Sheamus says ‘there will be no part 4′ against Gunther

One of the most physical rivalries in WWE history appears to be over.

The wrestling world prepared for an epic showdown after WWE revealed at Backlash that Gunther and Sheamus would face off in the first round of the King of the Ring tournament on Raw. In the third meeting between the two, Sheamus tapped out after getting caught in a half-crab by The Ring General. Following his defeat, the former WWE Champion threw the towel in on their brutal rivalry.

“There will be no part 4,” Sheamus wrote on social media, accompanied by a picture of his chest beat-red.

Sheamus is now 0-3 against Gunther in singles matches — on television and at signature events. Their first meeting was at the inaugural Clash at the Castle in 2022. In what many considered the match of the year, Sheamus and Gunther engaged in a war of attrition that saw Gunther retain the Intercontinental Championship after chopping the Celtic Warrior to bits. A month later, on SmackDown, Gunther eked out another win over Sheamus following a disputed call by the referee.

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While controversy crept into the trilogy fight, Sheamus withstood the best that Gunther had to offer. He survived a round of chops early. Though his back and chest began to bruise, he kept calling for the former I.C. Champion to bring it.

But after Sheamus’ leg got caught in the ropes, Imperium’s Ludwig Kaiser dropkicked his knee, further injuring the Irish superstar. Suspecting foul play, referee Rod Zapata ejected Kaiser from the match. But the damage was done.

Yet Sheamus soldiered on.

Following a thunderous Brogue Kick that sent shockwaves through the arena, Sheamus secured a nail-biting two-count. As he tried to catch his breath, Sheamus got wrapped up in a half-crab by Gunther. Initially, Sheamus tried to get to the ropes, but Gunther pulled him back to the center of the ring. With his strength waning and no escape in sight, Sheamus succumbed to the excruciating hold, tapping out in defeat.

With the victory, Gunther advances in the King of the Ring tournament. He will face the winner between Kofi Kingston and Rey Mysterio.

As for Sheamus, it’s hard to say what’s next. The 46-year-old star had just recently returned to action after suffering a shoulder injury last fall. Sheamus admitted that he had contemplated retirement before embarking on this latest comeback. While his future now seems uncertain, it apparently won’t include any more bangers against Gunther.