5 Wrestlers You Didn't Know Were Intercontinental Champions

#1 Curtis Axel

Curtis Axel as Intercontinental Champion: Where did it go wrong?

The son of legendary Intercontinental Champion, Mr. Perfect, Curtis Axel actually emulated his late father's IC title victory, winning the belt, rather fittingly on Father's Day back in June 2013.

A talented worker, the man who in 2018 is best known as a former member of The Miz's Miztourage and one half of the tag team The B-Team with Bo Dallas, was showing promise as a major player half a decade ago.

The one element holding Axel back was his limited microphone skills. Recognising this flaw, WWE sought to overcome it by appointing legendary mouthpiece, Paul Heyman as his manager.

It should have worked but it didn't and Axel became lost in the shuffle as Heyman's more charismatic charge, Brock Lesnar took centre stage when he returned from his annual summer holiday.

Axel did keep hold of the title until November but in reality, his reign had become an afterthought much earlier and he dropped it to the next young star WWE had high hopes for, Big E.

Still a young man, there is every chance, Axel could reclaim the gold, but he won't. He lacks the charisma and dynamism in the ring to be taken seriously as a top singles competitor.

However, like his father would surely tell him if he could, there is no shame in the Intercontinental Championship being a wrestler's career ceiling.