WWE’s ‘greatest Intercontinental Champion of all-time’ Jeff Jarrett insists belt remains a stepping stone to World Title
WWE’S self-proclaimed “Greatest Intercontinental Champion of All-time” Jeff Jarrett insists the belt is still a stepping-stone to a World Title – but says it all depends on the individual wearing it.
Braun Strowman currently has possession of the prestigious strap after defeating Shinsuke Nakamura last Friday on SmackDown to claim his first singles title.
The IC Championship, first held by Pat Patterson in 1979, is the third oldest currently active in WWE and has been worn by a long-list of legendary names.
Jarrett, 52, certainly knows more than most about the honour that comes with winning it.
The Hall of Famer enjoyed six reigns with it around his waist throughout his distinguished career.
Back in the day it was widely-viewed as the perfect preparation for preparing a superstar to go on and claim the big one.
And even though Double J admits the IC Title perhaps does not have the same “aura” as yesteryear due to the introduction of more championships throughout the business, the Tennessean believes the magic is all in the eye of the beholder – the way it has always been.
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Speaking to Sun Sport in London as part of WWE’s Road to WrestleMania tour, Jarrett explains: “I’ve had this conversation with a lot of folks and it’s just a completely generation now.
“It’s like getting a No.1 song way back, that was really something special. Now today, the methods of the distribution, it doesn’t quite carry the same cachet.
“That Intercontinental Title will always be that logical progression, stepping stone if you will, but nowadays we can pick up our phone and watch wrestling instantly.
“Years ago in WWF, and yes you had WCW and some other organisations, but there was only one main one and that’s what you watched.
“WCW had the US Title and then others in Japan and Mexico that were stepping stones to a world championship.”
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The Attitude Era icon continued: “Nowadays due to the method of distribution you can watch so much content that is original from independent promotions all across the world, so there are so many more belts and titles that, in essence, it brings the overall championship aura down.
“In WWE, you have the WWE Title and the Universal Championship that didn’t exist years ago.
“The IC Title has always been and always will be a unique belt with the lineage that goes with.
“But it all depends on the champion and it always has.
“You are looking at the greatest of all-time, and do you know why I was the greatest of all-time? Because I told you that I’m the greatest of all-time.
“But it is just a different era.”
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