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Gunther won the WWE Intercontinental Championship from Ricochet on the June 10, 2022 episode of SmackDown. The change in belt brought renewed hope to fans all around the world, as the title has been through some turbulent times recently.
The Ring General's history of epic, hard-hitting matches and dominance promises to emulate the reigns of great champions such as The Miz and Mr. Perfect.
While Gunther is expected to have an entertaining and prestigious run with the title, the past few reigns have been a mixed bag. From massive championship wins main-eventing Christmas day SmackDown to totally being left out of multiple premium live events, it has been a rollercoaster ride. What's for sure is that the company's second-oldest title needs more stability going forward.
With that in mind, let's rank the last five pre-Gunther Intercontinental Championship reigns.
#5 Sami Zayn's third run as WWE's Intercontinental champion was too short to have an impact
Sami Zayn won the Intercontinental Championship from Shinsuke Nakamura at the February 11, 2022 taping of WWE SmackDown. The Master Strategist ended The Artist's nearly 200-day reign by focusing on weakening the latter's injured leg. After capturing the title, though, Zayn hardly had time to make an impact with it.
The Great Liberator lost the championship barely three weeks later because of a distraction from Johnny Knoxville. He would go on to face the Jackass star at WrestleMania 38, while the title wasn't defended on the show.
#4 Shinsuke Nakamura's second stint as WWE Intercontinental champion did not receive the spotlight it deserved
Although it is the longest WWE Intercontinental title reign of the decade so far, Shinsuke Nakamura's second reign was underwhelming. The King of Strong Style won the championship from Apollo Crews in a great match on the August 13, 2021 episode of SmackDown. After capturing it, Nakamura became a tag team competitor, leaving his accolade an afterthought.
Indeed, throughout his 182-day reign, The Artist had only two title defenses, neither of which were on premium live events. Negligent booking and poor luck with injuries never gave Nakamura's reign much of a chance, but its length lands it at #4 on our list.
#3 Ricochet's first WWE Intercontinental title reign was solid if not spectacular
Ricochet won the Intercontinental Championship on the March 4, 2022 episode of SmackDown to a huge ovation from the WWE Universe. This made him the first superstar to win the Intercontinental, United States and NXT North American titles. What followed was a solid run of great matches from the One and Only, which was a significant improvement on the two preceding reigns.
Ricochet did not put a foot wrong as champion, but the fact that his championship was not defended at WrestleMania 38, WrestleMania Backlash and Hell In A Cell prevented him from ranking higher on this list.
#2 Apollo Crews' first WWE Intercontinental title run gave him a long-overdue spotlight
Apollo Crews defeated Big E on Night 2 of WrestleMania 37 in a Nigerian Drum Fight to become the WWE Intercontinental champion. Crews' first reign started off on a high note, with the Nigerian Prince being crowned at the Show of Shows. He went on a fairly dominant run with the hulking Commander Azeez by his side, vanquishing the likes of Kevin Owens, Big E and Sami Zayn.
Crews' 124-day reign elevated his character and kept the title relevant, and will hopefully result in more gold for him down the line. It is, however, not enough to top this list.
#1 Big E's second WWE Intercontinental championship reign kicked his singles run into high gear
On the Christmas Day 2020 episode of SmackDown, Big E was crowned Intercontinental champion in a very entertaining lumberjack match. After vanquishing Sami Zayn, the lumberjacks hoisted the new champion onto their shoulders in a feel-good moment of endorsement. He then simultaneously feuded with Zayn and Apollo Crews before focusing his efforts on The Nigerian Prince.
The Powerhouse of Positivity held off Crews and his bodyguard Commander Azeez until WrestleMania 37, where he lost the title. His reign was not the longest on this list, but its consistent presentation near the top of the card gave it an edge over others on this list. Furthermore, it managed to elevate both Big E and Apollo Crews, with the latter winning the WWE Championship later that year.
In terms of entertainment, match quality and importance in the company landscape, this is THE run to beat for Gunther's reign.
