(3) GUNTHER (c) vs. DREW McINTYRE vs. SHEAMUS – WWE Intercontinental Championship match
The crowd popped big as the referee called for the opening bell. Drew McIntyre, Gunther, and Sheamus exchanged quick glances with each other. Gunther suggested that Sheamus and Drew start things out. He tried to step aside. McIntyre kicked him in the face. The champion rolled to the outside. McIntyre and Sheamus then came to blows. They traded quick rights and battled from corner to corner, trading advantages every few seconds. McIntyre eventually exploded out of the corner and dropped Sheamus with a big clothesline. Titus said their chops “take skin right off your chest.”
Sheamus managed to toss McIntyre over the ropes to the apron. He set up for Ten Beats, but Gunther returned to wreak havoc. He knocked McIntyre to the floor, then went to work on Sheamus. He chopped him violently. Sheamus’ chest already began to show blood. McIntyre returned to the apron to fire off some right hands at Gunther. The champion pulled him in and slammed him into the ring post. Drew fell back to the floor as the match hit 2:45.
Gunther went back to work on Sheamus. He tired up against the ropes and delivered two massive chops. “Call the police,” Titus begged. Gunther kicked Sheamus in the face. The Celtic Warrior broke free of the ropes and returned the favor, throwing stiff forearms. Gunther shook them off and gave Sheamus a big Spinebuster. He turned his challenger over into a Texas Cloverleaf. McIntyre returned to break the hold, slapping Gunther, but the champion wasn’t phased. McIntyre had to kick him in the head to get him to relinquish the submission. McIntyre and Gunther traded head kicks, then engaged in a vicious chop battle. McIntyre wound up besting Gunther, backing him into the corner and littering his chest with rapid chops.
Drew looked to stay on the attack, but Sheamus rejoined the fray. The three men began trading chops and right hands. McIntyre and Sheamus began fighting for the ability to chop Gunther. All three men were sporting beet-red chests. Sheamus hooked Gunther in the ropes from the apron and began the Ten Beats, with McIntyre chops interspersed. Once completed, Drew kicked them both to the floor. McIntyre retrieved Sheamus and tossed him into the ring. Sheamus gave him a quick knee and walked him to the apron for Ten Beats. He got to 28 before McIntyre collapsed. The crowd gave Sheamus a standing ovation.
McIntyre dragged himself back into the ring. Sheamus set him up for a Celtic Cross, but Gunther broke it up with a boot to the face. He delivered a release German Suplex, then a massive clothesline for a cover and near fall at 7:25. Gunther moved to the corner and called for Sheamus to stand. He charged and hit another massive clothesline. The champion hooked the leg, but Sheamus still managed to kick out. McIntyre then dove off the top rope with a flying clothesline. Gunther stood quickly, but McIntyre dropped him with a Neckbreaker. Gunther crawled to the corner. Drew gave Sheamus an overhead belly-to-belly into Gunther. Sheamus rolled to the floor.
Gunther struggled to stand. McIntyre charged and went for the Claymore. Gunther laid out to avoid it. He kicked Drew into the corner, and, on the rebound, pulled him in and hit the Powerbomb for a cover and near fall. Gunther climbed to the top rope, only to be met at the pass by Sheamus. They traded chops. Sheamus hooked Gunther and connected with White Noise off the top rope. He hoisted Gunther up and hit White Noise. Sheamus hooked the leg, but Gunther kicked out.
The match ticked toward 11:00 as Sheamus turned the champion over into a Cloverleaf. Gunther grabbed the bottom rope, but Cole noted that there’s no breaks. Sheamuys pulled Gunther back to center. McIntyre emerged and grabbed a Sleeper Hold on Sheamus, breaking his Cloverleaf. McIntyre went for a Future Shock DDT. Sheamus countered it and hit a pump knee. He gave one to Gunther too. Sheamus threw his arms out to rile up the crowd. The camera pulled back as he called for the Brogue Kick. He hit all of it. Sheamus hooked the leg, but McIntyre pulled him to the outside just in time. The former friends stared at each other with contempt. They hesitated for a beat, then came to blows. A loud “this is awesome” chant broke out.
McIntyre fought Sheamus on the apron, eventually knocking him to the floor. Drew got a running start across the ring and hit a clean Swanton over the top onto Sheamus on the floor. He popped up and tossed Sheamus in the ring. McIntyre headed to the corner and led the crowd in a count. McIntyre delivered a massive Claymore and hooked the leg for a believable near fall. The crowd rose to their feet as Sheamus and McIntyre struggled. Drew hit a Glasgow Kiss. Sheamus stumbled into the ropes, then caught him with a pump knee on the rebound. Drew shook it off, hit the ropes, and delivered a second Claymore. He hooked the leg again for another nearest of near falls.
The two challengers rose to their knees in the center of the ring, trading forearms. The crowd was firmly behind Sheamus. Graves said someone is going to have to be knocked out to lose. Sheamus and Drew switched to short-arm clotheslines. Sheamus fell into the ropes and charged forward with a Brogue Kick. He struggled to make the cover, but eventually did so. At two, Gunther dove from the top rope and splashed both Sheamus and McIntyre to break the count. He gave Sheamus a Powerbomb, then grabbed McIntyre and Powerbombed him onto Sheamus’ back. Gunther pinned McIntyre for a three count.
WINNER: Gunther in 16:35 to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship
(I went to bad for this match on a few PWTorch post-shows in recent weeks. I am typically in full agreement with Wade Keller’s belief that a good, one-on-one rivalry for a championship is almost always superior to a multi-man feud or match. But sometimes, in the spirit of the incomparable Big E, you just want to see big meaty men slapping meat! With that in mind, I was a big advocate for this heavily rumored triple threat match and was ecstatic when it was announced. It lived up to my lofty expectations. These two beat the living hell out of each other for over sixteen minutes. The crowd ate up nearly every moment. They were particularly invested in seeing Sheamus finally win the Intercontinental title, a low-key compelling story that they can definitely return to in the very near future. Gunther’s run of dominance has been unbelievably impressive, and though his title seemed more in peril tonight than at any point thus far, I think a major win on the biggest stage was the right call. These three received a standing ovation at the conclusion of the match, and they certainly earned it.)
