The
WWE
Intercontinental Championship is a
professional wrestling championship contested
for in and owned by the American
promotion World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE). The title was introduced into WWE in 1979, which was known
as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) at the time.
The explanation was
that Pat Patterson, holder
of the WWF
North American Heavyweight Championship, had defended the title
in a tournament to be unified with a South American
Heavyweight Championship in Rio de Janeiro
, Brazil
. The
WWF considered the Intercontinental Championship to be the second
most important championship in the company, after the
WWF Championship.
In March 2001, the WWF bought the bankrupt promotions of
World Championship Wrestling
(WCW) and
Extreme
Championship Wrestling (ECW), which included all of its assets
and titles. Due to the new acquisitions, the WWF introduced a
storyline called the "
The Invasion," in
which WCW and ECW alumni invaded the WWF and resulted in another
WWF championship in the
WCW United States
Championship. At
Survivor
Series 2001, the two championships were unified. The United
States Champion,
Edge, defeated the
Intercontinental Champion,
Test,
causing the United States Championship to become inactive while
becoming the new Intercontinental Champion. Following the
acquisitions, the WWF was court ordered to
change
their name, which was changed to World Wrestling Entertainment
(WWE). After the name change, the Undisputed Title was renamed to
the WWE Intercontinental Championship. It was then
unified with the
European Championship in a
ladder match on July 22, and the
Hardcore Championship on
August 26. The Intercontinental Champion,
Rob Van Dam, defeated the European Champion,
Jeff Hardy, and the Hardcore Champion,
Tommy Dreamer. As a result, Rob Van
Dam was named the last European and Hardcore Champion. At
No Mercy , it was unified with the
World Heavyweight
Championship. The World Heavyweight Champion,
Triple H, defeated the Intercontinental Champion,
Kane, causing the Intercontinental
Championship to become inactive.
In May 2003, the title was reactivated by
Raw
co-General Manager,
Steve
Austin, and was recommissioned to be a secondary championship
to the
Raw brand. Shortly after, the WCW
United States Championship was reactivated as the
WWE United States
Championship by the
SmackDown brand, making the title
its equal counterpart. On April 13, 2009, when reigning champion
Rey Mysterio was drafted from Raw
to SmackDown during the
2009 WWE
Draft, the title became property of the SmackDown brand.
WWE Intercontinental Championship reigns are determined by
professional wrestling
matches, in which competitors are involved in
scripted rivalries. These narratives create
feud between the
various competitors, which cast them as
villains and
heroes. Some reigns were held
by champions using a
ring name, while
others used their
real name. The first
champion was Pat Patterson, who won the championship in 1979, while
as of the current champion is
John
Morrison, who is in his third reign. Overall, there have been
63 different champions, with
Chris
Jericho having the most reigns at nine.
Title history
Names
| Name |
Years |
| WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship |
|
| WWF Intercontinental Championship |
|
| WWE Intercontinental Championship |
2002 - present |
Reigns
As of , .:
† indicates reigns and title changes not
recognized by WWE.
