Intercontinental Championship: Top Ten Superstars Who Defined The Title

Tim Sherry

Photo Source: WWE.com via Twitter

The ten men that have defined what the WWE Intercontinental Championship means to the wrestling world.

On June 19th, 1979, Pat Patterson defeated Ted DiBiase to capture the WWF North American Heavyweight Championship in Allentown, Pennsylvania. A short time later Patterson would travel to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil and win a tournament, defeating Johnny Rodz in the finals, capturing the South American Heavyweight Championship. The details on that event, however, are bit murky.

Why, you ask? Well, because it never happened. The tournament was fake, as was the South American Heavyweight Championship. But it created the illusion that the two championships from North and South America were unified, thus forming an “Intercontinental Championship”.

Patterson, a now member of the WWE Hall of Fame, was a strong champion. His inaugural 233 day title reign set the bar for every man after him to hold the IC belt. Over the years, the IC title has become a bit of a stepping stone for future WWE World Champions. In the 38 years that this belt has been existence, 21 WWE superstars captured it before ever winning World Championships. The likes of The Rock, Triple H, Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, and Randy Orton were all Intercontinental champions before every climbing the mountain to the biggest title in the company.

All in all, 78 men and one woman (Chyna) have had the honor of being IC champ. But who are the best of the best? The ten men that comprise this list either made it for how many times they won the belt, the amount of time spent with it, the number of title defenses, their level of competition, and their importance to it.

Ahead we name the top 10 WWE Intercontinental Champions of all time.

credit: wwe.com

10. Shawn Michaels

It’s always hard to believe that Shawn Michaels is tenth best at anything when it comes to the wrestling business. Usually “The Heartbreak Kid” falls in the 1-5 range. However, when it comes to the Intercontinental Championship, Michaels dabbled in that title scene between 1992 and 1995 before heading off into mega star status where he won four world titles and main evented five WrestleManias. So for a guy who didn’t spend a ton of time vying for this particular belt, he was still very good at it, winning it three times and holding the belt for over 400 combined days. His very first reign was for 202 days, his best run with this particular gold.

That reign began in October of 1992 when he defeated The British Bulldog on an episode of Saturday Night’s Main Event. This win occurred a little less than a year after Michaels turned heel by way of smashing his tag team partner Marty Jannetty’s face into Brutus Beefcake’s Barber Shop window. With his new persona, Shawn officially began his ascent to the top. His first IC title reign was derailed by Jannetty but it was only temporary as HBK got his title back from his former friend in June of 1993 just 20 days after he lost it.

Michaels would win the title one more time in July of 1995 from Jeff Jarrett and held it for 90 more days. Seven months later he was WWE Champion. Michaels also has the half the distinction of being one of the two men two to engage in the first two ever ladder matches. Both were against Razor Ramon and both had the IC title on the line.

Michaels is one of the many men to use the Intercontinental Championship as a springboard to bigger and better things. Had he not been a clear-cut superstar in the making, he may have had more success with it but no one can complain in that regard. Michaels’ runs with the IC belt proves why secondary titles in the WWE are as important as they are.

credit: wwe.com

9. Tito Santana

Mission, Texas’ Santana will go down as one of the best, and hard working WWE superstars to never capture their world title. In his 13 years with the company, “El Matador” wrestled in close 1700 matches, winning more than 1,000 of them (stats via cagematch.net). And quite possibly his best years where when he was wearing the Intercontinental Championship. Between 1984 and 1986, Santana held the title for a combined 441 days and had 31 televised title defenses as he fought off the challenges of men like Don Muraco, Paul Orndorff, The Iron Sheik, Bob Orton, Jesse Ventura, and Tiger Chung Lee.

However it was Santana’s feud with Greg “The Hammer” Valentine between 1984 and 1985 that turned out to be one of the most bitter and popular feuds in the company at that time. Santana’s first title reign came to an end at the hands of “The Hammer” as the Seattle native not only took Tito’s belt, but also sidelined him after targeting Santana’s knee. Valentine would then go on a terrific 285 day run with the title and only ended after Santana defeated him in a bloody steel cage match in Baltimore, Maryland after ten months of trying.

