WWE Money in the Bank 2012: Sheamus' Victory Continues Feel-Good Story

Not every WWE storyline is scripted.

Sheamus defeated Alberto Del Rio at WWE’s 2012 Money in the Bank on Sunday night. His victory not only maintained his title as the world heavyweight champion, but it’s a reminder of just how far the red-headed Irishman has come.

The man that defeated Daniel Bryan in a record 18 seconds is currently riding a nine-match winning streak. Over that time period, he’s defended his championship three times. However, as Sheamus’ WWE plot thickens at the top of the professional wrestling world, every match that he participates is part of a different plot—one of him overcoming extreme adversity.

Remember, back in 2002, Sheamus suffered a real neck injury. It was so severe that it prevented him from wrestling for two years. The injury could have ended his career, but following the catastrophe, he got on an impressive road to recovery and now he’s king.

In an interview with Mayer Nissim of Digital Spy, Sheamus talked about whether he became more cautious after his scare. He said:

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You can't think about that. If you go in thinking that you might hurt yourself, then you're gonna hurt yourself. You're going to be more likely to cause something to strain or mess up. I think that you have to have a good mind about you.

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Sheamus also stressed that while he’s technically an “actor,” fans would be foolish to attempt the stunts he performs in the ring. He continued addressing his injury (via Digital Spy):

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But it also gives us a good message to give to fans—please don't try what we do—we're highly trained and still injuries can occur. If you want to imitate what we do, buy the action figures or play the video games. Don't actually physically try what we do.

"

Despite his hair, Sheamus isn’t the flashiest wrestler in the WWE. He has a strong fanbase, but not a cult-like one. What he does have, though, is a belt that he earned through unrivaled determination—determination, that again, wasn’t scripted.

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels