft habe und was man eher selten bei WWE sieht. 2 Big Men, die gegeneinander rennen und mit Kicks und Chops um sich werfen, dass es kracht. War mir eine große Freude."
[9.0] "An all-timer for sure, with the right competitors in the right venue. Very brutal, Euro-style matchup. This was sold as a FIGHT and is sure as fuck was a fight. If you like this sort of wrestling, it's hard to find fault with it anywhere, save for one or two pacing issues that were minor. On top of all this, this was sort of a "thank you Sheamus" match and it was nice to see him receive the adulation of 60k people after losing a match. He really is an overlooked guy and this was a nice capstone moment to his career (so far). Anyone can win a belt, but it takes someone special to put on a match like this."
[10.0] "Amazing as expected. WALTER is one of the best in the world and when Sheamus is allowed to actually hit his opponent shit is great. Awesome selling and fire the entire match from Sheamus as you could tell he was excited for this one and WALTER of course brought his best too. They just beat the life out of each other and I loved every second of it. The issue of WALTER matches in the wwe is that he sells way too much for guys who don't deserve it but that wasn't the case here. Sheamus was his equal every step of the way. The Celtic Cross he hit in this match popped the hell out of me and I was almost convinced he could beat him. Great work and good on the WWE for just letting WALTER work his style. My favorite wwe match in years. ****3/4"
[10.0] "THE match of the night. When it comes to Gunther/WALTER, EVERY battle is a uphill battle for his opponents. Sheamus is no way a small guy, but he definitely sold the underdog role so well. The chops as expected, were BRUTAL. Sheamus? chest looked like raw hamburger meat after it was all said and done. The crowd was firmly behind Sheamus and it was such a sight to behold, especially at the ending. The standing ovation gave me goosebumps. There were times where I totally forgot that this was a title match. I just wanted to keep watching these men beat each other up until someone couldn? t anymore. From the moment this match was announced, I knew in my soul that we were going to be treated to a heavy handed all out BRAWL classic. Dave might give it a lower score but it? s a 5* to me. 10/10"
[9.0] "A phenomenal sight. Two wrestling titans knocked all the juices out of each other and destroyed the bodies to the fullest. The fans were charged from start to finish. Frenzied energy, punches, chops with 100% damage right on the head and chest. The purest wrestling in the British school. Sheamus, as a true hero, experienced everything for himself and gave all his strength for the sake of the spectacle. Just a titanic work has been done and this is real wrestling. I only fantasized about him, and he turned out that way. A dream in reality. WWE showed a tough match according to the canon. Gunther has every chance to become the most outstanding IC champion."
[7.0] "Completely overrated match, it was a good fight but the match itself is not extraordinary, nothing memorable. Nevertheless thank you to the crowd of Wales who were incredible throughout the evening and especially during this first match"
[10.0] "Writing a comment for this almost seems redundant. Gunther and Sheamus battered each other until Gunther won. Some nice teasing of moves until they were hit with the chest beating thing Sheamus does and Gunther's chops/powerbomb. Simple and effective wrestling storytelling executed to perfection and made you wince and feel the intensity like you rarely do hence the 10 rating. However, I'm mainly leaving a comment to note my appreciation for Sheamus. The guy fully deserved the ovation he got at the end. He's a machine, a workhorse and a legend of the business who will be missed when he goes. Thank you Sheamus!"
[6.0] "Yeah, I think this kind of indie wrestling psychology is killing wrestling. Shoot-style/strong style wrestling can be great but this was so repetitive and featured almost no wrestling. The psychology was stupid: if Walter has one movie - the chop - all wrestlers have to do is attack his arm. But that would bury his character who is being built as a new Brock. Brock and Roman are 1-move wrestlers at this point but those moves are quite entertaining. A chop gets old quick. The only thing thats interesting is the real violence makes Walter's opponents very sympathetic... in extremely unrealistic matches."
