WWE: Ranking Every Intercontinental Title Match in SummerSlam History

The 25th edition of SummerSlam is now history.

Through the years, many Intercontinental Championship matches have taken place at this event, some better than others.

It seems like this title has found a home at the blockbuster event of the summer, so here's hoping this tradition will continue for years to come.

Putting them in some sort of "quality" order was not an easy task; so without further adieu, from normal to exceptional, every single Intercontinental title bouts in SummerSlam history.

There are some big names in there so watch out! The action is getting hot.

Giulio's FAVE 1: The Miz vs. Rey Mysterio at the 25th Anniversary

This is the first of two personal favorites. 

When I watched my current fave, The Miz, capture the Intercontinental Championship from Christian at the 1,000th episode of Monday Night Raw, I immediately realized the company still believes in the "Awesome" one.

I see greater things happening down the road for him, and becoming a triple crown champion is a huge part of that.

Rey Mysterio has been, and is still, a formidable WWE Superstar. He held the title himself on two occasions and it was then (in 2009) he battled Chris Jericho in a series of matches that made Smackdown far more memorable than Raw at the time.

To pit them against one another at SummerSlam was one of the best decisions I could imagine. Both had something to prove and the masked high-flyer was defeated fair and square, which most people didn't expect.

The WWE Universe came close to witnessing the crowning of a new champion on a few attempted pinfalls that night...phew!

This match wasn't very long but it had plenty of action with the right man going over. The Miz takes his return to the ring very seriously and this new attitude and look works for him.

Mysterio is a great name and well beloved by the people, and Mizanin could not have had a better opponent.

2007: Umaga, Carlito and Kennedy Triple Trample the Gold

This was painful to watch.

All three participants were forgettable Superstars, the "old" intercontinental belt was ugly, the SummerSlam set was ugly and what is that? Mr. Kennedy's finisher is a complete joke!

This is by far one match that needs to be forgotten in event history.

Take three mid-carders and put them in a match, that's the sum of this hardly epic encounter.

Next.

1999: Double J Takes on D-Lo

When looking for information on this match, you find that there is barely any mention of it anywhere besides this video.

D-Lo was the reigning Euro-Continental Champion (IC and European Champ simultaneously) but the real star here was Debra, or rather her "puppies" as Jerry Lawler pointed out.

It was a time when the intercontinental title changed hands frequently enough to the point where you would discard the rule of Intercontinental Champions being on the way to a World title. This proves to be true as neither Jeff Jarrett nor D-Lo Brown ever claimed a WWE Championship in their career.

Cute little match with an obvious outcome but not enough to rank up there with the great ones.

Debra was the real gem here.

1988: The End of Honka Honka Honky Love...Finally!

Say what you will about the Ultimate Warrior, but the man was bigger than life and the reason millions of kids like me loved WWE back in the '80s and '90s.

History was indeed made as the first edition of SummerSlam saw the light of day.

The Honky Tonk Man held the championship between June of 1987 (beating Rick Steamboat) and August 1988 (loss to the Warrior). The total amount was 454 days, the longest reign in history.

He was a bona fide villain, always getting out of it by hook or by crook. An admirable trait if you understand the importance of the whole thing. Winning is everything after all, no matter how you do it.

This time though, it took seconds to wrest the belt off of him by none other than a living, cosmic force.

Will the Ultimate Warrior ever be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame? It's a question many, like myself, have asked for years.

2013 could be the right time. New York could be the right place. Stranger things have happened.

The Match is HERE

2000: A Mixed Tag and a Centerfold...or Two!

Chyna is, and always will be, the Ninth Wonder of the World.

The only woman to ever lay her hands on some intercontinental gold and perhaps the last as well.

This match features three great names in pro wrestling history. You have Chyna of course but also Trish Stratus and the late Eddie Guerrero.

A brand new decade came and went since that time but it is always nice to watch a fun mixed tag team match every once in a while.

It may not make the cut as one of the greatest ever but anytime you can watch Chyna in her full glory is worth watching. Plus, Mr. Latino Heat himself hadn't even reached his full potential at the time and he was always a great character.

Too bad his star went out so soon.

2008: Glamarella Takes It All!

Beth Phoenix is a beast and Mickie James is a beauty. The guys are, well...the guys.

