Sheamus First AEW Opponent

AEW/WWE

On July 5, reports circulated that Sheamus was set to leave WWE after a near-20 year run with the company.

This has led many fans to believe that Sheamus will one day make the move to All Elite Wrestling due to his connections with various names on the roster.

‘The Celtic Warrior’ signing with AEW would be interesting and open the door for some compelling matchups in the near future.

Here are eight potential Sheamus first AEW opponents.

8. Claudio Castagnoli

When Sheamus was announced as leaving WWE, fans immediately remembered his connection with current AEW star Claudio Castagnoli.

During their time with the company together, Claudio, then known as Cesaro, had a rivalry that turned into a partnership with Sheamus named The Bar.

Over the next few years, The Bar became one of the premier tag teams in the company and tallied plenty of reigns as WWE Tag Team Champions along the way.

Castagnoli facing Sheamus upon his arrival in All Elite Wrestling just makes a ton of sense to play off of their history with one another.

7. Jon Moxley

Another AEW star who has some history with Sheamus from their time in WWE together is Jon Moxley.

Back in 2017, Moxley, then known as Dean Ambrose, reunited with Seth Rollins to do battle with Sheamus and Cesaro of The Bar.

However, Sheamus signing with AEW would have him meeting a much different man than the Ambrose he once knew.

Now known as Jon Moxley and considered one of the most dangerous men on the AEW roster, The Death Riders leader would be the perfect measuring stick for Sheamus in Tony Khan’s promotion as his first opponent.

6. Kyle Fletcher

Kyle Fletcher has established himself as one of the very best in-ring workers in All Elite Wrestling today.

‘The Protostar’ is a two-time TNT Champion and has put on a litany of classic matches against top talent, such as Will Ospreay, ‘Hangman’ Adam Page, Speedball Mike Bailey and Mark Briscoe.

Over the past few years, Sheamus has been known for delivering banger after banger after banger whenever he steps inside the squared circle.

If he wants to deliver one upon his debut in AEW, Sheamus would be hard-pressed to find someone better equipped to match up with what he offers than Fletcher.

5. Konosuke Takeshita

Speaking of Kyle Fletcher, his former friend and current rival Konosuke Takeshita feels like someone else who can stand toe-to-toe with Sheamus.

Since signing with All Elite Wrestling, Takeshita has stood out thanks to his awe-inspiring versatility inside the ring.

Whether it be a hard hitting and blistering bout, a fast paced sprint or a marathon match, Takeshita can work any style which has made him one of the best in the world today.

Looking to immediately make a name for himself in his new home, Sheamus could step up to Takeshita for the AEW International Championship whenever he shows up in the company in the near future.

4. Brody King

Sheamus is known worldwide as one of the hardest hitters in all of pro wrestling today.

Another individual who has been known for hitting harder than every other star he gets in the ring with is Brody King.

Wanting to have one of those bangers he has become recognized for, Sheamus could have a tantalizing hoss fight against King in his first AEW match.

‘The Celtic Warrior’ clashing with Brody would be a great way to highlight King and show what makes him one of the breakout stars in 2026.

3. MJF

As soon as the news broke that Sheamus was set to leave WWE, current AEW World Champion MJF took to social media to call out the former WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

Maxwell Jacob Friedman has always been known for how he uses social media as a tool to promote those he’s working with and stuff he would like to do.

Despite being considered the best talker in all of wrestling right now, MJF has also established himself as a reliable and dependable in-ring performer, especially in the main event picture.

MJF calling out Sheamus could be the best way to bring in the former WWE star and immediately place him against the reigning AEW World Champion in his first bout.

2. Will Ospreay

The European pro wrestling scene has seen an increase of focus and attention thanks to the rise of several stars across the business.

While Sheamus started his rise in the late 2000s, Will Ospreay exploded onto the pro wrestling industry in the 2010s where his brand of amazing athleticism, agility and in-ring storytelling garnered the spotlight in promotions like NJPW and ROH.

Considered two of the most influential European wrestlers, Ospreay makes sense as someone to face Sheamus in his first AEW contest.

Sheamus calling out a top star on the level of Ospreay would immediately make the fans view him on the same level from his first match in the promotion.

1. Kenny Omega

Since the inception of All Elite Wrestling, Kenny Omega has been one of the biggest stars in the entire company.

‘The Cleaner’ is a former AEW World Champion, AEW World Tag Team Champion, AEW International Champion and AEW World Trios Champion.

With a catalog of instant classics that rivals anyone in the business, there might not be anyone who can match Omega when it comes to putting together a big time bout.

If Sheamus signs with AEW, he could become the latest obstacle for Omega to try to overcome as both men look to wind down their careers with this enticing dream match.

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• AEW
• wwe
• Sheamus

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