[10.0] "Almost a perfect clash, but from what I saw, Sheamus should have won. His offense was strong, and there were a lot of near falls for a 15-minute match. ****3/4"
[8.0] "One of those TV matches that you know is better without commercial breaks. We may not have seen the complete violence these two inflicted upon each other like they did at CatC bit its still very much felt into their expressions and bodies. Kaiser has a really gnarly interference spot too tangling Sheamus's leg in the ropes and dropkicking his knee unghhhh! Real graps. I guess thry went overtime too based on how fast they cut after Gooner won which is beast. ****1/4"
[10.0] "Wrestling soulmates. Take me back to the king and queen of the ring tournament. The graps we were getting on a weekly basis was my favourite time during post mania high. Special times. ****3/4"
[9.0] "[4.25*] My WWE TV MOTY. Unlike Ilja vs Ricochet that despite being a great match is a very common one worldwide, this one was fucking unique in every single place on earth. This felt very different than their previous two bouts and was completely unique. The storytelling with Gunther having to change his gameplay while Sheamus had to overcome the ring rust was just absurd. Gunther worked on Sheamus knees and the selling from the Celtic Warrior was incredible, making the whole thing hella believable. Gunther clearly expected an easy fight and Sheamus was just trying to resist the Ring General. At the end, Sheamus is able to kickout from the Powerbomb, but Gunther used a Single Leg Crab (huge fucking pop) on the injured leg, putting all the pressure on it, and when he gets Sheamus to the middle of the ring again, he has to kickout. Special match with a special story."
[8.0] "A gem of TV match and KOTR first round match-up. The chemistry between these two works wonder again. It's stiff as f*ck and plain awesome. Ludwig Kaiser's involvement was unnecessary and disappointing though. The subsequent work on Sheamus' knee is good, the single leg Boston Crab finish is nice, but seeing Sheamus tap was a bit of an heartbreak. The man fully deserves that Celtic Warrior nickname as evidenced by yet another spirited performance. [ 85 ] **** 1/4"
[10.0] "Physical battle from Sheamus and Gunther. Hard hitting chops and strikes from both guys. Sheamus' chest got so red from all the chops from Gunther. It was technical but mostly hard hitting. Very good Monday Night Raw match. Very good way to end this episode of Raw. The storytelling was great."
[9.0] "Easily a top 3 TV match of the year for WWE. Gunther and Sheamus never miss, and this is just another showcase of that. The finish may have felt rushed a little considering they were running close to the 11pm mark, but that didn't hinder the match whatsoever. ****1/2."
[9.0] "These two always put on great matches and this was no exception. Not the best match between these two but still a great match. I think Kaiser did enough on the outside to make it still feel like Gunther is a monster but also protect Sheamus in the loss. Hard strikes and good technical wrestling make this a must watch match."
[8.0] "The chemistry these two have is undeniable. Eighteen months after their initial two encounters, neither man have lost their step or hatred. It was hard hitting, it was brutal, there was a great story being told with Sheamus' back that would not allow him to hit a Brogue Kick and would force him to submit in the end. I'm especially glad these two were given time. Yet another great entry in the Gunther/Sheamus saga. [****1/4]"
[9.0] "This was the perfect weekly show match, the only flaw was that it had commercials, I can't wait to watch the full match. I can't avoid to compare this one to the, in my opinion, disappointing match between them at Clash at the Castle, and this was so much better, the match wasn't only predicated on chops, it was complete, it had more stiff moves, more fighting spirit, everything connected, brilliant in-ring storytelling. They showed more variation, the limb work Gunther did on Sheamus knees was awesome, loved the Ludwig Kaiser ejection, this totally felt like a ppv match, excellent level of wrestling. They even fixed the horrible CATC finale, with Sheamus crumbling again, but this time with logic and sense, and then he kicked out the powerbomb and lost in a submission, everything was perfectly executed, beast match, will probably go down as the best WWE TV-match of the year, and it's probably one of the best ever too - {****1/4}"
[6.0] "I liked this a tad bit more than Ricochet/Dargunov but the physicality of Gunther and Sheamus is typically to my preference. Would love to see this match released without commercials to compare to their previous PPV bout. I really hope this is more than just the tourney and we can start expecting 1-2 high quality tv matches on every show."
[8.0] "Incredible hard hitting full impact match like you have come to expect from these two, easily one of the best matches on Raw in quite some time"
[10.0] "Banger after banger after banger. Sheamus and GUNTHER provided brutal and hard hitting matches every time they meet including this one. Every chop and slam in this match made me feel shudder."
[8.0] "Banger after banger match! Sheamus vs Gunther always deliver above-average classics, and this time was no different. They consistently bring some hard-hitting action in the true spirit of real graps, and this bout undoubtedly became a classic. It's incredible how the King of the Ring tournament produced a match worthy of a final in the first round alone. I did find the ending a bit confusing, but nonetheless, it was a fantastic encounter. I never thought I'd see Sheamus tap out, but either way, Gunther showcased dominance. Easily, I can say they delivered the best TV show match of 2024."
