The 2025 King of the Ring tournament is officially underway as of the most recent episode of WWE Raw. In a different format, there will be four fatal-four ways to determine the semi-finals. This week’s fatal four-way saw Sami Zayn victorious over Penta, Bron Breakker, and Dominik Mysterio. In one of the most prestigious tournaments in wrestling, is there a star ready and smart enough to learn from the successes of their predecessors? What better time to visit the top five most influential winners of all time? Winners and dates are per The Smackdown Hotel.
The 1996 King of the Ring tournament helped catapult one of the most popular wrestlers of all time. The finals featured two Hall of Famers, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Jake “The Snake” Roberts. Austin may have gotten over in a single moment, but luck had nothing to do with it.
After a failed “Stunning” Steve Austin gimmick in WCW and a stint in ECW, Ted DiBiase began managing “The Ringmaster” for the then-WWF. His promo after defeating Roberts is one of the most famous in history, including the birth of “Austin 3:16”. The blonde hair was replaced with a shaved head and leather vest, launching the “Texas Rattlesnake” into the Attitude Era.
The 2006 edition featured some of the biggest names in wrestling history. After defeating Matt Hardy and Kurt Angle to make the finals, Booker T defeated Bobby Lashley to earn the crown. Lashley left stars in his path, including Mark Henry and Finlay. Randy Orton and Chris Benoit were two more notable names.
The gimmick of a king is heavy for some, but “King Booker” fully embraced the role and opportunity. Using an exaggerated accent and whimsical royal movements led to a World Heavyweight Championship storyline with Batista. It also led to the “King Booker’s Court” faction, including getting his wife over as “Queen Sharmell“.
“Macho Man” Randy Savage is one of the first to gain big success from being the King of the Ring. The biggest difference was the depth of talent in the tournament, but his royal run was just as successful. The “Macho King” connected with the audience, leading to key moments in the company’s early introduction to a national audience.
This run also proved that the gimmick of adding a queen can work. Paired with “Queen Sherri“, the two had one of the most memorable storylines from the vaults, including a major one with Hulk Hogan. After Sherri turned on Savage, tears poured from the eyes of those watching, as Miss Elizabeth came to his aid, reuniting the two on television.
The only two-time winner is worthy regardless. While the ’91 win was great, it was ’93 that elevated him to another level. Bret “The Hitman” Hart defeated two Hall of Famers on his way to the finals, known for the most technical and highly rated matches for a tournament.
The Internet Wrestling Database reported the match rating as per Dave Meltzer’s highly respected Wrestling Observer Newsletter. After an entertaining four-star victory over Razor Ramon, Hart and Mr. Perfect put on one of the most talented, clinically sound matches in King of the Ring history, getting 4.25 stars. “The Excellence of Execution” beat the tournament big man, Bam Bam Bigelow, in the finals. Bigelow was granted a bye in the first round, stacking the odds further against “The Hitman”.
The most recent winner won’t lean into the royalty gimmick, but it was the perfect time and place. WWE was still logically booking Gunther. He proved himself in NXT and was one of the hottest and most physical heels in history. The King of the Ring tournament was a great way to build him while ensuring the push works before strapping him. In an event often aimed at rocketing up-and-coming stars, this worked perfectly.
“The Ring General” and Sheamus put on the banger of the tournament in their first-round matchup, a contest that felt as if it could be in a later round to up the stakes. The relative newcomer continued to dominate three more Hall of Famers en route to the crown. After becoming King of the Ring, Gunther made a royal declaration that continued to build on his early successes. The Austrian set his eyes on SummerSlam and the World Heavyweight Championship, successfully defeating Damian Priest for the title.
End Of My WWE King Of The Ring Rant
The King of the Ring tournament will always hold a place in wrestling, supporting many of the best on their road to the top. WWE tends to raise and lower the hype and value of the tournament every few years, but these were the most impactful on their careers and the wrestling business. The 2025 event has just started, so let’s hope they can match the success of some of those above. Not all winners work out, for example, Mabel or Baron Corbin.
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