SmackDown at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on November 7, 2025 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by WWE)

Sheamus Delivers Another Banger, Defeats Shinsuke Nakamura to Move Ahead in “The Last Time is Now” Tournament

SmackDown at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on November 7, 2025 in Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo by WWE)

The Last Time is Now tournament started with a banger as Sheamus defeated Shinsuke Nakamura to advance to the second round. Shinsuke Nakamura and Sheamus showcased great respect and sportsmanship towards each other after the match. Sheamus shook Shinsuke Nakamura’s hand and they both hugged each other before raising each other’s hand.

Sheamus secured victory over Shinsuke Nakamura in a hard-hitting contest, a match where the Irish powerhouse took on the unpredictable offense of The King of Strong Style. The intense fight saw both men trading their stiffest strike, overpowering one another.

The decisive blow turned out to be Shinsuke Nakamura hitting Sheamus with a kick that sent the latter on the ropes. Sheamus instantly recovered and hit Shinsuke Nakamura with a Brogue Kick to floor him and secure a pinfall victory. This victory put Sheamus one step closer to becoming the opponent of his old rival, John Cena in his final match.

ONE STEP CLOSER. 👏

Sheamus advances in The Last Time Is Now Tournament! pic.twitter.com/jZBxPslnHM
— WWE (@WWE) November 11, 2025

The Storied Rivalry Between John Cena And Sheamus

John Cena and Sheamus are not unknown to each other. They share an unmatched in-ring rivalry and a offscreen bond. Sheamus was the first one to congratulate John Cena tonight when he became the new Intercontinental Champion completing his Grand Slam. He is also the one to dethrone John Cena twice during their rivalry.

The highly anticipated match between Sheamus and Shinsuke Nakamura was part of the 16-man The Last Time is Now tournament that will decide who John Cena would face in his last match at SNME. Rusev and Sheamus has already qualified for the second round while, Jey Uso and Miz will collide on Friday Night SmackDown to decide the third member to move ahead in the tournament.

The second match on Friday Night Smackdown will feature LA Knight, whose opponent is not yet decided. JeVon Evans will face Gunther while the opponent for Solo Sikoa is yet to be decided. Both these matches will take place on Monday Night Raw next week.

Image Credit: WWE.com

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Ashish Negi

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I am Ashish Negi, and I work as a WWE and NFL writer at The Playoffs. I have 5 years of experience in content writing, and I have written in different domains like Real Estate, but I found my love while writing in sports. I love watching sports and have been a fan of WWE and cricket. I got an opportunity to write full-time on WWE and NFL here, so following the footstep of my hero John Cena, I turn heel on my last company