The title says it all. People say that the Intercontinental championshup has lost it's prestige. Now I'm not gonna Agree with that or Disagree with that but I want somebody to help me out. First off I would like for you to say if you think the intercontinental championship has lost it's prestige or not.If you think it did lose it prestige I want you to tell me when it lost it's prestige, what superstar made it lose it prestige or some other way it lost it's prestige.
When exactly did the intercontinental championship lose it's prestige?
- Thread starter The Ram
- Start date
Ruthless-RKO
F*ck Friends, Rather die wiv ma AK!
I think it lost its prestige around...
Kinda around the time Raw started, it was being traded amongst the wrestlers like a toy, and didn't fell that special anymore...Guys like Bob Holly, Dean Douglas won it and there were a lot of short crappy reigns..some of the holders were good and ended up making it big in the "E"..but it wasn't what the title used to be...
In 1999, IMO the belt died!! Those who held it, Godfather, Goldust, Val Venis, Edge, Chyna, yes they were mid carders, but they were playing pass the parcell!!
Kinda around the time Raw started, it was being traded amongst the wrestlers like a toy, and didn't fell that special anymore...Guys like Bob Holly, Dean Douglas won it and there were a lot of short crappy reigns..some of the holders were good and ended up making it big in the "E"..but it wasn't what the title used to be...
In 1999, IMO the belt died!! Those who held it, Godfather, Goldust, Val Venis, Edge, Chyna, yes they were mid carders, but they were playing pass the parcell!!
thesubverse
Occasional Pre-Show
Bob Holly is not a recognized champion, he was just involved in a match in which the title was held up. Douglas was champion for a whole 10 minutes. Neither are really significant to this discussion because they're barely relevant in the history of the title.
I'll definitely agree with you about 1999, though. Every title was pretty much meaningless that year. If anyone held any championship for more than 3 weeks, it was an eternity.
I'll definitely agree with you about 1999, though. Every title was pretty much meaningless that year. If anyone held any championship for more than 3 weeks, it was an eternity.
Tattooed Jesus
Redneck Thug
I remember when I was a kid the IC title was a really big deal. Guys like Randy Savage, Ricky Steamboat, Rick Rude, Shawn Michaels, Mr Perfect, and Bret Hart were the standards for IC Champions.
Don't rember exactly when it started but at some point it kinda became the title that they gave the new big name coming into the company that they hoped would be a future superstar. With some of those guys things really worked out well, others not so well.
Like the world titles that get passed around just about every other month, the IC title was switching hands so much you could barely keep up with who had it.
Then came the purchase of WCW and all their titles that came with them. Thats when almost all those titles lost their prestige. There were to many belts and none of them seemed important anymore.
Don't rember exactly when it started but at some point it kinda became the title that they gave the new big name coming into the company that they hoped would be a future superstar. With some of those guys things really worked out well, others not so well.
Like the world titles that get passed around just about every other month, the IC title was switching hands so much you could barely keep up with who had it.
Then came the purchase of WCW and all their titles that came with them. Thats when almost all those titles lost their prestige. There were to many belts and none of them seemed important anymore.
I wouldn't necessarily say it has directly lost it's credibility and prestige. Considering the fact that it has been rebuild and broken down on numerous occasions, just like any other championship. Some say that 1999 was a bad year for the Intercontinental championship. Yet I would say that the first part of 2009 was a great year for the Intercontinental championship for example. In 2009 we had Jericho, Rey Mysterio building credibility, great matches with Dolph Ziggler and Rey / Dolph Ziggler and John Morrison.
It's being contended for, and there's some good champions, just as well as there's some bad champions. It's all about the booking, and I think at times it goes up, and it goes down. It's a natural circle of the championship, pretty much any championship I guess. So I wouldn't say that it lost it's prestige, at least not permanently. More like momentarily, if anything.
It's being contended for, and there's some good champions, just as well as there's some bad champions. It's all about the booking, and I think at times it goes up, and it goes down. It's a natural circle of the championship, pretty much any championship I guess. So I wouldn't say that it lost it's prestige, at least not permanently. More like momentarily, if anything.
i would say it happen during the invasion back in 2001. triple h and kane were feuding for it when they had both been wwe champion. then the tittle got switched so many times that yr to people who dident deserve it like albert, lance storm, test not to mention edge won it like 3 times that yr. the belt seemed like it had no meaning. it use to be who ever held the i.c. belt was next in line for the world tittle but ever since then it seems to be a belt just to have so it looks good on ur resume
It was when Steve Austin threw the belt into the river. Austin was the hottest thing going in 1997. He literally said he didn't care about the IC title so the fans lost a lot of interest in it too. There haven't been many memorable reigns since. Even guys who had a long reign didn't defend the title often. There have been a few decent reigns since then, but not many. It really is a shame because the IC match was often the best match on the card in the up until the attitude era.
I think the belt lost its prestige the minute the Hogan type era of champions died.. before that it was a huge deal to win the world title.. It didnt happen several times a year and every wrestlemania like it does now. That being said, If you werent the man due to politics, and you were making your mark or super over with the fans... You were basicly hands down the second best guy in the company, youd wear the IC Title... I think that made you and everyone else realize you are next in line in case, and in my view, more often than not the best wrestler...
I think it lost its prestige around...
Kinda around the time Raw started, it was being traded amongst the wrestlers like a toy, and didn't fell that special anymore...Guys like Bob Holly, Dean Douglas won it and there were a lot of short crappy reigns..some of the holders were good and ended up making it big in the "E"..but it wasn't what the title used to be...
In 1999, IMO the belt died!! Those who held it, Godfather, Goldust, Val Venis, Edge, Chyna, yes they were mid carders, but they were playing pass the parcell!!
It should have never felt that special if you were 1 year old lol. Unless your age is wrong then I appologize. 97-98 were great years with Austin feuding with The Rock then, The Rock feuding with Shamrock and Triple H. After that I do agree it went down hill.
SpoodBeest
City Dweller, Successful Fella
The belt's credibility slowly deteriorated over the last decade of the 2000s. That is when the belt really started to get tossed around more often, started the trend of shitty and shorter title reigns, and wrestlers who had no business holding the belt started to in a abundance. However last year WWE began to build the credibility back to the IC title. Rey Mysterio's reigns with the belt did nothing but good and his matches with the likes of Chris Jericho and Dolph Ziggler really turned some heads to the title. The match where John Morrison won it was also in great, competitive fashion which made the belt seem that much more important. The current feud between Dolph Ziggler and Kofi Kingston is one of the top feuds on the SmackDown brand and it's over the IC title. The only time where the IC title was kind of meh since it's rise was when McIntyre was holding it but that comes as no surprise. It may have lost some of it's credibility over the time span of nine years but WWE is intending to build it's prestige back up. It has been a slow and steady process but they are doing a commendable job.
FreezeIzGAWD
Pre-Show Stalwart
I think the belt has lost it's cred and it has been a long decline but the day it died when they put it on Santino on basically his first night. Don't get me wrong I like Santino but he should have never been IC champion.
Okay I beg to differ. Santino was a great IC champ. Not the first reign mind U but the 2nd. That was priceless especially with the HONKY-METER! I honestly think they should have pushed that storyline more. SANTINO is sooooo OVER with the crowd. People like underdogs with belts. I remember when Gillberg won the lightweight Title... HILARIOUS! Anyway to answer your question the IC bely became secondary with the acquistion of WCW!! History became moot. When the company's were separated then holding the US or IC belt had way more meaning! Both of those belts were used as the first tep to SUPERSTARDOM! Most of the legends in our sport held them at one point and time and DEFENDED THEM WITH HONOR! Now the belts hardly ever even get defended. Most PPVs they are not even on the card. That would not have happened back in the day. Wrestlemania ALWAYS had an IC title defense. Starrcade always had something to do with the US belt! I remember some of the best matches I have ever seen were for those two titles. Now the Miz wears it just for FUN! DFrew McIntyre was one of the worst IC champs ever. A belt is only as good as the guy defending it!
Okay I beg to differ. Santino was a great IC champ. Not the first reign mind U but the 2nd. That was priceless especially with the HONKY-METER! I honestly think they should have pushed that storyline more. SANTINO is sooooo OVER with the crowd. People like underdogs with belts. I remember when Gillberg won the lightweight Title... HILARIOUS! Anyway to answer your question the IC bely became secondary with the acquistion of WCW!! History became moot. When the company's were separated then holding the US or IC belt had way more meaning! Both of those belts were used as the first tep to SUPERSTARDOM! Most of the legends in our sport held them at one point and time and DEFENDED THEM WITH HONOR! Now the belts hardly ever even get defended. Most PPVs they are not even on the card. That would not have happened back in the day. Wrestlemania ALWAYS had an IC title defense. Starrcade always had something to do with the US belt! I remember some of the best matches I have ever seen were for those two titles. Now the Miz wears it just for FUN! DFrew McIntyre was one of the worst IC champs ever. A belt is only as good as the guy defending it!
