WWE: 10 Things That Must Happen In The Build-Up For Extreme Rules

8. Intercontinental Championship Focus

When the WWE merged their two top titles last year, many saw this is an opportunity for the mid-card belts to shine €“ particularly the Intercontinental Championship. The World Heavyweight title had essentially assumed the role of the old IC strap, leaving the latter to be held by bit-part players such as Curtis Axel and, less recently, Ezekiel Jackson. But with just one top-tier belt to compete for, this in theory should have increased the competition for the once-prestigious Intercontinental title. In practice, that hasn't happened yet. Things appeared to be looking up when rising star Big E defeated the aforementioned Axel to win the gold, but so far he's defended it just three times in almost five months. The title wasn't even on the card at WrestleMania, and there was not even a mention of it during the PPV's build. That needs to change. A defence at Extreme Rules can be the first step towards rebuilding a championship that was once regarded just as highly as the WWE title itself. And that in itself begins in the PPV's build.