This was a very fun match and feud to follow in 2008. Divas wrestling was good and there still was a Women's Championship back then.

Kofi Kingston was a young star on the rise with incredible potential which still resounds today. 

Putting all the gold up for grabs raised the stakes and all the participants in this match gave their all. It was a monumental "Glam Slam" to a poor Mickie that sealed the "babyfaces" fates and secured Santino and Beth their second championships reigns.

Best moment of the match? Beth Phoenix carrying Santino on her shoulders while he shows off his Women's and Intercontinental Championships.

Haha! Priceless. 

2001: The Invasion Rages on but Edge Wins One for WWE!

In 2001, a great war was waged on the fields of pro wrestling.

Vince McMahon had finally triumphed over the WCW and bought all competition fair and square.

This led to the in-storyline "invasion" of WWF by its former rival, and two sets of champions ran amok in the ring.

Lance Storm was Intercontinental Champion then and entered a feud with future Hall of Famer, Edge, over the gold.

Part ONE.

Part TWO.

Lance Storm is a fine Canadian athlete who models after the Hart family's style, yet only achieved moderate success in WWE during his short tenure with the company.

Edge, as everyone knows by now, is a true icon of professional wrestling. He not only achieved success in every division but became one of the most hated, yet loved, Superstars of all time.

His career may have been cut short but this little match served to show the world a real star was about to be born.

1990: A Tornado Swept Through Perfection

The winner of this bout and NEWWWWWW Intercontinental Champion...

You just gotta love Howard Finkel.

Kerry Von Erich took the WWF by storm in 1990, literally. He was dubbed the "Texas Tornado" and swept through all competition.

This renowned Superstar arrived on the scene with such promise and defeated the late great Curt Hennig, aka Mr. Perfect, for the title at SummerSlam '90.

The event that summer was really something as all the championships were defended and ended up being held by fan (and personal) favorites.

WATCH ME.

It is really unfortunate that Von Erich's WWE days were far less glorious, and just a few months later his personal demons took their toll on him and he took his own life.

Mr. Perfect passed away, as well, some years later. 

As much as there is glory and glamor in this business, there is also a lot of tragedy. A lesson to be learned by all future Superstars.

1993: Showstopping Perfection

The opinion of WWE in the early-to-mid '90s varies from one person to another. 

Some say it was the least popular time in company history, while others revelled in the fact that icons like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels controlled the squared circle.

I was one of the positive ones. Bret was my hero. He still is!

Mr. Perfect had returned to the ring after dealing with a near career-ending injury a few years back and started feuding with the showstoppin' Intercontinental Champion, the "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels.

HBK had big Diesel in his corner and rocked the intercontinental league until his biggest threat came along. 

Had Mr. Perfect won that night, he would have been the first to ever "three-peat" which meant winning the Intercontinental title on a third occasion. Things were very different back then.

Though the match was a success, given the status of the participants, the outcome was far from glamorous. No one really is a fan of count-outs and disqualifications.

It's too bad there was not a clear winner or a rematch for that matter. There was a lot of potential in keeping this feud going.

1994: KLIQ, KLIQ, KLIQ, CLASH!

WWE was in a weird place back in the '90s.

While Bret Hart was the official ruler of the ring as World Champion, there was another set of Superstars vying for control behind the scene.

Kevin Nash, Scott Hall and Shawn Michaels were members of an influential group known as "The Kliq."

While they banded together to ensure they remained some of the tops stars backstage, in front of the cameras was another story.

Whether it was HBK vs. Razor or Razor vs. Diesel, the "Kliq" members feuded with each other on-screen over the Intercontinental Championship for quite some time.

At SummerSlam 1994, the "Dudes with Attitudes," as Shawn and Kevin were known, held both the Intercontinental and Tag Team titles, while the "Bad Guy" wanted to have the gold around his waist again.

Diesel would have won the match were it not for some "Sweet Chin Music" playing out of tune. Shawn Michaels missed his kick and knocked out his friend. Razor capitalized on that error, scored the pin and regained his precious golden belt.

KLIQ HERE.

1997: Austin Is Champion...but at What Cost?

The Hart Foundation and Stone Cold Steve Austin had been waging a war of attrition for quite some time in the late '90s. They simply could not get rid of one another, so instead resorted to destroying each other whether physically or verbally.