[9.0] "This was the third and possibly the final epic encounter between the two and it was epic. The strikes were stiff as always and the story of the match was Gunther targeting Sheamus leg. The only negative about the match is how Kaiser interfered instead of a clean win but the match was still awesome."
[7.0] "[7.0] Disappointing. I thought that the match will be a better match. Honestly Disappointing ! I know sheamus come-back from injury but i waiting 2 warriors but i had just 2 mens."
[9.0] "This match was more technical and methodical respect their last match but it's still very raw and enjoyable throughout. Of course, every move or Lariat or Submission they did looked brutal but if I could cut something it would be those heavy technical moments and leg work. Other than that, great match as always. ****1/2"
[9.0] "Great match. These two can really worked a match, they have excellent chemistry together and they aren't scared of getting the living shit beating out them especially Sheamus. Gunther is a monster in the ring, the way he methodically approaches the match as well as brutally assault his opponents, his relentless and cerebral mentality makes him all the more formidable whenever he is in the ring. Sheamus was also great, willing to take stiff chops that completely redden his chest, willing to take the punishment Gunther gave him. Very physical, raw action, big men thrashing each other flesh on flesh. Truly among the best TV matches of 2024. ****1/2"
[8.0] "To no one's surprise, this was fantastic. Even with the TV constraints and commercials ruining the flow of the match, this might have been my favorite of their trilogy. The first half of the match was what we all expected going in. Loud chops and big bombs which they delivered in abundance. Sheamus being so pale helps this sort of match so much that even a light slap leaves an imprint on his body. Gunther's whole hand being stamped across Sheamus' back made me so uncomfortable. What really elevated this from being a decent WWE TV match to a great one was the second half and how great Gunther's work on the leg was. Sheamus is an underrated babyface and his struggle to just get out of Gunther's hold on his leg was just incredible. I do give them so leeway with the way Sheamus used his strikes because they would always give us a downtime and let every major blow simmer and mean something. Gunther showed how well he's prepared for every match and how he is able to adapt when something is not working for him. Sheamus showed his heart, fighting spirit and unreal passion but it still wasn't enough."
[8.0] "They started this off explosive by trading blows with some great looking strikes, that thankfully wasnt the you hit me exchange we see all over wrestling today and instead it was the two actually having a good back and forth slugfest. Gunther started this off with a focus on working over Sheamus neck and I liked that he even did his signature chop while working on it. He however shifted his focus over, after the interference from Ludwig to focus on Sheamus leg since Ludwig had attacked it. The leg work added another element to the match which was for the better, and Gunther did some really strong work on it and Sheamuss selling was great as well. Sheamus popping up after the German to apply one last desperation shot with the big knee, and then a brogue kick was awesome. Him falling down after hitting the brogue, to not ignore the leg work was my favorite part of the match. Gunther ended up getting Sheamus to tap to the Boston Crab, but not after Sheamus put up a fight.****1/4"
[8.0] "Getting around to this, and this was in line with what I expected. There's not much in-ring quality to be found in WWE aside from Gunther and the occasional bout from other workers. Kaiser's interference is the major difference from their 2022 bout, and Gunther picks apart the knee after the attack. You still have the hard-hitting action, of course, but the tight-knit structure of this one is where it shined for me. 4 Stars."
[9.0] "Much like their other matches against each other, both Gunther and Sheamus were absolutely great on here delivering another thrilling banger of a match with The Ring General picking up the shocking submission win but I can't deny this was another absolute banger between these 2 and I can't wait to see where Gunther goes from here."
[8.0] "Just like that, the trilogy has been completed in style! Putting these men in the 1st Round of one of the historic tournaments raised the lost prestige of the tournament itself. In-ring-wise, it's a no-brainer to produce a bad match between these gargantuan monsters of this sport. Even though the initial phase was worked on at an expected pace, Kaiser's involvement spiced things up which opened a fresh, brutal path for Sheamus to capitalize on and convey a story that he hasn't done in a long time. Also, kudos to GUNTHER for unfolding a rare scene of making Sheamus tap out. The arrival to that point was exceptionally presented where the crowd was on their seat edges, pushing the inevitable result of GUNTHER running the distance and possibly becoming King & General of The Ring. 4 out of 5 stars!"
[8.0] "A really fun match to close out the show. This didn't reach the heights of their match back at Clash at the Castle 2022, but it was entertaining nonetheless. If it wasn't for the match between Ricochet and Ilja Dragunov absolutely banging earlier in the show, this would have been the best match of the night. Either way, GUNTHER advancing was the right decision, in my opinion, and I hope he wins the whole thing."
[10.0] "Banger. Not much else to add. The pop this got in Lyon when it was announced sums up how highly the audience thinks of these two and especially when they go at it. This was never going to be anything less than a banger. I believe GUNTHER is the best storyteller in the ring in the company and these two combined go together perfectly. I would love to see a part 4 at a major PLE where Sheamus finally overcomes GUNTHER but he comes out of this looking as strong as ever."
[7.0] "This may be my least favorite meeting of these two. Even with that said, though, I like this plenty. These guys practice a style of wrestling I enjoy a good deal. The story here made up for what the match lacked in action."
