Jim Cornette on The Most Prestigious Secondary Title In Wrestling History

From Episode 481 of the Jim Cornette Experience
Guest Artist: Steve McGinnis
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[@Devypocalypse]

The IC title from the early 80s until the mid 90s was epic. Even headlined a big four event in front of the LEGIT biggest WWE audience that wasnt inflated. The names alone...Valentine, Santana, Savage, Steamboat, Honky, Warrior, Hennig, Von Erich, Hart, Bulldog, Piper, Hall, Michaels. A few names inbetween but look at that roll call alone. Pretty much every rivalry/storyline is still memorable. Special days.

[@nohbuddy1]

Don't forget The Mountie

[@chico1680]

​@@nohbuddy1 He always gets his man

[@kar5431]

Don’t forget Muraco. He was one of my favorite IC champ.

[@televiper11]

Let’s not forget Patera, Muraco, & Morales. They headlined shows as IC champs

[@dkupke]

I rate The Rock as the last IC champ we’re it Veit like it’s old self

[@mickeymojito]

Miss the old days when the IC title meant you were on your way to being World Champ. Wish it was still a stepping stone like that

[@NotThatJonesShow]

Idk I think Gunther is building that title up pretty good and I can totally see him as heavyweight champ or even just WWE champ in the next 3 or 4 years if they don't completely ruin his pretty solid booking so far with Mustafa

[@ericbwalsh]

Right now with Gunther holding it - seems like it’s more close to that than it has been in a while

[@nohbuddy1]

Lol that rarely happened actually

[@Kratosx23]

It never meant that. Razor Ramon, Roddy Piper, Owen Hart, Mr. Perfect, Honky Tonk Man, Ricky Steamboat, Rick Rude, Don Muraco, Tito Santana, British Bulldog, Jeff Jarrett, Goldust, Ken Shamrock, Road Dogg, Val Venis, D'Lo Brown, Dean Douglas, The Godfather, Rikishi, Billy Gunn, Albert, Shelton Benjamin, etc. Not one of those guys ever became the WWF/WWE Champion.

[@mattm6580]

Patterns in randomness

[@RailsChicago]

Jim needs to write an all-encompassing book about the territory-era of wrestling. Just an insane amount of knowledge that should be documented in one place.

[@getbn6547]

That thing Kurt Angle wears around his broken frickin' neck is the most prestigious title in wrestling history.

[@josephrother7950]

Just in my lifetime, I have to give props to what RVD was able to do for the ECW TV title, and also acknowledge that the TNA X Division title did have its day.

[@silentbob3208]

RVD was THE MAN back during his TV title reign...which he never lost, by the way.

[@matthewelliott2213]

Definitely the title holder, not the title. Great point

[@dannycruz5446]

RVD made the TV title more talked about than the ECW World title

[@NoPe-304]

ECW TV title is still defended to this day on the indie circuit

[@kingslayer2999]

​​@@NoPe-304 How can the ECW Television title be officially defended on the indies when ECW is Dead the WWE owns it and Rhino was the last person to hold the TV title ?

[@bipolarminddroppings]

The IC belt was more important to me as a kid than the WWF Championship, I wasn't a Hogan or Warrior fan and I loved guys like Shawn and Bret

[@claybaxter3202]

Same here. I liked the matches and stories better that surrounded the belt.

[@joshuacobb2842]

Yep razor and mr. Perfect as well

[@Marc_Araujo]

I always dug the WCW World Television championsip when I watched WCW Saturday Night and WCW WorldWide as a kid.

[@chico1680]

WCWs workers title

[@mcgannahanskyjellyfetti6854]

​@@chico1680 Yeah, guys like Renagade Warrior and Hacksaw Jim Duggan... 🙄

[@originalhuggies9740]

@@mcgannahanskyjellyfetti6854 That was Arn Anderson's title.

[@markdejonge937]

theirs a few titles i liked in wcw a few short lived ones in the early 90s

[@AxeDharme]

TV title was the tertiary title, not secondary. US title was their secondary belt.

[@HessenUK]

Great question. Need more of this content.

