5 Best King of the Ring matches of all time

WWE King of the Ring has long been the company's premier tournament. Before it became a pay-per-view, Harley Race, Ted Dibiase, and Macho Man Randy Savage all earned the moniker of King.

Not only have there been Hall Of Fame winners, but there have also been excellent encounters during the tournaments.

Rivalries have been created from the awesome matches that have taken place during the King of the Ring tournament. There have also been long-time rivals who have clashed to earn the crown.

Whether through incredible displays of technical wrestling or grueling in-ring battles, the King of the Ring has seen memorable showdowns.

With the 2021 King of the Ring about to get underway this coming Friday on SmackDown, it's a great time to look back at the most memorable bouts in the tournament's history.

Here are the five best King of the Ring matches of all time.

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#5 Owen Hart vs. 1-2-3 Kid – King of the Ring 1994

Owen Hart is widely regarded as one of the greatest King of the Ring winners of all time. He used the tournament to propel him to his first shot at the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 1994 against his brother Bret "The Hitman" Hart inside a steel cage. Owen also became known as "The King of Harts" following his big win.

On his way to the crown, Owen took part in one of WWE's best sub-five-minute matches. The youngest Hart brother and 1-2-3 Kid were among the most athletic performers on the roster in 1994. They put on a brilliant display of speed, quickness, and pacing. The two men packed so much action into the four-minute duration of their clash.

Owen was able to grind out the victory and move on to the finals of the King of the Ring against Razor Ramon. Hart and Kid would have more clashes in the years to follow, but many fans remember this, especially when they think about what is capable in a short period nowadays.

4) Bret "The Hitman" Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow – King of the Ring 1993

If his brother Owen Hart did an admirable job of filling the crown at King of the Ring 1994, Bret Hart set the bar the year prior. Many fans consider the 1993 edition to be a landmark night in the career of The Hitman. Despite winning the WWE Championship in 1992 and holding it until WrestleMania 9, Hart needed a great performance on this pay-per-view to firmly cement his place as a top babyface.

After two different bouts in the first two rounds on this evening, Bret Hart came into the 1993 King of the Ring Finals exhausted and battered. It would be his biggest challenge yet in the main event against Bam Bam Bigelow. Not only did Bigelow have a clear size advantage, but he also received a bye in the semifinals to come in fresh into this showdown with Bret.

Bam Bam Bigelow looked like an absolute monster here, using his power and size to beat down Bret Hart throughout this contest. Bret sold his offense expertly and made an exhilarating comeback. The weight of Bam Bam's legs became too much for even Hart in this King of the Ring Finals when he tried to lock on the Sharpshooter. Bigelow just kicked him off.

Bam Bam hit a bearhug slam and looked like he would win, but Hart kicked out. Bret got on Bigelow's shoulders and got the victory roll to pull off the upset victory to win the 1993 King of the Ring tournament. This was one of the best big men vs. little man battles fans had ever seen. It was another masterful performance by Bret Hart on a magical run for him on the show.

3) Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Mankind – King of the Ring 1997

The rivalry between Triple H and Mick Foley is among the best in WWE history. The beginnings trace back to King of the Ring 1997 when the two battled in the tournament finals. Triple H, then known as Hunter Hearst Helmsley, had earned his way back to the finals that he would've reached the year prior if not for the infamous "Curtain Call" and wanted to claim the crown.

Mankind was a clear underdog and not someone who followed the lineage of past King of the Ring winners. However, this pay-per-view saw him beat The Undertaker for the first time in 1996, while the next year would be the site for the most important encounter of his career against the same man inside the Hell In A Cell.

The 1997 King of the Ring Finals was so physical that Triple H and Mankind would become known for it throughout their various encounters in their WWE careers. Chyna was also a key factor in this bout as she will be in their next few meetings in 1997. Mankind did his best to sell for the Ninth Wonder of the World that got her over quickly.

