Ranking the 10 Greatest WWE King of the Ring Matches of All Time

King of the Ring has long had a history of catapulting careers and elevating certain stars to the next level. At times, it has also hindered the ultimate winner's momentum and done more to stunt their growth than help.

Bret Hart, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin and Triple H all once carried the crown and eventually amounted to world title glory and main event stardom. Just last year, Gunther emerged victorious in the tournament and went on to win his first World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam.

However, Mabel, Billy Gunn and Wade Barrett faded into obscurity upon becoming King of the Ring, and it's not as if their series of triumphs leading up to their reign of royalty were particularly memorable, either.

Sometimes, the tourneys themselves have a tendency to overshadow whoever wins it, especially if the in-ring action is emphasized and doesn't entirely transpire in one night.

King of the Ring has featured its fair share of fantastic finals since its inception 40 years ago, in addition to matches in the quarterfinals and semifinals that outshined everything else. Some are looked back on by fans more fondly than others, but all deserve to be recognized for their greatness and historical significance all the same.

Ahead of the culmination of the 2025 installment, the following are the 10 greatest King of the Ring matches of all time.

Honorable Mentions

Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon (King of the Ring 1993): The Hitman earned a reputation for having one of the best runs in the history of the King of the Ring pay-per-view with three stellar performances at the 1993 event, starting with his match against Ramon. It paled in comparison to his other outings that night but was still a strong opener.

Ali vs. Buddy Murphy (SmackDown, Aug. 27, 2019): In the short lifespan of 205 Live as the home of the cruiserweight division (at least at its most relevant), Ali and Murphy had a fun feud with phenomenal matches. They had the chance to run it back during the 2019 King of the Ring tourney, and their chemistry was incredible as ever.

Kurt Angle vs. Chris Jericho (King of the Ring 2000): Both Angle and Jericho were rapidly on the rise in 2000 and well on their way to winning world titles. Angle reached that milestone slightly quicker than Jericho with the King of the Ring crown playing a pivotal role in his ascent. They had the best bout of that year's tourney at the same-titled event.

10. The Rock vs. Ken Shamrock (King of the Ring 1998)

The Rock and Ken Shamrock spent much of 1998 at odds with each other, primarily feuding over the Intercontinental Championship.

Shamrock failed to take the title from Rock at WrestleMania XIV but did win it in the finals of the 1998 King of the Ring tournament. The two always worked well together, but on this specific show, they had one of their greatest matches by battling back and forth in an admirable effort.

Rock had finally found his footing in the heel role and as the leader of The Nation, so it was extra satisfying when Shamrock gave him his comeuppance by tapping him out with an ankle lock and securing the crown for himself.

Winning King of the Ring should have been Shamrock's ticket to the main event scene, but it actually marked the peak of his push. He later won the intercontinental title but was never booked beyond a certain level in the midcard before leaving the company all together in late 1999.

So, this was an instance where the tournament winner wasn't primed for bigger and better things.

9. Baron Corbin vs. Chad Gable (Raw, September 19, 2019)

Despite WWE being amid one of its worst creative ruts ever in 2019, there was no shortage of above-average wrestling throughout the year, specifically during the King of the Ring tournament.

The entire tourney was exclusive to Raw and SmackDown that fall, resulting in some stellar matches yet none better than Baron Corbin vs. Chad Gable in the finals.

The two had an unforgettable run-in during the finals of the inaugural Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic four years prior and fans were anxious to see them mix it up again.

Gable was gradually getting over as a babyface while Corbin was proving himself as an absolute workhorse whenever the bell rang.

The Olympian fought valiantly against Corbin, only to fall to the same End of Days that put him down for the count when they met last. It was a wonderful finishing sequence to a very entertaining encounter.

Unsurprisingly, WWE failed to follow up on either of them. Gable was soon repackaged as Shorty G and Corbin ran the King gimmick into the ground over the next two years, erasing any goodwill he generated with the audience during King of the Ring.

8. Chris Jericho vs. Rob Van Dam (King of the Ring 2002)

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Much like during the King of the Ring tournament two years earlier, Chris Jericho again found himself in the mix at the 2002 event against Rob Van Dam in a semifinal match.

This was the final installment of the pay-per-view until it was brought back in 2024, and it was clear the focus wasn't on the wrestling itself. Brock Lesnar ran through Test with relative ease, while RVD had the tougher task of facing Jericho to start the show.

It was as well-wrestled as one would expect given the immense amount of talent involved.

