Analysing Potential Winners of Revamped King of the Ring Tournament

Amidst all the underwhelming moments during the recent Extreme Rules pay-per-view, the announcement that King of the Ring will return for the first time in five years was a rare highlight.

A quick scan through the previous winners of the tournament is like reading a who's who of WWE legends, with names such as Randy Savage, Bret Hart and Steve Austin all having won the tournament at some point in their illustrious careers.

With some first-round matches likely to take place on the edition of Raw following Extreme Rules, and a live special on the WWE Network on Tuesday, we'll know who the next King of the Ring is sooner rather than later. 

And naturally, there are plenty of people who could have a chance of winning the tournament, with the revamped edition likely to be used as a tool to push someone heading into the summer months.

So where can we look for potential winners? Well, although there are lots of stars who could be in the tournament, you'd expect only an elite few have a chance of winning, and that includes Dean Ambrose.

Ambrose picked up his first win on pay-per-view since The Shield split last summer when he defeated Luke Harper Sunday in a Chicago Street Fight, and there's a hope that he can now ride the bit of momentum he's picked up and move up the card.

Ambrose has retained an impressive amount of popularity almost a year on from the breakup of The Shield, and he's certainly a fan favorite many would love to see triumph here.

He's got an edge that few other stars in the WWE seem to have, and Ambrose still feels like he's on the verge of something spectacular. 

He got lost in the shuffle a little bit after WrestleMania 31, with his feud against Harper ultimately feeling a bit rushed. However, Ambrose did a great job at Extreme Rules, and he now has to be considered a favorite for King of the Ring.

Elsewhere, it's possible that the last man to be crowned King of the Ring could theoretically defend his title in 2015.

Sheamus, the 2010 winner, has been on a real roll since returning to TV just after WrestleMania 31, and although he lost out at Extreme Rules, he had the last laugh to maintain his heat.

By handing out a Brogue Kick to Dolph Ziggler after his loss to The Showoff, Sheamus continues his ascension as one of the WWE's hottest heels. 

And with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship scene locked down for the next few months, perhaps the King of the Ring tournament would be the best way to move Sheamus forward for now.

The pre-show at Extreme Rules had to be switched at the last minute due to Daniel Bryan's withdrawal, which led to Bad News Barrett fighting a fellow Englishman in the shape of Neville.

Barrett could be considered a contender for King of the Ring, but so too could Neville, who has made serious waves since arriving on the main roster March 30.

Should the WWE decide to use this revamped tournament as a vehicle to push a young talent, Neville could actually be the perfect pick.

It would enable him to fight it out against some of the company's top stars in a prestigious tournament and potentially allow him to add his name to the list of illustrious winners.

With a title like King of the Ring attached to him, Neville's solid, eye-catching start on the main roster could put him on a fast track to the top of the card.