Jeff Jarrett Gives His Honest Verdict On WWE Intercontinental Championship’s Redesign

WWE legend Jeff Jarrett has thrown his full support behind the redesign of the Intercontinental Title by arguing that it shows the "evolution of the championship."

WWE brought back a modified version of the classic championship title design, which featured a white strap, back in 2011.

But fast-forward to 2019 and the wrestling promotion introduced a brand-new design, shifting back to the black strap and introducing a significantly larger centre plate.

WWE was met with backlash from some fans for altering the popular design, but Jarrett doesn't feel the same way about the prestigious championship's redesign.

Speaking to SPORTbible in an exclusive interview, the six-time IC champ suggested the redesign did "exactly what it was designed [to do], figuratively and literally."

The 52-year-old WWE Hall of Famer explained: "That's something that with change... there's two things about change: it's inevitable, it's always gonna happen and not everybody's gonna like it.

"As a matter of fact, most people don't like change on any level.

WWE

WWE

"So, the original design had quite a lot of emotional connection and, quite frankly, to a lot of folks to their childhood or to their earliest memories of professional wrestling and certainly going down the line to [Randy] Savage and [Ricky] Steamboat and Mr Perfect, Shawn Michaels, Razor Ramon.

"As the champions rolled along, that design, whether it was the black leather or the white leather, there was a real emotional connection.

"So when they changed it and, you know, it goes without saying that the IC Title has had its ups and downs over the last 10-plus years or so, which makes the 'Golden Era,' so to speak, of the championship before there was so many in one organisation and so many quite frankly across the world.

"Because you've got promotions in Japan, in Mexico and literally all over the world, so the championship title they're much more known than they used to be -- you know, in WCW they had the US Title.

"So the redesign of a belt, to me, did exactly what it was designed, figuratively and literally, that it was the evolution of the championship, but it also got people talking about that title."

Jarrett, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018, amassed an impressive championship haul during his long-standing wrestling career.

But 'Double J' never managed to capture the WWE Championship during his time with the promotion, despite winning the WCW World Heavyweight Championship four times.

When SPORTbible asked Jarrett if him never winning the WWE Championship 'wasn't meant to be,' he responded: "Without question, it wasn't meant to be.

WWE

WWE

"You know, early '90s I was on that track of the IC Title and then I went to the other organisation, WCW, I won the US Title and then the next progression was the World Title.

"So, as far as me and the WWE Title, it just wasn't meant to be. It's not a regret. It's just a set of circumstances. That's how it worked out.

"I'm very fortunate, very blessed when I look back over my in-ring career."

Jarrett also praised Elias in his chat with SPORTbible and said the "sky's the limit" for the WWE superstar.

And the WWE legend, who is now a backstage producer, admitted that he would love to see The Undertaker and Sting clash at WrestleMania this year.