Rusev defeated Sheamus at Clash in Paris, ending their “Good Ol’ Donnybrook Match” by forcing the Celtic Warrior to submit. The loss marks only the second time in Sheamus’s televised WWE career that he has tapped out. The decisive moment came when Rusev applied a variation of the Accolade using a piece of Sheamus’s own broken shillelagh to secure the victory.
The no-rules stipulation led to a chaotic brawl that utilized the unique ringside setup, which included a wooden bar and several whiskey barrels. Both men used an array of weapons throughout the contest, including steel chairs and kendo sticks, fighting both inside and outside the ring. The match was the culmination of a rivalry that intensified on Monday Night Raw, leading General Manager Adam Pearce to schedule the bout following a double count-out between the two on the August 4th episode.
Several key moments defined the physical nature of the fight. Sheamus delivered his “10 Beats of the Bodhrán” while Rusev was draped over the ringside bar. The battle later escalated when both men fought atop the whiskey barrels, ending with Sheamus hitting a White Noise on Rusev through two tables below.
Despite the damage, Rusev managed to kick out of a Brogue Kick. The finish saw Rusev snap the shillelagh across Sheamus’s back before using the splintered wood to add pressure to his Accolade submission, leaving Sheamus with no choice but to tap out. Sheamus’s only other submission loss occurred in 2021 against Bobby Lashley.
This was Sheamus’s first pay-per-view match since 2022, and his direction following the loss is uncertain, despite having re-signed a five-year contract with the company earlier in 2025. For Rusev, the victory provides significant momentum, with a potential future opponent being LA Knight.