[9.0] "An absolutely great way to end the show with GUNTHER and Sheamus main eventing the show and grabbing the attention of viewers at home. Gunther and Sheamus have great chemistry with each other and I think they can never have a bad match with each other. It was an expected hard-hitting affair which culminated in a emotional and gripping closing bit with gripping storytelling and having anyone on the edge of their seat. 9/10"
[7.0] "Solid match but nothing special. It was just all over the place with no real structure. Sheamus still has some ring rust and Gunther still is overrated as hell here, but who cares. The ending was especially stupid: Sheamus hitting the Brogue Kick to Gunther who kicks out and no sells that kick and immediately goes to a half Boston grab on Sheamus. The interference by Ludwig Kaiser and the two commercial breaks didn't sit well with me either. Everyhing else was ok. As said, solid main event, but nothing special here."
[9.0] "[4.75*] Sheamus and Gunther have one of the best chemistry in WWE history, this match was hard hitting, with both hitting hard and trying to hurt the other with chops and punches. Gunther's chops were surreal in this match, Sheamus' chest was completely bruised and had marks from Gunther's slaps. Gunther's offense and attack is so good, only in this match we saw him attacking Sheamus with insane versatility, Kaiser opens the door and Gunther starts doing great limb work on Sheamus' legs (which sold the injury very well). The last act of this match was special, intensity and brutality of the highest level, Sheamus going to his limit with his injured leg, and even so giving a wonderful knee to Gunther, who reacts and wins the match in an intelligent and dominant way, taking advantage of Sheamus' injured leg to take advantage, making a submission and winning in a dominant way, making Sheamus tap out. The match was fantastic, another banger after a banger between Sheamus and Gunther, two incredible and special wrestlers."
[8.0] "Another Banger! Liked the two sides of the match: First half just beating the crap out of each other and simply big meaty men slapping meat, second half working the leg to take away Sheamus Brogue Kick or at least damaging it enough. The Later was already established in Gunther's match against Xavier Woods the week prior, I really like how he always adds to his strategy (as a Ring "General" should always do)."
"8.5 - I agree with Sheamus that this shouldn't be quadrilogy. After their first two matches, the bar was set high and this one just didn't rise to the level of its predecessors. This was still a great fight and had it been a stand-alone I probably would think higher of it. As their careers head in opposite directions for totally valid reasons and no shade on Sheamus, I don't need to see this one again. [ I do want to mention how much I appreciate Sheamus and everything he has done and for how long he has done it at the highest level. Having him and Gunther cross paths when they did was something awesome and produced some meat-slappin' merriment!"
[9.0] "These two really do produce banger after banger. a tale of two matches here, just two beefy dudes that don't like each other just beating on each other then the other half which involves Gunther just wearing down Sheamus leg until he has to give up This rivalry really is peak storytelling and I can't wait to see the next installment of this one. I think Gunther and Sheamus made me realise that hard hitting wrestling may be my favourite type of wrestling today so cheers boys!"
[8.0] "i was greening out very hard while this match was on, i was very into it but i was also in a heap on my bed so i dont know how much i trust my opinion which is why it only gets an 8"
[10.0] "This was a banger and a half. These two guys really know how to work well with each other. They clearly love to work hard and stiff, and I'm all for it (as long as they're not injuring each other of course). My favorite part of this match was Sheamus' thumping knee to Gunther's face. Yikes. Also, Gunther's handprint on Sheamus' chest from all the chops. Even more yikes. I hope that one day down the line, Sheamus will eventually beat Gunther and everyone will celebrate. Hopefully that match will too be of the quality of the ones that had before. Heres to Gunther winning King of the Ring!"
