10 Memorable WWE Moments From Sunday Night Heat
5. Chris Benoit Vs. Chris Jericho Vs. Hardcore Holly Vs. Val Venis (Intercontinental Championship)
In mid-2000, Chris Benoit was making a bit of a habit of defending his Intercontinental Championship on Sunday Night Heat. Having defended the title against Rikishi a week earlier, Benoit would return to the Sunday night show to answer the challenge of Chris Jericho, Hardcore Holly and Val Venis under Fatal 4 Way rules.
With three men gunning for his gold, the champion had his work cut out for him and the pace was frenetic from the opening bell. In a refreshing change from the norm, the commentary team focused on the match at hand and did a great job of putting over the credibility of the challengers as deserving contenders for the title.
Coupled with the constant action in the ring, the match really helped to showcase the quality of the IC Division and, despite titles rarely changing hands on Heat, there was genuine feeling in the air that any one of the combatants could walk away with the gold.
After just five minutes of non-stop action, Benoit stole the victory from under Jericho's nose by pinning Holly while Jericho made Venis tap to the Walls of Jericho simultaneously. The controversial finish protected both men, while it also helped reinforce the storied rivalry between Jericho and Benoit that was prevalent at the time.