WWE has announced a tournament to crown the inaugural women's intercontinental champion, which starts next week.

Raw general manager Adam Pearce unveiled the new belt on Monday along with a competition to determine the first winner set for Dec. 2. Details about the event are sparse, but one could assume it will be similar to the one on SmackDown for the United States title.

The WWE Raw debut on Netflix on Jan. 6 also seems like an ideal destination for the finals. After all, this is a monumental development for the women's division and a historic advancement for the company. Stay tuned for more updates.

Fans who want to see fewer titles may criticize the move, but it will offer women more opportunities. With the addition of the midcard titles, WWE hopes to improve morale and bolster its position as a standard-bearer for women's wrestling.

These are our six picks for the winner of the upcoming tournament and its prestigious prize.

Natalya

This pick may be a dark horse, but Natalya would make a great women's intercontinental champion.

When you think about her career and the lineage of the men's version, this belt could be tailor-made for her. The Hart family has a substantial history with the workhorse title, and she could make the best out of an open challenge.

We've seen The Queen of Harts give many notable opponents one of their best matches. A run with the new title could give her the flowers she deserves and allow WWE to showcase its women's division more often on Raw.

It's hard to imagine the company will make her the first champion right now, but we hope she attains this accolade before she finishes her time as a full-time competitor. Otherwise, this could be one of those what-ifs such as the Bella Twins' tag title reign that never happened.

Alba Fyre

Alba Fyre is among the most underrated competitors in the WWE women's division, and this new title could help her remind some fans just how good she is.

The longest-reigning NXT UK women's champion had solid defenses against Toni Storm, Piper Niven and Meiko Satomura. Unfortunately, the pandemic hampered much of her momentum, and her 649-day reign didn't give her the exposure it should've.

The same mantle helped to put Rhea Ripley on the map, but Fyre had to reestablish herself once she moved to NXT 2.0. Although she and Isla Dawn have enjoyed success as a tag team, a secondary title could allow the Scot to prove her worth as a singles competitor again.

A midcard title works best as the starting point for a path to an eventual world title run. If WWE wants these new belts to matter, the goal should be to use them to elevate someone like Fyre and make their ascent up the card believable.

Raquel Rodriguez

Similarly, Raquel Rodriguez hasn't been able to secure championship gold as a singles competitor since her time as NXT women's champion.

The second-generation wrestler has drawn comparisons to Diesel (Kevin Nash) since her time on the developmental brand. So much so that she took on the nickname "Big Mami Cool" particularly during her pairing with Dakota Kai.

Nash famously won the IC title in 1994, so it would only make sense for Rodriguez to follow in his footsteps. A win in the forthcoming tournament could also establish her and Liv Morgan as the most dominant duo in the Raw women's division.

Even more, it would help the 33-year-old separate herself from the pack again and potentially gain momentum after a lackluster return.

Lyra Valkyria

WWE aired a vignette for Lyra Valkyria on the Nov. 18 episode of Raw, which suggests there are plans for her.

The Irish wrestler parlayed a title win over Becky Lynch last year at NXT Halloween Havoc into a strong debut on the main roster in 2024. The former NXT women's champion performed surprisingly well in this year's Queen of the Ring tournament.

Her upset win over Iyo Sky in the semifinals proved she belonged and that the company believes she has a bright future. Valkyria also looked great in the women's Money in the Bank match, but she's still searching for a big win to cap off an impressive year.

As such, the 28-year-old is a perfect option to become the inaugural women's intercontinental champion. The current regime has done such a tremendous job with her first year on Raw, but it's important to stick the landing.

Dakota Kai

Dakota Kai hasn't won a singles title since her debut in 2017, and that's a real shame because she's so talented.

The New Zealander was one of the standouts in the first Mae Young Classic. Her run on NXT also produced memorable moments such as her infamous heel turn at TakeOver: WarGames in 2019 and her pairing with Rodriguez.

The two became the first women's Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winners and the inaugural NXT women's tag team champions. Kai has held the developmental brand and WWE's tag titles four times, including her time with Damage CTRL.

However, she has never managed to win the main title and, frankly, she's overdue for victory on her own. Hopefully, her return and the accompanying video package are positive signs that she can enter and win the Women's Intercontinental Championship Tournament.

Iyo Sky

Iyo Sky has been incredible this year, encouraging calls for her to become the next WWE Women's World Championship.

The Japanese star took over Damage CTRL and ousted its founder in one of the best storylines on the road to WrestleMania 40. Her match against Bayley was also one of the highlights of the two-night event this year.

Still, her subsequent face turn and weekly output have been wildly entertaining. Sky vs. Bianca Belair from the Sept. 16 episode of Raw was outstanding, and the win positioned her as a potential contender for the brand's world title.

Nevertheless, Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan's ongoing rivalry has ensured the top prize will be tied up for the remainder of 2024. In light of this, The Genius of the Sky is a safe bet to win the Women's Intercontinental Championship.

Some of our other picks would probably benefit much more from this achievement, but Sky has been undeniable lately. The former ace of Stardom would be an excellent choice, who would legitimize the new accolade.