[9.0] "One of the most interesting things about GUNTHER's character is how he learns from his mistakes and how he adapts to his opponents. IMPERIUM is a stable that rarely interferes in any GUNTHER match and this demonstrates the strength of its leader, but also when it interferes, it demonstrates the strength of the opponent. GUNTHER and Sheamus have been rivals for almost two years, having had three fights, two singles matches and one trios match, in all of them, GUNTHER won with some strategy and demonstrating why his nickname Ring General suits him so well. GUNTHER was so blind to his capabilities and that's why he had to learn from Sami Zayn, in a hard way with the loss of his intercontinental title, not to underestimate his opponent, like Xavier Woods, not giving him time or space to win. momentum, and now with Sheamus, not only destroying him in different parts of the body, but also counting on the help of Ludwig Kaiser. And from the beginning of the match you can see the difference in the way GUNTHER fights, he is less patient and more aggressive in his offensive, soon starting a chop war with Sheamus, who by the way is also prepared, knowing his opponent, the Celtic Warrior seems more ready than in the last matches between them, whether reversing blows and offensives, as well as defending himself. And damn, they destroyed each other with those chops, punches, lariats and slaps, very stiff! The work on the back of Sheamus' neck was a cool start from GUNTHER, with that beautiful chop on the Irishman's back and submissions, with elbows and kicks, the Austrian was a man on a mission to destroy the neck that took Sheamus out of the ring for so long the maximum as possible. It is even in one of these submissions that you can see GUNTHER's handprint perfectly marked on Sheamus' back, SO WILD! It's only when Sheamus starts to reverse blows, call for Gunther to hit him with chops, release his fighting spirit, that the Ring General changes his strategy, in fact, great backbreaker from Sheamus! When the Irishman started to take control of the match, it became even more interesting, his strikes are clean and impactful, White Noise was very well applied! Perfect camera play to catch Sheamus' Irish punches on GUNTHER's chest, it was incredible and that moment had already converted the entire crowd to him. Attacking Sheamus' leg was a great strategy and a change that avoided the obvious of Sheamus' neck, the bump that Kaiser takes when applying the dropkick to the Irishman's leg is smooth, an underrated talent that even in a small participation can be excellent . Although small, Kaiser's participation demonstrated that GUNTHER not only recognizes the difficulty of beating Sheamus, but also a new phase for IMPERIUM. From then on what we can see is some exquisite work on Sheamus' knee, whether by GUNTHER with submissions and direct attacks, or with Sheamus himself who sold the injury very well, a class in selling and work. If GUNTHER tried to destroy his opponent's knee even more, Sheamus resisted very well and gained more and more confidence to unleash a great fighting spirit in the final minutes. It was excellent! Sheamus applying the running bicycle knee and falling, losing his balance and falling onto GUNTHER. Sheamus' Powerbomb was MAGNIFICENT and a stunning nearfall from GUNTHER. In the second knee strike and finally landing the Brogue Kick on his rival, Sheamus demonstrates again how important good selling is in pro wrestling, throwing everything he had in the tank in his last attacks, which regardless of his fighting spirit, his body still not responding to his will, it was magnificent with Sheamus going to the canvas exhausted enough to take a long time to score the pinfall. The Celtic Warrior became a target, exhausted from the physical combat, he still managed to get the last breath out of the tank to kick out the Ring General's Powerbomb, but he had nothing left and his defeat was certain at the Boston Crab, it was surprising for Sheamus to kick out . An excellent match, very close to the one they had at Clash at the Castle in terms of quality and storytelling, probably the one on RAW is better. The best way to end this RAW, one of WWE's best matches of the year made on a weekly show is very good and demonstrates what the new Era of the company will be. A highly recommended match for its brutality, technique and strength. Great match. [4.5*]"
[8.0] "That's the stuff. Just big dudes slapping the fuck out of each other. Seamo can still go huh? I'm surprised to see that when I heard how bad he looked lately. He doesn't even look bad. They just absolutely brutalized each other for 20 minutes. A little long with the front chancery, but fucking hell that's just nitpicking. I really appreciate the in-ring storytelling. Showing the way that Shame-o would win and then immediately working to take it away from him. Though I really don't appreciate Michael Cole TELLING me that like I've never seen wrestling before and Sheamus isn't selling the fuck out of the match, but I get that there are lots of people who could be watching this with different familiarity. I liked the small touch of Gunther converting the pin into the single crab before the actual kick-out happened. Compound that with a logical ending that didn't utilize Gunther's finish? ! Very good match! Maybe the best WWE match this year!"
[8.0] "Very good match. Gunther and Sheamus had another banger. As expected, they beat the hell out of each other in a stiff, hard hitting fight. Some of Gunther's chops were simply brutal. Kaiser interfered and injured Sheamus' knee before getting ejected. The rest of the match was Gunther targeting the knee and Sheamus trying to overcome the odds. Gunther proved to be too much as he made Sheamus tap with a half crab. It's a finish that protects Sheamus and still gives Gunther a big win to advance in the King of the Ring tournament. 8.5/10"
[9.0] "Great main event, these two just go to war everytime they meet. Doesn't surpass their Clash at the Castle fight, but not much does. Still the Match of the Week and I hope we get one more before Sheamus finishes up"
[8.0] "This was pretty great. Maybe on par with the Clash of the Castle match, although this had the leg work to add that extra layer. Its hard to beat the live experience though. Needless to say that this was pretty great. Gunther loves his chops and these two love exchanging them but they never felt stunted. It was constantly in motion, constantly in tune with the effort to win. It never felt like a stand and trade spot which is rare today. They beat the shit out of each other with chops, slaps, clubs, whatever strike you can do with the hands/arms.Before an excellent interference spot that transitioned the match to its next layer (the aforementioned leg work). This added a great chink in the amour for Sheamus, who was surprisingly great at showing the vulnerability of the injured leg. Gunther looked like a master when working it and the eventual tap out didnt hurt either. Great match. ****"
[7.0] "Admittedly, I do not watch wwe much but I like both of the guys in the match. Overall I think it was good, but I am not a fan of the ending. I felt that gunther did not target sheamuss leg enough to make him tap out? It was sort of random for me. *** 3/4."
[9.0] "This match was awesome for the first 20 minutes. The reason I wont give it a 10 is because the ending definitely felt rushed as they ran out of time for tv. Great main event ending an awesome night of Raw. Gunther and Sheamus are future legends."
