The Best 1-Time Intercontinental Champions In WWE History

Winning the WWE Intercontinental Championship is one of the most prestigious accomplishments in all of pro wrestling. For decades, the performer holding that specific title has been considered one of the best workers in the industry. Furthermore, holding that title has been a stepping stone to WWE’s main event scene.

Over the years, some of the biggest stars in pro wrestling have had the honor of being called WWE Intercontinental Champion. Some lucky performers held the title several times. Conversely, some incredible performers only managed to win the title once in their illustrious careers. These are the greatest one-time WWE Intercontinental Champions.

7

“Rowdy” Roddy Piper

There’s a divisive belief in the pro wrestling world that says some performers “don’t need a championship.” Some fans and wrestling pundits firmly believe that a championship is just a prop and means almost nothing. Others believe that’s just a convenient excuse for not putting a title on a deserving performer. Regardless, before 1992, Roddy Piper was perhaps the greatest WWE wrestler to never hold any championship gold.

Luckily, that all changed at Royal Rumble 1992 when Piper defeated The Mountie to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship. While it wasn’t the World Title that he deserved, Piper made the IC Title feel like a big deal while he held it. Piper’s short reign would end at WrestleMania 8 in a classic bout with Bret Hart. While Piper’s reign was short, helping elevate a future flagship performer like Bret made it feel like it served a great purpose.

6

Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat

While Roddy Piper had a short reign that was highlighted by his last match as champion, Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat had a short reign highlighted by the way he won the title. Heading into WrestleMania 3, Steamboat was entrenched in a heated rivalry with “Macho Man” Randy Savage. During their feud, Savage would kayfabe injure Steamboat’s larynx, leading to Steamboat being written off TV for a bit. When Steamboat returned, he and Savage were on a collision course for WrestleMania 3.

At ‘Mania, Steamboat and Savage put on what some still consider to be the greatest match in the history of WrestleMania. After an absolute classic, Steamboat would walk out as the Intercontinental Champion. The future seemed bright for Steamboat in WWE; unfortunately, Steamboat lost favor with Vince McMahon when he asked for time off. McMahon would deem Steamboat as unreliable and book him to lose the title only 65 days after winning it.

5

Kurt Angle

From purely a talent standpoint, Kurt Angle might be the greatest performer in WWE history. There was nothing Kurt Angle couldn’t do inside a wrestling ring. This was obvious even in 1999 and 2000 during Angle’s rookie year in WWE. It didn’t take Angle long after debuting to start collecting championship gold. In early February 2000, Angle won the WWE European Championship. Then, later in February, at No Way Out 2000, Angle won the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

The win made Angle only the third performer ever to hold WWE’s two mid-card titles simultaneously. Angle would carry both titles into a 2 out of 3 Falls Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania 16. In a brilliant booking move, Angle lost both his titles that night without taking a pin or submitting. The decision took the mid-card titles off Angle, freeing him up for bigger things while keeping him looking strong for his ensuing main event push.

4

Randy Orton

By 2003, WWE was in a transitional period. The days of “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and The Rock were winding down. At the time, Vince McMahon and his creative team were in the process of creating a new generation of stars to carry the company into a new era. One of those stars was a young Randy Orton. To help establish Orton as a force to be reckoned with, WWE placed him alongside Triple H, Ric Flair, and Batista in Evolution.

To help further establish Orton, he was booked to beat Rob Van Dam for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at Armageddon 2003. Putting the IC Title on Orton accomplished everything WWE had hoped for. It established Orton as a burgeoning star in the eyes of the audience and helped get him ready for the next step in his ascension. Orton held the Intercontinental Championship for 210 days before dropping it to Edge. Not long after dropping the title, Orton would become the youngest World Heavyweight Champion in WWE history.

3

Honky Tonk Man

By today’s in-ring standards, Honky Tonk Man would likely be looked at as one of the weakest WWE Intercontinental Champions of all time. Lucky for Honky, he wasn’t held to today’s in-ring standards in the 80s. During his heyday, Honky was actually considered a strong worker and one hell of a character. To be fair, in the 80s, having a great character was arguably more important than ring work, especially in WWE.

In the era of over-the-top wrestling characters and simple methodical ring work, Honky Tonk Man was a bona fide star. During this time, Honky would set the record for the longest reign as WWE Intercontinental Champion at 454 days. That record would stand for over 35 years. Was Honky a workhorse? Not really. However, he had an incredible handle on his character and at his peak, he generated heat from the WWE audience like nobody’s business. Love him or hate him, you have to respect the accomplishment.

2

Gunther

Who broke Honky Tonk Man’s record for longest reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion? None other than “The Ring General” Gunther. On paper, Gunther is everything the WWE Intercontinental Championship stands for. He’s an elite-level workhorse who prides himself on putting on great bell-to-bell matches. Furthermore, he was someone whom WWE management saw a lot of potential in. There was perhaps no better candidate to break Honky Tonk Man’s record.

When it was all said and done, Gunther didn’t just break Honky’s previous record of 454 days; he shattered it. Gunther held the WWE Intercontinental Championship for a whopping 666 days before finally dropping it to Sami Zayn in a great match at WrestleMania 40. After dropping the title, Gunther moved on to bigger and better things. Today, he’s a multi-time World Champion and has retired the likes of Goldberg, AJ Styles, and John Cena. The impressive part is that Gunther still has several years to add to his already stacked resume.

1

“Macho Man” Randy Savage

Record-setting reigns are nice, and all but blazing a trail is far more impressive. Ever since the 80s, the WWE Intercontinental Champion has widely been considered the company’s workhorse and a potential future World Champion. You know, set that precedent? “Macho Man” Randy Savage. With all due respect to the likes of Tito Santana, Pedro Morales, and Don Muraco, for all intents and purposes, Randy Savage was the performer who set the modern-day standard for the IC Title.

While Gunther and Honky Tonk Man get all the headlines for their record reigns as Intercontinental Champion, Savage held the title for an impressive 414 days. When Savage finally dropped the title, he did so in grand fashion, stealing the show at WrestleMania 3 alongside Ricky Steamboat. Savage as Intercontinental Champion was one of the best examples of “The man making the title.” After his legendary reign as Intercontinental Champion, Savage would move up to WWE’s main event scene and never look back.