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King of the Ring is one of the simplest, yet effective ideas that the WWE has ever had. An eight-man tournament takes place on a pay-per-view with the winner of the tournament receiving a future title shot.
It is a very efficient way of producing good quality sports entertainment at the highest level possible. However, WWE discontinued the pay-per-view and opted for a bi-annual tournament on Raw or another pay-per-view.
In 2006, Booker T defeated Bobby Lashley to become King of the Ring. It soon became his gimmick. William Regal also had an entertaining reign as King in 2008, before getting suspended.
2010's tournament was not as successful. Sheamus won the tournament, but his ensuing King Sheamus gimmick was forced and did absolutely nothing for him. WWE did not hold another such tournament until five years later.
The 2015 version of King Of The Ring was terrible to say the least. The build up for it began one day before it was aired on the WWE Network. Bad News Barrett won the tournament but just like Sheamus, it did absolutely nothing for him.
In fact it turned him into a joke. It was so bad that he had a feud against R-Truth for his crown and the sceptre. There was no coming back for him. Since then we have not seen the tournament return.
However, this is a good time to bring it back. It will work wonders for the WWE and here are five reasons why.
#1 Recent success with tournaments
Tournaments are always fun, no matter what sport you are watching. The tension while watching a knockout game where there is sudden death is usually unmatched. Wrestling is no different.
It ramps up the intensity and the purpose of matches, giving them an extra edge to provide better quality. It is also easier to get behind wrestlers in these situations. There have been many examples for this in past few years in WWE.
In 2016, we saw the Cruiserweight Classic where 32 of the world's best cruiser-weights faced each other in a single-elimination tournament. It was a major success and is one of the best things on the WWE Network.
The matches were high in intensity throughout the tournament and the fans found it easy to get behind certain matches.
Cedric Alexander became a star during his excellent match with Kota Ibushi, while TJ Perkins actually did something interesting as he won the entire tournament.
The Mae Young Classic took place the following year and is set to return this year as well, after the overwhelming success of the first time. Admittedly, the booking and production of these tournaments would not exactly work on the main roster.
However, the roster is stacked with supremely talented guys who would make it work. We would get some great matches over the course of the tournament without a doubt.
#2 Compelling television
At times Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live have been a chore to watch. The creative team recycle similar stories and ideas from time to time, while not providing a spotlight to some of the more talented stars on the roster.
SmackDown has considerably improved since the Superstar Shake-up but Raw still feels like the same old show. It could all change with the return of King Of The Ring.
The announcement itself would make for extremely compelling television, but the tournament would improve the weekly quality by a considerable amount. High-quality wrestling matches with stakes and drive behind it are always welcome on Raw and SmackDown. It would also keep the WWE calendar fresh and devoid from any lulls.
There would be a buzz after SummerSlam, something which has not exactly happened in a very long time. Announcing tournament matches throughout the month would help to boost ratings in this time where quality is compromised a lot.
September would be the perfect month for this as it comes between SummerSlam and the start of the build to Survivor Series. It can keep the product fresh and enjoyable while giving the wrestlers something to do and fight for.
King Of The Ring could be a big win for everybody involved, but only if it is played right. If it does return, WWE must not rush the tournament. They should play it out for over a month on television and pay it off on pay-per-view.
#3 Makes WWE pay-per-views more meaningful
Currently scheduled for September is the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. Shows like this really convolute the importance of various match stipulations.
Since 2009, WWE has replaced legendary pay-per-views such as Unforgiven, Armageddon and Judgement Day with the likes of Hell in a Cell, TLC and at one point, Fatal-4-Way. Having gimmick pay-per-views makes the match type feel somewhat forced.
You now know when to expect a Hell in a Cell match, or a TLC match. These matches were only reserved for bitter and blood-drawn feuds. Now they are reserved for any feud which happens around the period for that respective pay-per-view.
Sometimes though, WWE does a good job in planning the feuds accordingly. Kevin Owens vs Shane McMahon and The New Day vs The Usos from last year are two good examples of this. Still, the overall special nature of these matches has diminished due to events being named after them.
This problem could be eradicated quickly if WWE re-installs King Of The Ring onto the pay-per-view calendar. It serves a clear purpose and does not affect the importance of any match stipulations.
It would be a solid time-fill for the month of September, filled with some good quality wrestling. WWE can book gimmick matches only whenever they really need them, like to conclude a blood feud.
#4 Easy story telling
It is very easy to tell a good story during a tournament. The Brian Kendrick's desperation was well documented throughout his run in the Cruiserweight Classic, up until his heart-breaking loss against Kota Ibushi.
There have been multiple stories relating to the King of the Ring tournament as well. Bret Hart wrestled three exceptional matches on his way to win the crown in 1993, while Brock Lesnar caused heavy destruction on his pathway to greatness in 2002.
These great stories are not only limited to wrestling. Teams from various different sports could go on storied runs in tournaments. Take Liverpool for example. Their togetherness and team spirit caused them to reach the Champions League final.
These types of underdog stories are what King of the Ring is meant for. Who wouldn't like to see a Chad Gable or a Kofi Kingston go on a winning run in the tournament?
It is also relatively easy to set up future storylines using the tournament. Daniel Bryan going all the way to the final, Dean Ambrose costing Seth Rollins in the quarter-final or tag team partners like Big E and Xavier Woods facing each other are all examples of what types of storytelling mechanisms can be used to create intrigue, drama and anticipation throughout the tournament. Even simple things like a draw to determine matches would generate excitement from the fans.
#5 Vehicle for stars to get over
WWE's roster is undoubtedly the most talented it has ever been. There are so many stars on Raw and SmackDown who could feasibly carry the torch, and there are even more on NXT. With a roster so stacked, there comes a problem.
Not everybody can get over. Right now, WWE has a handful of wrestlers who legitimately feel like main eventers. Roman Reigns, Braun Strowman and Daniel Bryan are a few. There is a bucket load of talented wrestlers on either brand who are waiting to shatter the glass ceiling.
But there is only a limited number of spots. King Of The Ring gives WWE the opportunity to showcase as much talent as they can. So many wrestlers do not feel important, because there are just too many of them.
It is hard to please everybody and some of them need to take a back seat. WWE can easily tell compelling stories throughout the tournament, to help certain wrestlers get over.
Guys like Andrade 'Cien' Almas and Elias could reach the next level if they put in good performances in their tournament matches. It is an opportunity for everybody to shine. Both Raw and SmackDown are filled with talent and so many storyline possibilities.
They just need to utilise them correctly. King Of The Ring has created many stars before. The likes of Bret Hart, Triple H, King Booker and, most famously, 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin became megastars thanks to winning the tournament.
This is an efficient way to create new stars in the WWE, along with all the other benefits it offers. Hopefully they realise the good that can come from this and bring it back. The King Of The Ring tournament and pay-per-view are exactly what WWE needs to spice up their fall.
