Plenty of colorful characters have captured fans’ attention over the years, and plenty of them have had royal gimmicks. We recently took a look at the top queens in WWE history, and while there have been a number of remarkable women who have been presented as royalty, the list is much longer on the men’s side of things.
There were kings in wrestling long ago, but the introduction of the King of the Ring tournament in 1985 took the name to a new level. WWE crowned a few winners over the first several years before King of the Ring became an annual event every year until 2002. The tournament returned in 2006 and has maintained an irregular presence in WWE ever since. WWE has not held the King of the Ring tournament since 2021.
Throughout this history, the winners have used the “king” gimmick, and the results have been mixed. Some of them stood apart of the rest and became even bigger stars with their royal character.
With that said, let’s look at the best kings in WWE history. This list is a subjective look at the performers who have been a “king” at some point or another during their WWE career. Factors like in-ring ability, microphone skills, charisma, and impact on the industry led the way in this analysis, though some of the competitors scored bonus points for how they pulled it off.
Jerry “The King” Lawler
Jerry “The King” Lawler is arguably the most iconic king in wrestling history. Throughout his 50+ year career, he has held more recognized championships than any other wrestler in history. Lawler established himself as a major star, particularly in the Memphis territory, during his prime before he signed with WWE in 1992.
Lawler will undoubtedly go down in history, as he was part of a classic feud with Andy Kaufman; in one highlight, he slapped the comedian on Late Night with David Letterman, as the two of them helped bring wrestling into the mainstream. During his early years with WWE, Lawler also had an unforgettable feud with Bre Hart and the Hart Family, as he and Hart clashed over being the company’s true king.
In addition to his wrestling career, Lawler’s run as a commentator alone is remarkable, as he called some of the most unforgettable moments in WWE history and remained a staple of the commentary team for years.
Triple H
Triple H has had multiple nicknames over the years, including “The King of Kings.” During his days as Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Triple H won the King of then Ring tournament in 1997. This accolade was soon surpassed by countless others, as he went on to become a 14-time world champion, a two-time Royal Rumble winner, and WWE’s second Grand Slam Champion. He was one of the company’s top stars throughout the Attitude Era, the Ruthless Aggression Era, and beyond, and WWE wouldn’t be where it is today without him.
On that note, Triple H is also the “Father of NXT,” as he helped build WWE’s developmental system into what many fans knew and loved during the black-and-gold era. He played a vital part in bringing a number of young stars into the company and developing them, including Seth Rollins. But his influence doesn’t stop there; Triple H became WWE’s Chief Content Officer in 2022, and he has continued to help lead the company into the future.
In a literal sense, Triple H didn’t have a remarkable run as a king following his King of the Ring victory, but he has used his royal moniker for a number of special entrances, complete with elaborate thrones and costumes, throughout his career, and this presentation makes up for it.
King Booker (Booker T)
Booker T‘s name comes to mind in every conversation about maximizing winning the King of the Ring tournament. After Booker emerged victorious in the 2006 edition of the competition, he started wrestling as King Booker, and he fully leaned into the character. Booker started wearing a cape and a crown, and he also used a scepter. He carried himself like a true king that ruled over the kingdom of SmackDown, and he also formed a Royal Court, so others benefitted from his victory and his character transformation as well.
Booker also spoke with a fake accent and acted like a classical English king, and his character work produced plenty of entertaining TV. The veteran rode his momentum as the king all the way to capturing the World Heavyweight Championship, and he held the title for over 100 days.
Aside from his run as the king, Booker T has had a legendary career; the six-time world champion proved himself as one of the most dynamic performers of his generation, and he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. He continues to build his legacy as a commentator on NXT and, more importantly, through his work at his Reality of Wrestling school/promotion, which has become an impressive pipeline of talent.
Owen Hart
Owen Hart named himself the “King of Harts” following his victory in the 1994 King of the Ring tournament. His victory continued his feud with his brother, WWF Champion Bret Hart, which quickly became one of the most heated, personal rivalries in WWE history. The brothers clashed in a buzzworthy Steel Cage match at WWE SummerSlam 1994, and the bout was an instant classic.
