WWE News
Here is the full list of all Intercontinental champions in WWE history. The title has been called the second most important championship in the company, after the WWE Championship. ##
As of writing there have been 87 different Intercontinental Champions. Chris Jericho holds the record for the most reigns with nine. The Honky Tonk Man holds the longest reign at 454 days. ##
Only three other wrestlers, Pedro Morales, Don Muraco, and Randy Savage, have held the championship for a continuous reign of more than a year. ##
Ricochet is the current champion in his first reign. He defeated the previous champion Sami Zayn on SmackDown in Miami, Florida on March 4, 2022. ##
WWE Intercontinental Champions
No.
Champion
Championship change
Reign statistics
Notes
Ref.
Date
Event
Location
Reign
Days
Days recog.
National Wrestling Alliance: World Wrestling Federation (WWF)
1
Pat Patterson
September 1, 1979
—
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
1
233
232
Patterson became the first champion as a result of defeating Ted DiBiase to win the WWF North American Heavyweight Championship on June 19, 1979 in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and defeating Johnny Rodz in a fictional tournament final in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to unify the North American Heavyweight Championship with the fictional South American Heavyweight Championship to create the WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship. First mention of the Intercontinental title took place on the August 22, 1979 Championship Wrestling program, which aired August 25, 1979 in an interview after Patterson defeated Johnny Rivera.
2
Ken Patera
April 21, 1980
WWF on MSG Network
New York, NY
1
231
230
3
Pedro Morales
December 8, 1980
WWF
New York, NY
1
194
193
4
Don Muraco
June 20, 1981
WWF on PRISM Network
Philadelphia, PA
1
156
155
5
Pedro Morales
November 23, 1981
WWF on MSG Network
New York, NY
2
425
424
6
Don Muraco
January 22, 1983
WWF on MSG Network
New York, NY
2
385
384
During his reign, the WWF withdrew from the NWA.
World Wrestling Federation (WWF)
7
Tito Santana
February 11, 1984
WWF
Boston, MA
1
226
226
8
Greg Valentine
September 24, 1984
Maple Leaf Wrestling
London, ON, Canada
1
285
285
Aired on tape delay on October 13, 1984.
9
Tito Santana
July 6, 1985
House show
Baltimore, MD
2
217
217
This was a steel cage match.
10
Randy Savage
February 8, 1986
WWF on NESN
Boston, MA
1
414
414
11
Ricky Steamboat
March 29, 1987
WrestleMania III
Pontiac, MI
1
65
65
12
The Honky Tonk Man
June 2, 1987
Superstars of Wrestling
Buffalo, NY
1
454
454
Aired on tape delay on June 13, 1987.
13
The Ultimate Warrior
August 29, 1988
SummerSlam
New York, NY
1
216
216
14
Rick Rude
April 2, 1989
WrestleMania V
Atlantic City, NJ
1
148
148
15
The Ultimate Warrior
August 28, 1989
SummerSlam
East Rutherford, NJ
2
218
216
—
Vacated
April 3, 1990
Wrestling Challenge
Syracuse, NY
—
—
—
Warrior relinquished the title after winning the WWF Championship in order to focus on defending the latter. WWE recognizes the title as being vacated on April 1, 1990 at WrestleMania VI.
16
Mr. Perfect
April 23, 1990
Superstars of Wrestling
Austin, TX
1
126
126
Defeated Tito Santana in a tournament final for the vacant title.Aired on tape delay on May 19, 1990.
17
The Texas Tornado
August 27, 1990
SummerSlam
Philadelphia, PA
1
84
84
18
Mr. Perfect
November 19, 1990
Superstars of Wrestling
Rochester, NY
2
280
280
Aired on tape delay on December 15, 1990.
19
Bret Hart
August 26, 1991
SummerSlam
New York, NY
1
144
144
20
The Mountie
January 17, 1992
House show
Springfield, MA
1
2
2
21
Roddy Piper
January 19, 1992
Royal Rumble
Albany, NY
1
77
77
22
Bret Hart
April 5, 1992
WrestleMania VIII
Indianapolis, IN
2
146
146
23
The British Bulldog
August 29, 1992
SummerSlam
London, England
1
59
59
24
Shawn Michaels
October 27, 1992
Saturday Night's Main Event XXXI
Terre Haute, IN
1
202
202
Aired on tape delay on November 14, 1992
25
Marty Jannetty
May 17, 1993
Raw
New York, NY
1
20
20
26
Shawn Michaels
June 6, 1993
House show
Albany, NY
2
113
113
—
Vacated
September 27, 1993
—
—
—
—
—
Shawn Michaels was stripped of the title for failing to defend it within 30 days. In reality, Michaels was suspended for testing positive for steroids.
27
Razor Ramon
September 27, 1993
Raw
New Haven, CT
1
198
198
Ramon and Rick Martel were the final two participants in a battle royal. Ramon then defeated Martel for the vacant title; The match aired on tape delay on October 11, 1993. However, Shawn Michaels returned in November 1993, claiming to be the legitimate champion as nobody defeated him. Ramon went on to defeat Michaels in a ladder match on March 20, 1994 at WrestleMania X.
28
Diesel
April 13, 1994
Superstars
Rochester, NY
1
138
138
Aired on tape delay on April 30, 1994.
29
Razor Ramon
August 29, 1994
SummerSlam
Chicago, IL
2
146
146
30
Jeff Jarrett
January 22, 1995
Royal Rumble
Tampa, FL
1
94
94
—
Vacated
April 26, 1995
Action Zone
Moline, IL
—
—
—
Held up when match between Jeff Jarrett and Bob "Spark Plug" Holly ended in controversy.Aired on tape delay on April 30, 1995.
31
Jeff Jarrett
April 26, 1995
Action Zone
Moline, IL
2
23
23
Defeated Bob Holly in a rematch for the vacant title.Aired on tape delay on May 7, 1995.
32
Razor Ramon
May 19, 1995
House show
Montreal QC, Canada
3
2
3
This was a ladder match.WWE recognizes Ramon's reign as ending on May 22, 1995.
33
Jeff Jarrett
May 21, 1995
House show
Trois-Rivières, QC, Canada
3
63
62
WWE recognizes Jarrett's reign as beginning on May 22, 1995.
34
Shawn Michaels
July 23, 1995
In Your House 2: The Lumberjacks
Nashville, TN
3
91
91
35
Dean Douglas
October 22, 1995
In Your House 4: Great White North
Winnipeg, MB, Canada
1