What Happened to the IC Title?

[Guest Patriotsfan2000]

While watching RAW the other night, a question popped into my head that both caught me by surprise and caused me to look into wrestlings past. The question was: who in the hell is the current WWF Intercontinental Champion? Who is currently holding this title that has been a part of some of the greatest feuds and most exciting matches in WWF history?

 

As a 20 year old wrestling fan who has enjoyed watching as long as I can remember, I have many fond memories of the Intercontinental title. For some reason, as a child the IC champ was always my favorite. While some kids were purchasing replica World Title belts, I was purchasing the replica IC belt. Don't get me wrong, I was a little Hulkamaniac, but the IC championship really had a soft spot in my heart. I can remember totally marking out when the "Texas Tornado" dethroned the hated Mr. Perfect in 1990, and when Bret Hart won his first IC title defeating the same man in 1991. And lest we forget the classic matches that the IC title has provided. Savage vs Steamboat,Wrestlemania 3, Hart vs Perfect, Summer Slam 1991, and Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels in the Wrestlemania 10 ladder match, just to name a few.

 

Although I can't put my finger on the exact date, at some point, as Attitude took over the WWF, the IC title was slowly fading away. This title which once was the centerpiece of some of the hottest feuds and greatest matches ever, was now meaningless. Although it was able to go through a brief resurrection with the Benoit vs Jericho feud in 2000-2001, the IC title no longer holds the same prestige it once did. The title that at one time made you an automatic #1 contender to the WWF title, has now been relegated to a meaningless gold belt.

 

What can the WWF do to return the IC division to its former prestige? Well, first of all, you have to get some mid card wrestlers to seem as though they truly care about holding the title. You know how Austin says that the WWF title is like a drug, that he absolutely needs to hold it? Well, have some guys in the mid card show the same passion about the IC title. Back when Mr. Perfect was in his run as champ, he truly made it seem like he cared, like the IC title was THE championship he wanted, and he would keep it at all costs. Another suggestion would be to transition the belt onto an established superstar, such as Kurt Angle or Scott Hall, and then have an up and coming mid carder pin them cleanly, and there you go, instant credibility.

 

As I watched RAW the other night, it truly bothered me that I had to think as hard as I did to remember that William Regal was the IC champ. Maybe it is the return of Mr. Perfect (arguably the greatest IC champ ever) which has caused me to remeniss as I have. Or maybe it is simply the lack of attention and TV time this formerly prestigous belt has gotten in recent years. One thing I do know is that the IC title can be made important again and it can be made something special again. Its up to the WWF how they do this.

[Guest Sykotic2002]

The IC Title went to hell when Val Venis beat Shamrock for it in 'Feb. '99.  I'm not saying Val Venis bad, but that started the trend of guys who weren't ready for it just plain didn't deserve it.  Road Dogg beat Venis for it, then Goldust beat Road Dogg, the Godfather beat Goldust.  Not a list of greats right there.  Jarrett did alright with the belt, but having him lose it an dregain was pointless.  Edge beat him at a houseshow for it, then lost it back the next night at Fully Loaded '99.  How many of you remembered Edge's first IC reign.  That was pointless.  D-Lo got it for a month, but I don't think he was ready for it.  Jarrett got it back, then it went to hell with Chyna getting it.  I'm not a sexist, but I didn't like the idea of a woman hlding the second most important title in the WWF.  Then she even beat Jericho at Survivor Series.  My god.  Jericho won the title at Armaggedon, and it seemed like prestige was comin back to it.  I thought it was dumb when Jericho and Chyna were co- champions.  Then at the Royal Rumble, Jericho got it for himself and for a time the IC was worthy.  Angle beats Jericho for it, then at Wrestlemania it was Jericho, Angle, and Beniot in a 3-way for it.  The Jericho/Beniot made the title seem important again.  The Beniot lost it to Rikishi.  That was alright because him and Venis were involved in a pretty good feud.  Val then beat him for it.  Then it went back to hell at Summerslam 2000.  Eddy/Chyna beat Val/Trish in a tag where the person making the pin would get the title.  Chyna pinned Trish and became champion.  Thankfully it didn't last long as Eddy won it a few weeks later.  But Eddy didn't get to do alot with the title because he was injured.  Then back to hell as Billy Gunn got it.  Thankfully it only lasted a few weeks when Beniot got it back thankfully.  Then Jericho regained it in an awesome ladder match at the Rumble.  At No Way Out there was another great match for the IC title with Jericho, Beniot, Guerrero, and X-Pac.  At Wrestlemania the IC title was the curtain jerker with Regal/Jericho.  Jericho lost it later that week on Smackdown to Triple H.  The only point of Triple H winning it was to further the storyline of him and Austin having a power trip.  He lost it to Jeff Hardy and quickly squashed him to get it back.  Then he lost it to Kane who then lost it to Albert.  Albert has done nothing in his career to deserve it.  Thankfully Lance Storm beat him for it, but Storm only got a month with the title and didn't get to do anything with it when he lost it to Edge.  Edge and Christian traded it back and forth, but then the fued got cut off.  Edge didn't get good feuds afterwards fueding with Test and Regal who he lost the belt to both.  Regal as champion right now has done nothing for the title.

 

    Van Dam has to beat Regal for the title at Wrestlemania.  He then has to have a long reign with good fueds.  I think he could have good fueds with Edge, Booker T, Angle, Storm, and Beniot when he returns.  Hopefully then, the IC Title will regain it's prestig that it once had.

[Guest Tony149]

I don't think D-Lo won the IC Title in 1999. He when wrestled Jarrett at Summerslam '99, it was title vs. title. European (D-Lo) vs. IC (J.J.).

[Guest Sykotic2002]

D-Lo won the IC Title on Raw in July '99.  When he fought Jarrett at Summerslam he was a double champion.

[Guest Tony149]

Oh, okay. I forgot.