Why the United States Title Should Be Unified with the Intercontinental Title

It’s not very hard to forget who currently holds the WWE United States Championship.

At No Way Out, the US Champion Santino Marella ‘wrestled’ Ricardo Rodriguez in a tuxedo match.

If you completely overlooked the title that Santino happened to be carrying, you were not alone.

Santino’s matchup with Rodriguez was on par with Cena and Laurinaitis’ main event at Over the Limit.

Although the match at Over the Limit was appalling for a pay-per-view main event, it at least had the decency to leave out any title belts and reigning champions.

However, when the United States Champion walks to the ring with his belt for a tuxedo match, at a pay-per-view as well, you know that the title no longer bears any relevance.

Or dignity for that matter.

Before RAW this past Monday, the last time Santino defended the United States title was at Extreme Rules back in April, and even then, it was only in the preshow.

The title has become little more than a novelty for a comedic wrestler.

As for the Intercontinental Championship, the opposite is true. The Intercontinental belt’s biggest problem is that it has recently become a bit of a hot potato, but otherwise it remains a solid championship.

Both today and in history.

Christian and Cody Rhodes have maintained the prestige of the title in recent memory through respectable wrestling matches.

While the United States title remained undefended at WrestleMania this year, the Intercontinental title received a proper showing with the Big Show and Cody Rhodes.

Looking back into history, some of the greatest matches of all time are a part of the Intercontinental Championship’s legacy.

Matches like Ricky Steamboat and Randy Savage at WrestleMania III, or Shawn Michaels and Razor Ramon in the first ever ladder match at WrestleMania X.

The belt has a legacy and it continues today. It isn’t sidelined for a tuxedo match.

You may remember the WWE European Championship, which was unified with the Intercontinental title and later retired in 2002.

Whether intentionally or not, the United States title is heading in the same direction and only the final step needs to be made.

For reasons no more complex than the title’s name, there is little to no international reverence for the United States Championship.

With the WWE as the number one global wrestling organization this is something they should want to rectify.

The Intercontinental belt represents all seven continents, leaving no need for a European-specific belt, and nor is there need today for a belt representing just one country—the United States.

In the current SuperShow climate, there is no need for two minor championships. The brand extension is well over, and both the United States and Intercontinental Champions regularly appear on both RAW and Smackdown.

Just as the tag team titles were unified and represent both brands, so too should the Intercontinental Championship.

Any prestige or relevance that the United States title had is now long gone.

Despite what Jerry Lawler may lead you to believe, it is the United States title that serves as nothing more than eye-candy in WWE today—not the Divas.