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Going from transitional champion to the greatest Champion
The Honky Tonk Man was victorious at Wrestlemania III and was now being groomed as one of the top heel attractions in the company.
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Also at Wrestlemania III, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat captured the Intercontinental championship from Randy "Macho Man" Savage in a bout that is widely regarded as the best match of WWE's classic era. However, the Dragon would ask Vince McMahon for leave time after WM III because he had a young child who had just been born.
Hastily, WWE took the belt off of Steamboat. Jake Roberts had been the man Vince McMahon had in mind for the next IC champion, but as Steamboat was a babyface they couldn't face each other. Honky Tonk Man was chosen as a transitional champion, who would only hold the belt long enough to drop it to Jake Roberts.
However, a chance meeting with Hulk Hogan and Vince McMahon, and Roberts's increasingly erratic behaviour would lead to Honky Tonk Man retaining the title much longer than planned. Much, much longer.
