When exactly did the intercontinental championship lose it's prestige?

[The Best At What I Do]

The year was 2001. Our president was George Dubya Bush. The city was New York, New York. Prince Albert beat then reigning champ Kane for the Intercontinental championship. Credibility gone.

 

[WWEIsLife2]

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.

I agree I think the IC Title still has credibility and still is a stepping stone for the Younger guys today like Dolph Ziggler (Current Champion),Kofi Kingston,and Drew Mcintyre just to name some of the Recent Champions. Ive seen the IC Title go through its Hot Years and Down Years but to me its still important. I was glad it kicked off Summerslam and Kofi/Dolph's Feud on Smackdown has been great for it so far. When it was Retired at No Mercy 2002 for a little while I was sad but was glad it came back at Judgment Day 2003. So lets be glad the Title is still here and can push the Young guys going today. By the way when did Goldust get labled a Bad Wrestler?

 

[Hazardous]

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.

Damn it! Brain beat me to it. That for me also was the exact moment. When Steve Austin tossed it over the bridge saying he "didn't want it" for me, I never had interest in the belt again, until the Mysterio/Jericho thing. Now THAT was good, because Jericho broke the record for most IC title's, and it gave it some exposure for once. Like what their doing with it now, but I also agree that it really shouldn't open the show at a PPV, but then again, I've seen PPV's where a Heavyweight championship match was the very first.

 

[K4P-Unleashed]

Not the point where it died, but one where it clearly meant nothing was when Jeff Hardy was challenging Orton for the WWE Championship before Wrestlemania 25. He must have held the title for 6 months without even defending it, then he dropped it out of no where because of his drug suspension. That's when it seemed like the title had no purpose to me.

EDIT: My bad, it was WrestleMania 24 - not 25.

 

[Robindih]

The IC title died as soon as the attitude era began to be honest, which was one of the few downfalls of the era. They were propelling so many names into the main event scene that less talented, less entertaining wrestlers were fighting for the IC title.
For example, HHH, The Rock, Foley and Kane were all moved up into the main event scene, so we had people such as Godfather, Goldust, Val Venis etc etc fighting for the second belt!
How can you compare Goldust as one or two steps below HHH or SCSA. It seemed as if it was gaining credibility when Jericho and Angle were fighting for it, but then Angle was moved up and Jericho & CHyna co-held it which just blew all chance of making the IC title scene better, out of the window.

 

[I_got_bant_for_idiocy]

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.

helll yeaahhh, they bought in soooo many dammn titles, 2 heavyweight champion belts, ic and us tittles, 2 tag teams belts, divas, womans, light weight,

the titles would have more prestige if there wasnt sooo many dammmn titles

 

[Nikeo]

The two individuals who brought the IC belt the most prestige it's had in years were Umaga and Jeff Hardy. Their matches, feud and general treatment of the belt (especially in Hardy's case) brought the belt back up in the fan's eyes. The sheer fact Hardy, the holder of the IC belt at the time, was on Randy Orton, then WWE Champ's level gave the belt an instant boost.

That was a classic case of the wrestler making the belt as opposed to the other way round.

While Santino's reigns did nothing but damage the belt, Mysterio also made the belt feel important and prestigious.

 

[King Patrick Star]

In my opinion, I think the Intercontinental Title lost part of its prestige when Booker T. walked through the doors of the WWE, with his WCW and United States Titles on both of his shoulders. This move essentially bumped the IC Title down to the number 3 Title of the Federation.

Then, it got a little prestige back when Edge defeated Test at the Survivor Series 2001, unifying it with the United States Title.

Then, it got a little more back when Jericho unified Austin’s WWF Title with the Rock’s WCW Title, moving it back up to the number 2 Title in the Federation.

Then, it got all of it back when RVD’s IC Title was unified with the Jeff Hardy’s European Title and Tommy Dreamer’s Hardcore Title respectively.

Then it lost a little more, when Brock Lesnar decided to make the WWE Title exclusive to Smackdown, thus forcing Easy – E to “create” the World Title for Raw. This moved it back down to number 3 again.

Then it lost ALL prestige when Triple H defeated Kane to unify the IC Title to the World Title.

Ever since it was brought back, in my opinion, it was never the same again. Shorty after its return, the United States Title returned also. With the WWE and World Titles active as well, this brings the IC Title back to where it was in during the Invasion Angle, as the 3rd or 4th place Trophy, depending on your view of the US Title on Raw and the IC Title on Smackdown.