[10.0] "Sheamus is surely one of the most underated wrestlers in WWE, he surely gave us his best performance to show his true talent. A fucking brawl from the start to the finish where both men were here to destroy the fucking shit out of the other. Look at Sheamus' chest, damn. The irish lad was ready to put anything he can to win the title who could make him a Grand Slam champ'. Gunther is cold-hearted, he's just here to display chop, big strikes, throws, bombs, suplexes... just destroy his opponent, no matter who he is. Sheamus threw everything he can, but Gunther felt invicible. That felt like a real gladiator fight. Strike for strike, move for move. For sure, I don't wanna be Sheamus' chest. Intercontinental title and United Kingdom have a great love story. Pure brutality, pure violence, pure fight. I've even loved the sequences outside. Sheamus' organic faceturn is something which will be remembered. Such the bout of his career, as well for Gunther. Surely the bout who made him a big deal in the main roster. Plus, Imperium is fucking back."
[9.0] "Sheamus' back giving out when he's about to hit the Brogue Kick, only to force himself back to his feet in spite of the pain, is one of the best little moments in modern WWE."
[8.0] "A real power duel between two men whose specialty is brutal attacks. On one side, a wrestler who has been in the WWE for more than 10 years and who has an impressive record. On the other, a wrestler who has dominated NXT UK for over 2 years and who will surely be a future Main Eventer. These two men just gave us a match that lives up to their reputation: full of brutality and power. [****1/4]"
[9.0] "my WWE MOTY. this is what i search in pro wrestling right now: fighting, rage and hard hitting. i hope we will have another match between these two wrestlers. btw, Sheamus is such an underrated performer, when he had a good booking he allways did well"
[9.0] "Wow, what an amazing battle. The intercontinental championship wasn't defended in a PPV since Wrestlemania 37, and with this awesome fight WWE started to restore his prestige. Sheamus' chest looked like hamburger at a certain point, he even started to bleed, and I respect him for his sacrifice. I love Gunther and his chops, and this match made me love him even more. Plus, I have to mention the incredible standing ovation Sheamus received after the match. Incredible"
[9.0] "This was everything you would expect these two to do when they match up a lot of physicality and just a hard hitting match. The starting with Gunther just dominating Sheamus and just cutting off any brief offense he got was great. When they got into the part where they were trying to just put each other away the action was great, I thought they had pretty great selling too, like when Gunther could barely hit the powerbombs both times due to the damage on his lower back. That lariat to win the match was pretty wicked.****3/4"
[9.0] "Das war ein Chopfestival, was natürlich auch von den dementsprechenden Bildern lebte aber sich ab einer gewissen Phase auch ein bisschen diversifizierte muss man sagen und alles in allem einfach ein sehr guter, hardhitting contest war und das MOTN in meinen Augen. Ich halte 9 Punkte für angemessen."
[10.0] "I gotta say, you just can't rate a match like it really deserves just watching it 1 time. This is wrestling, where stories are told with a lot of details and delivery for trying to make us feel the reality of the story they want to told us. With that said, I want to make clear the difference about seeing a match for the first time with all the passion and things running in the process of a story, and seeing it for a second time with all the time of the world. The first time i saw this match i think it would be deserving of just a 4 STARS Match. Now I think I was short about that, this is a 5 STARS Match. We start with a short video promo remembering the match between The British Bulldog and Bret Hart main eventing Summerslam '92. That is the base of this match, remember the PRESTIGE of the INTERCONTINENTAL TITLE. The strikes, the crowd and the sacrifice were ALL in this match. Sheamus fighting with the crowd cheering for him like was in home, The reunion of Imperium with Giovanni Vinci. The perfect way to start the match and leaving Sheamus and Gunther alone in the 1vs1, with both stables fighting each other. And then the dominance of Gunther playing in his field, in the ring with the fight style where he is the best, the Strike Style. The CHOPS and BEATS OF THE BODHRAN were the principal moves of this fight, just like it was expected and it's just beautiful to see how Sheamus is building his way to equal Gunther in the match. The strikes in his back along all the match that were essentials for the end of the same in the try of the Brogue Kick. His CHEST...hell. What was not say about people's chest after they fight with Gunther/WALTER? And for the end we could see again the CELTIC CROSS and after a last Powerbomb and a Sheamus standing up for a last time with the crowd's support just before the decisive Lariat. But not enough with that we could see after the match the IMMENSE OVATION for Sheamus in a match were possibly all the world could see the level, the sacrifice and recognition to a man that earns his place like a MEGA STAR."
