Top 10 King of the Ring Winners in WWE History

As the 2025 WWE King of the Ring tournament currently takes shape on our TV screens, lets take a look back at the Top 10 Kings in WWE history. Since its inception in 1985, the King of the Ring has been one of WWE’s most unique and beloved tournaments. Part gladiatorial contest, part career catalyst, and part weird cosplay opportunity, it’s produced everything from wrestling icons to questionable midcard gimmicks.

Some kings used the crown to climb the mountain. Others… well, let’s just say they probably pawned that thing off for drink money.

So let’s run down the 10 greatest King of the Ring winners ever — not just by who won, but by what they did with it and how it shaped their legacy.

1️⃣ “Stone Cold” Steve Austin (1996)

If you only remember one King of the Ring moment, it’s this one.

In 1996, a rising midcard heel named Steve Austin smashed his way through Marc Mero and Jake “The Snake” Roberts to win the crown. But the win itself wasn’t the story — the promo afterward was.

“Austin 3:16 says I just whipped your ass!”

In one sentence, Austin redefined his character, WWE’s direction, and the future of the industry. It became the rallying cry of the Attitude Era, turning Austin into the anti-hero face of a company at war with WCW.

Impact: The single most important King of the Ring win ever. No contest.

2️⃣ Bret “Hitman” Hart (1993)

The first King of the Ring to air as a PPV, Bret Hart’s 1993 performance was a masterclass.

In one night, Bret wrestled three matches — defeating Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and Bam Bam Bigelow — each one a different kind of challenge. While Hulk Hogan was still clinging to the spotlight in a forgettable title defense against Yokozuna, Bret was showing fans what a top-tier wrestler looked like.

This win solidified Bret’s role as WWE’s workhorse and proved that technical excellence could headline in the post-Hogan era.

Impact: Cemented Bret as WWE’s top babyface and future world champion.

3️⃣ Triple H (1997)

Triple H’s King of the Ring win is as much about the backstage politics as it is the result.

Originally penciled in to win in 1996, Hunter took the fall for the infamous Curtain Call incident at Madison Square Garden, which saw the Kliq break kayfabe in front of a live audience. As punishment, Triple H was demoted while Austin took his spot — and the rest is history.

But in 1997, he got his redemption, defeating Ahmed Johnson, Mankind, and Jerry Lawler on his way to the crown. It was an early step in his evolution from the snooty blue blood to The Game.

Impact: Marked the start of Triple H’s climb to main-event status.

4️⃣ Booker T (2006)

King Bookahhh! One of the best examples of turning a tired gimmick into pure gold.

After winning the 2006 King of the Ring tournament, Booker adopted an over-the-top, faux-English accent, a regal demeanor, and a complete character overhaul. What could have been a throwaway midcard crown instead sparked one of the best heel runs of the mid-2000s.

Booker went on to capture the World Heavyweight Championship later that year, elevating his status in WWE’s history books.

Impact: Proof that commitment to a gimmick can revive a career.

5️⃣ Owen Hart (1994)

The King of the Ring has long been a platform for launching major heel pushes, and Owen Hart’s 1994 victory is a textbook example.

After defeating Razor Ramon in the finals, Owen was officially crowned “The King of Harts.” It added fuel to his already simmering feud with brother Bret, which led to a classic steel cage match at SummerSlam and made Owen one of the most despicable villains of the New Generation Era.

Impact: Gave Owen his most famous nickname and propelled him to the main event scene.

6️⃣ Kurt Angle (2000)

The 2000 King of the Ring tournament was one of the deepest, most talent-loaded brackets in history, featuring stars like Chris Jericho, Edge, Christian, Rikishi, and Val Venis (hey, it was 2000). And yet, Kurt Angle outshone them all.Already the reigning European and Intercontinental Champion, Angle’s win in this tournament solidified his meteoric rise. He was hilarious, arrogant, and an absolute machine in the ring.

This victory set him up for a world title match against The Rock at No Mercy later that year, where he’d capture his first WWE Championship.

Impact: Cemented Angle as a future headliner less than a year after his debut.

7️⃣ Edge (2001)

In 2001, Edge was still seen as one half of a tag team specialist duo with Christian. Winning the King of the Ring helped Edge take his first major step into singles competition.

After defeating Kurt Angle in the finals, Edge started building a more self-assured, cocky persona that would eventually morph into the Rated-R Superstar.

While it didn’t immediately vault him to main events, it planted the seeds for a future hall-of-fame career.

Impact: A crucial first step in Edge’s transition from tag team to singles superstardom.

8️⃣ William Regal (2008)

Regal’s King of the Ring win is one of wrestling’s greatest “what could’ve been” stories.

After defeating CM Punk in the finals, Regal was poised for a major main-event heel run. As Raw’s General Manager and King, he cut cold, intimidating promos and seemed ready to challenge for top titles.

Unfortunately, a wellness policy violation cut his reign short. It remains one of the biggest missed opportunities of the modern era.

Impact: Brief but brilliant; a lost gem in WWE history.

9️⃣ Sheamus (2010)

Though often overshadowed by his world title wins, Sheamus’ 2010 King of the Ring victory was an important part of his rapid rise.

Already a former WWE Champion, this win helped solidify Sheamus as a constant threat in the main event scene. Though the King gimmick didn’t light the world on fire, it gave him an extra edge (pun intended) in his feuds with the likes of John Morrison and John Cena.

Impact: Another notch in Sheamus’ belt during his ascent to multi-time champion status.

🔟 Brock Lesnar (2002)

If the other winners used the King of the Ring to build momentum, Brock Lesnar used it to declare war.

Lesnar bulldozed through Test and Rob Van Dam to claim the crown, then immediately cashed it in for a SummerSlam title shot against The Rock. In August 2002, Lesnar became the youngest WWE Champion at the time, ushering in the Ruthless Aggression Era.

No silly crown. No robes. Just violence.

Impact: Instantly made Brock a legitimate main eventer.

⚠️ Honorable Mentions:

Mabel (1995) — For all the wrong reasons, but it happened.

Ken Shamrock (1998) — WWE never followed through, but it felt important at the time.

Bad News Barrett (2015) — The King of Bad News had serious potential, but creative dropped the ball.

Tito Santana (1989) — Technically a winner, but from the pre-PPV days.

📌 Final Thoughts

When done right, King of the Ring is one of WWE’s best tools for creating new stars. Whether it’s launching an Austin 3:16, resurrecting a King Bookah, or crowning a monster like Brock Lesnar, the tournament has shaped countless careers.