WWE No Way out 2012 Matches: Intercontinental Title Destined to Change Hands

The Intercontinental Championship has long been something of a joke in the WWE, at least compared to the rest of the title belts that populate the pro wrestling circuit. It's changed hands multiple times every year since 1992, including highs of 12 times in 2000 and 2001.

That frequency won't be duplicated this year, if only because Cody Rhodes was able to retain the Intercontinental title at Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber. But that doesn't mean it won't find a new waist to fasten around at No Way Out on Sunday, wherein Christian and Cody Rhodes will meet in a rematch of the last Intercontinental title tilt. 

After all, each of the last three WWE pay-per-view events have borne witness to the crowning of a new Intercontinental champ. First, it was Big Show taking the title from Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XXVIII on April Fools' Day to claim the WWE's 12th career Grand Slam and become just the third male wrestler to hold every active championship at some point.

Rhodes nabbed the belt back later that month during a tables match at Extreme Rules, thereby ending Big Show's reign after just 28 days. Even the zombies were left unimpressed.

Not that they were any more impressed with Rhodes' ability to hold onto it. He might still have the Intercontinental title if not for Christian turning face at the last minute at Over the Limit, when he had originally chosen to take on Santino Marella for the U.S. Championship after winning the Battle Royal as a last-second entrant. That kicked off Christian's fourth trip to the top of the Intercontinental mountain.

Whether he can hang onto the belt for more than his previous high of 50 days remains to be seen. If he's going to do so, he'll have to fend off Rhodes, who's trying to snag the crown for the third time in the last 10 months.

Of course, with the way the Intercontinental Championship tends to shift possession, it wouldn't exactly be a surprise if Rhodes pulled it off.

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