WWE Honours Pat Patterson In Unique Way On SmackDown
Fallen friend Pat Patterson got more than just a tribute video on Friday's SmackDown...
WWE paid tribute to fallen great Pat Patterson on Friday's episode of SmackDown.
Vince McMahon's longtime lieutenant and close personal friend got the usual video package treatment, but the company had something else in store to honour Pat's memory. It is, however, worth noting that the video was a typically-excellent and emotional three minutes of archive footage.
Throughout, Patterson himself was shown singing Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' classic.
Then, WWE put on a special six-man tag-team bout that Pat probably would've been proud of. In a nice touch, it featured five former Intercontinental Champions and reigning champ Sami Zayn. He teamed with Shinsuke Nakamura and Dolph Ziggler to face Daniel Bryan, Big E and Rey Mysterio.
Rather predictably, the babyfaces were handed the win, but this was a neat send off for Pat's legacy. Most fans will know that Patterson was the first ever Intercontinental Champion. He won a fictitious 1979 tournament in Rio de Janeiro to become the inaugural titleholder.
Since then, the IC belt has had a topsy turvy history. Despite that, it's still highly regarded by fans, and is generally considered a 'workhorse' belt.