Backstage Update On Sheamus To AEW (AEW News)

The latest on Sheamus potentially joining AEW.

Sheamus WWE
WWE.com

With AEW putting on Grand Slam France last night, some fans had speculated that the Paris setting could see the debut of a couple of notable European free agents, Sheamus and/or Ilja Dragunov. While neither man made an appearance, there is now at least a bit of an update on the Celtic Warrior's situation.

Per Fightful Select, Sheamus' previous WWE contract expired at the turn of this month, though he's yet to sign with AEW, or anywhere else, for that matter. Fightful has not heard of any "substantial conversations" as of yet, though obviously the veteran was legally bound to WWE until the expiration of that deal. AEW President Tony Khan has also stated previously that he wouldn't speak to upcoming free agents until they are contractually free to have such talks.

This report adds that "some big, veteran names" in AEW have been pushing for the company to sign Sheamus, and "a number" of wrestlers who've worked with him before are hoping that the four-time WWE World Champion will end up #AllElite. While the identity of those "big, veteran names" was not given, you have to imagine that Sheamus' old Bar pal Claudio Castagnoli would likely be keen to see him in AEW. Likewise, Bryan Danielson has often talked about how much he enjoyed working Sheamus. Then there's Adam Copeland, whose final WWE match was a first time ever match against Sheamus. And that's not mentioning the numerous times Jon Moxley, as Dean Ambrose, worked with Sheamus over the years. Again, those names are purely speculation from your writer, but you can understand why Sheamus would have people on the AEW roster championing him.

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Sheamus is said to have interest from various promotions, including TNA, so it remains to be seen where the 48-year-old ultimately lands.

Having departed WWE earlier this year after opting against taking a pay cut, Sheamus is expected to use the S. Farrelly moniker going forward; Stephen Farrelly is his real name.

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Senior Writer
Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer and Presenter, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund and Eli Roth to Kevin Smith and the Russo Brothers, to Kevin Conroy and Frank Miller, to Bret Hart and Sting, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, and Brian Flynn, to many, many more. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is a long-standing season ticket holder and an FSA Award-winner for his time co-hosting the Fearless in Devotion podcast.