[@calvinperson9732]

The Mid-Atlantic US title was the best imo . So many greats held that title . Flair , Greg the Hammer , Steamboat , Magnum TA , BlackJack , Piper , Wahoo, Tully n Nikita just name a few . US Tag - Team tiltes mostly due to the Midnight Express n Steiner Brothers . IC in WWF , World TV title Mid Atlantic , Florida Heavyweight were important belts

[@jamesanderson3913]

Magnum T.A. !!👍👍💜

[@johngallagher72]

In the 80s for sure the US title was the most important title after the three world champions.

[@markdejonge937]

id even add in the freebirds with the us tag titles

[@toddhawk9921]

For me, the Missouri State title was one of the most important secondary championships in wrestling. Especially considering its connection to the NWA world title and the talent level of the men who held the belt, along with the competition in the St. Louis promotion. Classic!

[@peytonlong5573]

Gunther is giving the ic title the vibe it use to have

[@iamdb1990]

how does Steve draw Jim so accurately? it's scary

[@Frekiwolf]

😉 He lives in the walls of Cornette Castle. 😜

[@AlphariusDominatus]

Arn Anderson with the WCW TV Title has a special place in my heart

[@QAZ-OMEN]

I have to say the WWE IC title is the most prestigious, even beating out the new WHC and the Universal Championships and aew and impact world championships. The only other championship I would want a replica of is the Million Dollar Championship

[@JPS47]

The WCW US title and even the WWE US title when Benoit and Eddie had it in the early 00's was close to reaching the IC title's prestige.

[@SirManfly]

For me though the WWE’s IC title is the most prestigious “secondary” title there’s ever been!

[@johngallagher72]

The US title all through the mid to late 80s was def more prestigious than the IC title.

[@silentbob3208]

Instantly, the WWF/E Intercontinental championship came to mind and I don't think any other title comes close.

[@steveapken6803]

Nice drawing of the Missouri state title on the left, that I grew up watching.

[@johngallagher72]

Who would you say was the quintessential Missouri state champ Harley ? ...I actually remember reading the Apter magazine article...Kerry Von Erich vs Harley Race ...Gateway to the NWA title. As an 80s kid in Toronto Canada who only got WWF (i missed NWA Toronto by about a year . .I became a fan in 85) ...I would have killed to see Wrestling at the Chase 👍

[@steveapken6803]

@@johngallagher72 For me it has to be Race. Ted Dibiase, who I met this past Saturday, was right up there also. Winning that title is like a who's who of wrestling. If you were anyone or wanted to be someone you had to wrestle in St Louis.

[@rodneyholmes5260]

Going to say the U.S. Title. So many greats have held it. Many of whom were world champions at some point.

[@joemckim1183]

This debate really comes down to IC vs. US title. Other secondary titles are competing for 3rd place in this competition.

[@nickm2483]

Warrior vs Rick Rude at Summerslam 89 is easily my favourite ever IC match.

[@mr._muji]

The AEW TNT Championship is uniquely prestigious in its own way. Instead of the champion being elevated, they get booked to oblivion courtesy of Booker of the Year.

[@MichaelSmith-fq6hz]

It’s the anti-championship. Instead of getting guys over, it gets them under

[@Bjaerke]

And AEW has the FTW title around. A title that means absolutely nothing. So the TNT title bombing guys is kind of an achievement.

[@reinerzufall9097]

WCW TV Title. The work Horse Belt. Defended almost every week or so. But i think It was only the 3rd Titel of the Brand.

[@prestonpfeiffer]

Jim doesn’t want to admit it because its 80s/90s WWF but the Intercontinental Title is the answer and its not even close. In terms of prestige: Pat Patterson,Randy Savage,Ricky Steamboat,Honky Tonk Man,Warrior,Rick Rude,Curt Henning,Kerry Von Erich,Roddy Piper,Bret Hart,Shawn Michaels,Scott Hall,Dustin Rhodes/Goldust,Owen Hart,Steve Austin,HHH,The Rock,RVD…the lineage of the belt up until like 2002/2003 was Top Tier

[@chrischar9428]

Missouri Title. Funks. Jack Brisco. Flair. Kiniski. Backlund. Von Erich. World Champions. Murdoch, Patera, Von Erichs, DiBiase , Slater, DiBiase. Dick the Bruiser, Blackwell.

