The King of the Ring lineage dates to 1985, when WWE held its first tournament and Don Muraco defeated the Iron Sheik. WWE has run 24 King of the Ring tournaments since then, with past winners including Booker T, Cody Rhodes, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and Xavier Woods.
Queen of the Ring was established in 2021. Jade Cargill, Nia Jax, and Zelina Vega have been crowned in the three tournaments held since the format was introduced.
Stakes for This Year's Winners
Winners receive the King or Queen of the Ring title. Since 2024, that crown also comes with a SummerSlam championship match opportunity. This year's King and Queen will be crowned at Night of Champions on June 27, with the finals now less than three weeks away.
The new video frames the current tournaments around a matchup between four equally deserving participants still in the running for this year's crowns.
What the Video Covers
The playlist entry focuses on the emotional moments tied to King and Queen of the Ring winners dating back to Bret Hart in 1993. Winners have traditionally received a King or Queen gimmick after taking the tournament, and the video ties that presentation history to the build for this year's finals.
How Past Winners Used the Crown
Some past winners leaned fully into regal presentation with added props. Bad News Barrett and Sheamus used chairs and scepters to enhance their King characters.
Others treated the crown more like a trophy and kept their existing personas intact. Gunther and Cody Rhodes fit that approach, which aligned with their more serious characters. Some winners viewed the tournament victory as a smaller achievement and did not overhaul their presentation at all.
Baron Corbin, Sheamus, and William Regal are among the wrestlers who transformed into full King gimmicks after their wins, showing different sides of their characters and leaning into entertaining presentation.
Booker T, Zelina Vega, and Xavier Woods are cited as examples of winners whose characters were strengthened by the King or Queen identity after they the tournament.
Title Matches Earned Through the Tournament
The SummerSlam championship match opportunity attached to the crown is not just ceremonial. Gunther, Cody Rhodes, Brock Lesnar in 2002, and Nia Jax all the championship matches they earned through their King or Queen of the Ring tournament victories.
While past winners could treat the crown as comedy or character work, the current format puts a title shot at SummerSlam on the line. This year's winners can still adopt a King or Queen gimmick, but they also face the immediate task of capitalizing on the championship match they earn with the win.
