Celtic crusade

Sheamus: ready for Orton

I've sensed loads of jealousy in the dressing room. There are some disgruntled lads in there but they made a mistake by waiting for their opportunity, I just took mine when it was presented to me.

Sheamus
Quotes of the week

Also see

• WWE live on Sky
• Photo galleries
• WWE video

Sheamus has had quite a year.

Since debuting on ECW in June 2009, The Celtic Warrior has moved to WWE's flagship show Raw, battled many of the company's top stars and is currently in his second reign as WWE Champion.

The Irishman will put his title on the line at SummerSlam on Sunday when he faces The Viper, Randy Orton, in a rematch of their contest from the Royal Rumble back in January.

With the bout edging ever closer, skysports.com caught up with the flame-haired grappler to get his pre-match thoughts and to discuss the whirlwind start to his WWE career.

In good voice, Sheamus also told us what key things he has learnt over the past year, and gave his views on Money in the Bank briefcase holder The Miz, Raw's destructive new faction Nexus... and Thierry Henry!

skysports.com: You are in your second reign as WWE Champion, yet you were only called up to the main roster a little over a year ago. Have you been surprised at the level of success you've had in such a short time?
SHEAMUS: No I'm not surprised as I always knew that if I got the opportunity that I'd take it. It might have come a little sooner than I expected but you've got to take your chances when you can. I've sensed loads of jealousy in the dressing room. There are some disgruntled lads in there but they made a mistake by waiting for their opportunity, I just took mine when it was presented to me.

skysports.com: What key things have you learnt during the past year?
SHEAMUS: I've become comfortable in my surroundings, comfortable performing in front of big crowds and comfortable on camera. When you first appear, you're exposed a lot. There are cameras everywhere, you're competing in huge arenas and there's huge pressure. It's a big step. The key for me has been getting relaxed and not worrying about things. Just going out there, getting the job done and having a good time. My first feud was with Goldust in ECW and that helped me massively. I took great strides during that programme and that helped me when I went to Raw.

skysports.com: How long in advance did you know you were getting moved to Raw?
SHEAMUS: It came out of nowhere. I only found out on the day. Raw is the number one-rated show and to be on it with people like John Cena, Randy Orton and Triple H had always been a dream of mine. I knew I would get there but possibly not as fast as I did.

skysports.com: Randy Orton is a third-generation superstar and his surname is synonymous with the WWE. Do you hope to reach that same standing?
SHEAMUS: That's definitely something I want to achieve. You want to create a legacy for yourself and leave your name behind when you're gone. That's the ultimate, people remembering the name Sheamus for years to come. And that's what I'm going to do - become the greatest WWE Superstar of all time.

skysports.com: You face Orton at SummerSlam on Sunday. What sort of match are you expecting?
SHEAMUS: I'm expecting a very tight clash. Orton is very sneaky and I've got to keep my eye out for the RKO. It could be slightly different to our match at the Royal Rumble because the fans are heavily behind him now. But now that his Legacy (Cody Rhodes and Ted DiBiase) has disbanded, he is on his own and he doesn't stand a chance against me.

skysports.com: Even if you do come out of that match victorious, you still have the presence of Miz to deal with. He can cash his Money in the Bank briefcase in at any time. You must be wary of him?
SHEAMUS: I am very wary of the fact that he's got the briefcase and I'm always looking over my shoulder, but I'm going to have to be very down and out for him to use it and win. And that's not going to happen.

skysports.com: After a tricky start, you seem to have called a truce with the Nexus. How impressed have you been with them since they started causing havoc on Raw?
SHEAMUS: There are huge similarities between myself and Nexus. We haven't been in the WWE very long but we've both made an impact. We weren't given the respect we deserved from the beginning but now people have taken notice. They are performing very well as a unit and they are very dangerous but it will be interesting to see what happens at SummerSlam (when they face Team Raw). They haven't been tested individually. As seven guys they're able to do what they want but take a few people out of that equation and then how powerful will they be? Perhaps the cracks could start to form.

skysports.com: You're Irish, Nexus' leader Wade Barrett is English - does it please you that wrestlers from this side of the Atlantic are getting a chance to shine?
SHEAMUS: It's great. There's a lot of talent in Ireland, England and Scotland and it's getting more competitive. It's not just over here, though. The WWE is going global. Justin Gabriel from Nexus is South African and there are lots of Superstars from different parts of the world. That's the way the business is going.

skysports.com: You competed at your first WrestleMania this year. How did it feel to wrestle on such a huge stage?
SHEAMUS: It was amazing. It was a great step for me to go out in front of 80,000 people and the atmosphere was phenomenal. It was bittersweet, of course, because I lost to Triple H but it was definitely a great experience to take into the next 'Mania. And when that comes along I'll be higher up the card, trust me.

skysports.com: Who are you most looking forward to facing in the future?
SHEAMUS: I don't really have a list of guys who I want to face, that doesn't drive me, though perhaps that's because I've already battled Cena, Orton and Triple H. What drives me is making sure I keep the WWE Championship and making sure I'm performing at my best. Saying that, I'd love to end the Undertaker's WrestleMania streak!

skysports.com: What advice would you give any budding wrestlers who hope to follow you into the WWE?
SHEAMUS: Know what you're getting into. People start out and don't realise how hard it is to make it. You've got to be dedicated and motivated - like I was when I sent out e-mails to WWE and went for tryouts off my own back - and you've got to eat, breathe and sleep wrestling. Make sure you study tapes, work hard in the gym and get a good trainer. It's not something you can come in and out of, you've got to be committed full time

skysports.com: And finally, the football season is gearing up again. Will you be paying a keen interest?
SHEAMUS: I don't really follow the club scene that much but I do watch international matches. And being Irish, I remember the Thierry Henry 'handball' incident. A lot of people blamed him for what happened but I think it was just the fact that Barcelona hadn't played him that much - he'd forgotten how to play football because he'd been on the sidelines for so long!

SummerSlam will see Randy Orton take on WWE Champion Sheamus for the title. See it live on Sky Box Office at 1am on Sunday night, August 15.

Booking details

WWE SummerSlam will be shown live on Sky Box Office (channel 743) and Sky Box Office HD (channel 753) on Sunday August 15 at 1am (Monday morning).

WWE SummerSlam will be repeated on Sky Box Office between 9am on Monday August 16 and midnight on Saturday August 21. Repeat shows will last three hours.

Repeats will only be shown on Sky Box Office channel 743 and NOT on Sky Box Office HD channel 753.

The event is priced at £14.95 for UK customers, €21.95 for customers in the Republic of Ireland.

The easiest way to order WWE SummerSlam is to press the Box Office button on your remote in the week before the show. Select 'sports & events' and follow the on-screen instructions.

Viewers can also call 08442 410888 to book WWE SummerSlam. (There may be an additional charge for telephone bookings).

Cable customers should contact their local cable operator.

Sky Box Office terms and conditions apply.