[10.0] "This was a fantastic match it was so brutal and hard hitting both men work fantastic together, and this match is an instant classic the crowd was really into it and shemus chest was really red to say the least probably Shemus's best match of his career so good. *****"
[9.0] "Second best match of the night, the reunion of Imperium was also nice to see, the brawl between the people around the two sides was also fun. Hard hitting and the winner was suspected to win beforehand. To bad for Sheamus he didnt get the grand Slam maybe next PPV."
[9.0] "Jesus fucking christ so amazing match, didn't have lot of pace but it was predictable, it's Sheamus and Gunther, but oh boy the quality of this match, they were just so brutal, they were just beating eachother so fucking match I loved this match, 9 for that, and in stars I give it **** 1/2 stars, just so fucking awesome match with awesome brutality, 20 minutes of amazing brutal wrestling appreciated to watch, so far this Clash of the Castle is amazing"
[9.0] "Excellent match but I wouldn't put this among the best matches from Gunther/Walter. I think the beatdown of Sheamus in early part of this match went too long and then Sheamus fighting back with repetitive forearm clubs wasn't that impressive. However, the rest of the match was amazing with classic brawl and hard hitting style as expected. Sheamus's selling the bad back was really good, which played into the finish, where he couldn't hit his finisher and lost."
[10.0] "Excellent brawl between two warriors who gave everything they had. I think Sheamus deserves the IC title (the standing ovation at the end of the match says all), but at the same time I feel good for Gunther because he got called up to the main roster for matches like this. ****3/4"
[8.0] "Took advantage of the hype. People wanted a slugfest and they got one. Bordered on repetitive but they did enough. Gunther had moments where the grandiose looked to be getting to him. Sheamus was comfy in this situation."
[8.0] "Yes it was very good, but hold your horses everyone, at currently 9.21 this puts it as one of the best matches of all time! Gunther/Walter has had some absolute bangers (vs Bate at Wembely for PROGRESS springs to mind) but this wasn't one of them to me. It was a very good hoss fight but the pace was a bit slow for me and I didn't feel like Sheamus brought a whole lot to the table. Also, as others have said, those Gunther powerbombs were quite frankly an embarrassment. All in all, very good but that's all. Wuzong Shen's review is spot on. ****"
[8.0] "MOTYC and my favourite match of the show. It was a great reception for the Europeans as well. Sheamus got a standing ovation from a lot of the crowd and it was deserved. He was excellent, as was WALTER. I? m glad that it? s getting praise by the TV audience as well because they worked hard and beat each other up good. I love that it wasn? t another crap ? let? s run into each other? hoss battle because those are terrible. Instead they attacked each other with stiff blows that you could feel in the far reaches of the Stadium. ****"
[10.0] "This match was absolutely brutal in the best way. Imperium reforming is great and hoping for success for them on the main roster. Letting the four not in the match brawl around the two having an epic stare down was great to me. The match itself was what it needed to be the hard hitting brawl both these two do best. Ending was right as much as Sheamus winning would have been epic with this crowd, Gunther winning elevates him even further."
[8.0] "This was the best match of the night. It was just a no nonsense, physical, hard hitting fight between two physical fighters and it was very enjoyable. Pre-match it was great to see that Fabian Aichner is now back in Imperium and his horrible goofy 'model' gimmick can be confined to a bad memory."
[9.0] "This match was great as expected. Started out with both men slugging it out with Gunther getting the control and started working on Sheamus. Gunther as always throwed brutal strikes and did a great job damaging the back of Sheamus. Loved him slamming Sheamus on the steel steps and on the floor. As great of a bruiser Sheamus is, he is one hell of a seller as well. He made good comebacks with his signature offense and the crowd was very vocal and supportive for him which made me so happy. Both exchanged stiff shots and I liked the fact that they didn't do too much nearfalls like we normally see in these big WWE matches. Another thing I liked about this match was when Gunther powerbombed Sheamus but didn't get all of it and Sheamus landed on his tailbone and Gunther noticed it and kicked Sheamus on the tailbone instead of the back. Also loved Sheamus busting out his old finisher and it good a good pop from the crowd. Sheamus had things in control in the end but his back gave out due to the damaged it suffered from Gunther. A massive Lariat to finish this brutal match. Deserving ovation for Sheamus as well. 8.50/10"
"Quite possibly one of the hard-hitting matches i've ever witnessed. Up there with GUNTHER's match with Ilja Dragunov. I am new to this website and so i have to wait 7 days before being allowed to vote but if i was to give this match a number, it would be 9. Go out of your way to watch it."
