Eleven days after nearly decapitating Daniel Bryan with a Brogue Kick at WrestleMania XXVIII,Sheamus returned home to Dublin, Ireland, as the World Heavyweight Champion. That proud and mighty accomplishment stands on its own, but almost two months removed, it’s worth pointing out The Celtic Warrior hasn’t slowed down at all. 

As 2012’s midyear point approaches, is Sheamus WWE’s hottest commodity?

Since his triumphant win in the Royal Rumble Match, The Great White has battered his way through the competition with freight train-like momentum. At No Way Out, he aims to make his third consecutive title defense on pay-per-view when he takes on top contender (and 2011's Royal Rumble Match victor) Alberto Del Rio. The Mexican Aristocrat believes he’s destined for greatness, and his unscrupulous ploys have already earned him a disqualification win over Sheamus this year. (The DQ famously prompted a fuming Sheamus to Brogue Kick WWE referee Chad Patton – an act that resulted in a record-shattering $500,000 fine.)

With that exception, Sheamus has been accumulating victories at a furious pace, and Del Rio will need every trick at his disposal if he hopes to silence the White Noise.

Blasphemous as it may sound, however, the reigning World Heavyweight Champion almost comes off as one of the most underappreciated Superstars on the WWE roster. Despite racking up wins and consistently placing high on WWE.com’s Power Rankings – he has ranked among the top three Superstars every week since April 7, and at one point held the top spot for three consecutive weeks – The Celtic Warrior frequently seems to battle the perception that there are clinks in his armor.

The brightest example may have been Sheamus’ Show of Shows win, his 18-second decimation of arguably the world’s greatest mat tactician. Due to the circumstances – a distracted Bryan and a single-strike contest – Sheamus’ pulverizing title grab was written off by some nasayers as little more than a right-place-right-time fluke.

At Extreme Rules, though, The Celtic Warrior quieted critics who suggested he wouldn’t be able to hang with Bryan, a poster child for ring conditioning, in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match. The bout, an early Match of the Year contender, reaffirmed what the WWE Universe already knew: Sheamus can absorb massive amounts of punishment and forge ahead.

Heading into the Fatal 4-Way Match at WWE Over the Limit, Sheamus’ odds of leaving the event with the World Heavyweight Championship were considered statistically unfavorable. Yet, in a format where he didn’t have to submit or be pinned to lose the title, Sheamus valiantly fought off three world-class, and more experienced, gladiators to score the pinfall.

Now one of those warriors – the arm-torquing aristocrat from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, who spent the first quarter of the year on the disabled list – is intent on making up for his Fatal 4-Way performance. Will Del Rio be the one who actually slows Sheamus’ undeniable momentum?

Aside from his propensity for losing his temper (see Brogue Kick, Chad Patton) or rubbing certain influential figures (e.g., John Laurinaitis) the wrong way, the first Irish-born World Heavyweight Champion has been unstoppable this year. But does that make him WWE’s hottest commodity? Weigh in and vote now!