WWE Payback: Fandango Will Win the Intercontinental Title at the Pay-Per-View

The next step for Fandango, WWE's resident ballroom dancer, is to become Intercontinental Champion at the first-ever Payback pay-per-view.

The company's confidence in and commitment to Fandango, along with Wade Barrett's string of losses, spells a title change for the June 16 show.

WWE hasn't yet announced the Barrett vs. Fandango vs. Miz triple threat match, but it couldn't have been clearer with its intentions on Monday's WWE Raw. Fandango interfered in Barrett and Miz's match. Before that, Barrett attacked Miz and held the IC title in the air as Fandango looked on.

Now it appears that Stone Cold Steve Austin's prediction from April is coming true.

In the month of May, Barrett has lost to the likes of Sheamus, Sin Cara and Fandango. Betting on him going into Payback isn't wise.

In Barrett, WWE had an opportunity to build a dominant midcard champ, a compelling brawler and an excellent talker. He could have fended off title defenders and built himself and the prestige of the title up along the way. Instead, he's spent the majority of his title reign with his back on the canvas.

Monday was no different, as Fandango's distraction led to him tapping out to Miz's figure-four leglock.

Contrast that with the attention Fandango has received since morphing from Johnny Curtis to his current gimmick.

Fandango's entrance is extremely long and the fact that WWE offers him that much airtime while guys like Antonio Cesaro sometimes get the traditional jobber entrance is a sign of how much the company is behind their dancing man. The light display that caps it off can't be cheap either.

Fandango was not only paired with Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 29, but allowed to beat him. He has since been a regular part of WWE Raw, whether it's for a dance-off or refusing to finish a match.

While Barrett seems to be running in place, Fandango seems to be building toward something, his momentum swelling.

Expect Fandango to come out of that potential triple threat match with the IC title around his shimmying waist and with more reasons for him to be so arrogant.

The IC title has often been the championship of choice for WWE's more gimmicky wrestlers. Santino Marella held the title as did the Honky Tonk Man, The Godfather, Goldust and The Mountie. Fandango can continue that tradition.

It appears that we'll be hearing the following announcement at Payback:

With Summer Rae's help, with WWE firmly behind him and Barrett's grip on the title so tenuous, Fandango will be adding to his resume, dancing out of the Allstate Arena with several pounds of gold to his name.