[10.0] "This is my WWE MOTY. Sorry Cody - I know you wrestled with a torn pectoral muscle - but, what can I say? Walter's chops are more impressive than you wrestling with a body part detatched from itself. This match was brutal, glorious professional wrestling violence and I loved every second of it. I love that Walter (I refuse to call him Gunther - I'm one of those people) offers something different on the main roster. There are a lot of similar match types in main roster WWE - it's probably why I tend to enjoy AEW and its variety in match styles a bit more - but Walter brings that variety and I absolutely love it. This was brutal, hard to watch at times and I loved every second of it."
[9.0] "Das war eine tolle Verkloppung! Der Neustart von Imperium brachte den choppenden Gunther in Reinform hervor. Es war wirklich sehr spaßig, beide waren auf Augenhöhe und es war herrlich brutal. Mir hat das Tempo an einigen Stellen nicht gepasst, sonst war es wirklich geil!"
[7.0] "I thought Sheamus vs. Walter was very good, I liked how hard and stiff the offense was and I enjoyed the story of Sheamus being dominated for around 70% of this match in a spot we rarely see him in, which in fact contributed to the finish. But I do have some gripes that factor in me not enjoying this. For starters; The thigh slaps. I don't know why they needed to do them since practically this entire match is them beating the hell out of each, it looked really unnecessary. next we have; the camera work. WWE's over produced stature these days have made it nearly impossible to watch a match without the feeling of nausea as everyone has said. I will say though that it wasn't as bad as usual but it was still noticeable and disorientating at times. and lastly; Walter's powerbombs. They looked bad. I don't how else to say, I could understand someone saying that he was just selling and even commentary tried to save it both times, but they didn't look right. They didn't look necessarily safe or devastating, they just looked weak as hell. I did enjoy that finishing lariat, that looked so dope."
[10.0] "Sheamus has ruled for a long time and I am so happy he got to show it and get appreciation for being one of the best hosses in the business in one of the best matches of his career on a stage like this against an ideal opponent. Such a simple match done so effectively; Gunther managed to put Sheamus in a position he almost never exists in, a face in peril, in front of a crowd very willing to play along with that. The build to each of his signature spots was great, the state of his chest after those chops was gnarly, and his comebacks by GOD were they something else near the end. The staredowns they had in this were legendary. Gunther/WALTER is still one of the best at beating a dude down with the most basic offense made to look devastating; the chop off the top buckle and the chop to the back of the neck were fantastic, as was the lariat finish (a shocking but excellent choice). The crowd elevated everything really well here. There were a couple of moments of dragging and one pretty weak-looking powerbomb that was meant to be a nearfall, but all in all this was one of Sheamus's best matches ever, and while barely in the Top 10 consideration for Gunther/WALTER I would say it's his best match against another big man. ****1/2+"
[10.0] "My pick for wwe moty. The brutality, the violence is just not gonna be matched in many other areas. It? s the best Walter match since he lost the belt and it? s not even remotely close. It? s the best Sheamus match ever and it? s also not close. Molten crowd, and just a beautiful match told by the two guys. It? s so easy for wwe to just let their super talented guys wrestle idk why Vince never allowed it (****3/4)"
[9.0] "Excellent fight. We haven't seen Sheamus as a babyface for a long time, and he did so well working from underneath here. His selling was fantastic. I can't recall the last time we saw a main roster bout as physical as this one. This was exactly what I was hoping it would be."
[10.0] "One of the most brutal matches in WWE history, and it didn't even need blood. This was painful to watch, as Sheamus and Gunther beat the hell out of each other and you can almost feel their pain. It was a memorable war, they really pushed each other to their limits. Sheamus had a fantastic performance in front of his people, and he lost with honor against Gunther."
[10.0] "Dang. I think after so many years, WWE has found the perfect dance partner for Sheamus. These guys beat the hell out of each other and I couldn? t ask for more"
[9.0] "Absolutely loved this fight. Is it the greatest WWE match? Nope. A top 10 match of the year? Probably! Big meat slapping other big meat will always make me happy and I have no real complaints other than a few iffy spots."
