The King of the Ring tournament is rich in history. For 30 years, WWE men and women have competed in the single-elimination tournament for their chance to be called King or Queen. The tournament has featured some of the best talents in WWE history, and its winners are almost guaranteed to receive a massive push from the office.
As far as winning the tournament goes, WWE has done a great job of ensuring the right wrestler has walked away the victor. However, that doesn’t mean that the company has been batting 1000. During the tournament’s history, there have been a few instances where the company dropped the ball in choosing a winner. Which was a shame, considering the best possible option was already in the King of the Ring bracket, like these options below.
King of the Ring 1995 Winner: Mabel
We can start with the obvious option when the discussion of failed King of the Ring winners comes to mind. Mabel was a massive individual whose bankability was hindered by his imposing size. In the ring, he wasn’t what one would call great. His size limited what he could do, but what’s even worse was his penchant for hurting just about everyone he worked with.
It became an issue with many of the boys in the back, and on top of that, the fans didn’t accept him as a main event guy. His run lasted only a few months before he was back down the card. WWE dropped the ball here when they had a great replacement facing off with Mabel in the finals.
Should Have Won: Savio Vega
Savio Vega was a great underdog story that WWE failed to capitalize on. Coming in as a replacement for an injured Razor Ramon, Vega was an instant fan favourite. He was the sentimental favourite throughout the tournament, getting responses that would rival any of the top stars.
WWE had something here, and having him go over Mabel would have elicited a massive reaction. They would have been able to build a new baby face star that night, but they opted for size over quality.
King of the Ring 2019 Winner: Baron Corbin
The experiment with Baron Corbin wasn’t working in 2019. WWE had put a lot of backing behind The Lone Wolf, but he had failed to realize his potential. The fans began turning on Corbin, and nothing WWE could do would bring them back. That included having him win the King of the Ring Tournament.
It was the first tournament in 4 years, and WWE should have been looking for a more dramatic finish to King of the Ring. The fans groaned with each victory by Corbin, and his subsequent reign achieved nothing. It wasn’t long before he dropped the moniker, and the tournament win meant nothing.
Should Have Won: Sami Zayn
The Ultimate Underdog couldn’t even get himself out of the first round, but he should have gone the distance. Zayn was floundering on the main roster, despite being incredibly talented and having the audience in his corner, he wasn’t pushed well. He would have amazing matches with everyone, but usually ended up on the losing end.
The King of the Ring tournament could have been the catalyst for his career. It would have given the fans a winner they wanted and helped to get Zayn the accolades he deserved.
Queen of the Ring 2021 Winner: Zelina Vega
In 2021, WWE’s female roster competed in yet another first. The Royal Rumble and Money in the Bank had been checked off, but now was the time for the Queen of the Ring tournament to start its legacy. The bracket was filled with fantastic matches, but was hampered by one big problem: Zelina Vega being the winner.
She was not a household name in the tournament and was not a talent that had gained significant traction. The fans were not responsive to her push, especially when it came at the expense of other talents. Vega’s time as the Queen didn’t amount to much and was a letdown for a wrestler who had the privilege of being the first.
Who Should Have Won: Toni Storm
There is a theme to who should have been winning the tournament, and Toni Storm fits the bill to a T. In NXT, Storm was one of the brand’s biggest stars. She had the support to carry her to the main roster, but was left in the lurch when she got there. There was a lot of stop-starting to her pushes, and she wasn’t given much to work with from the office.
But the crowd still loved her, and she still put on great matches with the time she was given. She was a young star who could have blossomed into an all-time great if she had been given the proper platform. Being the inaugural Queen of the Ring would have been that perfect platform.
King of The Ring 1999 Winner: Billy Gunn
The singles run that Billy Gunn was given was not a push that worked out very well. He was incredibly popular as a tag team wrestler, but it never translated into the singles arena. In 1999 this was no different when Mr. Ass separated from D-X. Gunn took his heel run right to the throne, winning the King of the Ring to an ovation from no one.
Throughout the tournament, he was booked well, but didn’t get a great reaction from the crowd. Following his victory, he was booked in a program with The Rock but was subsequently buried. It was a push that was stopped before it started, and begs the question of why WWE put him over in the first place.
Who Should Have Won: X-Pac
This was a time frame in which X-Pac was popular with the crowd. The X-Pac Heat that followed his career hadn’t started to rear its ugly head; it was the right time to get as much out of Pac as WWE could. He was always money in the ring, and when given a meaty story to work with, he did well. Look to his feud with Kane as a great example.
X-Pac was the ideal baby face to win the King of the Ring. He knew how to work his underdog role. Seeing him overcome all the odds to prevail in the King of the Ring tournament would have been the perfect story.
It would have capitalized on his popularity when it was at an all-time high and maybe led to a World Championship program.
King of the Ring 2002 Winner: Brock Lesnar
There is no argument as to the impact Brock Lesnar had in his first year in WWE. He was a force within the company, and his push was warranted. There just should have been a better way to go about it than having him win the King of the Ring.
The largest issue with this win is that it wasn’t necessary. It was clear that Brock Lesnar was earmarked for the main event, and this journey was not needed to get him there. He squashed his opponents on the way to winning, making the win mean less than it should have.
This tournament was used as a tool to get Brock Lesnar to the main event of Summerslam, when it should have been used to help another talent reach the next level.
Who Should Have Won: Rob Van Dam
Rob Van Dam should have been the man to get the nod here. When he entered the company, he was popular, but in a short time in WWE, he became a star. He had a great look, great talent, and the crowd absolutely loved him. He got the biggest reactions of the night, and this was the right time for WWE to push him to the moon.
Winning the King of the Ring would have meant more to RVD’s character. With the brand split coming, he would have made the perfect contender for a World Championship. A King of the Ring win would have legitimized RVD and made him a main event guy.
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