6 Best Intercontinental Champions in WWE history
WWE has had its fair share of titles throughout its history. The WWE Championship has always been the standard-bearer and traditionally the most prestigious of all titles.
The Universal Championship has taken the place of the World Heavyweight Championship as another top prize for superstars to strive for. However, the Intercontinental Championship has built its legacy.
The IC Title was originally the workhorse championship that mid-card stars on the rise in WWE would win to see how well they would draw in a prominent position before graduating to the main event scene.
Over the years, it has become less significant but still holds a lot of meaning to the superstars that win the gold.
robschamberger.com/the-interconti… My painting of the WWE Intercontinental Championship, one of the most prestigious in the history of the company! Thank you all for making the Championship Series such a success right out of the gate! https://t.co/h45xGCl1Ob
With such a rich history and a litany of Hall of Famers having held the title, trying to list the best of the best can be a difficult endeavor. In this article, let's take a look at the six best Intercontinental Champions in WWE history.
#6 WWE Hall Of Famer Honky Tonk Man
On this day in 1987, @Honky_Tonk_Man_ won the WWE Intercontinental Championship #WWE https://t.co/UbmyTdon7k
The WWE Intercontinental Championship was primarily the workhorse title for a long time in the beginning. However, some individuals broke from the mold. The Honky Tonk Man defeated Ricky Steamboat to win the IC Title by reversing an inside cradle using the ropes for extra leverage and started a reign that was much different from those before him.
The Honky Tonk Man was a cowardly heel that used his intelligence to have unique ways of retaining his WWE Intercontinental Championship. Honky would crawl away with his gold by deliberately losing matches via disqualification or counting out, but he retained the title with those results instead of pinfall or submission.
The Honky Tonk Man had a memorable feud with Macho Man Randy Savage over his claims of being "the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time." The rivalry helped Savage turn babyface after a lengthy run as one of WWE's top heels. It also laid the groundwork for the alliance between Macho Man and Hulk Hogan as The Mega Powers.
Honky Tonk Man held the WWE Intercontinental Championship for 454 days, which still stands as the longest reign in the title's history. He lost to The Ultimate Warrior in just 31 seconds at SummerSlam 1988 in a memorable moment that helped start the Warrior's elevation up the card.
Overall, The Honky Tonk Man set a standard for other heel champions to follow through with his legendary reign.