[5.0] "Standard format WWE title match, but with hard strikes as the main offense. Sheamus can't take power moves and doesn't know how to sell. If it wasn't for WALTER chopping the hell out of Sheamus in front of an insane crowd, everyone would see this for what it was - a decent 5/10 match. It was still a good match and the best match on the show. Maybe one of the best WWE matches in 2022."
[8.0] "Maybe one of the best WWE match this year, but still overrated. Walter vs Sheamus is probably a 5 star on an another reality/dimension because these 2 can do way better. I also thought Sheamus's lost was too clean."
[10.0] "Best match of the show and one of the best WWE matches I have seen all year. Sheamus's chest looked gnarly after all those chops from Gunther. Sheamus dished out a fair bit himself and both men were showing wear towards the end of the match. Gunther winning made perfect sense and I really liked when Gunther worked the tailbone after dropping Sheamus weird in a powerbomb. ****3/4"
[10.0] "One of WWE's matches of the year. Very stiff and very awesome. Sheamus deserves all the flowers this year because that dude has been phenomenal."
[7.0] "Just another overrated WWE match. This may seem to be good under WWE standard, but WWE standard is really low in this business. If you ever seen a NOAH match or a BJW Strong match before, you wouldn't give this match such a high rating. As far as I think, they don't even really get into the fight, Sheamus' attack was limp, and Gunther was not as impressive as before when he was still WALTER. If this match happened in NJPW, NOAH, BJW or wXw it will only get a 7, but now it's 9+ just because it happened in a WWE PPV. I doubt about that."
[9.0] "Sheamus took that beating like a pale god. We? ve all seen better WALTER matches but this was still fun brutality at its finest. The Imperium reunion was a lovely extra touch."
[7.0] "I thought this was a very good, but not quite great match. I? ve seen better Gunther matches in NXT, WXW, Progress, etc. and better WWE matches this year. It was very clever that they had Gunther pulverize Sheamus? chest, and it was a great visual. Match of the show for sure."
[8.0] "This was a really well worked match, but there wasn't anything that special about this. It was two guys having a really stiff brawl, but unlike something like WALTER vs Dragunov, there wasn't much emotional intensity. The offense outside of the brawling, such as the powerbombs, dropkick, or suplexes, looked uncharacteristically weak. That said, the selling by both workers was excellent, and they were helped by a rabid crowd. ****"
[7.0] "I honestly don't remember the last WWE main roster matchup I watched and the intensity of it, so I'm assuming this is quite extra stiff, as it should be between these two very physical gentlemen. I recall during WALTER's insane 2016-2019 indy run, I found his work with small wrestlers to be absolute world-class, but with bigger guys, quality went way down, even unusually mediocre sometimes. So against Sheamus, who is a 6'3 big fella, this match sure is a pleasant surprise for me - ***1/2."
[8.0] "Harder hitting than most things you'd see from the main roster. WALTER is still great and a force and Sheamus reminds us why he's had a job this whole time. Crowd was loving it, and I can't blame em"
[8.0] "This match was an absolute blast. Delivered on exactly what was anticipated. Some spots were iffy like the powerbombs, but working them into the story of the match was exceptionally well done. Is it one of the best matches of the year? No, but it's certainly one of if not the best WWE matches in a long time."
