The largest field in the history of a wrestling tournament
In short: In 2000, the King of the Ring pay-per-view reached a historic peak. While it was established as one of the industry's 'Big Five' events, this specific edition featured a record-breaking bracket that expanded the scale of the competition to its greatest extent ever seen.
The 2000 King of the Ring event, held on June 25 at the Fleet Center in Boston, Massachusetts, marked a significant milestone for the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). It hosted the finals of the 14th annual men's single-elimination tournament. This specific edition was notable for its scale: it featured 32 competitors, making it the largest field in the history of the King of the Ring tournament—a record that has not been surpassed since.
The event served as a climax for storylines developed on television programs like Raw is War and SmackDown!. The narrative centered heavily on the McMahon-Helmsley Faction. The primary conflict involved Triple H, Vince McMahon, and Shane McMahon facing off against The Rock alongside The Brothers of Destruction (Kane and The Undertaker) in the headline bout. This match featured a high-stakes stipulation: if any member of The Rock's team secured a pinfall, they would become the new WWF Champion.
The tournament structure was complex, with qualifying matches beginning as early as May 29, 2000. Wrestlers like Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, and Eddie Guerrero fought through various rounds to reach the finals. Ultimately, Kurt Angle emerged as the winner of the 14th tournament. Additional bouts included a Hardcore Evening Gown contest for the WWF Hardcore Championship plus a four-corners elimination match involving T & A, the Hardy Boyz, Edge and Christian, and Too Cool for the Tag Team titles.
The King of the Ring PPV had evolved significantly since its inception. While the tournament itself began in 1985 as non-televised house shows, it became a staple annual event by 1993. By 2000, it was cemented as one of the 'Big Five' premier shows for the company, alongside WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, and Survivor Series.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: King of the Ring (2000)
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