Triple H gave Mankind the Pedigree on the commentary table, which was a first for him. If that wasn't enough to put him away, Chyna used the King of the Ring scepter and smashed it over Mankind's head. Hunter knocked him off the apron into a photographer at ringside. He placed him back in the ring for a near-fall and then followed with the Pedigree to win the 1997 King of the Ring.

2) Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Wildman Marc Mero – King of the Ring 1996

When fans think about individuals that were elevated through winning the King of the Ring tournament, the conversation begins and ends with Stone Cold Steve Austin. The Texas Rattlesnake used his win in 1996 to immediately rocket straight up the ranks and become a household name for the WWE.

Before Austin defeated Jake The Snake Roberts in the King of the Ring Finals and cut his famous Austin 3:16 promo, he faced Wildman Marc Mero in the semifinals of the tournament. The two men were considered two of the future stars for the company and were looking to win.

Both Austin and Mero were among the most polished performers on the roster, but this contest got ugly in a hurry. Mero split Austin's lip open and the blood was pouring out of his face. Austin used his arsenal to try and ground Mero to slow down the pace, while Wildman used his high-flying expertise to speed things up. Mero hit a somersault plancha and a suicide dive to the outside on Austin.

The crowd was into this and got louder as the action escalated. Stone Cold hit an alley-oop version of the stun gun for a near fall and then followed with the Stone Cold Stunner to hand Marc Mero his first defeat in WWE. Austin was rushed to the hospital for stitches before coming back to win the 1996 King of the Ring later in the night. It was a banger of a contest that delivered the good from both men.

1) Bret "The Hitman" Hart vs. Mr. Perfect – King of the Ring 1993

The aforementioned performance of Bret "The Hitman" Hart in the 1993 King of the Ring tournament was the stuff of legend. He kicked things off with a rock-solid affair against Razor Ramon. Hart overcame Ramon's strength and used his excellent mat wrestling to defeat Razor. The crowd was firmly in Bret's corner and he was in top form from the very beginning.

His King of the Ring semifinal opponent, Mr. Perfect, defeated Mr. Hughes via disqualification when he struck him with the Undertaker's urn. The two men cut a dual interview backstage ahead of their clash and addressed the history with one another. Bret Hart defeated Mr. Perfect to win his first Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam 1991 and this would be the long-awaited rematch.

Things were different this time around as Perfect didn't have the same severely injured back that he did in their previous meeting. He was 100% and looking to avenge this loss and move on to the King of the Ring Finals. However, Bret did come in a little banged up with his hand taped after Razor stomped and hurt it in the quarterfinals.

The two men opened with a slow start and a smooth wrestling sequence that set the tone for this King of the Ring semifinal bout. Bobby Heenan pointed out how crisp Bret and Perfect were. Bret utilized a headlock takeover to ground his opponent, but Perfect used chops, knees to the gut, and a beautiful dropkick to gain control.

Mr. Perfect came into this battle as a babyface but did everything he could to get the win. After holding the ropes for Bret to re-enter the ring, he nailed a cheap shot and started driving Bret's face into the ring apron, drawing boos from the crowd. Perfect hit a missile dropkick, but Hart got his foot on the bottom rope to survive and continue the King of the Ring semifinals.

Bret targeted Perfect's leg to regain control after a Figure Four Leglock. Perfect's selling of his leg was impeccable and showed how good he was at subtle detail in contests. Bret got the Sharpshooter locked in, but he attacked the injured hand Bret to break the hold. Perfect went for the Perfect-Plex, but Hart reversed and hit a suplex to the outside.

This led to a countout tease with Bret getting up first and putting Perfect back in the ring. However, Perfect played possum and pulled Hart in for a great near fall before Bret reversed it into an inside cradle of his own for the three counts. This was an outstanding technical wrestling masterclass that showed the greatness of both competitors.

Bret Hart and Mr. Perfect were better known for their SummerSlam 1991 clash, but this King of the Ring semifinal contest may just be even better. Both men were at full health and made every move matter in this bout. That's why Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect from 1993 is the best King of the Ring match of all time.