[6.0] "Alright but super underwhelming considering how hyped-up this was plus how high its ratings are. Gunther/Walter has been exposed for quite a few years as someone who can literally only work one style of match, and his skills have definitely deteriorated since he's moved to the WWE main roster, so he doesn't even excel at that one style anymore. This was an incredibly mindless match, following the formula of Walter just dishing out heaps of strikes before Sheamus got a bunch of hope spots at the end until he was finally put away. As usual, some of Gunther's strikes were impressively stiff, but plenty were really light and underwhelming too, which was always pretty funny considering how everyone loves to hype him up as "the hardest hitting striker in all of wrestling" and other such undeserved titles. His offence got really boring after the first minute, since it was just chop after chop with maybe a forearm or kick thrown in every now and then. There was nothing interesting about Sheamus' selling here either. He had the Welsh crowd behind him due to him being from the nearby Ireland, but that was literally the only reason they rallied around him, since his sympathetic selling otherwise wasn't very compelling. Sheamus' eventual comeback wasn't even remotely special. His energy levels and displays of physicality were decent but nothing appropriately exciting considering the big beatdown he was finally coming back from, and as usual I didn't like how wimpy Gunther's selling was as the tables turned on him, since it far too heavily undercut his 'monster' character, though at least it wasn't as bad here as in some of his more famous matches. It was honestly quite embarrassing how outright weak all of Gunther's offence looked outside of his chops, with all his power moves looking especially unconvincing. In standard overkill WWE fashion, Sheamus hit literally every single one of his finishers and still couldn't put Gunther away. Weak match but at least definitely not bad or anything. ***"
[10.0] "This was a brutal war that lived up to what I would want from a Gunther/Sheamus match. Gunther lit Sheamus up and turned his chest bloody which was an incredible sight to see. This was the first match I've seen from Gunther since he lost all of that weight and I was amazed at the shape he was in. The guy looks like a completely new person."
[7.0] "This was a very enjoyable, hard-hitting match between two wrestlers who worked heir butts off for a hit crowd. That being said, the pace was pretty slow, and there was not a real standout moment or sequence in the match. It was quite good, but not great and certainly not a MOTYC for me."
[10.0] "Match of the night. It's rare that I ever give 10 points to a match, though the atmosphere inside the stadium as well as the hard-hitting pace to the match made for what was undoubtedly the match of the night. Walter/Gunter is a once in a generation wrestler, and Sheamus is undoubtedly an overlooked talent who deserves recognition."
[9.0] "The match of the night for sure, a brutal hard hitting, high tempo match both Sheamus and Guenther did themselves incredibly proud, the crowd was highly into it. A fantastic and highly memorable brawl."
[10.0] "This match was f*cking incredible, a brutal hard-hitting contest that showed how amazing Gunther (Walter) truly is with his intense strikes and chops, Sheamus as well was able to keep pace and was a brilliant de facto babyface in this match."
[10.0] "God Damn what a match. Sheamus and Gunther gave everything, with the crowd eating everything up and Sheamus was hella over in Cardiff. And I've found yet another move from Gunther that I'd never want to take, as that lariat would make Stan Hansen and Kenta Kobashi proud."
[10.0] "One of the best matches that I have ever watched. Intense, brutal, brilliant paced, great facial expressions, the crowd was invested by siding with Sheamus and going against Gunther to create an amazing atmosphere, highly memorable, where this match was hyped and it surely delivered. This showed classic European style wrestling that newer watchers are not familiarised with. This was fantastic. Giovanni Vinci makes his main roster presence by aligning himself with Gunther to create Imperium once again during the introduction. Sheamus lost but it took a lot to keep him down which is perfect booking to make him seem like a threat and raise prestige on the Intercontinental Championship. Sheamus getting a well-deserved applaud and standing ovation from the whole arena after the match is a perfect way to change Sheamus into a babyface. Reading some people giving this below a 7 is lowkey embarrassing but I am not surprised most follow NJPW which follows a completely different style of wrestling nevertheless a rematch between these two would be amazing and for sure another classic will be born."
[7.0] "Severally overrated, a good match that was quite solid, and the very best match on the show, but the rest of the show was not all that great anyways."
[9.0] "I've been hyped for this match ever since Sheamus won that Fatal Five Way, and now it finally happened and I'm as glad as I could ever be! Dear lord, this was very intense and a great tribute to old school wrestling. Both Gunther and Sheamus were amazing here, not only ring-wise, but also their character work, especially from Sheamus, who portrayed some sort of babyface and looked fantastic. The crowd was white hot for the Celtic Warrior, and seeing them get pretty pumped with everything just made this bout even better. Really awesome and definitely a WWE MOTYC. ****1/2"
[9.0] "Right up there with Bate-Seven for the best match from WWE this year. A total beef fest that starts off hot, before slowing down and making the action more methodical-- which really worked for the match as a whole. Sheamus's chest just gets tenderized throughout the match, getting more and more red. Watching him get humbled by WALTER early on and fight his way back into the match was great. Eventually, the match turned into them just throwing bombs after bomb at each other-- a display of beautiful, beautiful beefy violence."
