When was the last time the IC title mattered?

[Deleted]

Because it certainly seems like having it is the kiss of death for your career now.

[David-Arquette was in WCW 2000]

To me, maybe when Cody held it in 2012 and brought back the classic design. Before that, probably 2000-2001. There were some great matches fought over the title and they were presented as big deals.

[Gravedigger's Biscuits]

I thought the Ziggler/Miz feud from 2016 was very good and added some prestige back to it.

Not much since then though.

[thegreatnodnarb]

Summerslam 1998

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

I remember it feeling like a big RAW match when Miz won it from Roman. I don't know why that was the first thing to pop into my head. And before then you had guys like Ziggler, Harper, and Bryan fighting for it. It definitely felt like it had a solid place with relatively protected guys fighting for it.

[Deleted]

I'd say 1998. By 1999, the title was hot potatoed to death. Guys like Cody, Ziggler, and Miz tried to give it some prestige but it was never the same.

[polarbearpete]

I enjoyed the 2020 reigns of Zayn, Styles, Hardy etc with Bryan involved in those matches as well.

[Jonathan Michaels]

Mar 30, 2022 13:31:22 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

I remember it feeling like a big RAW match when Miz won it from Roman. I don't know why that was the first thing to pop into my head. And before then you had guys like Ziggler, Harper, and Bryan fighting for it. It definitely felt like it had a solid place with relatively protected guys fighting for it.

It’s this right here.

That Miz run, right through to where he Ran down Roman and Cena to huge cheers and YES chants.

They desperately need to break glass on the “Miz wants to break the IC title record” storyline, if anything can make it matter again quickly, it’s that

OnlY time it mattered since was the triple threat ladder match with Sami.

[Jindrak Mark]

It has periods when it does better (eg. for a while on Smackdown in 2009 with Rey/Jericho/Morrison/Ziggler fighting over it) but I think the last calendar year with it being overall booked well was 2004 with Orton's long reign and feuds with RVD/Foley/Edge/Shelton then you had Jericho/Edge/Christian fighting over it and Shelton winning it at the first Taboo Tuesday and having a strong reign.

Mar 30, 2022 13:33:10 GMT -5 @coolio1234 said:

I'd say 1998. By 1999, the title was hot potatoed to death. Guys like Cody, Ziggler, and Miz tried to give it some prestige but it was never the same.

Yeah, 1999 was definitely the year it all went downhill. There was a year or so of great IC feuds (Austin/Owen, Austin/Rock, Rock/Shamrock, Rock/HHH). Rock/HHH at Summerslam 98 was one of the hottest IC title matches ever. HHH immediately getting injured was a blow but Shamrock won the tournament for the vacant title and was a credible champ. I think if you could pinpoint the period it lost its original luster and became pretty meaningless it was Feb-May 99 when it went from Shamrock to Val Venis to Road Dogg to Goldust to Godfather to Jeff Jarrett in quick succession. It just didn't feel as important anymore.

[GodzillaIsMyMonster]

I think... it still feels important.

Idk, im not as cynical as most WWE fans.

[Deleted]

Mar 30, 2022 14:04:34 GMT -5 Jindrak Mark said:

I think if you could pinpoint the period it lost its original luster and became pretty meaningless it was Feb-May 99 when it went from Shamrock to Val Venis to Road Dogg to Goldust to Godfather to Jeff Jarrett in quick succession.

This is how I feel also. It did not help that the belt design was too small and oval for people like Albert and Big Show. Even when Triple H won it briefly, it looked off since we have seen him wearing the World Belt that looked good on his waist.

[asuka007]

Seth Rollins last run with it I’d say.

[msc]

I'm like that guy in that old meme. "It's still real to me, damnit."

It's one of the few belts in wrestling I properly care about. That the WWE don't care enough about it to put it on their PPVs is a different matter.

[sunnytaker]

whenever it was where the IC champ won matches regularly while holding the belt

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Mar 30, 2022 13:31:22 GMT -5 "Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik said:

I remember it feeling like a big RAW match when Miz won it from Roman. I don't know why that was the first thing to pop into my head. And before then you had guys like Ziggler, Harper, and Bryan fighting for it. It definitely felt like it had a solid place with relatively protected guys fighting for it.

I have no recollection of this whatsoever. I also don't recall Roman ever being IC champion which shows how in touch I've been with the current product in recent years. I remember when he was US Champion and beat Rusev it felt like eight thousand times but never IC. When was this? Was it around like late 2017-early 2018? I do remember Miz feuding with the Shield guys around that time as they had the Alliance to End Shieldamania at No Mercy 2017 which was in October and Roman went right after him in the 2018 Rumble.

[Wieners=$$$]

When the greatest Intercontinental heavyweight champion of all time held it, right before that freak in rainbow tassels cheap shotted him!

[AKIMan64]

Mar 30, 2022 13:29:28 GMT -5 Gravedigger's Biscuits said:

I thought the Ziggler/Miz feud from 2016 was very good and added some prestige back to it.

Not much since then though.

I could say that was the moment where Dolph's babyface run peaked. A few months later turns heel and has been one ever since.

[Push R Truth]

The Honk-o-Meter was the last time it was RAW/Smackdown main event worthy in my opinion.


I'm serious.

[Deleted]

When Seth had it the first time. I've said it before, but he's my favorite IC Champion of the last several years.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Mar 30, 2022 15:25:57 GMT -5 Push R Truth said:

The Honk-o-Meter was the last time it was RAW/Smackdown main event worthy in my opinion.


I'm serious.

They ended that shit way too early, it's sad really.