10 Best WWE Intercontinental Title Matches Ever

6. Shawn Michaels Vs Marty Jannetty (Monday Night Raw, 17th May 1993)

shawn michaels razor ramon
WWE

Though Wrestling Observer head honcho Dave Meltzer famously preferred their Raw rematch weeks after Michaels had regained the secondary strap at a house show, few encounters translate the triumphs and tragedies of Marty Jannetty's career more than his surprise Intercontinental Title scalp on one of the show's greatest ever episodes.

It was a night of surprises having already hosted 1-2-3 Kid's now-legendary victory over Razor Ramon and Jannetty's own comeback and challenge entering as he did from the audience in disguise. Jumping on Michaels' chutzpah as he cut an audacious and arrogant mid-ring promo, Marty placed his former partner in an only-slightly-less uncomfortable position than the shattered window frame of the Barber Shop, earning a show-closing shot as a result. His victory was his only shard of revenge for that memorable assault.

Edgy, quick and desperate, the match summed both participants up magnificently. Shawn had shone since The Rockers' split, but fought from a position of unpreparedness and panic. Jannetty's babyface flame was just as fleeting. He'd already stumbled in his original 'last' chance earlier in the year - this was borrowed time he had to try and permanently steal. Claiming the title with Mr Perfect's help didn't subvert the underdog narrative a jot, as Marty's brief moment as a made man echoed around the majestic Manhattan Centre.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett