The legacy of the intercontinental Championship features hundreds of outstanding matches for the title. WWE treated the belt as the workhorse title to elevate wrestlers involved in the title picture. There were plenty of matches outside of the traditional wrestling matches. Gimmick stipulations added another level of storytelling whether going for weapons or other specialties.

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WWE primarily saved the gimmick matches for important feuds for the title. Quite a few talented performers thrived in the spotlight with a valued prize on the line. Each match delivered strong results of fans viewing the mid-card title as an important asset. Find out which bouts deserve the highest honor when breaking down the best gimmick matches for the Intercontinental Championship.

10 Rob Van Dam Vs Christian: Ladder Match (Raw)

Rob Van Dam Vs Christian

The Intercontinental Championship was the prize on the line during a great rivalry between Christian and Rob Van Dam. Both wrestlers were among the two best all-around performers in WWE, and each had prior success in the ladder match.

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Monday Night Raw received a free PPV worthy match when Van Dam defeated Christian in a ladder match for the Intercontinental Championship. The work of each wrestler showed their skill set with the crowd loving every second of action.

9 Kane Vs Triple H: Chain Match (Judgment Day 2001)

Kane Vs Triple H in a chain match

An underrated gimmick match to feature top bigger names than usual for the Intercontinental Championship took place at Judgment Day 2001. Kane defeated Triple H in a chain match to win the title during a major storyline.

Triple H and Steve Austin were taking over with their Two-Man Power Trip winning all the titles. This was the first loss since their uniting. Kane won in an exciting match that utilized the gimmick better than most other chain matches.

8 Chyna Vs Jeff Jarrett: Housekeeping Match (No Mercy 1999)

Chyna Vs Jeff Jarrett

The incredible moment of Chyna making history at No Mercy 1999 made a bizarre stipulation worth it at the end of the day. Jeff Jarrett dropped the title to Chyna in a housekeeping match following the most controversial night of his career.

The contract of Jarrett expired and he “held up” Vince McMahon for more money if he was going to drop the title. McMahon paid him off and Jarrett delivered one of the best WWE performances of his career. Chyna made history as the first and currently only woman to win the Intercontinental Championship.

7 Sami Zayn Vs AJ Styles Vs Jeff Hardy: Ladder Match (Clash Of Champions 2020)

Jeff Hardy vs Sami Zayn

The ladder match is the most common gimmick match to have the Intercontinental Championship on the line. Recent years have seen it become harder to deliver a classic based on fans seeing just about everything already.

That made it more impressive when Sami Zayn, AJ Styles and Jeff Hardy innovated the match at Clash of Champions 2020. Zayn regained in the Intercontinental Championship in an outstanding match full of violent spots. The finish of Sami handcuffing a ladder to Hardy’s ear and one to Styles’ arm had fans stunned.

6 Chris Jericho Vs Rey Mysterio: No Holds Barred (Extreme Rules 2009)

Chris Jericho Vs Rey Mysterio

The rivalry between Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio was among the most underrated in WWE history. Jericho’s previous rivalry with Shawn Michaels is what everyone still remembers from that era of Jericho, but he had a great program with Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship.

Extreme Rules 2009 featured Jericho winning the title from Mysterio in a No Holds Barred match. Both men delivered great performances to continue the feud in grand fashion. The finish saw Jericho ripping off Rey’s mask and stealing the pin while Mysterio hid his face.

5 Ric Flair Vs Triple H: Cage Match (Taboo Tuesday 2005)

Ric Flair Vs Triple H in a cage match

Triple H betraying Ric Flair made him the most sadistic heel in WWE. The end of Evolution led to Flair wrestling more and fans wanting to cheer him. Triple H was able to work his dream feud against his childhood hero for the Intercontinental Championship.

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Flair retained the title in a cage match at the most unique PPV of the years. Fans voted on the stipulation of a cage match at Taboo Tuesday 2005 which allowed Triple H and Flair to have a bloody brawl. Triple H putting over Flair made his Intercontinental Championship reign even more successful.

4 Dean Ambrose Vs Kevin Owens: Last Man Standing (Royal Rumble 2016)

Dean Ambrose Vs Kevin Owens:

One of the more recent instances of a must-watch gimmick match for the Intercontinental Championship featured Dean Ambrose and Kevin Owens battling it out. Royal Rumble 2016 opened with Ambrose defeating Owens in a Last Man Standing match.

Both wrestlers had identities for being great brawlers and hardcore wrestlers. Owens and Ambrose lived up to the hype with some of the most vicious spots of the time with chairs and tables being put to good use in the instant classic.

3 Razor Ramon Vs Shawn Michaels: Ladder Match (WrestleMania X)

Razor Ramon vs Shawn Michaels

The first-ever WWE ladder match lived up to the hype when Razor Ramon and Shawn Michaels faced off at WrestleMania X. Both men held claim to being the rightful Intercontinental Championship to influence the match stipulation.

The titles of each wrestler were suspended above the ring with the winner being crowned the undisputed Intercontinental Champion. Razor won the epic match, but Michaels’ performance was what convinced WWE to keep the ladder match around for almost three decades since then.

2 Randy Orton Vs Mick Foley: Hardcore Match (Backlash 2004)

Randy Orton Vs Mick Foley

Mick Foley specifically came out of retirement in 2004 to help elevate Randy Orton. The two feuded for months with The Rock and other members of Evolution getting involved. Backlash 2004 was the night where they faced off in a hardcore match.

Orton’s Intercontinental Championship was on the line in the violent bloodbath. Weapons like tables, tables, barbed wire, bats and everything in between were used. Foley put over Orton in a huge moment that convinced WWE to put the World Championship on Orton months later.

1 Triple H Vs The Rock: Ladder Match (SummerSlam 1998)

triple-h-the-rock-summerslam

The Intercontinental Championship felt like a massive prize when The Rock and Triple H feuded for it in 1998. Both wrestlers were on the cusp of becoming main eventers, so they felt much bigger than anyone else in the mid-card title picture of the time.

Triple H defeated Rock at SummerSlam 1998 in an outstanding ladder match to win the title in a huge moment. The future legends didn’t have an aerial display like most with this gimmick match, but they used the ladder in violent fashion for a classic that fans still love today.

NEXT: 5 WWE World Champions Who Were Better As Intercontinental Champions (& 5 Who Weren't)