1. Vs. Daniel Bryan (Extreme Rules; April 29, 2012)
WWE.comSheamus first defeated Daniel Bryan for the United States Championship on the March 14, 2011 edition of Raw. A rematch was scheduled for WrestleMania 27, but due to time constraints, the match was pulled from the card. Bryan and Sheamus were robbed of the opportunity to steal the show at 'Mania 27 and it was an even bigger blow to The Celtic Warrior who had faced off against Triple H at The Show of Shows one year prior. They worked a handful of nice matches against each other in the weeks that followed, but it wasn't the same. Fast forward one year later, Bryan was the World Heavyweight champion and Sheamus won the 2012 Royal Rumble match. He chose to face Bryan for the world title at WrestleMania 29, setting the stage for what was expected to be an absolute classic. It was also quite the story: one year removed from being kicked off the card, Sheamus and Bryan were now competing in a 'Mania match for one of the most prestigious prizes in the business. Once again, however, Sheamus and Bryan as well as the fans were given the shaft. Their match lasted all of 18 seconds when Bryan took a moment to kiss his then-girlfriend AJ Lee only to turn around and eat a Brogue Kick from Sheamus, allowing Sheamus to score the victory and the belt. For the second straight year, fans were left disappointed, frustrated and confused. When it was announced that they'd face off for the title at Extreme Rules, it was either do or die time for both individuals. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh4DvkyJ9hk Unlike their prior two outings, their Extreme Rules encounter was extraordinary: it was a 2-out-of-3 Falls match. Neither man had competed in such a stip before in their careers, but fans automatically knew both guys would thrive in it. And how right they were. Bryan decimated for Sheamus for a majority of the first fall, getting himself disqualified and then locking in the Yes! Lock for so long that he won the second fall via knockout. When it came down to the third and final fall, tensions were high and the stakes even higher. Both Sheamus and Bryan had something to prove that night, and in a way, they did. Sheamus came out on the winning end, sure, but Bryan was by no means a loser. He not only gave Sheamus his best match in WWE up to that point, but he also solidified himself as a threat to the main event scene. Meanwhile, all him corny or cliche, but Sheamus can hang with the very best of them, and that's exactly what the Ireland native did that night in Chicago.