Intercontinental Championship Must Be Central Focus of Revamped WWE SmackDown

With WWE SmackDown set to air live on Tuesday nights starting this July with its own unique roster, there has been plenty of speculation among fans about what that will mean for the brand's top title.

Although a second world heavyweight title has been rumored to return according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Marc Middleton at Wrestling Inc), it would be best to position the Intercontinental Championship as the focal point of the program starting this summer.

Bringing back a championship like the "Big Gold Belt" wouldn't be the worst scenario, however. It would allow the stars of SmackDown to vie for a world title without having to move to Raw.

Simultaneously, it would completely defeat the purpose of unifying the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships at TLC 2013. Having one world title makes the prize that much more prestigious, not to mention the World Heavyweight Championship was defended in the opening match on pay-per-view in its final years.

It wouldn't be unprecedented for the world champion to appear on both brands, as in 2002. When the world champ isn't signed to SmackDown, the Intercontinental title should take center stage as the show's main championship.

Credit: WWE.com

SmackDown has long been considered by many to be the better wrestling show compared to Raw, accentuating the in-ring action over the storylines. That was apparent during the initial Brand Extension over a decade ago and should continue to be the case this time around.

Prior to the announcement of the major SmackDown changes coming this summer, WWE had already been doing an effective job of giving the show its own identity since its move to the USA Network at the onset of 2016.

From Mauro Ranallo on commentary to more cross-promotion with Raw, SmackDown is significantly more relevant than it was at this time one year ago. Another major factor behind the show's success has been the renewed emphasis on WWE's growing midcard division.

With the likes of Roman Reigns, AJ Styles, The Authority and others taking up television time on Raw, SmackDown has provided a platform for stars such as Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Cesaro to break out and rise to prominence as future main event players.

While the United States Championship has lost most of its meaning in the last year, the Intercontinental title has managed to regain some its former glory. In becoming the most sought-after strap in the company today, it is only appropriate for it to fill the vacant spot as SmackDown's top title.

Last week's edition of SmackDown was headlined by an Intercontinental Championship match between The Miz and Cesaro, and they didn't feel out of place in the main event slot in the slightest.

If anything, through their excellent athleticism and solid storytelling, they showed that was where they belonged: among the elite in WWE. It was a refreshing change of pace to see them showcased so prominently, which should be the central theme of the blue brand upon its relaunch.

The Intercontinental title may not be at the same level it was two decades ago, but it can still be a stepping stone to the WWE World Heavyweight Championship if it isn't relegated to being a worthless prop. SmackDown would be the perfect place for it to call home in that respect.

There is a fair chance competitors including Edge, Batista, Rey Mysterio and CM Punk would not have achieved the amount of success they did had it not been for the blue brand. Evidently, SmackDown can once again become a show where Superstars go to prove their worth, hone their craft and evolve into top-tier talent.

With Cesaro, Zayn, Dean Ambrose and other up-and-coming athletes gunning after the gold, the Intercontinental title can serve as the cornerstone of the program and solidify the show's superiority over Raw.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, is a Digital Journalism major at Endicott College. Visit his website, Next Era Wrestling and "like" his official Facebook page to continue the conversation on all things wrestling.

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