[10.0] "This is the third singles match between these two monsters, and let me tell you, they absolutely do not miss together. This is some of the most purely physical fighting the WWE has ever seen, the way these two tear into each other with stiff strikes is dumbfounding. Of course Sheamus quickly looks like Raw meat, that pale skin accentuates it but god the way the wrestler formerly known as WALTER just pounds the hell out of him, it's just wild stuff. I greatly appreciate it was not just a pure strike fest either, there was strategy and psychology and a story emerged around Sheamus having a beat up leg which followed very smoothly into the submission finish. My #9 match of 2024 so far and my favorite WWE match this year to date."
[8.0] "Ein toller Main Event, bei dem es etwas schade ist, dass es 2 Werbepausen gibt, die für den Matchfluss nie förderlich sind. Wie erwartet und erhofft, geht es wieder ordentlich zur Sache und es fliegen Chops und Kicks durch den Ring. Hat Spaß gemacht."
[8.0] "Yet another good match between these two who have amazing chemistry with each other. As expected, the chops by Gunther were brutal, especially the one to Sheamus' back that left a massive handprint. Not as good as their clash at the castle match though."
[7.0] "OutOfShapemus was pure dead wood here. Luckily Gunther is capable of carrying a tree trunk to a decent match, which is pretty much how this played out ***3/4"
[7.0] "This was a great match just once again limited by time and commercials. Like I said with the Dragunov/Ricochet match, the ads made it worse for me and that was the case here because we have seen what these two can do before, but the time was limited and the ads took up half the time."
[8.0] "Brawling start felt like a fight. A lot of striking but in a good way, not in an Usos Wrestlemania "i wish this was over" kind of way. I like the touch of Sheamus trying to get his 10 chest pounds and it taking a third try after Gunther is exhausted to finally get it. The match continues to be just two meaty dudes hitting each other hard. Good selling and the most convincing match of the night easily. The exhaustive cover after the celtic cross was a great touch. We finally get a tap on the bad leg of Sheamus just before we go off the air. Well told story. Very good TV Match. ****"
[9.0] "This match kicked ass, but its Gunther and Sheamus so its not a huge surprise. If Im being honest here, this didnt live up to their Clash at the Castle encounter, but for a Raw main event I think this overdelivered. Some great storytelling and psychology with Gunther obliterating Sheamus leg the whole match which actually has an impact with Sheamus not being able to do certain moves. The stiff chops and strikes were extra brutal here and Sheamus had some really good near falls. I knew Gunther would win but my god hes good at making me think he might actually lose. Also, massive shoutout to Ludwig Kaiser for that insane jump he did for that interference dropkick. Hes so underrated."
[9.0] "It was definitely a Banger! Sheamus & Gunther gave an amazing showing at this week's main event. Given how highly talented and experienced they are, it answered all of my expectations, and then some. Both Superstars showed up and showed out big-time. It was an old-fashioned physical and brutal match (like their previous encounters). I would have graded it a 10 if it wasn't for Kaiser's interference and the injury angle, but all in all, it was GREAT!"
[9.0] "Not on the level of their first match, but a fantastic TV main event nonetheless. Rather than a straight-forward brawl they focused on limb work this time which was smart, and it allowed Sheamus to once again show his underdog face work that he rarely gets to outside of these Gunther matches, and damn did he sell that leg. All of the build to him buckling as he went for the Brogue and Gunther capitalizing, that was killer stuff. Of course they still beat the piss out of each other and Sheamus went from pale white to a vibrant red on his torso but that was expected. ****1/4"
[9.0] "As expected this was super physical. Right off the bat, both guys were laying into eachother with blistering chops, and Sheamus' chest had turned bright red less than a minute in. But I think the storytelling aspect of this match is really what sets it apart from their other meetings. In their first match, Gunther works Sheamus' back, in this he actually tries a number of different strategies. He tries to simply wear down Sheamus with strikes, but Sheamus seemingly just absorbed everything that Gunther threw at him. He then tries working Sheamus' surgically repaired neck, but that doesn't work either. He then resorts to attacking Sheamus' leg, distracting the referee allowing Kaiser at ringside to dropkick his leg while it's caught in the ropes. Kaiser gets ejected but Gunther smiles, knowing that the damage has already been done. He goes after Sheamus' leg with chops, kicks and submissions but Sheamus continues to fight. Little does he know, Gunther's plan is coming into shape. Sheamus makes a comeback but he's continually using his leg as that's where most of his offence comes from. This leads to his leg giving out on him. Sheamus tries his best to continue fighting, but ultimately his body just can't. He does manage to hit a Brogue kick but can't capitalise and make the cover in time. Gunther uses this time to recover, kick out and immediately lock Sheamus in a half crab to get the win. This was brilliant. Honestly, I kind of prefer this to their Clash at the Castle match. Super hard hitting, super physical, but it's the storytelling that carried this to another level. ****1/2"
