Backstage News on Who Will Likely Be the Next Intercontinental Champion

The latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has provided some backstage news on who will likely be the next Intercontinental Champion. The report claims that as of July 3, Cesaro is the frontrunner to be victorious in the Intercontinental Championship Battle Royal that will be held at “Battleground” on July 20.

Many different factors point to Cesaro as the apparent superstar that will be bringing home Intercontinental gold after “Battleground” is over. During the first official week of build towards the PPV, Cesaro was pinned by Kofi Kingston and Dolph Ziggler. He also gets bested by another former Intercontinental Champion during the July 4 edition of “Smackdown.” You can read full spoilers for that episode here.

Another factor is that The Swiss Superman is thought very highly of behind-the-scenes. Everyone backstage apparently praises him for his personal drive and ring work. Cesaro, along with Bray Wyatt and Roman Reigns, is someone that WWE officials believe will be a major star soon.

According to the report, Cesaro could be one of the top superstars in the company by WrestleMania 31, and the losses he’s taking now aren’t supposed to matter (at least that’s what WWE brass believes). One of the reasons Cesaro did not win the Intercontinental Championship during the recent tournament is because the booking of the previous booking with the title. Previous booking for the IC and U.S. championships was handled so poorly, that superstars like Cesaro, Big E, Kofi Kingston, and even recently Sheamus have ended up less over with the crowd after holding the straps.

There has been only one exception to the rule as of late. Bad News Barrett’s character had just begun to pick up speed with the WWE Universe when he won the IC title, and it seemed to only get stronger once the belt was in his possession. Sadly, Barrett had to be stripped of the title due to his inability to compete at this time. Barrett suffered a separated shoulder on June 24, and is currently scheduled to be out of the ring for several months.

WWE is hoping that Intercontinental Championship lightening can strike twice in the last few months, and that Cesaro will be able to elevate the title while holding it. It will take strong booking for Cesaro in order for this to happen, and WWE officials seem ready to go this route.

Rumors have been making their way around the Internet for sometime about Cesaro’s eventual separation from Paul Heyman and full-on face turn. Many believe that Cesaro will face Lesnar sometime this year as the catalyst for that face push. However, the two may work together first.

Plans have been discussed backstage about having Cesaro reigning as Intercontinental Champion while Brock Lesnar reigns as WWE World Heavyweight Champion. This would establish Paul Heyman with a stable of power, and would help elevate Cesaro and the IC title being associated closely to the “most powerful man in the company,” the WWE World Heavyweight Champion. This is just one road WWE officials can take to push Cesaro though, and this plan could never come to fruition.

All that’s understood currently, is that Cesaro is the man that many are putting their money on to leave “Battleground” as the new Intercontinental Champion. What happens after that? That is the question.

Editor’s Note
Cesaro would be my first choice as well. Makes sense. I would LOVE to see him as IC champ while Lesnar is WWE WHC. Heyman with a new “Dangerous” Alliance?! Would be sick.