In stark contrast to its name, the WWE Intercontinental Championship is largely uni-continental, only rarely defended outside North America.

A recent study concluded that 97.3 per cent of title matches involving the Intercontinental Championship occur in North America — a statistic that seems at odds with the name of the title.

Of the 318 Intercontinental title matches held last year, five happened in Europe, three in Asia, two in Australia, and one in Central America. The other 306 title defences were held within the United States or Canada.

Precisely zero Intercontinental Championship matches were held in Africa or Antarctica.

“This is a blatant case of misrepresentation by World Wrestling Entertainment,” reads a statement by the American Association for Sports Ethics, which commissioned the new study.

“Such dishonesty is surprising, especially with such long history of honest and ethical practices as WWE.”

The report recommends that the Intercontinental Championship be renamed the “North American Championship,” or the more accurate “Mid-Card Talent Encouragement Championship.”