Following the positive feedback about my 'History of the WWE Title' I have decided to write a multi-part series chronicling the history of the Intercontinental title. Over the years the IC title has been held by some of the best performers in WWE history, it has been defended in some of the finest matches the world had ever seen and it has provided a constant stepping-stone toward main event status. The current IC champion, Carlito, represents everything an IC champ should be - he is a talented midcard contender (and a possible future main eventer), he is over with the fans and defends the title fairly regularly. Every time Carlito steps into the ring to defend the IC title he is continuing the tradition that began twenty-six years ago with Pat Patterson.

In 1979, a youngster by the name of Ted DiBiase entered the WWF and was billed as the first North American Champion. The purpose of this new title was to give midcarders something to fight over and aim for, thus giving meaning and value to their matches and perhaps provide a stepping-stone to the next level. However, Vince McMahon discovered that other promotions had their own versions of the North American title and he decided he wanted something unique. So when Pat Patterson defeated DiBiase in August he soon thereafter ceased to be the North American Champion and was billed as the Intercontinental Champion (to explain the name change WWF invented a story about Patterson winning a tournament in Brazil).

Patterson's natural flamboyance, cocky attitude and knowledge of ring-storytelling made him an effective Heel champion until the spring of 1980 when Patterson was fired by his managed the Grand Wizard, who now had his new protege, Olympic strongman Ken Patera challenge the now Face Patterson. Patera defeated Patterson on April 21st to become the second ever Intercontinental Champion.

Patera held the belt for almost eight months before he dropped it to former WWWF World Champion Pedro Morales in December. This was a big moment for the IC title as having a main eventer like Morales win the belt greatly increased its prestige.

From December 1980 to January 1983 the title swapped between Morales and 'Magnificent' Don Muroco in a series of bloody battles. Muroco eventually won the war by taking his second IC title on January 22nd, 1983. Just like Morales had in his second reign, Muroco held the belt for over a year during which time his defenses included a historic cage match against Jimmy Snuka in Madison Square Garden.

Muroco was eventually dethroned by Mexican sensation Tito Santana. Santana will go down in WWE history as one of the 'fightingest' IC champions ever, defending the title on almost every show against all comers, including former World Champion the Iron Sheik, Paul Orndorff and Greg Valentine. It would be Valentine who would win the IC title from Santana in less than three minutes. Valentine was a good Heel champion, holding the title over nine months and continuing his feud with Santana. Ultimately this war culminated in a brutal cage match in July 1985 in which Santana recaptured the title. After the match an enraged Valentine destroyed the belt by smashing it off the cage. The replacement presented to Santana would be worn by every IC champion for the next 14 years.

Santana cemented his status as a fighting champion during his second IC title run, during which times his challengers included legends like Terry Funk and Cowboy Bob Orton. He held the belt seven months before losing it to a man that today many consider to be the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time - 'Macho Man' Randy Savage.

Savage was a phenomenal in-ring competitor and since coming to the WWF in 1985 he had gotten over as an arrogant and vicious Heel, flamboyant but madly possessive of his manager/girlfriend Miss Elizabeth. Savage's first feud after winning the title came with veteran George 'the Animal' Steele who had been showing his affection for Elizabeth by sending her gifts. Elizabeth was too kind to refuse these offering but Savage saw it another way and began to attack Steele on a regular basis. A match between the two was set for WrestleMania 2, and Steele, who previously would never have been considered IC title material had the full support of the fans who were disgusted by Savage's jealous rages. Nevertheless it was Savage who would walk out still the Intercontinental Champion as would be the case for most of the year. The value of the IC title continued to soar with Savage as champion - his matches were great and he even feuded with World Champion Hulk Hogan and gained a countout win over the champ.

Savage's most famous feud as IC champ was with Ricky 'the Dragon' Steamboat. The two were at odds with each other in early 1987 but Savage took it up a notch by crushing Steamboat's larynx with the timekeeper's bell. Steamboat returned several weeks later and defied doctor's orders by challenging Savage for a match at WrestleMania III.

At WrestleMania III, in front of over 70,000 fans, on the same night that Hogan slammed Andre, Steamboat and Savage absolutely tore the house down with a battle that is now regarded as one of the greatest WWF/E matches ever. It was a 15 minute emotional roller coaster in which the amount of near falls reached double figures and ultimately it was Steamboat who reversed Savage's bodyslam into an inside cradle, thus, claiming the victory, the title and putting an end to a match many fans will tell you is the best they ever saw.

With his popularity and superb wrestling skills Steamboat could have been one of the greatest Intercontinental champions ever but the birth of his son meant that he dropped the title in June to the Honky Tonk Man so he could spend time with his family away from the ring. Its common knowledge that the Honky Tonk Man held the Intercontinental title longer than anyone else in history (fifteen months) but whether or not he was "the greatest Intercontinental champion of all time" is up for debate. He defended the belt on a fairly regular basis against an assortment of challengers that ranged from Bam Bam Bigelow to Randy Savage to even Hulk Hogan but the vast majority of Honky's title defenses ended with him intentionally getting disqualified or counted out so he kept the title. Initially this increased the fan's interest as to who would beat Honky but they soon grew tired of these cheap finishes. Another things was Honky's in-ring skills, or lack thereof.

To fans who had seen the IC title contested in five star classics, Honky's mediocre DQ losses paled in comparison. So the belt's value continued to decrease under Honky but fans could see light at the end of the tunnel in the form of Brutus 'the Barber' Beefcake. Beefcake had been feuding with Honky for months and had defeated him (via DQ) at WrestleMania IV; they were set to meet again at the inaugural SummerSlam and it seemed this would be the time when Beefcake would get the job done and take the title. Fate intervened in the form of Ron Bass, who viciously attacked Beefcake before the match, leaving Honky with no challenger. The wrestling world let out a sigh - it seemed that Honky would escape with his title again, but their fears abated with the appearance of the Ultimate Warrior, who dashed down the aisle and demolished Honky, ending his 15-month title reign in just 27 seconds.

by Colm Kearns ..