Who was the last REAL IC Champ?

[Ruthless-RKO]

Who to you was the last REAL IC Champion?
Any wrestler who had it before it was thrown in the river!! But If I have to choose a wrestler who was the last real IC champion...I would have to go with either Jeff Hardy back in 2007, had a nice long run as champ and went through a lot of wrestlers or Shelton Benjamin back in 2004!!
But i will also say, Dolph's reign is kinda interesting and with the couger with him, it makes him look soo much more better!!

Why do you think the IC title lost the luster it had in the 80s and 90s?
2 weekly television shows, other belts came in, and more ppv's!!!!

 

[H33LTurn]

I think Dolph is as real as a champion as you can get at the moment. Think of all the other people who could be holding that title, Ziggler's probably the best choice. Not only has he had some amazing title defenses in the past, but he also has an amazing amount of charisma. He puts on the kind of performance the people in his division could learn from.

 

[CenaSux4Life78]

This is a really good thread. I will do my best to answer this. There have been several dozens of IC Champs. A couple that were champs, and never got the WWE title, and became HUGE, or just legendery are:

Honkey Tonk Man = He was the longest running IC Champ in history. Granted, he rarely won without being a cheap lil bastard. But he made it legit, and prestegious.

Chris Jericho - To me he is the last GREAT IC Champ. It was mentioned earlier that during the Attitude Era, the IC title lost its luster. The first few runs as champ Jericho had some very intense rivalrys. The two that stand out are Chyna and Chris Benoit. That went on for a couple of years, and made the title important during that time.

 

[Marky-Marc]

First of all, Smarky Smark, if you're gonna try to quote and rebuttal me (I don't know if that's the official name, I'm making it up), at least do it right. In debates it often helps if you know what the fuck you're doing.



More often than not the people who held the title didn't fit your description. Certainly, the belt was slightly more prestigious than it is today, but it was not the step you took before you challenged the WWF Champion. It was a midcard title in a day where there were fewer talented wrestlers and therefore the midcard carried some very entertaining stars.



You're welcome. I managed to pencil this in between a nap and beating a video game I've beaten twice already. Nonetheless, this totally disproves your theory that if you win the Intercontinental Championship you're a short time away from becoming WWF Champion. In fact, it would seem more often than not that you would NOT win the WWF Championship, no?



Except for the fact that most Intercontinental Champs never go on to become a WWF/E champion. You're asking us to fill a stupid requirement that fits your definition, and your definition only. It would be like me asking you to tell me who the last "real" US Champ is, and the only "real US champs are united states born, had already won the tag titles, and wore tights in the ring. By your definition, the last "real" IC Champ would be Jeff Hardy, who won the belt on FOUR separate occasions before capturing the WWE Championship.

So basically what I'm trying to say if you need to reevaluate your opinion on what constitutes a "real" Intercontinental Champion. Right now, you either horribly worded your original post–and in that case you really shouldn't start ridiculous opinion based threads anymore–or your opinion is just horribly off target–and in that case you really shouldn't start ridiculous opinion based threads anymore.

More often than not the Intercontinental Champions spend their lives on the midcard with occasional trips to the main event, but the IC Title is rarely what elevates you to main event status. What raises you to main event status is hard work on the midcard and then putting on a solid feud with a main event superstar, and Dolph Ziggler has accomplished both these things. If you want an Intercontinental Champ who has shown signs of reaching the main event, you look no further than Dolph Ziggler.

Haha, you got me, I'm new to this and totally don't know how to quote you line by line, if you wanna tell me how that'd be cool.

I don't know how long you've been watching wrestling but back in the 80s and 90s they would always talk about the IC Title like it was the stepping stone to the WWE Title. Yes, Probably a majority of title holders were not WWE Champ but that doesn't mean that it wasn't viewed that way, which was the bases of the thread. It was just for the purpose of discussion since the prestige of the title has been taken away over the years.

I never meant for you and Coco to take "Real" so literal. Just read the OP to see what I meant by it. It's like when people make threads about a "WM Dream Card" and they make rules as to what you can write in it. I was asking a simple question with some rules because I wanted to see how people felt. If you think my post was stupid and opinion based (which every post is?) then just don't respond.

 

[Marky-Marc]

Except it isn't.


Yes, what the fans think plays a factor to a point. John Cena wasn't pushed down people's wind pipe as the popular tale goes. He got over on connection with the audience. Same goes for Batista, Bret Hart, Steve Austin, etc. But that isn't to say that when the WWE says jump, most people won't either jump or be forced to deal with WWE pressing the issue incessantly. Eventually, straight up marketing can and does wear people down. I never implied such ploys mean that the audience can't still occasionally make decisions for itself, but I would go as far as to say that WWE has such an unsettlingly Orwellian hold over the thoughts of it's fans that it often negates the arrogant notion of choice you espouse. Monday Night Raw is still the best wrestling out there in most people's eyes because, despite years of mediocrity, you're told it is. Shawn Michaels is the best worker not because he really is but because we're told he is and because he's often given more opprotunity and freedom to back that up than the rest of the roster. WWE creates perception, it doesn't just happen. As such, they create people's perception of the Intercontinental Championship every Friday on SmackDown when Matt Striker runs down the strap's storied history. You might not buy it, but the masses do. They eat that shit up with a spoon.