[@johngallagher72]

​@@chrischar9428match point to you 👍

[@scotthalvorson1161]

I would say magnums US title

[@jasonb5613]

Before I even start watching the video, I loved the TV title as a kid. A lot of great wrestlers held that strap.

[@mysonandme8424]

US title from the NWA/eatly WCW days. You were the automatic number one content to the champ. And for tag titles, US tag team titles from the same era. The TV title fromm the NWA was awesome too.

[@pleaseshutup7053]

X division always stood out to me

[@PauloTheGeek]

Yeah as the worst? Absolutely ridiculous how TNA never defined what the hell it was or meant lol

[@OongTheLastAirbender]

lol yikes...

[@pleaseshutup7053]

@@PauloTheGeek they definitely defined what it means. High paced , high flying extreme wrestling fast paced wtf are you talking about it wasn’t a weight class like a crusierweight the only requirement is to go all out

[@d.52555]

@@pleaseshutup7053 thank you, “no limits and no weight limits” was always mentioned when it came to the x division.

[@JamesSmith-uc8tk]

Growing up in the mid 80s in Virginia, it felt like the US Title was the most important secondary title. It signified you were the #1 contender to the World Title. Since the WWF at the time only had the IC Title, it was the most important singles title outside of the World Title. Nowadays, secondary titles don't seem to mean squat. AEW obviously doesn't make them to be important or for the holders to be at least somewhat relavant to the World Title picture. From what I hear of the WWF, none of the titles are important.

[@zeromagnum2811]

the past year has restored the ic titles importance. and Roman's storyline has made the world title matter. the tag belts were elevated with the bloodline story. the us title is kinda mid and not at the level of the ic. but its not buried either. WWE is better now than it was 3 or 2 years ago.

[@lilsunny7399]

The IC title is definitely important right now thanks to the incredible work of WALTER/Gunther. He's held it for over a year now, defending it on PPV in great matches with established talent. His match with Sheamus at Clash at the Castle 2022 was insane.

[@zeromagnum2811]

@@lilsunny7399 yeah. and the triple threat with Sheamus and Drew at mania was just as good if not a little better than clash at the castle.

[@michaelrood2751]

“Well it, eeeecchhh” How Jim starts answering a question.

[@TheTheme]

It was the IC title until the miz got it then it lost prestige. Even though Albert and Ezekiel Jackson got it, they at least were threats. Gunther is bringing it back to prestigious meaning.

[@adarbarrush]

Apart from the obvious, the old IC title, the us title in Jim crockett and for a while in wcw, the cruiserweight title with malenko,Benoit, Jericho etc

[@georgen5882]

Cruiserweight is a good call, but I think it still falls a little short. A lot of people don’t realize how important that division was in WCW at the time. They were really the workhorses of the company. Jericho talked about it at one point. They went out and put on a show every time with shit I had never seen. I was an old school WWF fan and had not seen the lucha libre style before. The style mixed with the talent they had made some really fun matches. WCW did a lot wrong but the Cruiserweight was not one of them.

[@adarbarrush]

@@georgen5882 yeah, hence why I said for a while, that period, I'd say from 1995-1999, the wcw cruiserweight guys were,at times,the highlight of nitro.And I agree,it was a rare moment of wcw getting something 100% right,until they ruined it of course

[@johngallagher72]

Maybe Lawlers dominance of the Southern title or maybe the way the Apter mags wrote about it elevated its importance . But in the 80s it always seemed Lawler was exchanging this belt with one big name or another and while its ptobably not the most prestigious secondary title it should get honourable mention.

[@jeffreymarksworld534]

I know Jim's answer will probably be different but there's only one option and it's the IC title

[@PutskyF77]

Missouri HW champion lol gotta love Corny sticking to his roots no matter what. But the old IC and U.S titles from the late 80's through the 90's when they actually meant something were great. Those titles on guys like Rick Rude (both), Sting, Scott Hall (both), Bret Hart (both), HBK, Mr. Perfect (both), Stone Cold (both), etc looked great.

