10 Least Convincing Intercontinental Champions In WWE History

10. Rocky Maivia

At first, it may seem startling to see the smiling face of Dwayne Johnson here. However, even though Johnson would go on to become 'The Rock', the start of his career was very auspicious indeed. Making his debut in late-1996, Rocky Maivia was out-dated as a character from the start. His happy-go-lucky babyface persona did not appeal to a fresh generation of WWF fans. Despite the fact that Maivia wasn't connecting with the audience, he was given the Intercontinental Title in February, 1997. In later years, The Rock would be entirely valid as champion, but that wasn't the case during his first run with the belt. Defeating Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Rocky would only hold the title for around 2 months. In April, he dropped it to Owen Hart on an episode of Raw Is War. Johnson's next run occurred in December, '97. By that point, he was an entirely different character altogether. Morphing into the heel persona of The Rock saved the man's career, because he was floundering as a babyface. Never was that any more evident than when he held the Intercontinental Title. A decade on from the classic Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat bout at WrestleMania III in 1987, Rocky faced The Sultan in a dreary effort at 'Mania 13 in 1997.