| # |
Wrestler |
Reigns |
Date |
Days held |
Location |
Event |
Notes |
Ref. |
|
Pat Patterson |
1 |
|
|
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Ken Patera |
1 |
|
|
New York, NY |
Live event |
|
|
|
Pedro Morales |
1 |
|
|
New York, NY |
Live event |
|
|
|
Don Muraco |
1 |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Pedro Morales |
2 |
|
|
New York, NY |
Live event |
|
|
|
Don Muraco |
2 |
|
|
New York, NY |
Live event |
|
|
|
Tito Santana |
1 |
|
|
Boston,
MA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Greg Valentine |
1 |
|
|
London, ON |
Maple Leaf
Wrestling |
|
|
|
Tito Santana |
2 |
|
|
Baltimore,
MD |
Live event |
|
|
|
Randy Savage |
1 |
|
|
Boston, MA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Ricky Steamboat |
1 |
|
|
Pontiac, MI |
WrestleMania III |
|
|
|
The Honky Tonk Man |
1 |
|
|
Buffalo, NY |
WWF Superstars of
Wrestling |
|
|
|
The Ultimate Warrior |
1 |
|
|
New York, NY |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Rick Rude |
1 |
|
|
Atlantic City, NJ |
WrestleMania V |
|
|
|
The Ultimate Warrior |
2 |
|
|
East Rutherford, NJ |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Toronto,
ON |
WrestleMania VI |
|
|
|
Mr. Perfect |
1 |
|
|
Austin, TX |
WWF Superstars |
|
|
|
The Texas Tornado |
1 |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Mr. Perfect |
2 |
|
|
Rochester, NY |
WWF Superstars |
|
|
|
Bret Hart |
1 |
|
|
New York, NY |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
The Mountie |
1 |
|
|
Springfield, MA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Roddy Piper |
1 |
|
|
Albany, NY |
Royal Rumble |
|
|
|
Bret Hart |
2 |
|
|
Indianapolis, IN |
WrestleMania VIII |
|
|
|
The British Bulldog |
1 |
|
|
London,
England |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Shawn Michaels |
1 |
|
|
Terre Haute, IN |
Saturday Night's
Main Event |
|
|
|
Marty Jannetty |
1 |
|
|
New York, NY |
Raw |
|
|
|
Shawn Michaels |
2 |
|
|
Albany, NY |
Live event |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Razor Ramon |
1 |
|
|
New Haven, CT |
Raw |
|
|
|
Diesel |
1 |
|
|
Rochester, NY |
WWF Superstars |
|
|
|
Razor Ramon |
2 |
|
|
Chicago,
IL |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
1 |
|
|
Tampa, FL |
Royal Rumble |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
Moline, IL |
Live event |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
2 |
|
|
Moline, IL |
Live event |
|
|
|
Razor Ramon |
3 |
|
|
Montreal,
QC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
3 |
|
|
Trois-Rivières, QC |
Live event |
|
|
|
Shawn Michaels |
3 |
|
|
Nashville, TN |
In
Your House 2: The Lumberjacks |
|
|
|
Dean Douglas |
1 |
|
|
Winnipeg,
MB |
In
Your House 4: Great White North |
|
|
|
Razor Ramon |
4 |
|
|
Winnipeg, MB |
In Your House 4: Great White North |
|
|
|
Goldust |
1 |
|
|
Fresno, CA |
Royal Rumble |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
Raw |
|
|
|
Goldust |
2 |
|
|
San Bernardino, CA |
Raw |
|
|
|
Ahmed Johnson |
1 |
|
|
Milwaukee, WI |
King of the Ring |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Marc Mero |
1 |
|
|
Hershey, PA |
Raw |
|
|
|
Hunter Hearst Helmsley |
1 |
|
|
Fort Wayne, IN |
Raw |
|
|
|
Rocky Maivia |
1 |
|
|
Lowell, MA |
Thursday Raw Thursday |
|
|
|
Owen Hart |
1 |
|
|
Omaha, NE |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Steve Austin |
1 |
|
|
East Rutherford, NJ |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Owen Hart |
2 |
|
|
St. Louis, MO |
