Sheamus Will Be Key to Filling Void Left by Part-Time Stars Post-WrestleMania

When all the confetti is swept up at WrestleMania 31, when Levi's Stadium is quiet and all of WWE's part-timers step out of the spotlight, Sheamus will truly gain momentum.

The Celtic Warrior's return is imminent, but he will find himself on a crowded stage. There is little space left on the marquee for him.

His career rejuvenation won't occur until WWE is without its novelty acts and special guests and needs a bruiser to step into a top heel role. That's when discussion of 2015's being the Year of Sheamus will begin.

The in-progress WrestleMania card is littered with names from the past, men who aren't regular names on the roster. 

Undertaker is expected to take on Bray Wyatt. Sting is set for a showdown with Triple H, a part-timer himself. And Brock Lesnar may not be around following The Show of Shows.

Mark J. Terrill/Associated Press

Uncertainty surrounds his current contract situation, and evidently his relationship with WWE isn't ideal at the moment. According to F4WOnline (h/t Wrestling Inc), Lesnar and Vince McMahon got into a shouting match backstage at last week's Raw, and The Beast Incarnate reportedly walked out before the end of the show.

Lesnar and Company offer mighty name power and give WWE intriguing matchups to fill the WrestleMania card.

The landscape will be drastically different after the lights at WrestleMania go off, though. Undertaker is likely to return to his annual hibernation. Triple H is sure to go back to his role as an authority figure. Lesnar may be wrestling in Japan or else giving UFC another go-round.

Sheamus isn't the star any of those men are, but he will be highly valuable in the months following WrestleMania.

Even if Lesnar re-signs, WWE can't count on him to be an everyday presence. Over the last two years, he has been a recurring guest star, not a staple of the roster.

WWE will need a snarling beast to step up. Should Roman Reigns win the WWE title, he will need a daunting opponent charging at him. The company needs a top-tier heel other than Seth Rollins, someone to clash with the likes of Randy Orton and Daniel Bryan. 

Sheamus can fill that role.

He has proved throughout his career that he's a reliable in-ring performer. His resume is filled with hard-hitting, memorable bouts. Before his injury, he helped elevate Rusev with one of the best matches of the up-and-comer's career.

His work against Cesaro, Bad News Barrett and others has been violent artistry at work. Few men on the roster today excel at brawling like The Celtic Warrior. 

That has to get WWE excited about a potential series between him and Reigns. It promises to be an electric slugfest each time they step into the ring together.

That opportunity will arise for the Irishman when WrestleMania is over. Triple H isn't going to be working the lesser pay-per-views. Lesnar might not even be around.

It's not surprising then to hear reports that WWE will make Sheamus a high-profile villain when he comes back. According to PWInsider (h/t FanSided), WWE wants to make Sheamus a top heel. 

That's great news for him as the goofy, fight-loving babyface persona never quite fit him. He was at his best as a merciless predator. 

When he was tearing his way through the roster to get to John Cena or battling with John Morrison, Sheamus thrived.

He was convincing in that role. His physical style fit perfectly with his alignment. His imposing physique always screamed heel more than it did face.

Switching Sheamus to the dark side is something a litany of folks, including Lance Storm, prefer:

Moving back to that more naturally fitting role, pushing toward the top tier and kick-starting his career just as the part-timer season wraps up will lead to big things for Sheamus. Rib-shaking punches and thunderous boots to the face are coming. 

Sheamus will rise not long after spring gives life back to the trees, after the immortals showcased at WrestleMania leave behind a void in the ring.