It was the beginning of the "Attitude Era" which ensured WWE came out of the Monday Night Wars the victor.

This match at SummerSlam 1997, however, had long-term repercussions. Owen Hart delivered a piledriver to Austin that night, but it wasn't executed perfectly. Austin's neck clearly hit the mat in the worst way possible, and it broke.

The match continued but ended awkwardly, with Owen letting himself be pinned to end it.

If not for this moment, Stone Cold wouldn't have had to retire years later at the height of his popularity.

He still went on to win the big one a few months later, so there is a silver lining. Owen met a tragic end in 1999 but his star will never fade.

Props to both Superstars. 

2004: Edge Is Now Playing with Power

Before he was Mr. Money in the Bank, or a multi-time World Champion, Edge held the Intercontinental Championship on FIVE occasions.

That is a lot!

Chris Jericho is a legendary character and held that legendary title a record NINE times.

Batista was a force to be reckoned with throughout his wrestling career.

Combine all three at the summer spectacular in an Intercontinental Championship match and sparks are sure to fly.

Not for nothing, the intercontinental belt has been labeled a "stepping stone towards the main event scene." It proved to be true here as each became veterans in their own right and in their own time.

It is funny to imagine these three names on paper in the same match. It is as if it doesn't go well together, but after watching this match, it clearly did.

Will Y2J return to capture his 10th championship someday?

Only time will tell.

2010: Kingston vs. Ziggler = MAGIC!

The Intercontinental Championship has always been the second-tier title in WWE. It was always synonymous with future World Champion Superstar's, and it was battled for decades between the best of the best.

For some reason, WWE has allowed it to lose some of its shine by either deactivating the title or putting it around unworthy wrestlers who clearly brought nothing to its heritage.

Dolph Ziggler and Kofi Kingston are not unworthy and fought for the title many, many times. The title and its history seemed to be getting back on track.

This match would have been exceptional were it not for the meddlesome Nexus failure interfering and ruining everything.

When either Kofi or Ziggler held the Intercontinental Championship, it made fans realize just how important that title is, and how the U.S. title should quickly be unified to it so that future Intercontinental title matches can be like the days of old.

There can only be one second-tier title anyway. That's the way it goes.

Press on VICKIE for the match. 

2009: Mysterio vs. Ziggler = SPARKLE!

The top five has begun.

Intercontinental Champion Rey Mysterio versus Dolph Ziggler was one gem in this rather lackluster edition of SummerSlam.

High-flying action, incredible energy, talent, fans yelling...what else is there to make this match even more fun to watch?

Despite the ups and downs the title had during the 2000s, Rey Mysterio made a great champion and Dolph Ziggler did as well, once the time came for him.

That's what this championship needs. A good candidate and a great feud or two to make the fans realize there is a purpose in paying attention to the mid-card. 

High-flying action HERE.

1995: Michaels and Razor and Ladders Oh My!

One more '90s match for the rogue.

It was a WrestleMania 10 rematch between good old HBK, now Intercontinental Champion, taking on the first man to three-peat and friend, Razor Ramon.

No matter what year it happens, a ladder match is always spectacular to watch. This one may not have been as successful as the previous one, but there was some definite magic to it.

Both participants were rising stars with immense potential. Their careers hadn't even been at full bloom yet and they helped keep WWE afloat despite the '90s turmoil that plagued it.

For them to be handed about 30 minutes for this, the company officials must have been pretty high on them. Politics or not, if people knew they couldn't deliver the merchandise then no amount of pushing and shoving would have persuaded creative into giving them this chance.

They delivered indeed. This match is very good.

1998: A Fledgeling Triple H Takes on a Fledgling Rock

Looking back at 1998, one must remember that the face of professional wrestling was completely different.

There was no Punk, no Cena and no TNA!

Hunter Hearst-Helmsley (Triple H if you didn't know yet) already had a nemesis in the former Rocky Maivia, now known simply as "The Rock".

Long story short, D-Generation X and The Nation of Domination had been waging a gang war which led to then-Intercontinental Champion, The Rock, costing Tripe H the European Championship. So, Hunter began his quest to rid the World Wrestling Federation.