Santana’s second reign was ended by Randy Savage in February of 1986 but Tito remained a very popular member of the mid-card for another seven years before his WWE career ended. Santana will not only be remembered for being a tremendous IC champ, but also a guy who spent his WWE career warming crowds all over the globe for guys like Hulk Hogan, Andre The Giant, and The Ultimate Warrior. A true professional through and through, Santana got his much deserved credit when he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004.

credit: wwe.com

8. Don Muraco

When it’s all said and done, Don Muraco can always say two very impressive things about his WWE career. For one, he’s a two-time Intercontinental Champion. But secondly, both of his title wins came against pro wrestling legend Pedro Morales. Morales, who had already gone on a 1,000-plus day run as the company’s world champion in the early 70’s, was still getting the job done while approaching 40 years old in the beginning part of the 1980’s. And it was in June of 1981 that he was on the losing end for the first time against a then 32 year-old Muraco.

Muraco’s first reign was a good one at 194 days before losing it back to Morales. However, Muraco would pull of the feat again in January of 1983 and this time would hold the belt for 385 days, currently the fourth longest reign in WWE history. Muraco, a true heel, would have his hands full for the entire 541 days that he was IC champ as battled baby faces the likes of Tony Garea, Tony Atlas, Bob Backlund, and Rocky Johnson. Perhaps the highlight of his title reigns was his iconic steel cage match with Jimmy Snuka in Madison Square Garden when “Superfly” splashed Muraco off the top of the cage to cap off their scintillating rivalry.

Clearly Muraco’s greatest successes came while Intercontinental Champion which were the early stages of his WWE career. After dropping his second title to Tito Santana of February of 1984, things looked good for “Magnificent”. However, after a short world title program with Hulk Hogan and a win at the first ever King of the Ring tournament, Muraco fell out of favor and by 1988 was out of the company for good. However, his achievements did not go unnoticed, as he, like Santana, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 and will undoubtedly go down as one of the most successful IC champs of all time.

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7. The Ultimate Warrior

Like Shawn Michaels, future world champion and conqueror of the immortal Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior used the strength of not one, but two Intercontinental Title reigns to elevate his career tenfold. Between 1987 and 1988, The Warrior was a budding, albeit very green superstar. Coming out on top in feuds with Hercules Hernandez and Bobby Heenan, it was evident that from the reaction of the audience during his appearances, big things were coming. And that first big thing was when he became The Honky Tonk Man’s surprise opponent at the 1988 SummerSlam. After HTM arrogantly said into a microphone, “Get somebody out here. I’ll wrestle anybody.” The Warrior’s music hit and it tore the proverbial roof off of Madison Square Garden. 27 seconds later, he had his first IC title.

Warrior’s first reign was a good one. At 216 days, he put on a solid run which also included a brilliant Survivor Series performance where he was the last man standing in his elimination match. At Wrestlemania V the next April, Warrior lost the belt Rick Rude, a man who was quite possibly his biggest foe. Warrior got his revenge at the 1989 SummerSlam when he defeated Rude for his second IC title in what was one of his best matches in the WWE. Believe it or not, his second reign was also 216 days as he vacated it after beating Hogan at Wrestlemania VI. His 432 combined days ranks him 7th all time in that category.

Everyone knows the rest of the story with The Warrior. He got the biggest win of his career, had a lengthy title reign, lost the belt, got into a contract dispute, eventually walked out, only to return very briefly and then leave due to steroid allegations. There were a lot of missed opportunities after he became champion, but The Warrior will forever be remembered for what was possibly two of the most exciting IC title wins in the history of that belt. RIP Warrior.

credit: wwe.com

6. The Honky Tonk Man

When thinking about the Intercontinental title, The Honky Tonk Man has to immediately come to mind. The self proclaimed “Greatest Intercontinental Champion of All-Time” was pretty close to being that, although he’s not quite there. Yes, his single reign of 454 days still holds up to this day as the longest reign in history. However, his run as champ wasn’t as impressive as the numbers look. A number of HTM’s title defenses ended in count-outs and disqualifications. In fact, of his 41 total defenses, only 15 ended with The Honky Tonk Man pinning his foe. Granted, this was a phenomenal heel tactic that garnered him a ton of heat with the audience, it doesn’t exactly paint him as a dominant champion.

