Nearly eleven years after Sheamus passed out in The Accolade without submitting, Rusev has finally secured a definitive victory over his old rival. At the WWE Clash in Paris premium live event, Rusev forced the “Celtic Warrior” to tap out in the center of the ring following a hard-hitting Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook Match.
The submission holds particular significance, settling a long-standing point of contention between the two. Back on November 3, 2014, Rusev first captured the United States Championship from Sheamus when his opponent lost consciousness in his signature hold. In his post-match comments from Paris, Rusev made it clear that this history was on his mind.
“I am very proud that he tapped out, because when I beat him before for the US title back in 2014, I believe, he didn’t tap out, he passed out,” Rusev stated during the Clash in Paris Recap. “Then he went out there on X or Twitter or whatever you want to call it, saying #nevertappedout. Well, maybe we should go back in time and change that now, Sheamus.”
The match itself, which was booked by Raw General Manager Adam Pearce to conclude a rivalry that had been escalating for months, was a physically punishing affair. The turning point came when Rusev snapped Sheamus’s own shillelagh and used a piece of the broken weapon to add leverage to The Accolade, leaving Sheamus with no choice but to submit. This marked only the second time in Sheamus’s 16-year WWE tenure that he has lost a televised match by submission.
Both men felt the effects of the contest. Sheamus posted a photo on social media revealing severe bruising on his back from a shillelagh strike. Rusev also commented on the toll the match took.
“I’ve never been through a match like this. This is the most brutal match I’ve ever been through,” Rusev admitted. “My body is hurting, my mind is hurting, everything hurts from top to bottom, but I am victorious and I thank God for that.”
With the feud now seemingly concluded, the paths forward for both competitors are unclear. Sheamus, who re-signed a five-year deal with WWE in 2025, could see his television appearances become sporadic again. For Rusev, the victory provides significant momentum, but a clear next challenger has yet to emerge on the Raw brand.