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

4. ... And Again In 2011

The legal worries all kicked off again in 2011.

WWE plumped for a classic redesign of the secondary strap that year, and they had Joe Marshall of J-Mar belts make it. The problem here was that Marshall was working off a design sheet eerily similar (ahem) to the one Reggie Parks had used back in the mid-'80s. Midwest Belts (Parks' company) immediately contacted the company and had it pulled from TV.

They then negotiated their own deal with WWE to make a new Intercontinental Title inspired by their prior work. Knowing they likely didn't have a leg to stand on legally by getting someone else to do effectively the same thing, WWE pressed ahead with Midwest and their plans to redesign.

Parks retooled the J-Mar creation to be more in line with what he'd done over 20 years before. As with most of Midwest's creations, this new IC belt had a polished sheen to it that looked great on camera, and it helped Cody Rhodes' new heel persona get over. He instantly had the attention of old-school fans with this new twist on a classic around his waist.