[10.0] "As far as I'm concerned, it's close to being MOTY yet again. This matchmaking is out of this world. It had everything I hoped for, even the time they were given was perfect. There was their usual incredible slugfest + the drama around Sheamus' leg which he sold greatly by the way. Just tremendous match, almost as good as their Clash at the Castle meeting"
[9.0] "This match was a banger, I don't think a 10 is justified with the commercial break and the overall length but still a great brawl. These two just have insane chemistry and beat the shit out of eachother. Gunther is an animal and finds his opponents weakness and exploits it to win but I hope next time these two face Sheamus can stop him from taking his leg and get a victory. Match of the night for me but I love these physical types of matches"
[8.0] "Well, just like their match at Clash at the Castle, I consider this to be overrated. It was one hell of a match and it did so many things better than most WWE matches, but I didn't see anything here that justifies the 9's and 10's. I just can't see what this match had that it's considered excellent. Maybe the fact that it was a match full of logic from beginning to end? I agree. From bell to bell, there was constant logic and coherence in everything both Sheamus and Gunther did. Gunther's limbwork on Sheamus' leg was pretty good, constantly going after it to disable Sheamus movement and being able to demolish him with more ease. There was also good psychology at the start of the match with both men dropping the collar and elbow tie up to just straight kill each other with slaps and chops, then Gunther going for his own version of the Beats of the Bodhran to hurt and mock Sheamus was a great detail. I loved how they mauled each other during the whole match, special mention to the chop to the back of Sheamus that left Gunther's hand printed on his skin and basically knocked out Sheamus for a moment. The strenghts of this match were really good, but for me this match lacked more depth and storytelling to be truly that excellent. I didn't feel at any moment that this match was something that screams special and it was a very, very good TV main event. I think a match deserving of those ratings should truly be something memorable and I don't think this lives up to the Cardiff match or the WrestleMania Triple Threat at all. Also, the thing I absolutely hated about the match was the interference of Ludwig Kaiser that opened the door for Gunther actually having the chance to win. Gunther shouldn't be another basic cheating heel, that's everything that goes against his "protector and gatekeeper of the sport of professional wrestling" gimmick. He should be disrespectful, mean, haughty, but on top of that, honorable. For me that was a big low point of the match, and I also found the finish to be quite anticlimatic and with Gunther deliberating no selling the Brogue Kick, but because of TV time running out (bad planning with this show). I really think a match deserving of those ratings should give even more than this did, but this truly was an amazing match. Second best of both tournaments as of now. (****)"
[9.0] "Hart umfochtenes Match, bei einer Paarung, die immer und immer ein geniales Match zeigen. Sheamus und Gunther wrestlen sehr hart und sehr simpel. Die Chops knallen wie eine Pistole, das Selling ist wunderbar und realistisch. Liebe diese Paarung einfach und könnte mir das noch hundert mal anschauen(****1/4)."
[9.0] "Ich bin enttäuscht das es einfach ein First Round Match war denn das wäre so en starkes Finale geworden. Sheamus Brust sehr schnell wieder total blutig und rot. Er will keinen Part 4 haben. Einfach eins der besten King of the Ring Turnier Matches (****1/2)."
[9.0] "Better than their smackdown tv match but doesnt reach the level of their clash at the castle 22 match. That may be due because of the constraints of tv with all the commercial breaks and stuff but this match managed to still reach classic status. Stiff as hell both these guys just love to beat the hell out each other. 4.25/5"
[10.0] "This match was another banger between these two men they beat the crap out of each other both men just have so much chemistry and this match might be the best between them. *****"
[9.0] "Fantastic match pretty much only watched Raw this week to see this and Ilja and Ricochet and I was not disappointed Gunther and Sheamus are always gonna put on a banger"
[8.0] "It was a great TV show match but I really don't like the ending for that it Changed the tough guy image of Sheamus in a bad way. Submission would be a more reasonable ending. Looking forward to Sheamus' fourth fight with Gunther, though Sheamus said no part 4 on twitter."
