WWE History Vol. 25: The Greatest Intercontinental Title Matches

#6 Randy Orton (C) vs. Cactus Jack (Mick Foley)-- Hardcore match

So much brutality that we have to show the pic in black and white: Cactus Jack takes Orton to his limit and beyond

The Time: April 18, 2004

The Place: Backlash live from Alberta Canada.

The Angle: During this era, the young rookie Randy Orton was a member of Evolution and went by the moniker "Legend Killer." He tormented Mick Foley for months until he inadvertently brought out the most dangerous of Foley's personas, Cactus Jack.

The build up was nothing short of brilliant, and the match helped get Orton over as more than just another pretty face.

Why it's considered to be great: Let's be honest; when Cactus Jack enters a ring, you expect him to take the brunt of the hardcore offense. But Randy Orton took just as many nasty bumps as Foley, including being slammed onto a pile of thumb tacks after Cactus Jack countered the RKO.

Both men were bloody and beaten senseless, but Orton managed to eke out a win with an RKO to a barbed wire bat. One of the best hardcore matches of all time in terms of psychology and sheer brutality.

Who knows what future generations will say about great Intercontinental title matches? Could we see names like AJ Styles and Ricochet on a similar list in the future? It very well could be.

Thanks for taking this trip down memory lane with us, and as always thanks for reading!