Top WWE Star Says ‘Time For Talking Is Over’ Ahead Of Upcoming Championship Match

WWE

A big championship match is set to take place on this week’s episode of SmackDown (May 26).

The match will pit United States Champion Austin Theory against his latest challenger, Sheamus, following their interaction on last week’s show, where Sheamus laid out Theory with a Brogue Kick.

Ahead of the show, Sheamus appeared on WWE’s The Bump, where he discussed the match and Theory.

He said:

“Sometimes, there’s a lot of talking on the show, but I think the time for talking was kind of over. I just wanted to make a statement. It’s been a really roller coaster year for me so far in 2023. Everyone knows how much I wanted to get my hands on the Intercontinental Title, and I was so close again at WrestleMania. So I’ve just kind of run out of stuff to say and just wanted to make a statement. Theory will talk until the cows come home, to be honest with you, so it was just really making a point that I want what he has, and that’s the United States Championship.”

Sheamus went on to put over Theory’s accomplishments, but said that he’s going to teach him a lesson during their match on SmackDown.

He added:

“I just kind of decided to let my talking happen in the ring. He’s done a lot, he’s done a lot in a short amount of time. He’s the youngest-ever United States Champion. He’s very impressive in the ring, he can do a lot of stuff that I could probably never do. He’s very athletic, but he’s brash, he’s cocky. I get it. He’s come into WWE and in such a short time, he’s been breaking records and he’s been putting his name on the map. But sometimes, you run out of road. Sometimes you can drive into a brick wall, and that brick wall is me. I’m about to give him a different lesson than Edge, Rey, and John have given him. I’m going to show him why I am known as the hardest, toughest, and he’s going to see exactly what it’s like to step in the ring with [me].

“For Theory, he’s got a lot of talent, a lot of potential, but there’s a long road ahead of him. Short-term, he’s done great, but he’s about to go from a boy to a man when he steps in there with me. I know Bobby’s been very physical on him, and we had that triple threat. But triple threats to me are different than singles matches. He’s got to basically step up to me the whole match and see what happens. There’s no better place than Friday Night SmackDown. I’ve made that place my home over the last couple years, and I haven’t had a championship around my waist since I lost that title a couple years ago at SummerSlam to Damian Priest. So I think it’s about time that I got a bit of gold back around my waist, and there’s no [more] perfect time than this Friday.”

Next week’s episode of SmackDown was taped following last week’s show, you can see the results here.

The card for WWE Night of Champions 2023 on Saturday, May 27 is as follows:

World Heavyweight Championship – Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins vs. AJ Styles

Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship – Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn (c) vs. Roman Reigns & Solo Sikoa

Raw Women’s Championship – Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka

SmackDown Women’s Championship – Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Natalya

Intercontinental Championship – Gunther (c) vs. Mustafa Ali

Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar

Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus

transcription via Fightful

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• Austin Theory
• Sheamus
• United States Championship
• wwe

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