This literally feels like someone told them a month or two ago "you know he never won the IC title right?"

Something silly about it being his last belt.

And for the heck of it, here's the second intermission you get in the game, the polar bear one.

With Contra released as Probotector and Jackal never released there, UK PAL region's intermission advertises Blades of Steel, the game you already bought and are playing.