10 Things You Didn’t Know About WWE’s Intercontinental Title

5. The Title Was Redesigned In 1998 Due To Legal Issues

24 hours after his win over Ken Shamrock at WrestleMania XIV, The Rock strolled onto the set of Raw with a brand new Intercontinental Title. The fresh design was rounder than its predecessor, did away with the old gold tip on the leather and was originally presented on a classy purple strap.

The re-design was necessary for one reason and one reason only: legalities.

Reggie Parks owned the design rights for the classic version of the title, so Vince McMahon commissioned J-Mar Championship Belts to make him a new one. The motif had to be vastly different to the older design so Parks couldn't cry foul and claim that the WWF were ripping off his work. That was why it was such a departure.

Most probably won't remember the dark purple leather look at all either. It was only that colour for a short spell before the strap darkened with age, turned black and had more of a menacing, professional look. Who knows, maybe the purple was supposed to match one of Rocky's vibrant shirts.