Firsts are always potential This Day in Wrestling History moments, and we’re happy to add Pat Patterson becoming the WWE’s first Intercontinental Champion to this segment.
While we lost Pat Patterson at the end of 2020, his legacy continues to live on every day in the professional wrestling world, but one of the greatest moments was being the inaugural Intercontinental Champion.
On September 1, 1979, Patterson was named the first WWWF Intercontinental Champion after allegedly winning a tournament in Rio De Janeiro.
While there could be truth to that, the fact many of these tournaments were held in places that were difficult for fans to authenticate at the time gives credence to the real reported origins.
Patterson did indeed win the Intercontinental Championship according to many, but he did so by defeating Ted DiBiase earlier in June to win the WWWF North American Championship.
That title would be rebranded into the Intercontinental Championship and it’s been a mainstay in the WWE ever since.
Long legacy
The Intercontinental Championship has a prestige about it that’s unparalleled as it’s been held by some of the best in the world.
The championship is as diverse as its history is long with Chris Jericho having the most wins with a reported nine, and the Hony Tonk Man with the longest run at 454 days.
Other champions included Randy Savage, Tito Santana, Don Muraco, The Rock, Bret Hart, and Steve Austin are some of the biggest names to have held it.
Chyna is the lone woman to hold the championship after she defeated Jeff Jarrett.
In many ways, the Intercontinental title continues to carry Patterson’s memory as a trail blazer as he’s credited as being the first openly gay wrestler in the WWE and helped mold the WWE’s image over his decades affiliation with the company.
Slightly tarnished but rebuilding
Since the brand split, the WWE has cheapened their championships in the eyes of many by adding more.
While this wasn’t the case with the Intercontinental Championship as they have the old NWA/WCW United States Championship for Raw, it hasn’t stopped them from using it as a prop at times.
But now it looks like the company is starting to treat their mid level titles with the respect they deserve and it looks like the Intercontinental Championship is being viewed as a prestigious title rather than a trinket, and so much the better.
Like many of This Day in Wrestling History moments, this one had a profound impact on the sport and it’s resonated throughout the years.
Who’s your favorite Intercontinental Champion? Let us know in the comments below.
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