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Sheamus def. Damien Sandow (Payback Kickoff Match)

Sheamus def. Damien Sandow (Payback Kickoff Match)

 

Sheamus def. Damien Sandow (Payback Kickoff Match)

CHICAGO – In a much-anticipated battle of brains versus brawn, Sheamus utilized the latter to withstand an intense challenge from WWE’s self-proclaimed “Intellectual Savior,” Damien Sandow, scoring a rousing, hard-earned victory in the WWE Payback Kickoff Match.

For weeks, the smarmy Sandow posed challenging (and often rigged) mental puzzles to the WWE Universe, endeavoring to prove his cerebral superiority, only to find himself outwitted – and often beat down – by The Celtic Warrior. With a vicious retaliatory assault on Sheamus on the June 7 episode of SmackDown, “The Lord of Literacy” assured that his pre-pay-per-view showdown with the three-time World Champion would be an extremely physical and personal encounter.

Watch WWE Payback Kickoff Match highlights | Photos with kick

That is precisely what unfolded in front nearly 15,000 WWE fans packed into Chicago’s Allstate Arena and watching around the world via live stream on WWE.com, the WWE App, YouTube, Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter, Samsung SMART TVs, Google+, Pinterest, Pheed and Xbox 360.

With his customary aggression and brawling mentality, Sheamus went right after his haughty foe, knocking him to the canvas before launching himself off the top rope like a battering ram. Sandow, however, kicked out of The Celtic Warrior’s pinfall attempts and seemed to have all the correct answers to Sheamus’ questions.

When the powerhouse Irishman went for his notorious 10 forearm clubs on the ropes, Sandow escaped to ringside, then pulled out all the stops. After escaping another pin attempt from Sheamus, Sandow continued his aggression and hit the vaunted Cubito Aequet – “the elbow of disdain” – nearly getting the three-count.

Watch the full-length WWE Payback Kickoff

A fighter to the finish, Sheamus managed to power his way through Sandow’s offense. The increasingly brutal battle of attrition appeared to be either Superstar’s contest, but three Irish Curse backbreakers set Sheamus up for the victory with one of WWE’s most devastating and feared finishers, the Brogue Kick.

In WWE Payback Kickoff’s clash, arrogant academic Damien Sandow learned a hard lesson from The Celtic Warrior: The problem with having such a big head is that it makes a mighty easy target for a Brogue Kick.

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Sheamus def. Damien Sandow (Payback Kickoff Match)

CHICAGO – In a much-anticipated battle of brains versus brawn, Sheamus utilized the latter to withstand an intense challenge from WWE’s self-proclaimed “Intellectual Savior,” Damien Sandow, scoring a rousing, hard-earned victory in the WWE Payback Kickoff Match.

For weeks, the smarmy Sandow posed challenging (and often rigged) mental puzzles to the WWE Universe, endeavoring to prove his cerebral superiority, only to find himself outwitted – and often beat down – by The Celtic Warrior. With a vicious retaliatory assault on Sheamus on the June 7 episode of SmackDown, “The Lord of Literacy” assured that his pre-pay-per-view showdown with the three-time World Champion would be an extremely physical and personal encounter.

Watch WWE Payback Kickoff Match highlights | Photos with kick

That is precisely what unfolded in front nearly 15,000 WWE fans packed into Chicago’s Allstate Arena and watching around the world via live stream on WWE.com, the WWE App, YouTube, Yahoo!, Facebook, Twitter, Samsung SMART TVs, Google+, Pinterest, Pheed and Xbox 360.

With his customary aggression and brawling mentality, Sheamus went right after his haughty foe, knocking him to the canvas before launching himself off the top rope like a battering ram. Sandow, however, kicked out of The Celtic Warrior’s pinfall attempts and seemed to have all the correct answers to Sheamus’ questions.

When the powerhouse Irishman went for his notorious 10 forearm clubs on the ropes, Sandow escaped to ringside, then pulled out all the stops. After escaping another pin attempt from Sheamus, Sandow continued his aggression and hit the vaunted Cubito Aequet – “the elbow of disdain” – nearly getting the three-count.

Watch the full-length WWE Payback Kickoff

A fighter to the finish, Sheamus managed to power his way through Sandow’s offense. The increasingly brutal battle of attrition appeared to be either Superstar’s contest, but three Irish Curse backbreakers set Sheamus up for the victory with one of WWE’s most devastating and feared finishers, the Brogue Kick.

In WWE Payback Kickoff’s clash, arrogant academic Damien Sandow learned a hard lesson from The Celtic Warrior: The problem with having such a big head is that it makes a mighty easy target for a Brogue Kick.