[@jasonlane1528]

The IC champ was THE secondary title in wrestling but Tully & Magnum made the US title much more important, especially with the blood spilled with the Nikita koloff - Magnum feud after. I would still go with IC belt but not by much

[@1972Russianwolf]

NWA Television Championship - that Tully defended in Crockett

[@DTA550]

When Tully Blanchard held the NWA Television Championship you couldn't tell the man he wasn't the shyt.

[@nealfeldpausch715]

The kid in me enjoyed the 80s and early 90s when the IC title and US title usually meant next was the world title. But my fav was TV title in NWA/WCW. Got to see them every week.

[@SLAPTALK]

I remember the Western States Heritage Championship belt in the NWA held by Barry Windham. 🤔

[@Anand-xs9ii]

The intercontinental title in the late 80's & early 90's was de workhorse title because we got 20 minute to 30 minute bangers.

[@TheEnzyme94]

I love to hear these title questions!!! I will say to answer the posed question, it depends on the era! And it also delends on the company. The prestige is always changing. This is just my opinion.

[@moopert86]

Honestly, I would say Crocket's US heavy weight championship. The guys who held that title for Mid Atlantic/JCP is impressive and they always treated it like a big deal cause most of the time it was the promotion's top title, but it really did classify as secondary cause the NWA title was the big one

[@cedwest9096]

The IC title will always be my favorite Title

[@televiper11]

Didn’t Ken Patera hold the Missouri title and the IC title at the same time for both companies in 1980?!?

[@acesn8s]

Missouri - Florida - Mid Atlantic were big deals at one point. U.S. - National - Intercontinental for the bulk of the 80's.

[@datoad7883]

That WWF IC title used to have the best matches to me with the best wrestlers

[@maceomaceo11]

U.S. title and Missouri title were more important than IC title. The NWA champion was not around much, WWWF/WWF champ was in the same building as the IC title holder.

[@mrdrumz48]

The IC Belt hands down. Austin, The Rock, Bret, Shawn. Nuff said.

[@johngallagher72]

Harley Race Ted Diabse and Kerry Von Erich all held the Missouri Title ...Ric Flair Rick Steamboat Greg Valentine and Piper all had great feuds over the US title

[@anonymousbo0318]

​@johngallagher72 WWE is the company still alive, unlike the promotions that had those belts, little guy. Those belts are definitely second and third after the WWE Intercontinental championship, though. Especially since WWE kept the United States championship alive as well.

[@anonymousbo0318]

​@johngallagher72 Also Ted held the previous incarnation/prototype of the Intercontinental championship when he was WWF North American champion, and Flair, Piper, Valentine, Kerry, and Steamboat are all also former WWE Intercontinental champions as well.

[@matthewhostetter8974]

I'd have to say the WWF/E IC title, even more so now that GUNTHER is making it look special again. It has a long history of great champions and not-so-great ones, but also some iconic storylines and reigns. Savage and Steamboat and Micheals and Razor are among some of the best. We just need it to return to the iconic design we now and love like Cody did with it.

[@mixedmartialoddest]

Can't forget the greatest intercontinental champion of all time, the Honky Tonk Man.

[@doylemurphy152]

The North America Heavyweight Championship was the biggest, literally.

[@williamjablonsky5128]

Yep. Intercontinental title in WWF from about 83-90. Nod to New Japan's IC title when Nakamura held it.

[@michaelmcguigan5278]

It’s gotta be 1978 to 1995 IC Title … I mean nearly every man that won that title in that time frame went on to be the company’s flag bearer .

[@troyworkingsetjohnson2434]

IC was very happy important. Usually went to the best worker in WWF

[@darkstars-torpedoes-of-truth]

These are the best type of video's by far. Jim's knowledge is outstanding.

[@nohbuddy1]

Only Harley Race and Terry Funk won the Missouri title before they won the NWA title the first time. Kerry won the Missouri title before beating Flair but Kerry was never planned to be NWA champ and only got it as a favor

[@chrischar9428]

Backlund pre wwf

[@johngallagher72]

David was headed to the NWA title .