[10.0] "Big E says it best: big meaty men slapping meat. This was that. They started a bit slow but it picked up when they began exchanging slaps, chops, and other strikes. These two guys do so well with each other. Theyve had a couple matches before this, but I think that in terms of their singles matches, this is below their Clash at the Castle bout but a bit above their SmackDown rematch. When looking at their whole saga, theyve had two matches better than this one (both of the 5 star classics). If I had to rank all their matches, it would probably be, from best to worst, WrestleMania, Clash at the Castle, this one, Extreme Rules 6-man tag, SmackDown rematch, and the SmackDown 6-man tag. Im using the term worst very loosely because all these matches were heat. Anyways, back to this match. The striking here was beautifully done. I love how Sheamuss chest looks after these matches. It adds that sense of realism to it all. This match was a bit different compared to the other ones. Usually, Gunther doesnt have his goons at ringside, but Kaiser was here for this one. I feel like that was done specifically to do the spot where he got thrown out. That leads me to the next thing: Sheamuss knee. He did a good job in terms of selling, but it was still a bit inconsistent. I also liked how Gunther targeted his knee. It was different because thats how this match ended. This again leads me to the next thing. Although I believe the right guy won, the finish couldve been done so much better. Dont get me wrong though, it wasnt a negative towards the overall rating, but I mightve rated it higher had it been different. Now how would I have done the finish? Its pretty easy. Sheamus was showing resilience throughout and he had a defiant attitude while in the single leg crab. I dont think he shouldve tapped. There are two ways they couldve gone with this: either Sheamus passes out in the submission due to the pain or the ref couldve simply called the match (referee stoppage or TKO, whatever floats your boat). Regardless, either of these finishes wouldve kept Sheamus strong and it wouldve given him a true reason for another match somewhere down the line, preferably Clash at the Castle, with Sheamus actually getting the win. Anyways, thats what I wouldve changed. Was there anything truly bad about this match? Not really. That I could tell, the only bad thing was a little hiccup when Sheamus was trying to cover Gunther where I guess there was some sort of miscommunication. Other than that, this was virtually perfect. I do think it couldve been even better though. As for the rest of the tourney, I think Gunthers gotta get that match with Dragunov. According the bracket, theyd only be able to meet in the semifinals in two weeks. I hope Dragunov beats Jey next week. I have no doubt in my mind that Gunther gets passed Rey or Kofi (whoever wins that). Surely, Gunther wins the whole thing. I dont know who his opponent in the finals will be. My guess at the moment is among Melo, Orton, or Styles. Well just have to wait and see when we get to that point. All-in-all, I thought this match was incredible. The fact that these two met in the first round is crazy. Despite the commercials and the crowd being so so, this is easily my favorite TV match of the year so far. Id even go as far as to say that this was better than Gunthers last match with Gable from last fall. I hope to see these guys do it again. 9.5/10. ****3/4"
[8.0] "What a fight. I couldn't BELIEVE that handprint Gunther left on Sheamus' back, complete with definition from each of his fingers! Not to mention that Sheamus' chest looked COMPLETELY ripped apart by the end of the match..."
[6.0] "this is fine but nothing special. Gunther and Sheamus do their usual hard hitting which looks a bit sloppy here imo especially from Gunther. The story of the match is fine and basic. How this has over a 9 I really don't know. Also Gunther's powerbomb is awful."
[8.0] "Unfortunately, crowd is very important in wrestling. It can elevate normally subpar match or it can make an incredible bout feel flat. This is the latter. It was a great match that managed to be different compared to their fight at Clash at the Castle. Knee injury added some uniquness but like I said, lack of reaction from the crowd brings the match down a little bit. Unfortunately, we got what we were worried about after Backlash... after we got an all time great crowd in France, Connecticut brought the mood down."
[9.0] "not as good as their clash at the castle match or mania 39 triple threat with drew but nonetheless still top-tier, especially for a television match. every time these two are in the ring together they make magic and last night was no exception. lots of heavy chops and brutal strikes. sheamus never gets out of these matches with an unscathed chest does he"
[9.0] "Sheamus and WALTER always deliver an absolute banger when you put them together, and this right here is no exception at all. This was already one amazing match-up, but for a weekly show? Even better! I love how WALTER began targeting Sheamus's knee/leg naturally and it wasn't a strategy from the get-go, made the match seem more realistic and really showcases Der Ringgeneral's brilliant mind. The closing stretch is a thing of beauty, especially when Sheamus finally hits the Brogue Kick, but struggles to make the cover, leading to his opponent kicking out at 2. As beautiful as a renaissance painting. ****1/2"
[6.0] "I was disappointed with this match. In my opinion, this was their weakest match, but it was still a very solid match. I was hoping that Sheamus would win and they would do a Sheamus vs. Ilja Dragunov match. I'm afraid they'll make Gunther vs Ilja Dragunov. For me this is too fast."
[10.0] "Easily one of the best TV matches of the year. Hard hitting as usual but was surprised with the tapout finish, which does put a comprehensive end to the Gunther/Sheamus feud."
[7.0] "Gunther Vs Sheamus was pretty good, didnt do everything they could do to make a tv classic, but it was still fine. I feel like I missed some spots lol. Ill give it a rewatch soon. Maybe I was distracted. I do remember it being good but not a 10 as many are saying. I guess because its a tv match it gets a boost. Again Ill rewatch when I can."
[7.0] "Seeing "10" have a plurality of ratings for this match doesn't surprise me because the internet always overrates Gunther. I guess I just don't "get" him. 800 chops every match. Sheamus had a red chest after the match. Cool. I suppose I'm from the Bret Hart School of thinking on this particular subject as it just doesn't do it for me. I liked Sheamus selling the leg but thought it was odd that he kept going for knee strikes with his knee that's supposed to be injured. A mildly entertaining bout with a "big fight feel, " but nothing we haven't seen before so I'm not understanding all of these crazy high ratings."
[9.0] "This is what i need more of weekly, two men with good chemistry together that go out and hit hard and put on quality matches. Sheamus sold that knee unbelivably well and bonus points for the submission finish."
[10.0] "Along with Gable v Sami in Montreal, my favourite non-PLE WWE match this year. Two men, who have great chemistry together, beat the ever living piss out of each other. Great match."