I don't. I make my own choices based on what's out there. That doesn't mean I'm too stupid to see what's really going on.


I couldn't care less what you do.

When Santino held the belt, it meant nothing. When Jeff Hardy held it and went to the moon, it meant something. Point proven.


That's sports. This is entertainment. The legitimacy of fake championships is pure Hollywood. They can say whatever they want and still get the masses to buy it.


In the eyes of a minority which spends all day obsessing about the state of wrestling, maybe. Not in the eyes of the public at large.


Blah, blah. Blah blah blah. Open your eyes and smell the coffee. You care far more about that build up garbage than most.

I see most of the points you're making but I disagree with them. Matt Striker isn't going to say that Santino isn't a legit champ but you and I being fans of WWe know better right? Jeff Hardy is a credible champ, but you gotta admit that when he beat Umaga for it, it wasn't as prestigious as it used to be. That doesn't mean I'm obsessing over anything. I just had a thought about it and wanted to see how other people felt.

I look at Austin from 1997 and to me he's that guy. After that the title hasn't meant so much. It's usually dropped to people based on fueds or to get people over, it's a prop and since I like to watch wrestling for the stories and the entertainment and athleticism, it's nice to see somebody hold a title in the storyline that I buy as being legit. i don't care about the masses but I wanted to see how people on this forum felt, you think Jeff Hardy, got it.

 

[JGlass]

Haha, you got me, I'm new to this and totally don't know how to quote you line by line, if you wanna tell me how that'd be cool.

It takes a lot of skill and hard work. Few posters are able to pull off this magical task. First, you must highlight the text you want to break down, and then you hit the quote button on the little bar on the top of text box. It's the one that looks like a speech bubble. Then, you type a valid argument. I won't tell you which one I think you'll have the most trouble with.

I don't know how long you've been watching wrestling but back in the 80s and 90s they would always talk about the IC Title like it was the stepping stone to the WWE Title. Yes, Probably a majority of title holders were not WWE Champ but that doesn't mean that it wasn't viewed that way, which was the bases of the thread. It was just for the purpose of discussion since the prestige of the title has been taken away over the years.

Well I was born in 1989, so there goes the 80's, and most of the 90's as I was busy doing things like learning my ABC's, colors, and how to skin a rabbit and prepare him for supper... so I can't say I watched a ton of wrestling in those days. That said, I like to think that I've done my fair share of catching up. And even if I hadn't that doesn't stop me from tearing your argument apart.

I don't care what the announcers made the IC Title out to be. It doesn't matter if they said it could make your cock grow 4 inches and make you shit diamonds. If it doesn't do it, then it doesn't matter. As we have seen, the IC title was rarely a stepping stone to the WWF title, and therefore what the announcers said means approximately... nothing. Love Jesse Ventura, Gorilla Monsoon, Randy Savage, and Bobby Heenan as I do, just because they said something doesn't make it true.

I never meant for you and Coco to take "Real" so literal.

Coco and I were put into a group together? Did that just happen?

Just read the OP to see what I meant by it.

You made it very clear what your definition of real champ was. I just came in to tell you how crazy a definition it was. Ever heard of all that glitters is gold? Similar situation, except yours is sort of the opposite.

It's like when people make threads about a "WM Dream Card" and they make rules as to what you can write in it.

Those are also stupid threads. "Who would you book for Wrestlemania if you had to make Cena lose and there was a cruiserweight championship and half of TNA's roster was in the WWE?" The answer: Who gives a crap?

I was asking a simple question with some rules because I wanted to see how people felt. If you think my post was stupid and opinion based (which every post is?) then just don't respond.

Every post is opinion based, but more often than not... well, sometimes people present opinion with sound logic behind it. You took a swing, you missed. Next time, don't be so picky with your definition of "real." Or, better yet, don't use the word "real". In fact, if you didn't say "real" I probably would have skipped over this thread. Instead, you struck a nerve, so kudos to you for that, but next time be more careful with your diction.

 

[Chris Jericho Markaholic]

The last real IC champ definitely Jeff Hardy Ughhhhhh

As Much As I Say Dislike Him , Wen He Held The Belt He Was Red Hot ! Undoubtly He Was Destined To Have A Run With The World Title He Was Just Too Over At The Time For WWE Not The Give Him A World Title Push Ud Be Stupid

But Id Say In 2002 The IC Title Started Losing Its Touch Not Even Jericho Could Make It As It Once Was

 

[ChavNation13]

to me when you mention who was the last real i.c champion i think of someone who brought attitude and then i think of stone cold steve austin. but then i think of people that made the title such as: Ricky the dragon steamboat, the honky tonk man, Bret and Owen hart and chris jericho