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The WWE Intercontinental Championship is considered to be the second most important title in the WWE after the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Wrestlers fight tooth and nail to be the Intercontinental Champion and write their names in the history books.Despite being a secondary title along with the US Championship, that title has been defended in the main events of Wrestlemaina VI, Summerslam ’92 and Backlash 2001. It is said to be the ‘stepping stone’ to the World Heavyweight Championship.Let us now have a look at the top 5 Intercontinental Champions of the PG Era.
#5 Drew McIntyre
There were a lot of expectations riding on this prodigious talent, and he did not disappoint in the initial phase of his career. Called the “Chosen One” by Mr. McMahon himself, Drew McIntyre created waves in the business during his short stay.
Debuting as a heel in 2009, he quickly became the Intercontinental Champion after defeating John Morrison for the title at the TLC PPV. His reign lasted for 161 days, and he constantly feuded with face characters like Morrison and Matt Hardy until he was stripped off his title and fired from the show (in a storyline angle) by Teddy Long.
#4 Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes, the son of late wrestling legend Dusty Rhodes and the half-brother of Goldust, was one of the most talented and exciting prospects in WWE back in the early days of the PG Era. This technically gifted wrestler is a two-time Intercontinental Champion in WWE. On an episode of Smackdown in 2011, he defeated Ezekiel Jackson for the Intercontinental Championship, his first title in the company.
He held the title for a total of 236 days, the most by any wrestler in the PG Era. He has had some memorable matches defending his title against the likes of Sheamus and in a 10-man battle royal. He lost the title to Big Show at Wrestlemania XXVIII but won it back from him in a tables match at Extreme Rules to become a two-time Intercontinental Champion.
His reign was short-lived though, as Christian defeated him for the title soon after.
#3 Kofi Kingston
Kofi Kingston, the high flying energetic wrestler from Ghana, is a four-time Intercontinental Champion. He won the title for the first time at Night of Champions in 2009 after defeating Chris Jericho for the title. He won the title for a second time from Drew McIntyre at Over the Limit in 2010, ending his reign of 161 days.
He became a three-time Intercontinental Champion by beating Dolph Ziggler in 2011. He defeated The Miz in 2012 to become a four time Intercontinental Champion, and will be remembered by the fans for giving some great performances over the years while defending his title.
#2 Chris Jericho
Who doesn’t know this legend of the industry? Y2J is a record nine-time Intercontinental Champion, and in a poll conducted online, was named the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time, beating four others with a huge margin. He was already a 7-time Intercontinental Champion by the time the PG Era had started and fans were loving his character of an aloof villain at that time.
He defeated Jeff Hardy on an episode of Raw in 2008 for the title, to become an 8-time champion, and held the title for 111 days. He lost the title to Kofi Kingston at Night of Champions in June, and the match was considered to be the highlight of the evening for the performance of both the wrestlers. He won his 9th title in 2009 after defeating Rey Mysterio in a No-Holds Barred Match at Extreme Rules.
Chris Jericho’s legacy continues to live on, and it would be very difficult for the young exciting lot of WWE to beat his record.
#1 Wade Barrett
This former bare-knuckle boxer from England is considered to be one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of recent times. He is a five-time Intercontinental Champion. Barrett ranks 10th in the list of Intercontinental Champions with the longest reigns, with a cumulative total of 397 days.
He defeated Kofi Kingston in 2011 to win his first title, and his reign lasted for three months. He again defeated Kingston in 2012 to become a two-time Intercontinental Champion. Getting the upper hand on The Miz in 2013, he clinched the title for the third time in his career.
Returning to Raw after an injury as Bad News Barrett, he defeated Big E for the title at Extreme Rules to become a record four time champion in the PG Era. He defeated Dolph Ziggler in 2015 to become a five time Intercontinental Champion.
