How Sheamus and Cesaro Raised, Set, and Became The Bar
When it comes to in-ring talent, there are not many superstars out there in the world of professional wrestling that have more than Sheamus and Cesaro. The two hard-hitting fellas formed the ultimate tag team and have dominated their way to the top of the tag team division.
If you had told any member of the WWE Universe in 2016 that the two would continue being a formidable tag team almost three years later, they would have responded with a smile and saying "No way!" However, Sheamus and Cesaro are not only still going strong, they are now at the very top of the SmackDown Live tag team mountain.
Lets take a look back on how the Celtic Warrior and the Swiss Superman began their journey together in the WWE and became one of the greatest tag teams we have ever seen.
Sheamus
When you think about the accolades Sheamus has earned in his WWE career, you realize that there isn't much that the Celtic Warrior hasn't done. Within six months on the main roster, he defeated the great John Cena in a tables match to become the first Irish-born WWE champion. There's not many people in the world that can say they won a world title during the same year as their debut: Sheamus can.
You could just feel the shock and awe from every member of the WWE Universe in attendance that night at TLC. NOBODY expected Cena to lose the WWE title in that match. As a result, Sheamus cemented himself as a legitimate superstar that we all needed to prepare to see on top for a very, very long time.
A few months later, Sheamus would then be under the ultimate spotlight when another dream of his came true—competing in front of millions of people on the grand stage of WrestleMania. Who better to have your Mania debut match against than the one and only Triple H? The two had such an explosive rivalry leading up to that match, and it truly put Sheamus on the map even more.
After a King of the Ring victory where we all were introduced to King Sheamus, a Royal Rumble victory, and a Money in the Bank victory, it became crystal clear to the WWE Universe that Sheamus had become one of the most decorated superstars in recent memory.
Whether it was having extraordinary battles inside the squared circle against the likes of The Big Show and Randy Orton, or making us all laugh by stealing Alberto Del Rio's car and having tea with Santino Marella, Sheamus always brought the best entertainment to the fans.
Cesaro
The Swiss Superman, time after time, has made our jaws drop by his incredible athleticism and feats of strength over the years. After just a few months on the main roster, Cesaro defeated Santino Marella to capture his first title in WWE, the United States championship. He then went on a tear of the WWE roster and successfully defend the title against the likes of Zack Ryder, R-Truth, The Miz, and The Great Khali. In my opinion, Cesaro's reign as United States champion was one of the greatest in the title's history of existence.
It became extremely apparent that each night inside the squared circle, the WWE Universe would always be entertained by the abilities that Cesaro possessed. When he picked up The Big Show and tossed the giant over the top rope to win the Andre the Giant Battle Royal at WrestleMania, the fans in attendance went absolutely haywire. It was truly one of those moments in history that you couldn't believe what you had just witnessed. THAT'S what Cesaro brings to the table every time he gets a chance to do so.
One of my favorite times in the career of Cesaro was when he teamed up with a personal favorite of mine, Tyson Kidd. To me, BTE wasn't just the name of their tag team. They truly were the absolute best tag team going during that time in WWE, especially after winning the tag team championships. Their uncanny chemistry inside the squared circle was something special to watch, and night after night, they got even better together. With Natalya by their side, it became undeniably evident that Cesaro and Kidd were a force to be reckoned with each week.
And that's a........
Whether it's swinging around another superstar to the point that we ALL felt nauseous, suplexing his opponent from the apron to the middle of the ring with ease, or perfecting a crazy spring-board uppercut, Cesaro's in-ring abilities are completely unmatched. I still thoroughly believe that a world championship run is in the cards for the Swiss Superman sometime in the future. He's earned it, and he deserves it.
The Bar Was Raised In The Tag Team Division
Who can ever forget about the exceptionally physical Best-of-7 series between Sheamus and Cesaro? Each match during that series was even more hard-hitting than the last as the two men completely destroyed one another while the WWE Universe watched on with awe. Their chemistry as opponents was so good that Raw General Manager at the time, Mick Foley, pitched a startling and unexpected idea. The Bar was then formed.
It was such an unusual sight watching Sheamus and Cesaro side-by-side after they had just annihilated each other night after night. However, as weeks went by, you can see just how amazing of a duo they were turning into.
Eventually, the two work-horses would become the Raw Tag Team champions when they ended the 483-day title reign of The New Day at WWE Roadblock. You can see the adulation of the fans in attendance that night when the 3-count was made and the unorthodox tag team of Sheamus and Cesaro became champions together. It was surpising, it was shocking, and it was just downright awesome.
Since that night, The Bar have held tag team gold on four more occasions, marking them as one of the best tag teams not only of today, but in WWE history. The remarkable chemistry that they discovered during their brutal Best-of-7 series has blossomed into something nobody ever expected it to.
Currently, they are the SmackDown Live tag team champions and are fighting off incredible teams like The New Day, The Usos, Sanity, and Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. Almost three years after their formation, Sheamus and Cesaro are ruling the tag team game, and it doesn't look like that will change anytime soon.
Thank you, Sheamus and Cesaro, for continuing to be everything that professional wrestling represents. Your hard work over the years has made me respect you both more and more as each day passes. Your sacrifice to put on an entertaining match every time you're able to is extremely inspiring. I am entirely grateful to be able to watch your talents inside the ring for the last number of years and look forward to watching them more in the years to come.
Although I consider you both two of the best individual superstars on the entire WWE roster, today's landscape wouldn't be the same without you together as a team. The chemistry you've developed with one another is something not many superstars can even dream of having. Congratulations on all your success.
You two not only just raised the bar, not only just set the bar, yes, you two now ARE the bar!