Beloved by many as the most gorgeous-looking wrestling title belt ever, the classic Intercontinental Title design didn’t need modifying—but those modifications did not cheapen its beautiful, enigmatic appeal. There’s no analogous shape, nor an appropriate adjective for it; whether through its design or its array of technical master holders, the belt simply looks as precise and elegant as the matches that make up its legend.
The Ultimate Warrior’s yellow strap was typical of the man, vibrant and idiosyncratic, while Shawn Michaels’ pastel blue was as good-looking as he was.
Best of the bunch by some distance was the gold-strapped Goldust vintage—a sight so exquisite one could only run one’s hands up one’s chest in admiration of it.
Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!
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