WWE Armchair Booking: How to Maximize Sheamus' Return

Set to return to WWE action soon, Sheamus can't just come back as the joke-cracking babyface he was before his injury.

WWE needs to inject electricity into his character, bring out his vicious side and let him go berserk on the roster. There is no clearer answer regarding how to reinvigorate a Superstar than turning him heel.

Staleness held him back pre-injury. His United States Championship run had its moments but didn't propel him the way the company might have hoped. Even after several months away from the ring, there's not a plethora of excitement surrounding his comeback.

The focus moving forward should be to showcase him as being as nasty and dominant as he was back in 2009 and 2010.

Let him eat up the lower-tier babyfaces. Thrust him into weapon-filled matches. Have him earn his way to the precipice of world title contention.

Rampage from the Get-Go

To make Sheamus' return an emphatic one, WWE would be best off letting his wrath begin right away. With the audience's memory of the winning streak he began his career on now fading, another one needs to begin.

On the night Sheamus comes back to Raw, have Zack Ryder come to the ring alone. He tells the crowd that he is looking to make a mark on the WWE, to repeat some of his earlier success. He reflects on winning the tag titles with Curt Hawkins and says he wants to find a new running mate.

Credit: WWE.com

Ryder talks up the tag division. He says he wants to be part of all the excitement.

Long Island Iced Z then issues an open invitation for anyone from the back to be his partner. "Who's going to be my bro?" he says.

After a short pause, Sheamus' music hits. He walks down to the ring, where Ryder is waiting for him with a big smile. The excited Ryder goes to shake The Celtic Warrior's hand but gets a Brogue Kick in the mouth instead.

Sheamus picks up the mic and yells at the crowd. He says he felt abandoned after his injury. No one from the roster came to visit him; fans didn't write him. Tired of being the nice guy, he's going to go back to kicking ass.

That he does.

In the next few weeks, he runs through a number of midcarders. Ryder, Erick Rowan and Darren Young all suffer at his hands. Sheamus doesn't just beat them; he insists on hurting each of his opponents. 

The Warrior vs. The Lunatic 

When WrestleMania arrives, Sheamus should be on a winning streak. Much of the talk before the Andre the Giant Battle Royal will be about whether anyone can stop the bruiser.

This match is an ideal opportunity to give him momentum as well as initiate a promising feud in the months ahead.

Sheamus' history of winning Battle Royals grows here as he eliminates a handful of men and is the last man standing after tossing out Dean Ambrose.

Credit: WWE.com

Ambrose has a strong showing in the bout as well. How it ends leaves him in search of revenge. Sheamus uses a low blow to stun him before pushing him to the floor outside the ring.

Once The Lunatic Fringe recovers from the painful shot, he ruins Sheamus' celebration by brawling with him.

It is the first of many brawls between them.

This rivalry should highlight Ambrose's toughness and Sheamus' mercilessness. Many of their battles are Street Fights or No Disqualification matches. Extreme Rules is an easy place to start that trend.

There should be a clearer narrative here than that of Ambrose's feud with Bray Wyatt, though.

If Ambrose were holding the Intercontinental Championship at this point, it would be a lot easier. Ambrose is protective of his title and angry with Sheamus for cheating him at WrestleMania.

Sheamus is out to prove his dominance. He wants to add the IC crown to his list of accomplishments.

WWE can work in their history together here. Sheamus can boast, "I took the United States Championship from you. I will do it again with your shiny new belt."

In the meantime, things get personal as Ambrose attacks Sheamus in a bar and the Irishman interrupts a series of Ambrose's matches with chair shots to the back.

This is a chance to show just how gutsy Ambrose is as he survives these clashes. It also gives Sheamus someone on the rise to work with, a fresh opponent he didn't get to fully engage with after taking the U.S. title from him.

Options Moving Forward

This is a rivalry that can benefit both wrestlers regardless of who ends up as champ. WWE would be wise to use it to thrust either man toward the next tier. 

The company can have Sheamus use this as a springboard to the WWE title picture. A matchup with Roman Reigns is an intriguing one. It promises to be intense, a clash of titans. 

Otherwise, WWE can use this as a way to shoot Ambrose upward. Should he win two-out-of-three pay-per-view battles with The Celtic Warrior, it would makes sense to then send him at Seth Rollins, should he be the top titleholder at this point.

Sheamus' momentum need not stop if he doesn't claim the IC title or move on to the one Brock Lesnar currently carries around. Ambrose's outlasting him should only fuel his rage more. He can then focus that on someone else.

Let him beat down some poor midcarder with right hands until the referee has to disqualify him. Have him ignore the ref's 10-count as he pounds on his foe outside the ring. 

Find him a new enemy to share slugfests with, be it Jack Swagger or Ryback.

Playing WWE's ungovernable force, its human wrecking ball, is ideal for him. He has always been at his best when he drums his forearms against flesh, when the action slides into slobberknocker territory. 

Beginning with a boot to Ryder and following with a war with Ambrose is the optimal method of allowing Sheamus to return to that side of himself.