IWA Intercontinental Championship


The IWA Intercontinental Championship is a secondary professional wrestling title defended in Puerto Rico. It was originally defended in the original International Wrestling Association, later being reintroduced in the World Wrestling League. The title was used since 2002, when Super Crazy became the first champion, defeating Eddie Guerrero at the very first Ring of Honor event, The Era of Honor Begins, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The championship was modified in 2009, changing the original black belt to another colored red.
In 2021, Fernando Tonos and Manny Ferno created the group La Alianza IWE with the intention of completing a hostile takeover on behalf of International Wrestling Entertainment. Members of the stable won all of the IWA-PR titles. In response, general manager Chicky Starr and Savio Vega introduced parallel titles for each division in March 2022. While the storyline continued, there was a pair of belts contested independently of each other, with the original being referenced to as the "IWE Intercontinental Championship".

History

In early 2015, while Vega was part of La Radio PR's "Más Allá del Ring" show, the title made appearances as part of the studio's decore along the Undisputed World Heavyweight and World Tag Team Championships.
Reintroduced by Savio Vega as part of the main angle of Golpe de Estado 2018, in which he led a group that intended to convert the WWL into the second incarnation of the IWA. At the event, Richard Rondón carried the title with him. Despite IWA failing at Golpe de Estado, the angle was continued. In the meantime, the Intercontinental Championship was featured in an event sponsored by the municipal administration of Naranjito, still lacking formal adjudication.

Reintroduction (2019)

On June 15, 2019, in Naranjito, Puerto Rico IWA started doing matches to determine a new Intercontinental Champion. the new champion will be determined at Golpe de Estado in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico on September 7, 2019. On August 24 edition of Impacto Total, Chicky Starr announced that Monster Pain would replace Sweet Nasty Papi due he was beaten and unable to participate at the event.

Tournament

Belt designs

The original was crafted by Reggie Parks using acid etching in 2002, it used the same basic template that this craftsman has used in the 1986 WWE Intercontinental Championship belt and other titles in his line. Like those belts, the IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship had a main plate composed by three gilded rectangles of receding size, which due to usage exposed the silver coloring underneath. The central area of the design features a geographical World Map inside a circle, flanked by the same design of six five-pointed stars grouped together. Above and under are three black-colored ribbons, with the upper one prominently reading “INTERCONTINENTAL” and the inferior pair “HEAVYWEIGHT WRESTLING CHAMPION”. The lower part features two eight-pointed stars, an element that is also present in the Parks belts. The crown of the belt has the acronym, “IWA”, inside a trapezoid that is surrounded by leaf motifs. There are four two side square side plates which originally featured designs of wrestlers grappling under the company name. These were replaced with ones that depict the flags of Puerto Rico, Japan, Germany and the United States with their capitalized names over each. The title was modified in 2009, when strap was replaced with a new made of red-colored leather. The template was shared with the IWA Hardcore Championship and later the IWA Puerto Rico/Caribbean Heavyweight Championship.
In 2021, IWA-PR commissioned new belts to commemorate its 20th anniversary from Collection Spot. The Intercontinental Heavyweight Championship was replaced with an original design, which was based on the original. The new belt featured an oblong central plaque that preserved the World Map and ribbons. However, it introduced two flanking black ribbons which contained five stars and widespread use of heraldic wreath motifs and mantling. The grouping of six stars forming another star, a feature created by Parks and present in many of his designs, was used inside a circle placed at the bottom of the central plaque. The side plates were redesigned to be circular and removing the flags. Both feature maps surrounded by two ribbons with five stars and wreaths, with the left plaque depicting the Western Hemisphere and the right the Eastern Hemisphere. All three plates include a silver-colored IWA logo at the top. Meanwhile, the original belt was repurposed as the IWE Intercontinental Championship with a sticker of the stable's logo being placed over the "IWA" in the crown of the center plate.