[@nohbuddy1]

@@johngallagher72 Possible

[@johngallagher72]

​@@nohbuddy1from what I understand from Harley and Flair shoot interviews it was pretty much guaranteed. David obviously was huge in Texas but he was also gaining steam across the territories in Florida and St.Louis ...from what I understand it would have def happened.

[@johngallagher72]

Other op makes a great point about Backlund ...another example of this titles importance 👍

[@richardcoreno]

NWA International Heavyweight Championship //// NWA North American Tag Team Championship

[@chrisjames5188]

The intercontinental hasn't meant anything in over 20/25 years unfortunately. The belt has just been diluted with too many other belts about and the likes of the miz holding it like 20 times lol.

[@bigsteve8921]

Macho man and ultimate warrior having IC title always was important

[@_2LiveQ]

The IC title used to mean you were a “Made Guy” to become World Champ or atleast a headliner !

[@KHLB516]

The IC Belt in mid 80s thru until 90 would headline B shows in mid size venues drawing 5-12k ppl 2-4 days a week IC belt headlined B shows from Macho through HTM & Rude then Warrior was drawing way more than NWA/WCW

[@awesomecool3280]

Triple h as world heavyweight champion is probably the best during the ruthless aggression era 😂

[@willjohnboy]

Ic title definitely the workhorse title if you wanted to see pro wrestling in vinces circus the ic title was a pallet cleanser and it main evented summerslam 1992 in front of 80k

[@TonyThompson1981]

This is why I'm not a fan of the amount of titles that WWE currently have.

[@truthhurtz0_0]

This was a really great and interesting question.

[@VyceryonNet]

When I think of a true world champion/ secondary champion in history, it’s 1 who doesn’t have to be there every week, and the promotion elevates the secondary title to modern world champion status while the world champion is on a beach sipping margaritas for all but the ppv/supercard, that’s how you build prestige, as once you reach the top you’re there, so you don’t have to fight every week.

[@JM1993951]

The territories are fascinating to me in how they were able to do business and book anything being an interconnected web of companies. Fast forward to the late 80s and 90s and guys in the same company full time couldn’t get on the same page. The territories obviously couldn’t have been without their drama, but it’s still impressive given how many more guys and egos you’re dealing with.

[@moses0686]

You didn't get paid if you didn't work. That's what hept people on the same page.

[@drexlspivey5828]

When I was 10 or 11 me and my next door neighbour were obsessed with one day winning the NWA/WCW World Television Championship, the silver and red one Arn had in 1990/1991, the very belt in the thumbnail Still to this day my favourite ever belt

[@williewinston1498]

That u.s. title was it for me. AND i loved the design of the nikita koloff/lex luger us title with the red script💯🔥

[@TheMajorBlazer]

I'd rather be soheel than a so-soheel

[@captain-brickhead8317]

IC title... but as soon as WWE bought WCW it became big gold

[@moffjerjerrod1579]

The IC title because it was the secondary title in the one promotion, but in the old NWA there were so many secondary titles it was impossible to keep up with them, much less who had one at any given time. Even the United States title in the NWA had up to 12 different promotions using it.

[@jamesanderson3913]

NWA/Mid Atlantic Wrestling/World Championship Wrestling/ WCCW were all the same company just bought out by different ppl.

[@RIDGEMATIC]

Probably when wwe used the big gold as the secondary world title

[@johnnymack8442]

The intercontinental title used to be that stepping stone for the WWF world title . And that is the most popular and house hole name.

[@MessianicJewJitsu]

US Championship and IC Title

[@joshuaadams738]

The IC champ was the people’s champion. It was the guy that wasn’t the huge guy that Vince loved. It was the smaller guy who was the better wrestler that fans loved or hated. Best champs were IC champs first.

[@paulweston8408]

The Missouri State title was the most important NWA title besides the World Champion.

[@tboland728]

If we ever get a Cornette movie, Jim Parsons has to get the job being Cornette. He could do it perfectly!