 

[Kenny Powers]

Ever since the invasion angle the title has been dropped then brought back, then unified, then dropped, then brought back again. I think the last person I can think of that gave the IC title credibility was Jericho. He was the last true great IC champion. Now the belt is a prop for Smackdown lower midcarders.

 

[Bill Lesnar]

Bill Lesnar thinks that the IC ttile lost its prestige, when SUperstars who carried the belt wanted the world title more. Also when Bill Lesnar was watching the Trips vs Flair fued..he noticed that their personal issues were more important than the title itself

 

[Midcard Fame]

It really depends on who is holding it whether it has prestige or if its a prop. If the person tries to defend and has a certain charisma about them, then it matter and has prestige and history. BUT if the person is just using it as a prop hardly mentioning it or defending it loses it prestige. It think it fluctuates. It CAN still be important it just depends on how its booked if it is. Sometimes its used as a test to see if the person can be a credible and believable champion, see if they are ready to have gold around their waist, if they can carry themselves with valor, with prestige that is necessary for a World Title. Though inherently due to the name it should be third not fourth, but once again it depends on how the person is booked. Currently The Miz is higher in status then Ziggler therefore its fourth instead of third. I'd rather the US/IC title trade positions then have a single World Title, because then the main event becomes a clusterfuck and you burn out your champion, thus having to have more World Title changes hence devaluing the World Title for the sake of the secondary title. And that's not an even exchange in my eyes.

 

[ForThePeeps]

I think a belt never really looses it prestige its value in prestige however just changed depends on the holder and the length. I mean a few months to a year or two ago I would have told you that WWE doe not have much prestige because it was getting passed around in a feud like a hot potato and it still has never had full prestige, sure Sheamus is a decent champion, but the belt looks like a crappy plastic spinner.

 

[Hitman80]

This will sound sexist but I think it lost prestige when Chyna won the belt in 1999, she was not a good wrestler and it brought down the value of the Intercontinental Title for me.

 

[cbreezy]

in my mind ever since william regal won the title in 08 it has risen back to some of its old standards. after that we saw the title become important again by having former world champions hold it like cm punk, jbl, rey mysterio, and jericho. All of which had fueds that made the belt look important. after mysterio won it back from jericho we saw the belt start to elivate young talent again like morrison, drew, kofi, and now ziggler. i wouldnt call it a rebirth, but its close. I'm sure we are going to continue the youth movement after ziggler as well. I think the prestige is back

 

[rjberry22]

I really don't think it lost its cred. But I think its how crappy the champ is.u. we had poor champagne Marty jennity,Albert.santino,dean Douglas.regal. and. We had greats jericho,hall,steamboat,Owen Hell even d Lo brown.I think its just the clowns who wears it

 

[Find'er Woo'er Ryder]

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.[/QUOTE

yea i agree. but i dont like santino. hes not that funny and hes not that good in the ring

 

[The Idiot]

I agree with Ruthless-RKO...around the time Raw started it was passed around like a cheap ****e. Although the HBK-Ramon feud brought a little more prestige back to it...it was short lived.

I understand that the WWE is planning on unifying all of their titles. I've been saying this for YEARS and it's about damn time. While they are unifying the titles..they can go ahead and unify the shows as well. They got rid of ECW (which was good because it was anything but ECW) and now they can get rid of Smackdown and bring the stars to RAW which will create more storylines and interest (something the WWE sorely needs right now). They can have an hour show on Sundays (like HEAT) to display the up and comers; and if they want, make Raw a 3-hour show which will let them build up their storylines more. Everything seems so rushed nowadays.

 

[JUSBRINGIT]

i never watched wwe in 1999 so i have no idea if the IC title died then for me it died when drew won it at TLC. i know its like quite recent after cm punk beat regal for it back in 2008 the title started getting more attention then JBL got it and it went downn a tiny bit then rey won for his first run and since he practically retired JBL i think that made him and the title much more popular then jericho won it for his 9th run which is just incredible then rey got it back horay a face has got it again. then came in ziggler. rey had to drop the title to morrison and he did his best with it then drew came in and the IC title just died... drew faced kane, morrison both who needed to go and main event then. drew then fueds with kofi and hey it starts getting more popular but not as much now zigglers has got it and it just feels like a regular belt you would wear in the street