[9.0] "A hell of a match for Gunther and Sheamus both men gave it their all and what a battle it was. Gunther came out on top but either man really deserved it very good match."
[8.0] "Gute Schlachteplatte, aber hier hätte ich - zumindest für eine Top-Wertung - tatsächlich gern etwas mehr Wrestling gesehen. Davon abgesehen geben die beiden es sich richtig, und vor allem Sheamus muss ich hier loben. Was der eingesteckt hat - chapeau. So lässt man seinen Gegner aussehen wie ein Monster."
[9.0] "Match of the night, completely as expected. They planned this out exactly as they should have. No frills, no bells and whistles, just two big, muscly European dudes hitting each other really hard. Every strike must have smashed bone into bone. It actually looked like shoot brawling a lot of the time. Sheamus looked wrecked by the end, selling the unstoppable force that is GUNTHER."
[8.0] "I just don't get it for this one. This is a good fight between two great brawlers but I expected way more. People calling it a MOTY contender while it's not even the best match on the show is pretty odd."
[10.0] "Match of the year, both wrestlers pushed each other to the limits, they didn't need any weapons; one of the most realistic/stiffest match I've ever seen in WWE."
[9.0] "This is the WWE match of the year, it's better than Rollins vs Cody at HIAC. This was a fantastic spectacle of violence, trademark of WALTER. This match would've never been possible if Vince was still in charge which is crazy to think about. Sheamus was really tired near the end but he still gave it all he had. Fantastic match. ****1/2"
[10.0] "An absolute war, with brutal stiff shots, great heat and good comeback spots. Just the right amount of high spots and kickouts to keep the fans on the edge of their seats (and sometimes out of them). Gunther proves just how good he is, and Sheamus proves to his doubters how he can still go after a decade+. In the words of Big E, ? Big Meaty Men Slapping Meat.?"
"This was something refreshing from the WWE. I was so intrigued by this match. They did so much without relying on typical spot fests. This is what makes me a fan. 4.75 stars!"
[9.0] "Loved this match. Two big guys beating the hell out of each other. Gunther's chops were brutal, Sheamus was bleeding a few minutes into the match. Sheamus got him back by hitting a couple dozen overhand punches to the chest. None of it felt contrived or done just to get a pop from the crowd, this felt like a fight. Gunther hitting a huge lariat to put Sheamus away at the end was great. 9/10"
[10.0] "They were cooking! This will probably end up being my match of the year and the best WWE match of 2022. It was a brawl and a perfect one at that"
[10.0] "Neither man truly lost honestly, they beat the absolute fuck outta each other and both men got over like gangbusters. This the most important the IC title has felt in years, and I? m loving every second of it. Easy contender for Match of the Night, if not the whole year."
[7.0] "good match but pretty dull and boring first half. I expected more from these two. the final minutes were amazing. WALTER never disappoints. ***3/4."
[9.0] "Was für eine geile Schlacht das war. Imperium ist bei alter Stärke und die Lakaien von Sheamus und Gunther prügeln sich. Man hat genau das bekommen, was ich und viele andere sich gewünscht haben, nämlich ein hartes Match, mit vielen Chops, Kicks, Strikes und vielem mehr. Die Brust von Sheamus spiegelt das Schlachtfeld wider und auch Gunther hat viele sichtbare Wunden. Das Selling war hier super, vor allem von Sheamus, doch auch die Attacken gegen seinen Rücken von Gunther waren brutal und glaubwürdig. Das Ende war auch echt spannend und Sheamus kämpft gegen seine Schmerzen an, während Gunther in anbrüllt, dass er doch endlich liegen bleiben soll. Hat mich auch so sehr gefreut, dass Sheamus so unfassbar over war, da ich schon immer ein großer Fan war, aber für Gunther freue ich mich auch sehr(****1/2)."
"Absolute banger from both wrestlers. I loved the match from start to finish, and the spots were cool to see. Its great to see the Intercontinental Championship in a good orbit once again. I hope this is just one of multiple matches that GUNTHER will give us in the future. ****1/2"
[9.0] "Womöglich das beste WWE Match im Jahr 2022 und genau das was man sich von dieser Ansetzung erhofft hat. Schön stiff und hart. Erfüllte alle Erwartungen."
[10.0] "A fight that was practically a fan service but it was a great fight from start to finish, aggressive, hard and above all giving everything of each one which is the most important thing, very good."
