WWE Intercontinental Championship

The **WWE Intercontinental Championship** is a professional wrestling championship in WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). It is the first secondary title of WWE. It has been the exclusive secondary championship of WWE's weekly TV show _Raw_ since May 2023 when the champion at the time, Gunther, was moved to the show from _SmackDown_ in the 2023 WWE draft.

## History

The WWE Intercontinental Championship was first known as the **WWF (World Wrestling Federation) Intercontinental Championship**, until the WWE/WWF 2002 lawsuit. Following the title's introduction in 1979, Pat Patterson became the inaugural champion on September 15. The title's creation came as a result of Patterson defeating Ted DiBiase to win the WWF North American Championship and defending the title in a fictional tournament held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to be unified with a South American Championship.

In March 2001, the WWF bought World Championship Wrestling (WCW) . Soon after, "The Invasion" took place in which the WCW/ECW Alliance was beaten in the end. At Survivor Series 2001, the title was made into one with the WCW United States Championship. The United States Champion, Edge, won against the Intercontinental Champion, Test, and became the new Intercontinental Champion while the United States Championship became inactive until 2003.

After the WWF/WWE name change in 2002, the championship became known as the **WWE Intercontinental Championship**. It was then made into one with the European Championship in a ladder match on July 22, and later the Hardcore Championship on August 26. The Intercontinental Champion, Rob Van Dam, won against the European Champion, Jeff Hardy, and the Hardcore Champion, Tommy Dreamer. As a result, Rob Van Dam was named the last European and Hardcore Champion. Then at No Mercy 2002, it was made into one with the World Heavyweight Championship. The World Heavyweight Champion, Triple H, won against the Intercontinental Champion, Kane, and continued to be the World Heavyweight Champion while the Intercontinental Championship became inactive. In May 2003, after fan protests of the retirement of the Intercontinental Title, the title was reactivated by _Raw_ Co-General Manager, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and was recommissioned to be the secondary championship for the _Raw_ brand. Shortly after, the WCW United States Championship was reactivated as the WWE United States Championship by the _SmackDown_! brand, making the Intercontinental Championship its equal counterpart for the _Raw_ brand. During the 2009 WWE Draft the two title swapped brands, making the Intercontinental Championship _SmackDown_ property and the US Title _Raw_ property. On August 29, 2011, all WWE programming became "Supershows" that featured wrestlers from both brands, ending the brand extension. All WWE titles could now be defended at any WWE event.

At WrestleMania 32, the title was won by Zack Ryder in a seven-man ladder match. Ryder lost it the next night to The Miz on _Raw_. The brand split was brought back in July 2016, with the Miz being drafted to _SmackDown Live_, bringing the Intercontinental title to that show.  After a long feud with Dolph Ziggler over the title, the Miz lost the belt to Dean Ambrose on an episode of _SmackDown Live_ on January 3, 2017. Ambrose was drafted to _Raw_ in the 2017 Superstar Shake-Up, bringing the Intercontinental title to that show.

## Current champion

Right now the champion is Dominik Mysterio, who is in his second reign. He won the title by defeating John Cena at Survivor Series: WarGames on November 29, 2025.

## Other websites

- WWE Intercontinental Title History

## Infobox (pro wrestling championship)

- **name**: WWE Intercontinental Championship
- **image**: Dirty Dom Mysterio 050525 (cropped).jpg
- **caption**: Two-tme champion Dominik Mysterio with the second variation of the current belt design (2019–present)
- **currentholder**: Dominik Mysterio
- **won**: November 29, 2025
- **created**: September 1, 1979
- **promotion**: WWE
- **brand**: WWE Raw, Raw
- **mostreigns**: Chris Jericho
(List of WWE Intercontinental Champions, 9 reigns)
- **firstchamp**: Pat Patterson
- **longestreign**: Gunther (wrestler), Gunther
( days)
- **shortestreign**: Shane Douglas, Dean Douglas
(14 minutes)
- **oldest**: Ric Flair
()
- **youngest**: Jeff Hardy
()
- **heaviest**: Big Show
()
- **lightest**: Rey Mysterio
()
- **pastnames**: * WWF Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship
(1979–1992)
* WWF Intercontinental Championship
(1992–2002)
* **WWE Intercontinental Championship**
(2002, 2003–present)