10 Worst WWE Moments Of 2002

7. WWE Ditches The Intercontinental Title

Triple H Kane Katie Vick WWE 2002
WWE

Then, they doubled down on title pain at No Mercy in October.

Fans cherished the Intercontinental Title due to its status as a "workhorse belt". Names like Mr. Perfect, Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels furnished IC with a deserved reputation as a guaranteed star-maker which often housed the best match on any given pay-per-view. In more recent times, names like The Rock, Steve Austin and Chris Jericho had cemented that legacy in killer matches.

By late-2002, Vince McMahon apparently thought he had no need for the midcard championship any longer. So, he had Triple H unify it with the brand new World Heavyweight Title at No Mercy by beating reigning IC Champ and recipient of worst character retcon ever Kane in a 'Champion vs. Champion' effort. It was all so unnecessary.

Think about this: WWE had literally just introduced a new title so Raw had a top belt to crow about. Then, they eliminated another (better established) strap for no good reason. Was somebody back there in creative meetings smoking some funny stuff, or was McMahon merely scrambling for ideas to freshen up a stale product and picked the wrong option? You know the answer to that, let's be honest.

One of the most beloved titles in WWF/WWE history was scrapped as collateral when Hunter beat Kane to unify it with the belt he'd been handed a month or so earlier. Nobody wanted this, and nobody had even asked for it. Realising the error of their ways, WWE brought the Intercontinental Title back in May 2003 by crowning Christian at Judgment Day.

What a senseless waste of everyone's time.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.