10 Forgotten WWE Intercontinental Champions

9. Rikishi

Rikishi could have been a damn fine Intercontinental Champion, if he had been given more time holding the belt. 

Because he really was on fire when he beat Chris Benoit to capture it on the June 22, 2000 episode of SmackDown. The big man had become one of the most popular acts in the company thanks to his alliance with Too Cool, Stinkface finisher and post-match dance routine.

There were hopes that the former Headshrinker could be a main event player (as evidenced by his ill-fated heel turn and programmes with Steve Austin and The Rock later in the year), so it made sense to give him a shot with the IC Title. 

Alas, he only defended it twice on television - a rematch with Benoit (which ended in a DQ) and a bout with Triple H (double countout) - before he dropped it to Val Venis on July 6. 

All told, Rikishi was only in possession of the Intercontinental Title for a fortnight. 

His subsequent feud with Venis was a good one and yielded a cracking cage match at Fully Loaded, but 'Kish failed to regain the title and subsequently floundered before becoming a baddie. 

In the end, his association with the IC strap did nothing for him or the title.