Title history


#WrestlersReignDateDays
held		LocationEventNotesRef
1Super Crazy1February 23, 2002Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaROH : The Era of Honor BeginsDefeated Eddie Guerrero at Ring of Honor's debut show to become the first champion.
2"El Lobo" Andy Anderson1April 6, 2002Carolina, Puerto RicoJuicio Final II
3Super Crazy2April 13, 2002Bayamón, Puerto RicoWon the title by forfeit due to Lobo being injured.
4Anarchy1April 20, 2002Bayamón, Puerto Rico
5Chicano1May 18, 2002Caguas, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
6"El Lobo" Andy Anderson2August 24, 2002Toa Baja, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
VacantOctober 5, 2002Bayamón, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping-
7Justin Sane1October 5, 2002Bayamón, Puerto RicoIWA TV TapingDefeated Diabólico.
8Eric Alexander1November 2, 2002Bayamón, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
9Abyss1December 14, 2002Carolina, Puerto RicoChristmas in PR
10Glamour Boy Shane1December 15, 2002San Germán, Puerto RicoChristmas in PR
11Nord1March 8, 2003Toa Baja, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
12Chicano2April 19, 2003Bayamón, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
13Ricky Banderas1July 26, 2003Bayamón, Puerto RicoIWA TV TapingAlso Defeated Vampiro to win his 5th reign for the IWA Hardcore Championship on July 12, 2003 in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Banderas Defeated Vampiro again to win his 6th for the IWA Hardcore Championship on October 7, 2003 in Kissimmee, Florida.
VacantNovember 28, 2003Manatí, Puerto RicoHardcore Weekend -
14David Flair1November 28, 2003Manatí, Puerto RicoHardcore Weekend Defeated Ray Gonzalez for the vacant championship.
15Ray González1November 30, 2003Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
16Invader I1December 27, 2003Carolina, Puerto Rico
17Glamour Boy Shane2April 24, 2004Cayey, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
18Bison1November 20, 2004Bayamón, Puerto RicoHardcore Weekend
19Slash Venom1February 12, 2005Caguas, Puerto RicoIWA TV TapingThis was a Steel Cage match.
20Kasey James1February 25, 2005Gurabo, Puerto Rico
21Ricky Banderas2March 27, 2005Guayanilla, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
22Jean-Pierre Lafitte1April 16, 2005Caguas, Puerto Rico
23Ricky Banderas3June 18, 2005Carolina, Puerto RicoWon the title in a Steel Cage match.
24Hannibal1September 29, 2005Gurabo, Puerto Rico
25Noriega1October 9, 2005Toa Baja, Puerto Rico
26Invader I2November 5, 2005Bayamon, Puerto Rico
26Chicano3January 28, 2006Levittown, Puerto Rico
27Ray González2March 11, 2006Bayamón, Puerto Rico
VacantJune 18, 2006Yabucoa, Puerto Rico-
28Magnificent Chris1July 15, 2006Toa Baja, Puerto RicoWon a battle royal, last eliminating Joe Bravo.
29Chicano4October 14, 2006Caguas, Puerto RicoHardcore Weekend
30Mr. Big1January 5, 2007Isabela, Puerto RicoHisteria Boricua
31Lightning1January 20, 2007Levittown, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
32El Diamante 1April 15, 2007Isabela, Puerto Rico
33"Jumpin" Jeff Jeffrey1May 19, 2007Carolina, Puerto RicoJuicio Final - La Revancha
VacantJuly 28, 2007Carolina, Puerto Rico-
34Vito1August 18, 2007Bayamón, Puerto RicoArmagedón Defeated El Bacano.
VacantOctober 2, 2007Yabucoa, Puerto Rico-
35Richard Rondón1January 6, 2008Bayamón, Puerto RicoHisteria Boricua Won a battle royal.
36Romeo1March 15, 2008Caguas, Puerto RicoIWApr.tv Exclusive
37Richard Rondón2May 17, 2008Bayamón, Puerto RicoJuicio Final VIII
VacantJuly 12, 2008Bayamón, Puerto Rico-
38Romeo2July 19, 2008Bayamón, Puerto RicoSummer Attitude Defeated Mr. Big.
39Mr.Big2July 27, 2008Levittown, Puerto RicoSummer Attitude - La Revancha
40Richard Rondón3August 23, 2008Levittown, Puerto RicoRoad to ArmaggedonBefore the match Romeo attacks brutally Mr. Big, later in the same night Richard Rondón returns and Defeated Romeo to become the new IWA Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion.
41Joe Bravo1October 4, 2008Isabela, Puerto RicoGolpe de Estado
42Super Crazy3February 14, 2009Bayamón, Puerto RicoNoche de Campeones
43Rick Stanley1May 16, 2009Bayamón, Puerto RicoJuicio Final
44Diabólico1July 18, 2009Bayamón, Puerto RicoIWA 10th Anniversary
