The wrestling tournament that survived a lawsuit and a brand split
In short: For decades, King of the Ring was a cornerstone of professional wrestling's 'Big Five.' It evolved from non-televised house shows to a global pay-per-view spectacle, navigating corporate rebrandings, legal battles over its very name, and strategic shifts in how it treats gender parity in sports entertainment.
The tournament originated in 1985 under the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Initially, these were not televised events but special house shows designed specifically to boost live attendance. It wasn't until 1993 that the promotion began producing a dedicated annual pay-per-view event in June. During this era, King of the Ring was considered one of the 'Big Five' pillars of the industry alongside WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and the Royal Rumble.
The event faced significant structural shifts in the early 2000s. To resolve a legal dispute regarding 'WWF' acronyms with the World Wildlife Fund, the firm adopted the name World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) during 2002. That same year, the promotion introduced a brand extension splitting the roster into Raw and SmackDown! divisions. The 2002 King of the Ring was a unique transitional moment where wrestlers from both brands competed before its pay-per-view slot was replaced by Bad Blood in 2003.
The competition resumed in 2006 following a four-year break, featuring only participants from SmackDown!. competition. The modern era saw further experimentation: the 2015 tournament finale moved to a livestreaming service, and plans for a 2023 'King and Queen of the Ring' revival were scrapped in favor of Night of Champions. However, the brand finally returned to pay-per-view in May 2024 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia—marking its first international outing and its first dedicated event for the women's tournament, now officially titled Queen of the Ring.
The tournament currently operates on a periodic cycle. While it saw a major revival in 2024 as part of an 11-event partnership with Saudi Arabia to support Saudi Vision 2030, it has since returned to a hiatus. The finals for both the men's and women's tournaments are now scheduled to culminate annually at the Night of Champions event through 2026.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: King of the Ring
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