World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus vs. Alberto Del Rio

BY Michael Burdick July 02, 2012

At Money in the Bank, Alberto Del Rio will look to demonstrate an aristocratic lesson in destiny, when he finally gets his one-on-one title opportunity against World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus. However, considering the explosive nature of The Great White in recent months, perhaps the lesson he should teach himself is “be careful what you wish for.”

Since capturing his illustrious prize in 18 seconds at WrestleMania, the first-ever Irish-born World Champion has ripped through the competition. Pay-per-view after pay-per-view, SmackDown after SmackDown, Raw SuperShow after Raw SuperShow, The Celtic Warrior has dominated in the win-loss column.

Armed with a ferocious love for fighting and a brutal arsenal – highlighted by the devastating Brogue Kick, White Noise and Celtic Cross – the hard-hitting titleholder has made it clear that he will not easily be knocked off the mountain.

On the same timeline, in the four months since returning to WWE from injury, Del Rio’s bid to capture the World Heavyweight Championship has been littered with a series of almosts and could-have-beens – thanks to a string of unfortunate events and injuries.

It all started when The Mexican Aristocrat won a non-title match against Sheamus that made him the No. 1 contender and earned him a one-on-one bout against The Great White with the title on the line.

With the contest already signed for WWE Over the Limit, now-former General Manager of Raw and SmackDown, John Laurinaitis, decided to morph his opportunity into a Fatal 4-Way World Title Match –to put Sheamus at a greater disadvantage. When the dust cleared on that whirlwind showdown, which also included Chris Jericho and Randy Orton, The Great White was victorious – though not by pinning Del Rio.

Then, heading into No Way Out in June, the affluent Del Rio secured a second World Title opportunity against The Celtic Warrior, only to be sidelined with a concussion.

After a No. 1 Contender’s Contract-on-a-Pole Match against the treacherous Dolph Ziggler spun out-of-control, a Triple Threat Title World Title Match between Del Rio, The Showoff and Sheamus on the June 29 edition of SmackDown ended with another win for Sheamus – but again not with his pinning of the Mexican Superstar.

The following Raw SuperShow, after discussing the matter with the WWE Board of Directors, Interim General Manager Theodore Long informed the resentful Superstar of his one-on-one, pay-per-view World Title Match.

But just because Del Rio has his much-deserved chance at the championship gold, that doesn’t guarantee he’ll capture it. As dangerous as The Mexican Aristocrat may be with his ruthless in-ring style and patented Cross Armbreaker, one wrong move against the self-acknowledged “hooligan” could leave him with one “classless” defeat.

Who will triumph when World Heavyweight Champion Sheamus takes on Alberto Del Rio one-on-one? Find out at Money in the Bank, Sunday July 15 at 8 ET/5 PT, only on pay-per-view.

http://www.wwe.com/shows/moneyinthebank/2012/sheamus-alberto-del-rio