10 Times WWE C-Shows Were AMAZING

Before its inevitable relegation to the C-Show realm, WWE, for one week at least—if only to create the illusion of care to the Ion Television network and audience alike—put the effort into the debuting Main Event by promoting a rare, major WWE Vs. World Heavyweight Championship match between CM Punk and Sheamus.

The dynamic was slightly off. While Punk had turned heel, and performed very well in the role, fans weren’t quite invested enough in the babyface Sheamus character to create the requisite big match atmosphere. Both received a smattering of cheers and jeers as Lillian Garcia introduced them.

By the end of the match, the crowd was in loud voice.

That is because, from bell to bell, Punk and Sheamus crafted something quite brilliant. Punk was probably too selfless a performer for his own good, ultimately; he sold for a headlock as if it almost spelled the end of the match. In another choice heel gambit, he stole Sheamus’ Beats of the Bodhrán spot before (again, selflessly) selling his slingshot comeuppance.

Punk was also a very creative performer, able to devise new counters to even the most overused signature offence; when the time came for Sheamus to pound his chest, he slipped out of it to deliver a wicked Pelé kick. Sheamus roared back with a counter of his own, evading the Go To Sleep with a cloverleaf, in a match that utilised the standard back-and-forth template to put over the political intrigue of a match neither could afford to lose.

Sheamus did lose, as a result of Punk’s dirty work—but his work was so selfless throughout that the Great White emerged from it protected.