'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
We all love a good tournament, don’t we?
This is something WWE knows all too well, having recently brought back the famous King of the Ring tournament in 2019. The resurrected King of the Ring, won by Baron Corbin, was well received by many fans and helped to re-establish some of the tournament's past glory.
That legacy was in danger of being eradicated following unsuccessful revamp attempts in 2010 and 2015. What the 2019 edition did show was a strength WWE has that fans don’t get to see very often.
One of the most important purposes these tournaments serve is that they give ample opportunities for superstars who are part of the mid-card and lower mid-card setup to prove themselves. It helps build their profile and legitimize their threat despite being away from the championship gold.
When the company produces tournaments, they usually hit the ball out of the park and there have been many occasions in which they’ve been able to do just that.
So you may be asking, when did the WWE last produce a quality tournament? Well here are three occasions they did so, and one they got completely wrong.
#3. Tournament that worked: King of The Ring
We will get things started with the aforementioned King of the Ring tournament.
First run in 1985, it was an annual fixture of the WWE calendar until 2002. Starting in 1993, King of the Ring even became its own pay-per-view. It was seen by many as the best indicator of who the company deemed as their next big star.
It provided the springboard for many superstars to go on to forge successful careers, such as 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, and Brock Lesnar.
For all the success the tournament has had, it has been tarnished in the eyes of some due to some of the winners who didn’t go on to achieve top honors. Notable examples of this include Mabel and Billy Gunn, whose pushes to the main event level were dropped soon after their King of the Ring triumphs.
Still, the tournament has crowned legends in the wrestling business and has often hosted some of the most memorable matches in wrestling history.
It is an extremely prestegious title to hold and the likes of Booker T, Wade Barrett, Sheamus & Baron Corbin were notable examples of recent superstars who legitizimized their setup in the ring by winning this tournament.
#2. Tournament that worked: Cruiserweight Classic
When WWE launched the WWE Network back in 2014, fans were excited at the prospect of fresh and original content.
One of the best examples of this has been the Cruiserweight Classic.
A pet project brought to you by Triple H, the Cruiserweight Classic brought together 32 of the world’s top talents under the 205 pound weight barrier to compete in a single elimination tournament.
The tournament included a mix of world renowned names - such as Kota Ibushi and Zack Sabre Jr - alongside wrestlers who are now well known to fans of WWE products like Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Ali, and Cedric Alexander.
The beauty of the CWC was not only did it produce high quality matches, but also gave wrestling fans several moments that are still memorable to this day.
There was Brian Kendrick's comeback story, told by his good friend Daniel Bryan on commentary. We saw the first teases of the DIY split and a feud that dominated NXT TV for two years between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa. Plus wrestling fans shouldn’t forget that ‘Please sign Cedric’ chant from the crowd in attendance, following Cedric Alexander’s incredible match with Kota Ibushi.
It paid rich tribute to yesteryear Cruiserweight legends who were once a mainstay in WWE's blue brand. The likes of Rey Mysterio, Tajiri, Funaki, Kid Kash, Gregory Helms, Chavo Guerrero and many more who filled arenas with their fantastic high octane wrestling styles.
With so many great moments, it almost makes you sad to think just how the division has been booked since.
#1. Tournament that worked: WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament
As a Scot, I may be biased with this one, but the mere announcement of this tournament peaked my levels of excitement.
It would soon become clear that WWE had major plans in store for their UK project. To show just how serious they were planning on taking it though, they needed to make a major show of intent.
Crowning a brand new champion did just the trick.
What the UK Tournament did well was that it gave many an insight into the level of quality wrestling there was coming out of Britain, and display just what the future held.
Stars such as Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate were pretty much unknowns to those outside small independent circles in England. At the conclusion of the weekend, it was clear that those two in particular were capable of massive things to come.
Another standout aspect of the tournament was the commentary. It allowed many wrestling fans to experience just how good a wrestling commentator Michael Cole is when given a bit of free reign.
All in all, it’s hard to imagine NXT UK being the success it is today without this tournament. It’s fair to say that the WWE United Kingdom Championship Tournament laid the groundwork for the European blueprint WWE is currently attempting to manufacture.
This was a stretegicaly aligned tournament that allowed WWE to test new waters.
#1. Tournament that didn't work: Brawl For All
As the finish to the recent Hell in a Cell main event displayed, you can get a good feel for how a wrestling moment is received based purely off the live audience in attendance.
So when your unique tournament concept is met with chants of "Boring!" and "We want wrestling!" you know you have a flop on your hands.
The idea behind the Brawl For All back in 1998 was a legit shoot-fighting tournament, as opposed to the usual scripted nature under which wrestling operates.
It was conceived by the notorious Vince Russo whose exploits have been discussed over the years. WWE boasted of some legitimate tough guys back in the day like Bradshaw, Bart Gunn, The Godfather, Steve Blackman and Marc Mero amongst others.
At the time, WWE were trying to use the growing popularity of UFC to legitimize some of their genuine ‘tough guy’ members of the roster.
While MMA was growing, it wasn’t near the level then that it is now. As a result, fans rejected the concept instantly. To make matters even worse, Brawl for All had the opposite effect WWE had originally intended.
Steve Williams was the man pegged to win the whole thing, and eventually got a massive push, but he was unexpectedly knocked out by Bart Gunn in the second round. Williams was injured as a result and never did receive that push.
Gunn would eventually go on to win the tournament, but it was clear that WWE never saw him as anything more than just a name in the mix. So, what did the company do with him? Bart Gunn was knocked out cold by professional boxer Eric 'Butterbean' Esch at Wrestlemania 15.
It was a popular setup but failed to be marketed correctly. The flipside also saw superstars receive plenty of legitimate injuries and hence remains an infamous episode in WWE history
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