After a failed attempt the first time, the two future icons were determined to settle the score at SummerSlam in a ladder match of all things.

It was incredible!

Whether it was Mark Henry or X-Pac, fellow members of each other's group tried to tip the scales in their leader's favor, but it was a capitalizing "low blow" by the Ninth Wonder of the World, Chyna, that enabled Hunter to climb up to the top and regain the Intercontinental Championship.

This definitely makes the top five best SummerSlam Intercontinental title bouts. It's no surprise considering who the participants were.

Legends in the making.

1992: Wembley Explodes for Hart and Smith

Bret is the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be.

Not only did he main-event SummerSlam 1992, but he was an Intercontinental Champion then, still not the icon he would become.

For WWE to go overseas in England meant that things were getting pretty big in this world, so what better opponent than the British Bulldog for the occasion.

Davey Boy Smith had been suffering from injuries and personal issues for years and this time was no exception. So Bret, his real-life brother in-law, took matters into his own hands and carried pretty much the entire match on his shoulders.

He is called the "Excellence of Execution" for a reason. There were no mistakes here. 

In French, we would say a "Chef-D'Oeuvre" or masterpiece if you will. The crowd was electrified and ate up the entire thing, as did I.

Vince McMahon asked if it was possible to make this a success and Bret answered "Yes" and delivered.

What a match!

1991: Perfection Takes on Excellence Stands

The mid-card was often just as great as the main event back in the day. 

It meant a whole lot as your future World Champions tore each other apart for just one crack at the top.

Mr. Perfect and Bret Hart were fine examples.

In 1991, Hennig was the reigning Intercontinental Champion for many months and Hart was fresh out of tag-team gold and new to this singles stuff.

It was inevitable that these two masters of the ring competed against one another to determine who was the best.

This match was (how coincidental) perfect! Alright, almost.

Curt Hennig was dealing with a severe back injury which took two years away from his career afterward. Still, being the consummate worker that he was, his 100 percent attention to detail was given here and Bret Hart matched every move with his excellence.

There were close calls, detail, fast, slow, submissions, second rope, top rope, a "Perfect-Plex" and still, no one gave in.

Finally, after a noticeable amount of pain on Perfect's face, Bret Hart managed to catch him in his patented "Sharpshooter" and history was made once more.

Bret Hart, the legend, was born. 

Mr. Perfect may very well be one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of all time. May he rest in peace.

1989: My All Time Favorite Match!

To be clear, this isn't the greatest Intercontinental Championship match in SummerSlam history.

It is my personal favorite and the first WWE event I ever went to, SummerSlam 1989.

Not only was Jesse Ventura commenting with such magnificence but it pitted Intercontinental Champion "Ravishing" Rick Rude against my fave at the time, the Ultimate Warrior.

When the bell rang and Howard Finkel announced the title match, the crowd erupted! There hasn't been fire like that lately, has there? Except when CM Punk is around.

Ultimate Warrior didn't quite rank up there with the best "technical" stars, but he had something special us kids absolutely loved: He was a beast! He had fire and raw power and that is what I loved.

Rick Rude took him to his limits and had beaten (outsmarted) him once before at WrestleMania V.

It looked as if the Ravishing One was going to win this one, if not for "Rowdy" Roddy Piper's interference. It distracted the champion long enough to allow the perfect opening for a Warrior revival and eventual triumph.

I love this match so much, even to this day. It was, and is still, one of the coolest, most exciting Intercontinental Championship matches in SummerSlam, no, WWE history.

Imagine a little 12-year-old boy jumping around like a crazed hobbit...yeah, that was me.

PART 1 PART 2 PART 3 

25 Years Behind Us...to the Next 25!

A wishful thinking person would love to see the Intercontinental Championship regain its rightful place as the second-most coveted title in WWE.

It has a rich history and received a facelift recently to make it look as good as it ever did. Only time will tell if the World titles are unified, but one thing is consistent: Nothing screams more WWE than the Intercontinental belt.

Since both the event and the belt seem to go hand in hand, why not keep it that way for 25 more years and have even more incredible moments to remember.

With The Miz holding the gold as we speak, it is a safe bet to assume he will hold on to it for a while. The good part is, the Superstar and the championship will help elevate each other to new heights.

Things always happen for a reason.