[10.0] "A brutal combat that is rarely seen. It is not on par with an Ilja Dragunov, but it had many similarities with the fight against Ciampa. Good Kickouts, a logical key to history and the blows were the protagonists. (****1/2)"
[10.0] "It was one of the toughest and wildest matches I've watched for a long time, the perfect match of the two offered us this great match, I would normally give 9/10, but the imperium comeback is making this match 10/10 for me."
[9.0] "This was everything you could want out of a hoss-fest involving these two. Rarely in WWE had we seen either of these guys in a match like this. This wasn't as smark-appeasing as WALTER's PWG classics, nor was it as intimately violent as it could've been in a smaller venue, but what this was was as close to an indy power war as WWE can come. ****1/2"
[10.0] "Amazing. This match 100% delivered several times over. I would place this near top of the year. Hard hitting match showing Gunther's weakness against opponents his size. Well played out."
[10.0] "Even though I had WALTER in my mind as the victor here, Sheamus has regained the main event status from this exhilarating barnburner of a clash. The fire he had on the quest of winning the Intercontinental Title for the very first instance helped so much not only for his aggression but also the fiery crowd to have their unconditional support for their Celtic hero. WALTER didn't stop/budge from the advantage and showed to the Cardiff faithful why he's the champion and I'm more than happy to see this match excel in all aspects. Giovanni Vinci was a great surprise of a string of entries this new era had and I'm ready for this refocused Imperium to dominate the blue brand. 4.75 out of 5 stars!"
[5.0] "A boring and drawn-out match. The impression was ruined by some moments (a botched bomb, for example), especially at the end. It can be said that this match is not for everyone"
[10.0] "WOOOOOOOW! EINFACH BRUTAL STARK! Was Gunther und Sheamus hier abgeliefert haben war einfach ein göttliches Match um den Intercontinental Championship! Auch das Giovanni Vinci hier debütierte und somit "Imperium" wieder komplett ist, ist einfach wunderbar. Und das Match ist dann wirklich einfach UK Geschichte! DANKE Triple H das du das Main Roster übernommen hast! (*****)."
[9.0] "Holy. This was the stiffest WWE match since the Dragunov/WALTER series, and the stiffest main roster match I watched in years. This was absolutely brutal, with an incredible story told such as the ring general running away from Sheamus's 10 shots. I absolutely loved that ending with Sheamus trying to get up from Gunther's powerbomb only to hit a massive lariat. One of my matches of the year, only behind Reigns/Rollins & Nakajima/Shiozaki. ****1/2"
[9.0] "This might be a divisive match, but if the idea of the two hardest hitters in WWE spending 20 minutes pumelling each other in a brutal contest appeals this will be ideal. Little in the way of technical or high flying action here, just the most vicious strikes and kicks since, well, since Gunther's last match probably, and Sheamus is the ideal opponent for him, as he can give and take just as much. Great, great match."
[10.0] "This will not be beat tonight. This is already match of the week in WWE. Typical Walter hard hitting slugfest. And I like it. The Nearfalls were great with the Crowd being really into it."
[10.0] "this match was brutal from start to finish, Gunther and Sheamus did what all fans expected and more. I'm impressed with the chemistry they had in the ring. pure brutality . BANGER! GUNTHER brought prestige to the Intercontinental Championship again *****"
[9.0] "Impressive match, very strong and with sequels in both, a notorious physical wear and a well-structured rhythm, nothing more to say, these 2 deserve a thousand applause. **** 1/2"
[10.0] "WHAT A MATCH! WHAT A BATTLE! WHAT A WAR! One of the best matches I've seen all year. This is everything I wanted from these two and more. The standing ovation from the crowd was very much deserved. *****"
[8.0] "**** - good match. Hard hitting. Crowd was very behind Sheamus and I guess I was too. Don't care for the finish coming froma clothesline. Even if they beat the piss out of eachother for 20 minutes a clothesline ends it? Gah"
[9.0] "An absolute clobbering WAR, the only thing that would have made this perfect was if Sheamus had won, the crowd were fully behind him. Gunther instead retained in the match that will make him in the WWE, hopefully they go back to this some time in the future. Sheamus' chest was properly carved up."