Unlike other kings, Hart didn’t lean too much into the king gimmick, but the momentum he scored by winning the tournament helped take his career to new heights. Hart’s career, and his life, were tragically cut short when he passed away following a tragic accident at Over the Edge 1999, leaving many fans to wonder what could have been, as he was one of the best wrestlers in WWE.
Harley Race
A true legend of the business, Harley Race is one of a select few wrestlers who have been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, the WCW Hall of Fame, the NWA Hall of Fame, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame, and the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. He was the second winner of the King of the Ring tournament but the first to use a “king” gimmick following the victory. His coronation ceremony and his costume of a crown and a cape set the standard for future kings, so he has to be in the conversation for the greatest kings of all time.
“Macho King” Randy Savage
Randy Savage had already established himself as a top star by 1989, as he had held the WWF Championship and feuded with Hulk Hogan throughout the legendary “Mega Powers” storyline. Savage had been known as the “Macho Man”, but he came the “Macho King” when he defeated Jim Duggan at King of the Ring 1989. Ironically, he won the King of the Ring tournament in 1987, but he didn’t become the ‘Macho King’ until he beat Duggan.
As with some others on this list. Savage committed to the gimmick, and he was aided by Queen Sherri, a legend in her own right. They consistently entertained the fans by carrying themselves like true royalty. During this run, Savage had memorable feuds with Dusty Rhodes and The Ultimate Warrior.
William Regal
William Regal got his first taste of royalty as a member of Booker T’s court following the latter’s King of the Ring win. Regal went in to become the RAW General Manager before he won the 2008 King of the Ring tournament. As with some others, Regal went all in with the gimmick, as he had a coronation ceremony, and he carried himself like a king.
Regal’s run as the king was somewhat hindered by a suspension following a violation of the Wellness Policy. However, he delivered impressive character work that showed the WWE Universe what being a king was all about. Combined with his status as an authority figure, Regal truly ruled over RAW and delivered a reign that fans remembered for years to come.
King Corbin
WWE brought back the King of the Ring tournament in 2019, and Baron Corbin delivered multiple impressive outings on his way to winning the whole competition. In the finals, he defeated Chad Gable in one of the best TV matches of the year,
Corbin also leaned into the gimmick by wearing a unique crown and a fur cape that looked like it was right out of Game of Thrones. He also used his power to get others to do his bidding, as he aligned with the ill-fated Knights of the Lone Wolf (Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler). Corbin later lost his crown to Shinsuke Nakamura, but his run as the king remains one of the most memorable in recent memory.
King Kong Bundy
King Kong Bundy never won the King of the Ring tournament, but he was one of the greatest ‘kings’ in WWE history, as he clashed with Hulk Hogan in a classic Steel Cage match at WrestleMania 2. Bundy was a force to be reckoned with, and he set an early record for the shortest match in WrestleMania history that stood until 2008.
Bundy feuded with Andre the Giant and other stars, and he also made it to the finals of the 1987 King of the Ring tournament, where he lost to Randy Savage.
Xavier Woods
The most recent king in WWE, Xavier Woods could be credited for actually reviving the King Of The Ring tournament in the first place. Woods made it no secret that he wanted to be King Of The Ring, even announcing he’d entered the 2021 tournament before it was even announced.
Woods said King Of The Ring was the reason he became a pro wrestler in the first place and the tournament was made for him. Xavier Woods made his dream a reality by winning the 2021 tournament at WWE Crown Jewel, and he later credited social media for helping it happen.
“So I think that people really resonate with the fact that I have unbashfully been screamed at the top of my lungs for King of the Ring to come back ever since I’ve been on the main roster. And I feel like that fact that in 2019 I got passed up for it, I took that hit very personally. Being in the tournament off the rip, I felt incredible. So every time I advanced that feeling grew and I think that people felt that with me because when someone is genuine and they tell you how they really feel it’s really hard to not roll with that because you can relate in some shape or form,” Woods told Joseph Staszewski of the New York Post.
Jerry “The King” Lawler, Triple H, Booker T, Harley Race, and William Regal all brought something different to the table during their runs as a king, and each one of them presented the character in a different way. Their performances will be hard to top, but it’ll be exciting to see how others could build off of the king character going forward. For now, fans will just have to hope that WWE will bring back the King of the Ring tournament soon so wrestlers will have the chance to do so.