Badd Blood: In Your
House |
|
|
|
Steve Austin |
2 |
|
|
Montreal, QC |
Survivor Series |
|
|
|
The Rock |
2 |
|
|
Portland, ME |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Triple H |
2 |
|
|
New York, NY |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Ken Shamrock |
1 |
|
|
Uniondale, NY |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Val Venis |
1 |
|
|
Memphis, TN |
In Your
House: St. Valentine's Day Massacre |
|
|
|
Road Dogg |
1 |
|
|
San Jose, CA |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Goldust |
3 |
|
|
East Rutherford, NJ |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
The Godfather |
1 |
|
|
Detroit,
MI |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
4 |
|
|
Moline, IL |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Edge |
1 |
|
|
Toronto, ON |
Live event |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
5 |
|
|
Buffalo, NY |
Fully Loaded |
|
|
|
D'Lo Brown |
1 |
|
|
Dayton, OH |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Jeff Jarrett |
6 |
|
|
Minneapolis, MN |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Chyna |
1 |
|
|
Cleveland, OH |
No Mercy |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
1 |
|
|
Sunrise, FL |
Armageddon |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho & Chyna |
1† |
|
|
Miami,
FL |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
2 |
|
|
New York, NY |
Royal Rumble |
|
|
|
Kurt Angle |
1 |
|
|
Hartford, CT |
No Way Out |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
1 |
|
|
Anaheim, CA |
WrestleMania 2000 |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
3 |
|
|
Richmond, VA |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
2 |
|
|
Uniondale, NY |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Rikishi |
1 |
|
|
Memphis, TN |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Val Venis |
2 |
|
|
Fort Lauderdale, FL |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Chyna |
2 |
|
|
Raleigh, NC |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Eddie Guerrero |
1 |
|
|
Knoxville, TN |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Billy Gunn |
1 |
|
|
Sunrise, FL |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
3 |
|
|
Birmingham, AL |
Armageddon |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
4 |
|
|
New Orleans, LA |
Royal Rumble |
|
|
|
Triple H |
3 |
|
|
Oklahoma City, OK |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Jeff Hardy |
1 |
|
|
Philadelphia, PA |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Triple H |
4 |
|
|
Knoxville, TN |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Kane |
1 |
|
|
Sacramento, CA |
Judgment Day |
|
|
|
Albert |
1 |
|
|
New York, NY |
SmackDown! |
|
|
|
Lance Storm |
1 |
|
|
Buffalo, NY |
Raw is War |
|
|
|
Edge |
2 |
|
|
San Jose, CA |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Christian |
1 |
|
|
Pittsburgh, PA |
Unforgiven |
|
|
|
Edge |
3 |
|
|
St. Louis, MO |
No Mercy |
|
|
|
Test |
1 |
|
|
Uniondale, NY |
Raw |
|
|
|
Edge |
4 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Survivor Series |
|
|
|
William Regal |
1 |
|
|
Atlanta,
GA |
Royal Rumble |
|
|
|
Rob Van Dam |
1 |
|
|
Toronto, ON |
WrestleMania X8 |
|
|
|
Eddie Guerrero |
2 |
|
|
Kansas City, MO |
Backlash |
|
|
|
Rob Van Dam |
2 |
|
|
Edmonton,
AB |
Raw |
|
|
|
Chris Benoit |
4 |
|
|
Greensboro, NC |
Raw |
|
|
|
Rob Van Dam |
3 |
|
|
Uniondale, NY |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
5 |
|
|
