3 Superstars who can become the next Intercontinental Champion

The Intercontinental Championship is one of the most prestigious titles in WWE, as many consider it second only to the WWE Championship when it comes to the history and prestige of the title.

The title currently is being defended on the Blue Brand by Shinsuke Nakamura, who is in his first reign as the IC Champion.

Nakamura won the title from Finn Balor at the Extreme Rules Kickoff show this July and has held on to the title ever since. Nakamura's title reign has been decent, since it has reinvigorated his character, and yet, the championship hasn't been actively defended.

The King of Strong Style has defended the title on only two occasions until now. He first successfully defended the IC title in an impromptu match-up against Ali at WWE Smackville on July 27. More recently, he defeated The Miz at Clash of Champions, with a little assistance from Sami Zayn, to retain his IC Championship.

Last month, The Artist forged an odd alliance with Sami Zayn and thus far, the alliance has been successful as Zayn has made up for Nakamura's sub-par speaking skills while Nakamura has made an impression with his in-ring work.

With Zayn firmly by his side, Nakamura has appeared extremely dangerous and it would take a courageous effort from a top-notch Superstar to dethrone the King of Strong Style.

With that said, here are three stars who could become the next IC champion.

#3 Ali

If the last few weeks are any indication, Ali is in line for a future IC title shot, perhaps at Hell in A Cell or on SmackDown Live's debut on Fox. The high-flying cruiserweight has run into Zayn and Nakamura a couple of times over the last two weeks.

Last week, Nakamura and Ali were scheduled to face off in a singles contest, but the IC Champion and his mouthpiece executed a heinous pre-match assault. This past week on SmackDown Live, the two rivals battled once again. This time, Ali put up a great fight and was on the verge of victory, until Zayn got involved and ultimately cost the underdog the match.

Ali has been impressive ever since his debut on the Blue Brand. He was the heart and soul of 205 Live and is currently working rigorously to pursue his dream of becoming a champion on the main roster. The cruiserweight has mesmerized audiences with his incredible wrestling acumen and insane high-flying ability. It's just a matter of time before he finally takes things to the next level and wins his first singles championship on the main roster.

#2 Buddy Murphy

The Best Kept Secret is one of the fastest rising stars in WWE today. About a month and a half ago, the WWE Universe was ignorant of the gift that was Buddy Murphy, but the story is entirely different now. Murphy played a crucial role in the storyline behind Roman Reigns' attacker over the summer, which also earned him several high-profile matches.

First, he faced off against Reigns and proved to be a tough adversary for the Big Dog. Murphy amazed fans all over the world and looked strong even in defeat. The following week, Murphy took on Daniel Bryan in a thrilling match which saw the youngster earn a pinfall.

The former cruiserweight would then meet a familiar foe in Ali, in the first round of the King of the Ring tournament. Although Murphy ended up losing, he won the hearts of many fans.

The King of Strong Style and WWE's Best Kept Secret haven't faced off in a WWE ring till now, but the encounter could give rise to some unparalleled action. Many fans are pleased with Murphy's character and in-ring skills, and they wouldn't mind if he takes the IC title away from Nakamura.

#1 Aleister Black

Aleister Black has been gaining momentum.

If one was to pick a name among the list of the most protected Superstars on WWE's roster, Aleister Black's name is sure to come up. The ominous man from Amsterdam is one of the few individuals with such a near-impeccable win-loss record. The former NXT Champion is undefeated on the main roster and has proven to be a force to reckon with on the Blue Brand.

Ever since being drafted to SD Live as part of the Superstar Shake-Up in early April, Black has been cutting eerie and mysterious promos backstage in a dark room. His mic skills have come a long way and his character has developed substantially.

Black returned to the ring as a singles competitor at Extreme Rules in July, where he convincingly defeated Cesaro in an encounter. Over the next few months, Black would continue to steadily gain momentum by defeating the likes of Sami Zayn and Shelton Benjamin.

Although he doesn't appear regularly, Black is still one of the most dominant and formidable competitors on the main roster. The former NXT Champion deserves a high-profile match-up and it's time for him to move onto bigger clashes.

Black versus Nakamura is a dream match for any hardcore WWE fan and it is a very intriguing prospect and given that he has a bright future ahead of him, he should start with an IC title win over Nakamura.

Edited by Prasen Moudgal