But that’s not to take anything away from him and his run as IC champ. He won the belt in shocking fashion when he defeated Ricky Steamboat in Buffalo, New York in a match that lasted less than four minutes. What made it so stunning was that Steamboat had only had the belt for two months after beating Randy Savage in what many believed would be a WWE-career changing moment. But HTM was too smart that night as he used a hook of the tights to win the belt. He would spend the next 15 months fighting off challenges by guys like Koko B. Ware, Brutus Beefcake, and in rematches with Steamboat. We was also the heel in the middle of Savage and Hulk Hogan forming the Mega-Powers in 1988.

Much like Don Muraco, HTM’s best WWE moments came while IC champ as he washed out of the company within three years of losing it to The Ultimate Warrior. But he has cemented a legacy and record that has yet to be broken over 25 years later. Maybe he wasn’t always the most dominant, but he may have possibly been the craftiest IC champ of all time.

credit: wwe.com

5. Chris Jericho

Usually being a nine-time champion of any belt will put you in the top five of the conversation, and that’s the case here with Y2J. Those nine times with the IC title is an all-time record and considering that he won his first in 1999 and his ninth in 2009, it seems like Jericho always found his way back to this title. The only thing that holds him back from being further up the list is his combined lack of time throughout the nine reigns. The 319 days ranks him 15th all-time and gives him an average length of 35 days per title run. Three of his reigns were less than two weeks.

But let’s not take anything away from Jericho. In the midst of winning these nine Intercontinental Championships, he managed to also nab five world titles, three tag team titles, a European title, and even one Hardcore title, so he’s been busy. And to see Jericho seem to move so seamlessly back and forth from the main event scene into a secondary title program over and over again only proves the depths of his versatility. A guy like Jericho as Intercontinental Champion over and over again can only raise the prestige of this belt.

Now even though a lot of his reigns were short-lived, Jericho always seemed to produce brilliant matches while champion. His title winning performance against Chris Benoit at the 2001 Royal Rumble was a ladder match masterpiece. Another successful ladder match title win over Christian in 2004 padded the resume even more. And who can forgot his stunning 2009 feud with Rey Misterio for the belt in which the duo put on some of the best IC title matches in history.

Whenever fighting for a big prize, Y2J always brought his A game. And that was no different when battling for Intercontinental gold.

credt: wwe.com

4. Randy Savage

The “Macho Man” maybe only had one title reign, but his ranking is as high as it is due to just how good his championship run was and also just how important it was to not only himself, but the WWE as a whole. Savage was signed to the WWE in June of 1985. Billed as “the top free agent in pro wrestling”, he captured the Intercontinental title from Tito Santana after striking Santana with a former object that he took from his trunks within eight months of his debut. This touched off a run that lasted 414 days, the third longest in company’s history. His 43 televised title defenses remains a record to this day.

Savage’s one reign was in a word, dominant. In the course of nearly 14 months, Savage not only defended his title, but successfully pinned challengers likes George Steele, Pedro Morales, Tony Garea, Billy Jack Haynes, and Jake Roberts. Although a top notch heel, “Mach” very rarely bailed out of a title defense. The pinnacle of his reign was the same day he lost the belt as he and Ricky Steamboat dazzled the Pontiac Silverdome at Wrestlemania III in what has become known as one of the best matches in the history of that event.

