Booker T (King of the Ring 2006)
SmackDown was languishing in 2006. The blue brand had plenty of babyfaces but was a little light on main event heels. It’s a problem they were able to fix when Booker T was turned, and embarked on a character journey that rejuvenated his career. He was paired with his wife, Sharmell, and entered the King of the Ring tournament. Matt Hardy, Kurt Angle, and Bobby Lashley were Booker T’s victims on route to winning the crown, and adopting a gimmick that catapulted him to the top.
Only a few months after winning King of the Ring, Booker T cheated his way to the World Heavyweight Championship at the Great American Bash. It was the first and only World Championship reign that King Booker enjoyed in WWE. Winning the King of the Ring was his launching pad to greatness.
Gunther (King of the Ring 2024)
2024 saw the King of the Ring return in a big way. Three years had passed since the last tournament, and WWE was looking to bring back the pomp and circumstance that previously surrounded King of the Ring. Adding the stipulation that the winner receives a World Title match at SummerSlam was a great way to achieve that feeling.
The Ring General was the first man to cut his way through the competition and win the coveted crown. Gunther was a big-match performer, and he defeated Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Jey Uso, and Randy Orton during the tournament. Each match was fantastic, and showed Gunther’s ability to have a great match with anyone that WWE put him in the ring with.
A few months needed to pass before Gunther got his title shot, so the Ring General lay in wait. Once Damian Priest continued his reign, a showdown with King of the Ring Gunther was booked. It was the highlight of SummerSlam, and saw Gunther capture his first World Championship.
