Sheamus, trained by Robbie Brookside

NAME OF SCHOOL: All Star Wrestling

LOCATION: United Kingdom

TRAINER: Robbie Brookside

OTHER CLASSMATES & ALUMNI: Drew McIntyre, Wade Barrett

The World Heavyweight Champion’s path to WWE was an unconventional one. After starting at a school in Ireland called The Irish Whip Wrestling School, Sheamus’ true education in wrestling began when he travelled to the United Kingdom. As The Great White explained, “We didn’t really have a head trainer [at Irish Whip], so we kind of learned on the fly.” But England was different. “I started getting in the ring a lot with guy called Robbie Brookside,” Sheamus told WWE Classics. “He’s an absolute legend in British wrestling.” Indeed he is. Brookside, a longtime friend and tag team partner of William Regal, was once called England’s greatest wrestler on an edition of Raw in 2007. In 1997, he defeated Chris Jericho in Japan and competed against Dean Malenko in a WCW Cruiserweight Championship Match on Nitro. At a WWE Live Event in 2011, Regal credited Brookside with launching the careers of Sheamus, Wade Barrett and himself.

“My training really came from studying and having matches with Robbie Brookside,” Sheamus explained. “That’s really where my skill in the ring just got better and better and better. To me, he’s one of the best in the world, one of the best ever.” The praise didn’t end there. “If I was to give credit to anybody for where I am today, it’s being in the ring with that guy, because he helped me out leaps and bounds.” Sheamus detailed Brookside’s teaching style as tough, fun-loving and respectful. “He teaches the fine art of wrestling,” Sheamus said. “Psychology, storytelling and everything there is to know. He doesn’t settle for second best or anything less than 100 percent. He drills in the mentality that everything has to be perfect. If you’re in the UK and Ireland, and want to be trained by the best, Robbie Brookside is the man.”