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The WWE Intercontinental Championship is among the world's most prestigious professional wrestling titles. Bron Breakker is the current Intercontinental Champion, and his next defense will be against Sheamus at Saturday Night's Main Event on January 25, 2025.
With a lineage that dates back to September 1979, the Intercontinental Title has adorned the shoulders and waists of many legendary competitors. Hall of Famers such as Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bret "The Hitman" Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Triple H have had multiple reigns with the Intercontinental Championship.
The belt can be a stepping stone to greater prizes, such as the Undisputed WWE Championship and the World Heavyweight Championship. However, some titleholders' greatest in-ring achievements would involve the Intercontinental Championship itself, such as The Honky Tonk Man for his then-record-setting reign and Pat Patterson for being recognized as the inaugural champion.
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The Celtic Warrior is the first official challenger for the prized gold in 2025. Who will follow in the Irishman's footsteps in pursuing the Intercontinental Title this year? Without further ado, let's look at seven WWE wrestlers who could challenge for Bron Breakker's championship in the current year:
#7. WWE RAW's newest star, Penta
Penta El Zero Miedo made a splash in his WWE debut with a convincing win over Chad Gable on the January 13, 2025, episode of Monday Night RAW. If Penta can continue winning in the coming months, there's a decent chance he'll challenge for a major singles title long before the year is finished.
Pentagón Jr. is a highly accomplished competitor in both singles and tag team capacity, winning gold in AAA, MLW, TNA, AEW, and many other wrestling promotions. The most prestigious singles title he's won in North America is arguably the IMPACT World Championship, now known as the TNA World Championship. In 2025, it's possible the fearless luchador could add the WWE Intercontinental Title to his lengthy list of in-ring accomplishments.
#6. 16-time WWE World Champion John Cena
The year 2025 will feature the Retirement Tour of John Cena. The Doctor of Thuganomics has done it all in a wrestling career lasting over 20 years. He's won numerous championships in WWE except for the Intercontinental Championship, the only active men's singles title that has eluded him on the main roster.
Cena has never faced Bron Breakker one-on-one in a WWE ring, but that can all change during Big Match John's Retirement Tour. A match of that caliber would certainly be the highest-profile battle of Breakker's young career. A win over a megastar like John Cena would help boost the credibility of Breakker's title reign, giving The Dog of WWE his biggest career win. Conversely, there isn't any shame in losing to a legend like Cena, especially if he can get his win back and reclaim the title.
#5. Former two-time NXT Champion Trick Williams
Trick Williams lost the NXT Championship to Oba Fema in a Triple Threat Match involving Eddy Thorpe at New Year's Evil on January 7, 2025. A major championship loss on the developmental brand is often seen as an indicator of an imminent main-roster call-up. Trick Williams is a charismatic performer who would be a perfect addition to Monday Night RAW.
Williams is consistently one of NXT's most popular acts. The 30-year-old former champion has built a lot of goodwill with the WWE Universe, and it will likely follow him on his way to the main roster. If his popularity and momentum follow him from NXT to RAW, it's easy to see that championship success will be in Trick's future. Bron Breakker and Trick Williams are two young stars on the rise, and it would be a treat for wrestling fans to watch them battle for the Intercontinental Championship.
#4. Imperium's Ludwig Kaiser
Ludwig Kaiser proved himself as more than just Gunther's hype man in 2024. In 2025, the German professional wrestler could prove his worth even more inside the squared circle by capturing singles gold for the first time in his WWE career. It's clear that Ludwig has his eyes set on the Intercontinental Championship, and he's willing to fight tooth and nail for the chance to win that prestigious prize.
On January 13, shortly before The Celtic Warrior was named the new number-one contender for Bron Breakker's title, Sheamus defeated Kaiser in a hard-fought singles match. All three competitors have a bitter history of violence. At the 2024 Survivor Series: WarGames, Breakker successfully defended his gold against Ludwig and Sheamus in a hard-hitting banger of a Triple Threat Match.
Defeat hasn't deterred Kaiser's desire for the Intercontinental Title. His persistent pursuit will likely lead to another championship match for the 34-year-old German wrestler who exudes European Elegance.
#3. The New Day's Xavier Woods
Winning the Intercontinental Championship is one of Xavier Woods' career goals. The former Consequences Creed has had a legendary run as a tag team wrestler. However, he hasn't made much of a mark as a singles competitor outside of his 2021 King of the Ring victory.
The current year could see Woods branch off into unknown territory and capture a singles championship for the first time in his WWE career. Xavier and Kofi Kingston don't necessarily need to split to make Woods' dreams a reality. The leader of KofiMania could play an instrumental role in assuring that the villainous Woods walks away with the Intercontinental Title.
Woods couldn't capture the Intercontinental Championship from Gunther in 2023 and Jey Uso in 2024. Will 2025 be any different for the once-enthusiastic trombonist?
#2. Otis of Alpha Academy
Otis is the charismatic big man of Alpha Academy who has somehow found himself lost in the shuffle on Monday Night RAW. Despite his questionable booking, the former Mr. Money In The Bank still gets positive responses from fans and wouldn't look out of place squaring up to a certified badass like Bron Breakker.
The former member of Heavy Machinery doesn't necessarily need a title win over Breakker to improve his stock on the red brand. A strong showing against a dominant champion like Breakker should be enough to show someone like Triple H that Otis is worthy of a push in 2025.
#1. The Final Testament's Karrion Kross
Karrion Kross was successful on WWE's developmental brand, becoming a two-time NXT Champion. However, unfortunately for The Harbinger of Doom, championship success didn't follow him to RAW or SmackDown. Karrion has yet to win a title on the main roster, but that could change in 2025.
The Final Testament leader could use the Intercontinental Championship division to help rebuild his singles career. With AOP watching his back, Karrion is a bona fide threat to anyone who gets in his way, including the Intercontinental Champion. A win for Kross doesn't necessarily hurt his opponent's momentum if he relies on henchmen to help secure the victory and the championship.
Much like the booking of Ludwig Kaiser, even in defeat, Kross could raise his stock and build momentum as a consistent presence in the Intercontinental Title picture.
