What is the best Wrestlemania Intercontinental Championship match of all time?
Long considered the workhorse title, the Intercontinental Championship has a rich legacy at Wrestlemania. This year Wrestlemania looks noticeably different, but it will still have a match for the IC belt. Sami Zayn will take on Daniel Bryan in a matchup of two of the most talented wrestlers that WWE has at their disposal.
With another Wrestlemania on the horizon in one week’s time, we figured it might be fun to take a look back at some of the best Wrestlemania Intercontinental Championship matches of all time. Links to all the matches are below as well, so sit back and enjoy a big heaping helping of nostalgia to get you through a time with limited live wrestling.
#5 – Kurt Angle (c) vs Chris Jericho vs Chris Benoit – Wrestlemania 2000
Kurt Angle was riding high during one of the best rookie years of all-time heading into Wrestlemania 2000. Angle was the Eurocontinental Champion, holding both the IC and European straps. At the show of shows, Angle had to put both belts on the line in a two-fall triple threat match. The first fall decided the Intercontinental Championship, and the second the European.
This match features three of the most talented in-ring workers of the 2000’s right at the start of the decade. Angle would walk away empty handed, but all three men got the prize of having one of the best matches of the night. Watch the match for yourself on the WWE Network here.
#4 – Roddy Piper (c) vs Bret Hart – Wrestlemania VIII
If you’re looking for an older Wrestlemania match that holds up now, Piper versus Hart is your match. These two represent two of the best wrestlers in WWF history, and this Wrestlemania moment was a massive feather in the cap of Bret Hart. The story of Hart pinning the older Piper and getting a big rub is great to watch, as is the face-versus-face dynamic at play. This match really picks up towards the end and has a creative finish. If you’re a fan of either man or just quality psychology in wrestling, check this one out. Watch it on the WWE Network here.
#3 – Kevin Owens vs Dolph Ziggler vs Zack Ryder vs The Miz vs Sami Zayn vs Stardust vs Sin Cara – Wrestlemania 32
This show-opening ladder match was one of the high spots on the Wrestlemania 32 card. The main event was disappointing, and other matches were a mixed bag (like Undertaker-Shane & Ambrose-Lesnar). It was the opening match that had the best moment of the entire show. Zack Ryder was a late replacement for Adrian “PAC” Neville and managed one of the most surprising wins in Wrestlemania history.
The match itself is full of exciting moments. Sin Cara had a massive spot, taking out Stardust on a ladder on the outside. The ever-present rivalry of Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn anchored the match with storytelling, and The Miz getting his comeuppance at the end is always a satisfying sight. Check out this match on the WWE Network here.
#2 – Randy Savage (c) vs Ricky Steamboat – Wrestlemania III
The most commonly referenced “classic Intercontinental Championship” match, and for good reason. Savage and Steamboat had a heated feud for the secondary championship that involved Savage crushing Steamboat’s larynx. The match was meticulously laid out by the two men ahead of time and builds to a great climax. Miss Elizabeth and George Steele do great work on the outside of the ring and adding interference to the match. The first ever Intercontinental title change in Wrestlemania history was one of the best. Watch the match here on the WWE Network.
#1 – Razor Ramon (c) vs Shawn Michaels – Wrestlemania X
The first great ladder match in WWF history is also the best Intercontinental Championship match in the history of the show. Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels were feuding because Michaels had been stripped of the title and Ramon won it in a battle royale. Michaels refused to acknowledge the change, still claiming to be the champ. They collided in a five star ladder match to find the true champion.
Throughout the match both Ramon & Michaels used the ladder in creative ways. The match even had a bump onto the concrete on the outside. On the whole it felt well ahead of where spots were at the time. Michaels hit a huge splash from the second highest rung on the ladder in an iconic spot. This match is enthralling from start to finish, and it is the best Wrestlemania Intercontinental Championship match of all time. Check it out and enjoy it here.
