WWE’s first international King of the Ring crowns a new era
In short: For decades, the crown was a domestic staple of American wrestling. In 2024, it crossed borders for the first time, rebranding to include a female counterpart and establishing a high-stakes reward that fundamentally changed the tournament's legacy.
Held on May 25, 2024, at the Jeddah Super Dome in Saudi Arabia, King and Queen of the Ring marked a significant shift for WWE. Representing the twelfth iteration of the King of the Ring, this was the initial time it occurred beyond American borders. The move was part of a 10-year strategic partnership with the Ministry of Sport in support of Saudi Vision 2030, which began in early 2018.
The tournament structure underwent major evolution. Originally established in 1985 as a men's single-elimination event, it was a self-titled pay-per-view from 1993 to 2002 before being discontinued. The 2024 event introduced the Queen of the Ring tournament—the female counterpart first established in 2021 as the Queen's Crown. This was the first dedicated event for the women's tournament, and it also marked the first time a woman would receive a world championship match as a reward.
The stakes were elevated significantly: winners of both tournaments earned matches for their respective brand's world championships at SummerSlam. This was only the second time since 2002 that the men's winner received such an award, and the first ever for the women. In the finals, Gunther defeated Randy Orton to become King of the Ring, while Nia Jax defeated Lyra Valkyria to be crowned Queen of the Ring.
The event also served as a major distribution milestone. Since 2002, this was the earliest King of the Ring to appear on standard pay-per-view; additionally, following various WWE Network mergers, it debuted on Peacock in the U.S., SonyLIV in India, and Disney+ across other regions.
Opens the Intellect+ feed with this card first. Swipe up for the next one.
Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: King and Queen of the Ring (2024)
To cite this card, link to https://intellectplus.co.uk/app/history-king-and-queen-of-the-ring-2024.
How we source, check and correct cards: Editorial standards.
General information, not professional advice. Spotted an error? Flag the card or see corrections and complaints.
Intellect Plus is a visual educational discovery platform for exploring fascinating facts and ideas. Brain Food, Not Brain Rot. What is Intellect Plus?