[@BUPMY1]

I recently commented in another video regarding the IC belt used to grant you a WWF title shot or step forward to being a main event player. I could be wrong though

[@jd9119]

I want to hear Jim's thoughts on Superstar Billy Graham.

[@always_serpico]

I’ve always gravitated more towards the European Championship, over the Intercontinental Championship. Obviously, the IC title is more historically prestigious- but it was just something really cool about the European title.

[@Matt-cr4vv]

I get liking it but in terms of prestige as you say here it’s nowhere close to the IC or US

[@simonphoenix451]

Yea cause the European territories and dudes were actually all technical and legit imo

[@ericredwine9883]

The intercontinental title USED to be the number 1 number 2 belt in the business. No longer

[@bryguy615]

I think since the iC & US Titles were reestablished in 2003, the US has been the better booked of the two

[@Billinois78]

WWE IC title? No. WWF IC title? Yes.

[@jamirimaj6880]

i wish someone said the AEW International Championship lololololololol

[@mo_musashi_284]

This was a hold my beer moment.

[@patricksloat7228]

Simple the Missouri Heavyweight Champion

[@manemane1ful]

WWE IC championship #1 But IWGP intercontinental had a good 10 year's that it was basically made the main.

[@marcp9926]

I was bombarded with WWF/WWE, so that is that standard I go by. To me, it's the IC, but I don't know the histories of the other regions because it was WWF all the time, every time. Reason why I listen, also always enjoyed Mr. Cornette's antics. You and Heenan, got me going as a kid, when I thought there was a bad versus a good.

[@rogermurray5582]

Rest in Peace 🙏 🪦 Super Star 🌟 Billy Graham Pass away 😢 79

[@jwiese100]

The would be the IC title

[@merrillslaven6921]

He never really answered the question. I was hoping for it.

[@johngallagher72]

He said ...it was the Missouri Title ...this belt meant you were the number 1 contender to the NWA title. There is even old apter magazine card on it called Missouri Title . Gateway to the NWA title.

[@anonymousbo0318]

​@johngallagher72 Except that's bs. Most guys who held that belt didn't win the NWA championship afterward

[@jimwhitt]

In the old days of the 80’s and the early 90’s it would have to be the Wwf ic title or the Jcc television title

[@Sasfoot]

IC Title. Savage, Steamboat, Bret, Shawn, Austin, Rock, HHH, Jericho are among the World Champions who held it.

[@RAZERDsXe]

IC Title it's the only one that has arguably been more elevated than the world title at times

[@Matt-cr4vv]

Secondary titles meant something because the world champion wasn’t around much so the desire for that secondary title actually existed versus it just being a secondary belt. It also used to mean you were probably the next top star but nowadays that just doesn’t exist.

[@ferox965]

I'd say WWF Intercontinental title. It headlined a packed Wembley Stadium in 92.

[@soydegoat]

Iwgp intercontinental was the best Sadly unified

[@RJOSullivan]

Mulligan told me that he gave notice, Vince didn't wanna accept it, so he "pinned himself" in the match on the way out. True or not, it was funny the way he told it. But he was on a ton of meds at the time.

[@danielcody874]

The problem is when WWE introduced a second world title. All the fueds they could of had over the Ic belt went to the WHC. It was unnecessary

[@erikiceberg]

Jim always amazes me with his knowledge

[@insupportofjunhado]

Dumont Network, we're not even listening to wrestling history anymore, but television history. But sure, I get Jim Cornette's point. "Secondary title" as WWE defines it though? Sure, why not the intercontinental title belt. Nothing else that could otherwise be in the conversation uses their "secondary" title that way. Even New Japan, which literally has it's own intercontinental belt, doesn't use it the same way, the fans don't see it that way. New Japan has them vote on whether the IWGP Intercontinental or Heavyweight belts main event the supercards and pay per views.

[@ThailandDantotherescue]

I am not a WWE guy, I will say that up front. However... The WWF / WWE IC title has really been a big deal for decades. The NWA had a few other titles that you really needed in the territory days. You needed something to fight over until Ric Flair came to town.