This week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown opened with Sami Zayn defending the Intercontinental Championship against Ricochet. In the weeks leading up to this match, Zayn has been embroiled in a feud with Johnny Knoxville of Jackass fame. In fact, their most recent encounter became physical, with Knoxville being laid out by WWE’s resident conspiracy theorist. This particular grudge proved to be the source of bad karma for Zayn, however, leading into this title defense. Ricochet ended the match by winning his first Intercontinental Championship.
Zayn seemed to have the match at hand. However, Knoxville made his way up the ramp, taunting his rival. Knoxville didn’t step into the ring, only standing at ringside as Zayn mouthed off to him. However, this gave Ricochet the opportunity he needed. He caught Zayn with a hurricanrana into a pinning attempt. One pinfall later and Ricochet captured the Intercontinental Championship, leaving Knoxville pleasantly surprised and the former champion stunned.
We've got a new Intercontinental Champion!!!!#SmackDown #ICTitle @KingRicochet pic.twitter.com/mcUUqfhsoE
— WWE (@WWE) March 5, 2022
Ricochet Wins the Intercontinental Championship
What to Know Following Title Change on SmackDown
As mentioned earlier, this win marks the first time that Ricochet has held the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Furthermore, it’s his first title victory in nearly 3 years, previously winning the United States Championship in June of 2019. It’s also worth noting that Ricochet is a former NXT North American Champion, having won the title in August of 2018. Now that Ricochet is the new Intercontinental Championship, WWE fans should expect him to hold onto his newly won title before defending it at WrestleMania later this April.
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