10 Dumbest Ways WWE Promoted WrestleMania Matches

2. Intercontinental Title Ladder Match - WrestleMania 31

R Truth Bad News Barrett
WWE Network

Those overgrown dorks, who walk around on WrestleMania Weekend with expensive replica titles draped over their shoulders with no sense of self-awareness and, obviously, no claim to them whatsoever?

They're supposed to be the fans, not the f*cking talent.

Ahead of the multi-man Intercontinental Title Ladder match at 'Mania 31, the various players involved "stole" the Intercontinental Title, as if that was some personal affront. An obnoxious, symbolic heel gesture traditionally, this swiftly descended into pantomime farce, and illuminated how meaningless the title had and has become. In one of several tonally dissonant angles - this was a very brutal, nominally high-stakes match the vaudeville served to promote - R-Truth stole the gold, and hid it inside of a burlap sack. Bad News Barrett grabbed it back off him, only to raise a replica aloft. He had been outsmarted! By f*cking R-Truth!

This all resulted in one of the superior, more punishing multi-mans in the 'Mania cannon - but Jesus Christ. The whole "I'm going to bring prestige back to the Intercontinental Title!" bit is bad enough.

"I'm going to bring prestige back to the way I look when pretending I am Intercontinental Champion" was not so good, Al.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!