Doctor Awesome
Pre-Show Stalwart
I would have to agree w/a few others above, that 1999 was the year of it's inherent decay. 1998 saw The Rock wear it, as I believe that was the last important IC title reign. When there were at times, 3 different champions in one month, you know it's a quick, cheap way to try and get soemone over. In the last 2 years, they have done a good (not great) job of raising the allure of the title, and the prestige that goes with it. Kofi was a good champion in both of his reigns; eispecially his first when he went through everyone put in front of him. The throwback nature of the company right now allows for long reigns from guys like; Ziggles, Cody Rhodes and maybe even McIntyre if he doesn't move up to WHC contention. It's easier to build good IC feuds when the face is chasing a dominant champion a la Macho Man, Honky Tonk and Mr. Perfect. It would do wonders for the product if they revert back to that formula; for the sake of wrestling and the once prestigious IC Title.
OutsiderDX
Getting Noticed By Management
I think the first decline happened when the Mountie won it from Bret Hart at a house show, only so he could drop it to Piper 2 days later. Before this the belt was extremely coveted.
Soon after Monday Night Raw was ushered in, and despite some awesome matches FOR the belt, then belt itself was passed around. HBK had a long reign but also vacated the belt. But the belt was still pretty important.
Then Jeff Jarrett dropped the belt at a house show to Bob Holly. Only to win it back. This started the time when wrestlers would win it for the 3rd and 4th times. And nobody could keep track of title reigns
from a personal stand point, when i was a kid, i could tell you everyone who had the belt and who they lost it to, and the match they lost it in. But at this time it became impossible to keep track.
I think austin / owen and rock / hhh matches for the belt were the last time the title felt important. After HHH defeated the rock for the title at summerslam then only held it for a month and had to vacated it. It became meaningless.
Soon after Monday Night Raw was ushered in, and despite some awesome matches FOR the belt, then belt itself was passed around. HBK had a long reign but also vacated the belt. But the belt was still pretty important.
Then Jeff Jarrett dropped the belt at a house show to Bob Holly. Only to win it back. This started the time when wrestlers would win it for the 3rd and 4th times. And nobody could keep track of title reigns
from a personal stand point, when i was a kid, i could tell you everyone who had the belt and who they lost it to, and the match they lost it in. But at this time it became impossible to keep track.
I think austin / owen and rock / hhh matches for the belt were the last time the title felt important. After HHH defeated the rock for the title at summerslam then only held it for a month and had to vacated it. It became meaningless.
I think the IC title dropped a lot of prestige around late 90's and early 00's where it was eventually unified with the World Heavyweight title.
However, since WM25 it's had some great feuds that have given back the prestige to the title. Mysterio putting his mask on the line for the title was a big moment for the title in recent time for me because a luchador's mask is valued so highly to them, so the title must be worth it.
Other than Drew McIntyre, all the champions since Mysterio and Jericho (Morrison, Kofi and Ziggler) have all added something to it with brilliant matches or in Kofi's case (he's my favourite IC champion) going absolutely mad recently after losing it.
However, since WM25 it's had some great feuds that have given back the prestige to the title. Mysterio putting his mask on the line for the title was a big moment for the title in recent time for me because a luchador's mask is valued so highly to them, so the title must be worth it.
Other than Drew McIntyre, all the champions since Mysterio and Jericho (Morrison, Kofi and Ziggler) have all added something to it with brilliant matches or in Kofi's case (he's my favourite IC champion) going absolutely mad recently after losing it.
MarysesPantiesInMyMouth
Dark Match Jobber
Id Say when Carlito won it back whenever. I'm not sure of the year because I'm not an IWC loser, and I actually have other things going on in my life besides Pro Wrestling. I remmeber the IC title was the thing u'd get right before they'd put the WWF Heavyweight title on you, and you headlined the company. Before Carlito won it, guys like Jeff Hardy, the Legend Killer, Y2J, Edge, Christian, RVD.....guys like that were feuding for it. Then Ric Flair and Carlito feuded over it, which is like....come on....and that i think was the point where it started meaning jackshit. I think RVD and Shelton Benjamin had runs with it afterwards, which was good, but it was already going in the shitter. Then they brought in the US title and that was the nail on the coffin. Carlito and Ric Flair ruined the IC title.
brighamosity
Getting Noticed By Management
I was thinking about this today while watching WWE's old Ric Flair DVD. They showed Royal Rumble 1992 and kept mentioning how so-and-so was a former world champion, how so-and-so was an intercontinental champion. And I kept looking at the intercontinental champions and thinking "He could be Smackdown world champion." To me, the Intercontinental Title lost prestige because, like someone said, there are 2 world champions and there's also the U.S. title. Honestly, I feel like the Smackdown World Title is the equivelency of what the Intercontinental Title used to be. And the intercontinental would be slightly above the European title. Comparing to where the Intercontinental title used to be, I think The Miz is worthy of the early 90's prestige, considering he's definately a future main-eventer. But only now. Pre-money in the bank, he was still a mid-carder in my eyes. Winning MITB is what took him to the next level, and a level worthy of where the Intercontinental championship used to be. Maybe that's why he still has the belt, because they want to up its prestige. It's definately working, in my opinion.
GorillaNights
New Member
Clearly, the Intercontinental Championship has lost much of its prestige due to the amount of title belts currently available to the roster. The Intercontinental Championship was much more important when only one world title belt and one secondary title belt were available to win. Currently, you have the WWE Championship, the World Championship, the Intercontinental Championship, and the United States Championship as the titles competing for prestige in the WWE.
As someone else noted before, the Intercontinental Championship is the 3rd or 4th best belt available in todays WWE. I would argue that it is currently the 4th best belt avaible due to the current holder of the United States Championship, The Miz, bringing a higher level of prestige to that belt. Eventhough he rarely defends the title at this point, it is clear that he is a future main event talent based on promo ability alone.
With all that being said, I also think the WWE Championship is also less pretigious in todays WWE because of the same reasons. Basically you have two world champions in the same company, so you have double the amount of opportunities to become a world champion. Many times you find the WWE Championship is not even in the main event match of pay per views.
As someone else noted before, the Intercontinental Championship is the 3rd or 4th best belt available in todays WWE. I would argue that it is currently the 4th best belt avaible due to the current holder of the United States Championship, The Miz, bringing a higher level of prestige to that belt. Eventhough he rarely defends the title at this point, it is clear that he is a future main event talent based on promo ability alone.
With all that being said, I also think the WWE Championship is also less pretigious in todays WWE because of the same reasons. Basically you have two world champions in the same company, so you have double the amount of opportunities to become a world champion. Many times you find the WWE Championship is not even in the main event match of pay per views.
Pretty much everything Spoodbeest said is true and I don't think that the IC title is the only title to lose prestige. Pretty much every championship has lost importance because they are passed around so much, I wouldn't say the WWE Championship or World title has lost prestige because their still the top titles but they have lost importance due to being passed around so much just like the IC title. It's just that the IC Championship has been held by bad wrestlers like Santino Marella and Goldust.
CraigThe13th
Pre-Show Stalwart
I think it lost its prestige around...
Kinda around the time Raw started, it was being traded amongst the wrestlers like a toy, and didn't fell that special anymore...Guys like Bob Holly, Dean Douglas won it and there were a lot of short crappy reigns..some of the holders were good and ended up making it big in the "E"..but it wasn't what the title used to be...
In 1999, IMO the belt died!! Those who held it, Godfather, Goldust, Val Venis, Edge, Chyna, yes they were mid carders, but they were playing pass the parcell!!
I have to agree with ruthless that the above were dark times for the title but, to me, it lost it's prestige when it left Razor Ramon's waist as when he lost it to Jarrett and Goldust you knew them guys were not World title caliber wrestlers whereas champs like Perfect, Rude, Warrior, Hitman, HBK and Razor gave it that nearly world title feeling and that the person holding it was a serious threat to the world title and that the belt itself meant something in the WWF.
[email protected]
New Member
Everyone seems to blame a certain wrestler for the reason the IC Belt lost it's prestige. I disagree. I blame the WWE as a whole, because they flooded the company with titles. Before you had the IC Title, and the WWE Title that was it! And everyone knew the IC title was the first step to the WWE Title. The Wrestlers didn't kill the IC Title, the WWE killed it.
It's the saturation of titles, I think...with the Hardcore Title changing hands 12 times a week, then the U.S. Title coming in, and being I guess on par with the IC title...it's a stepping stone to the World/WWE title, but nothing more at this point. If they build it up a bit more, made it a goal instead of a path, maybe stop using title defenses as random filler, they could make it a real title again. But sadly, that isn't likely to happen.
silverwraith720
Occasional Pre-Show
I have to disagree with almost all of you. I've been watching SmackDown more often recently and I have to say, I really like the belt on Dolph Ziggler. Before he won it, I didn't think he should even be in the WWE, but when I saw him wear the belt, I thought "That looks right on him. You know? Maybe he DOES have something after all." I will admit, I had thought it lost a lot of it's credibility, and the IC title is my favorite of all those past and present, but I feel like it's gaining it's credibility. Whenever I think of that belt I think of SummerSlam 98, HHH vs. Rock in a ladder match (I didn't start watching til '97 so I didn't remember Bulldog and Hart from 92). That was the last match before the main event. Fast forward to SS '10. IC opens the show. Now I know a lot of people complain about the number of belts in the company, but at SS '98, the European championship match opened, so I'd like to think adding a tertiary championship would actually ADD credibility to the US/IC and WWE/WHC by pushing those matches later in the card. But I digress, when I see people like McIntyre, Kofi, or Ziggler with the title, I think of that ladder match and think if those people went on to have memorable main event matches, these younger guys have to have something good going for them too.
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