[9.0] "Not as good as their Wrestlemania and CATC all time classics but still an incredible professional wrestling match given the time it deserves on one of the best shows in ages. Not much more to say than two incredible workers slapping the everloving shit out of each other"
[8.0] "Sheamus is some kind of dude, man. He really does thrive on the pain. I appreciate matches like this for the possibilities they open up. It's not every day that someone is capable of back-body-dropping GUNTHER on the ring apron. The interference from Kaiser was a nice call-back to previous bouts between these two, and also demonstrates how little GUNTHER is leaving to chance these days. Sheamus always takes him to the limit; plus, he's not letting what happened at WrestleMania happen again. GUNTHER's probably winning this thing and victories like this go a long way to making it count."
[10.0] "What else is there to expect from Gunther and Sheamus other than a fight akin to a pub brawl? This match did not disappoint. I am always amazed at how fast Sheamus' chest turns red from all the chops. The story here was the targeting of the leg by Gunther, which was an interesting choice that differentiates it from their previous bouts, including the triple threat with Drew McIntyre. Commercial breaks aside, this was still a great fight that capped the trilogy between these two titans."
[8.0] "Not gonna say some meaningless bs like "it wasnt as good as the first one blah blah", great strikes as what expected but the match pivoted to a leg work story in the second half, with Sheamus getting pretty good hope spots until the crushing submission. Good match and great story but nothing truly special to look out for."
[7.0] "Excellent selling from Sheamus here, I love when limb targeting actually impacts the offense of the other guy. In the same vain, Gunther attacks the legs with such targeted and creative striking. The striking here from both men is great, with tons of back-and-forth. Theres a real sense of struggle here especially when Gunther breaks free of Sheamus repeated attempts of the 10 beats of the Bodhran, or Sheamus trying to fight out Gunthers submissions."
[7.0] "A good match. As often recently, Gunther is too focused on just working the leg. The match doesn't have anything special going for it, definitely above average, but that's it. Do you need to see the match? No, it's a normal Gunther match, Sheamus has some nice little knee strikes to come back, but never made it convincing that he would win the match. ***1/2"
[8.0] "Really liked how Gunther first started off by going after Sheamus' neck, but then later proceeded to make his knee the gameplan instead. Fun, simple, physical pro-wrestling stuff there. It's a quality match."
[9.0] "Of course the match of the night and one of the best WWE matches of the year without a shadow of a doubt, the anticipation for this one was huge as we were talking about the third match in the Gunther/Sheamus trilogy that did many wonders back in 2022 and was perfectly constructed throughout the show with vignettes & promos that made you feel like it was a WrestleMania main event. Something deserved for two guys who were obviously going to deliver together in that ring, they gave us a great match with a vicious Gunther targeting the back of Sheamus' neck and then his knee, leading to that more than logical ending. Once again, Sheamus couldn't beat Gunther. Once again, he'll be obsessed with this, and that's awesome because I know we'll have more insane battles between the two. Here was a pure masterclass in terms of storytelling and match structure, fantastic stuff."
[10.0] "These matches between these two will never be a disappointment, as they are always top-notch matches, and the fact that this was free television as well was icing on the cake. I believe Sheamus should have won one of the three matches, but as the selfless man he is, he'd rather put over other talents than give himself the flowers he deserves. The tap out was not a good idea I think if he blacked out of the main would protect him more but that is the only thing I would of done differently. The match was brutal European style fighting it was just a masterpiece. Hopefully Sheamus eventually gets a win over him singles wise, he deserves it."
[9.0] "These two were just made for eachother i suppose. Awesome match where Gunther's chops and Sheamus' clubs look as brutal as ever. I like how Sheamus gets numb of them late in the match and makes comeback after comeback. He also sold that knee really well, the guy was looking spiritually defeated then next thing you know he does an irish cross off the top rope. Loses a point for some slow moments though and the overdue conclusion that Gunther would win"
[10.0] "For me this was the second best match in their trilogy just behind the catc match land I loved this hard hitting match of 2 future hall of famers who have excellent chemistry this is definitely 5 stars in my opinion"
[10.0] "Their match was predictably excellent, reigniting their chemistry once again. While it may not have reached the heights of their previous encounters, such as their Clash 2022 bout or the three-way match at WM39, it remained highly entertaining throughout. Although it would be intriguing to witness Sheamus defeating Gunther, it seemed unlikely in this instance. Looking ahead, a showdown between Gunther and Dragunov in the tournament appears imminent and promising."
[9.0] "Physisch anspruchsvoll gehen Sheamus und Gunther hier zur Sache. So mögen wir das! Es war auch zeitweise unklar, ob Sheamus sich hier nicht gegen den Ring General durchsetzen würde, aber mit der gut eingebauten Knie-Story war dann auch klar, wo die Reise hingeht. Stark umgesetzt!"
[10.0] "I dont need too many words for this. It's Gunther vs Sheamus! In addition to the hard hitting, I loved the story of the match with the first part where Gunther tries to study a place on Sheamus' body to insist on. When he finds it in the knee, he begins the dissection. Wonderful."