But the importance of his run as IC champ proved strong as shortly after he lost to Steamboat, Savage was paired into an alliance with the top baby face in the company, Hulk Hogan. One year year after losing the belt, he captured the biggest one of his career, as he won four matches and the tournament to crown the new WWE Champion at Wrestlemania IV. He would go on to win another WWE Championship as well as four in the WCW. To this day, the Intercontinental championship may have never played a more important role turning someone into a massive star than it did for Savage.

credit: wwe.com

3. Razor Ramon

Scott Hall, aka Razor Ramon came to the WWE in 1992 with a some high expectations. At 6’5′, 265 pounds, “The Bad Guy” not only just had the size but he also exhibited untapped athleticism. He also had the mic skills and bravado to back it all up. In September of 1993, after just a year and a half with the company, he captured his first IC strap, defeating Rick Martel in a tournament final. He would go on to hold his first title for 198 days. Over the next three years, he would go on to win another three titles of that kind while establishing himself as a potential future world champion. Unfortunately a world title run was never in the cards for Razor, but his performances while IC champ made him a hot commodity for when he’d eventually jump ship to the WCW.

Ramon’s accolades with the belt are solid. Four reigns ties him for ninth all time and his combined 438 days at champ leaves him at number 5 in that category. But what sets him apart and ranks him so high on this list is the sheer wealth of competition he fought off as champion. In his first reign, he defeated the likes of Shawn Michaels, IRS, and Jeff Jarrett. His second run as champion saw him defeat Diesel, Tatanka, Bob Backlund, and Yokozuna. His third reign was only two days but in his fourth reign he held on to the belt against Owen Hart, Dean Douglas, and Yokozuna again. The guy clearly had his hands full.

And as mentioned in Shawn Michaels IC resume, Razor was a part of two of the most iconic matches in WWE history as he and “The Heartbreak Kid” squared off in the first two ladder matches. Fighting over the Intercontinental Championship in such historic matches, coupled with just how phenomenal both of those matches were, made the belt so much more important. If it wasn’t for what “The Bad Guy” did for the Intercontinental Championship, it may not be what it is today.

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2. The Miz

Love him or hate him (I love him), The Miz has been one of the most successful superstars in the WWE for over a decade. In under six years, “The A-Lister” has become a WWE Grand Slam Champion and proved anybody who said that he didn’t have what it took to be a massive pro wrestling superstar wrong. He’s a former world champion, he’s main evented a Wrestlemania, and achieved almost every accolade that’s available in the WWE while also establishing himself as the best, pure heel in the company. His promos over the last few years have been nothing short of brilliant and make no mistake, he’s one of the most important members of roster for a litany of different reasons.

1. Pedro Morales

At number one, one of the originals. Morales, the third and fifth IC champion in history was maybe the most influential driving force in the history of the title. Pat Patterson was a fine inaugural champion. The second man to win it, Ken Patera, another good, deserving superstar. But when Morales won his first IC title in December of 1980, he was already a legend.

Nine years earlier, Morales won the WWWF World Title and held it for a staggering 1,027 days as he took over as the company’s biggest superstar in place of legend Bruno Sammartino. Morales was universally loved by fans and when he finally dropped the belt to Stan Stasiak in 1973, it sent shock waves through the wrestling world. Morales then left the company in 1975.

Over five years after he left, Morales returned in 1980 and won the Intercontinental Championship from Patera while also making him the first ever Triple Crown Champion. Talk about rarefied air. He held the title for the next 194 days before losing it to Muraco but won it back five months later and this time, held it for 425 days, second most all time. His combined title reigns at 619 days is number one in the history of the title.

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Morales numbers as IC champ back up his number one states but he unquestionably is the most important man to ever wear that belt. A true pioneer of the sport, Morales entered the WWE Hall of Fame in 1995. To have someone of that stature legitimize a championship so early on is serious business. Morales’ legendary runs as Intercontinental Champ will also set the standard for what a champion could, and should always be.

Tim Sherry

Tim is a former indy wrestler, avid wrestling fan, and freelance journalist for dailyddt.com. He graduated with a BA in English and History from Salem State University and currently lives just outside of Boston. email: timwsherry@yahoo.com