45Joe Bravo2October 10, 2009Bayamón, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
46Dennis Rivera1October 28, 2009Sabana Grande, Puerto Rico
47Joe Bravo3January 16, 2010Aguas Buenas, Puerto RicoIWA TV Taping
48Noel Rodríguez1April 17, 2010Bayamón, Puerto RicoJuicio Final
49Gilbert1June 26, 2010Bayamón, Puerto RicoV Copa José Miguel Pérez
50Noel Rodríguez2July 17, 2010Bayamón, Puerto RicoSummer Attitude Defeated Gilbert in a TLC match.
51Diabólico2August 7, 2010Toa Alta, Puerto RicoBack to SchoolDefeated Ash Rubinsky and Noel Rodríguez in 3-way match.
52Chris Angel1December 5, 2010Bayamón, Puerto RicoChristmas in P.R After Diabólico no showed the match, Chris Angel Defeated Savio Vega in his in-ring debut to win the vacant title.
53El Ilegal 2October 28, 2011Toa Alta, Puerto RicoHalloween Mayhem
54Zcion1February 11, 2012Toa Alta, Puerto RicoKaos and OdisseyDefeated El Ilegal, Jay-Cobs and Enigma in a 4-way match.
DeactivatedJune 16, 2012When IWA closed-
55Huracan Castillo1September 7, 2019<1dayGuaynabo, Puerto RicoGolpe de Estado The President of IWA, Savio Vega named Huracan Castillo as the Tournament Champion by default and the New IWA Intercontinental Champion.
56Monster Pain1September 7, 2019Guaynabo, Puerto RicoGolpe de Estado
57Electro1November 30, 2019Trujillo Alto, Puerto RicoHardcore Weekend
58Manny Ferno1March 7, 2020Humacao, Puerto RicoHisteria Boricua
59Chicano5November 20, 2021Manati, Puerto RicoImpacto Total
60Mighty Ursus1November 21, 2021Manati, Puerto RicoImpacto Total
61Chicano6December 11, 2021Humacao, Puerto RicoChristmas in P.R During his reign on January 22, 2022, Chicano was viciously attacked by Mighty Ursus, with the latter stealing his title and unofficially self-proclaimed himself as Champion, with him calling referring it as the IWE Intercontinental Championship or just as Intercontinental Championship as Tonos and the alliance takeover control of titles
62Khriz Díaz 1February 19, 2022Manati, Puerto RicoImpacto TotalAfter legitimate champion Chicano was viciously injured and was not available to defend for 3 months, in a meeting between Vega, Tonos, Ferno and Promoter Edwin Ortega. 4th contender Díaz was awarded the title by Manny Ferno who was the number 1 contender after he withdrew from a signed match at the meeting between him and Díaz were second and third contenders respectively and were out with injuries.
63Niche 1April 30, 2022Humacao, Puerto RicoJuicio Final IWA crowned a new IWA Intercontinental Champion in a X Match also involved Ezdraz, El Hijo Del Enigma, Dean Rose & Azazel
64Electro 2April 30, 2022Humacao, Puerto RicoJuicio Final
65Khriz Diaz 2May 28, 2022Vega Baja, Puerto RicoLa Gran Amenaza Defeated Electro in a rematch to win the IWE Intercontinental Championship, in other side Niche retains the IWA Intercontinental Championship
66Aiden Grimm 1June 18, 2022Humacao, Puerto RicoSummer Attitude Defeated Khris Diaz to win the IWE Intercontinental belt.
67Azazel 1June 18, 2022Humacao, Puerto RicoSummer Attitude Defeated El Niche to win the IWA Intercontinental belt.
68Niche 2July 30, 2022Guaynabo, Puerto RicoSummer Attitude Defeated Azazel to win the IWA Intercontinental belt.
69Manú 1 IWE half / 2 UndisputedJuly 30, 2022Guaynabo, Puerto RicoSummer Attitude Defeated Aiden Grimm to win the IWE half, months later during his reign he defeated Niche on November 19 to win the IWA half, unifying the belts and became the Undisputed IWA Intercontinental champion. Ending the IWA/IWE title dispute storyline
68Azazel2February 4, 2023Humacao, Puerto RicoVendetta
69Manú3February 25, 2023Unknown River locationImpacto TotalThis was a segment-match, defeated Azazel to win the IWA title in a last man standing match that started in the parking lot of Coliseo Emilio Huyke and ended in an unknown river, where the former champion drowned and did not respond.
70John Hawking1November 18, 2023+Juncos, Puerto RicoMano DuraDuring this reign, on the September 28 Golpe de Estado event, Hawking defeat Pedro Portillo III in a triple title match for the IWA World Heavyweight Championship, Heavyweight Championship, the IWA Puerto Rico Championship and retained his IWA Intercontinental Championship.