page_title: Sheamus
section_title: World Heavyweight Champion (2012–2013)
hierarchical_section_title: Sheamus / Professional wrestling career / World Wrestling Entertainment/WWE / World Heavyweight Champion (2012–2013)
caption_attribution_description: English: Sheamus poses as the World Heavyweight Champion at the WWE Raw tapings on 2 April 2012.
context_page_description: Stephen Farrelly is an Irish professional wrestler and actor signed to the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, performing on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sheamus.
  Prior to joining WWE, he wrestled on the European circuit and was a two-time International Heavyweight Champion during his tenure in Irish Whip Wrestling. After becoming part of the WWE main roster in 2009, he went on to be a four-time world champion, having held the WWE Championship three times and WWE's World Heavyweight Championship once. He is the first Irish world champion in WWE history and is also a two-time United States Champion and a five-time tag team champion with his partner Cesaro. In addition to these championships, he has won the 2010 King of the Ring tournament, the 2012 Royal Rumble match and the 2015 Money in the Bank ladder match, making him only the second wrestler to achieve all three accomplishments.
context_section_description: On 19 February at Elimination Chamber, Sheamus attacked World Heavyweight Champion Daniel Bryan after Bryan retained his title, thus challenging Bryan for and winning the World Heavyweight Championship on 1 April at WrestleMania XXVIII, in a record 18 seconds. On 6 April episode of SmackDown, Sheamus lost to Alberto Del Rio in a non-title match by disqualification, thus earning Del Rio a future title match and starting a feud between the two. On 29 April at Extreme Rules, Sheamus successfully defended the World Heavyweight Title against Bryan in a two out-of-three falls match. Sheamus then returned to his feud with Del Rio which eventually began to include Chris Jericho and Randy Orton. The rivalry between them culminated in a fatal-four way match for the World Heavyweight Championship on 20 May at Over the Limit, where Sheamus pinned Jericho to retain the title. Del Rio earned another title shot on the 25 May episode of SmackDown, but suffered a concussion a week before their match at No Way Out and was subsequently replaced by Dolph Ziggler; Sheamus retained the title in their match. Sheamus went on to retain the title against Del Rio and Ziggler over the next few months, including at Money in the Bank, SummerSlam, and Night of Champions. On 28 October at Hell in a Cell, Sheamus lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Big Show, ending his reign, which was the third longest in the title's history, at 210 days.
  Sheamus faced Show for the World Heavyweight Championship on November at Survivor Series, defeating Show by disqualification, failing to win the title. Afterward, Sheamus repeatedly hit Show with a steel chair. This led to a Chairs match on 16 December at TLC: Tables, Ladders and Chairs, where Sheamus again failed to regain the title. On 24 December episode of Raw, Sheamus defeated Show in a non-title lumberjack match.
  On 27 January 2013, at the Royal Rumble, Sheamus entered the Royal Rumble at number eleven, eliminating five other superstars before Ryback eliminated him. After being a frequent target of The Shield, Sheamus gained vengeance on the stable when he united with John Cena and Ryback to attack them. This culminated in a six-man tag team match at Elimination Chamber, where the Shield emerged victorious. In late February, Sheamus aligned himself with Randy Orton to feud with The Shield. Over the next weeks, Sheamus and Orton saved each other from attacks by The Shield and Big Show. On 15 March episode of SmackDown, Sheamus and Orton were then allowed to pick a third partner to face the Shield in a six-man tag team match at WrestleMania 29 and chose Ryback. Three days later on Raw, however, Ryback was booked for another match at the event, leaving the spot open. Later that night, Big Show saved the two from an attack by The Shield and was recruited as their partner. On 7 April at WrestleMania 29, Sheamus, Orton and Show were defeated by The Shield, after which both men were knocked out by Show. The following night on Raw, Sheamus and Orton faced off in a match to earn a match with Big Show, however, the match ended in a no contest after Show interfered. Sheamus and Orton then defeated Show in two handicap matches on SmackDown and Raw.
caption: Sheamus as the World Heavyweight Champion in April 2012
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