Denver,
CO |
Raw |
|
|
|
Kane |
2 |
|
|
Houston,
TX |
Raw |
|
|
|
Triple H |
5 |
|
|
Little Rock, AR |
No Mercy |
|
|
|
Unified |
|
|
0 |
Little Rock, AR |
No Mercy (2002) |
|
|
|
Christian |
2 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Judgment Day |
|
|
|
Booker T |
1 |
|
|
Montreal, QC |
Raw |
|
|
|
Christian |
3 |
|
|
Des Moines, IA |
Live event |
|
|
|
Rob Van Dam |
4 |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
Raw |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
6 |
|
|
Fayetteville, NC |
Raw |
|
|
|
Rob Van Dam |
5 |
|
|
Fayetteville, NC |
Raw |
|
|
|
Randy Orton |
1 |
|
|
Orlando, FL |
Armageddon |
|
|
|
Edge |
5 |
|
|
Hartford, CT |
Vengeance |
|
|
|
Vacated |
|
|
0 |
N/A |
N/A |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
7 |
|
|
Portland, OR |
Unforgiven |
|
|
|
Shelton Benjamin |
1 |
|
|
Milwaukee, WI |
Taboo Tuesday |
|
|
|
Carlito |
1 |
|
|
Phoenix, AZ |
Raw |
|
|
|
Ric Flair |
1 |
|
|
Oklahoma City, OK |
Unforgiven |
|
|
|
Shelton Benjamin |
2 |
|
|
Trenton, NJ |
Raw |
|
|
|
Rob Van Dam |
6 |
|
|
Lexington, KY |
Backlash |
|
|
|
Shelton Benjamin |
3 |
|
|
Lubbock, TX |
Raw |
|
|
|
Johnny Nitro |
1 |
|
|
Charlotte, NC |
Vengeance |
|
|
|
Jeff Hardy |
2 |
|
|
Topeka, KS |
Raw |
|
|
|
Johnny Nitro |
2 |
|
|
Columbus, OH |
Raw |
|
|
|
Jeff Hardy |
3 |
|
|
Manchester, England |
Raw |
|
|
|
Umaga |
1 |
|
|
Bakersfield, CA |
Raw |
|
|
|
Santino Marella |
1 |
|
|
Milan,
Italy |
Raw |
|
|
|
Umaga |
2 |
|
|
Dallas,
TX |
Raw |
|
|
|
Jeff Hardy |
4 |
|
|
Columbus, OH |
Raw |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
8 |
|
|
Milwaukee, WI |
Raw |
|
|
|
Kofi Kingston |
1 |
|
|
Dallas, TX |
Night of
Champions |
|
|
|
Santino Marella |
2 |
|
|
Indianapolis, IN |
SummerSlam |
|
|
|
William Regal |
2 |
|
|
Manchester, England |
Raw |
|
|
|
CM Punk |
1 |
|
|
Chicago, IL |
Raw |
|
|
|
John "Bradshaw" Layfield |
1 |
|
|
Jacksonville, FL |
Raw |
|
|
|
Rey Mysterio |
1 |
|
|
Houston, TX |
WrestleMania XXV |
|
|
|
Chris Jericho |
9 |
|
|
New Orleans, LA |
Extreme Rules |
|
|
|
Rey Mysterio |
2 |
|
|
Sacramento, CA |
The Bash |
|
|
|
John Morrison
|
3 |
|
+ |
Cleveland, OH |
Friday Night SmackDown |
|
|
List of combined reigns
As of , .
| Rank |
Wrestler |
# of Reigns |
Combined Days |
| 1. |
Pedro Morales |
2 |
619 |
| 2. |
Don Muraco |
2 |
541 |
| 3. |
The Honky Tonk Man |
1 |
454 |
| 4. |
Tito Santana |
2 |
443 |
| 5. |
Razor Ramon |
4 |
438 |
| 6. |
The Ultimate Warrior |
2 |
432 |
| 7. |
Randy Savage |
1 |
414 |
| 8. |
Mr. Perfect |
2 |
406 |
| 8. |
Shawn Michaels |
3 |
406 |
| 10. |
Shelton Benjamin |
3 |
354 |
| 11. |
The Rock |
2 |
339 |
| 12. |
Jeff Hardy |
4 |
329 |
| 13. |
Chris Jericho |
9 |
318 |
| 14. |
Bret Hart |
2 |
290 |
| 14. |
Jeff Jarrett |
6 |
290 |
| 16. |
Greg Valentine |
1 |
285 |
| 17. |
Ken Patera |
1 |
231 |
| 18. |
Pat Patterson |
1 |
219 |
| 19. |
Rob Van Dam |
6 |
211 |
| 20. |
Randy Orton |
1 |
210 |
| 21. |
John Morrison |
3 |
+ |
| 22. |
Triple H |
5 |
196 |
| 23. |
Edge |
5 |
171 |
| 24. |
Santino Marella |
2 |
162 |
| 25. |
Goldust |
3 |
161 |
| 26. |
Ric Flair |
1 |
155 |
| 27. |
Rick Rude |
1 |
148 |
| 28. |
Chris Benoit |
4 |
142 |
| 29. |
Diesel |
1 |
138 |
| 30. |
Owen Hart |
2 |
132 |
| 31. |
Christian |
3 |
128 |
| 31. |
Rey Mysterio |
2 |
128 |
| 33. |
William Regal |
2 |
126 |
| 34. |
Ken Shamrock |
1 |
125 |
| 35. |
Umaga |
2 |
118 |
| 36. |
Eddie Guerrero |
2 |
114 |
References
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