Jericho had the match won on multiple occasions, only for RVD to persevere and pull out the victory. This was the standout bout that the event needed since Lesnar vs. RVD in the finals later in the evening was more of a dominant, one-sided showcase for The Next Big Thing than anything.

RVD and Jericho have had countless clashes over the course of their careers, but on this specific occasion, they truly brought the best out of each other and delivered the clinic they were capable of.

7. Hunter Hearst Helmsley vs. Mankind (King of the Ring 1997)

Hunter Hearst Helmsley was well on his way toward breaking into the main event scene in 1996 when he was punished for his involvement in the infamous Curtain Call, causing plans to shift and Steve Austin being bestowed with the honor of becoming King of the Ring instead.

It took an entire year for Helmsley to bounce back and earn entry into the 1997 King of the Ring tournament, where he found himself in the finals with Mankind, who was coming off a white-hot rookie year in WWE and was a strong candidate to win the whole thing.

Their styles and characters complemented each other exceptionally well. Mankind had won over the audience by this point, whereas Helmsley was the perfect foil for him.

Helmsley winning was the right call as it kicked off what turned into an excellent feud between the two that summer.

Of course, Helmsley would eventually adopt the King of Kings moniker and embark on an iconic run, with the King of the Ring crown being what helped set the stage for his success.

6. Sheamus vs. Gunther (Raw, May 6, 2024)

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The back-to-back bouts Gunther and Sheamus had for the Intercontinental Championship in late 2022 were responsible for restoring prestige to the once-coveted prize.

They had a super hard-hitting affair both times, but Sheamus wasn't able to dethrone The Ring General on either occasion.

They rekindled their rivalry once more in the first round of the 2024 King of the Ring tournament, and The Celtic Warrior was determined to ensure it wasn't the same story. Rather, he had his sights set on overcoming his archrival at long last and reclaiming the crown he held nearly a decade earlier.

This match was wisely positioned as the main event of the May 6 edition of Raw and the two did not disappoint. The highly anticipated encounter was on par with their previous matches and had no issue electrifying the audience in attendance.

Sheamus pulled out everything in his arsenal but to no avail. Gunther again had his number and defeated him in clean fashion to advance to the quarterfinals. Whenever these titans step foot inside the same squared circle, they're guaranteed to make magic as they did here.

5. 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin vs. Marc Mero (King of the Ring 1996)

What fans remember most from the King of the Ring 1996 tournament is Steve Austin's legendary victory speech where he dubbed his "Austin 3:16" catchphrase, not the matches leading up to that monumental moment.

The finals were especially abysmal with Austin besting a past-his-prime Jake Roberts to seize the scepter and throne, but the bout that preceded it between Austin and Marc Mero in the semifinals was an underrated gem.

Mero never quite got his flowers for being as skilled as he was in the ring, with this match being a prime example of his untapped potential. Despite also being a newcomer to WWE at the time, Austin showed he could hang and more than held his own.

If fans ever needed proof of concept of Austin's in-ring standpoint, this was it. The additional trash talk during the Austin 3:16 promo later on was simply the icing on the cake and established that he was the complete package ready for prime time.

Mero wasn't with WWE for much longer, but he was instrumental in Austin's early development as a singles star sensation. As for Austin, the era of attitude he'd usher in and the history he'd create changed the industry forever.

4. Gunther vs. Randy Orton (King and Queen of the Ring 2024)

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After mowing through Sheamus in the first round of the 2024 King of the Ring tournament, Gunther went on to defeat Kofi Kingston and Jey Uso in the quarterfinals and semifinals respectively before facing Randy Orton with the crown up for grabs at the King and Queen of the Ring event.

It marked the first-ever one-on-one encounter between the two and one of Gunther's first high-profile matches without the Intercontinental Championship involved. However, he wasn't out of place in the slightest.

The two proceeded to put on a wrestling masterclass. Orton was looking for his first King of the Ring win, but Gunther was that much hungrier and managed to put down The Viper, albeit with some uncertainty surrounding the closing moments.

WWE thankfully incorporated that into the storyline and set up the need for a rematch later in the summer once Gunther was World Heavyweight champion. The rematch was equally excellent and further solidified The Ring General as the superior Superstar.

The two capped off one of the most action-packed King of the Ring tournaments ever on a high note.

3. Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect (King of the Ring 1993)

Bret Hart's big night at King of the Ring 1993 started with a win over Razor Ramon and continued with this tremendous semifinal match against Mr. Perfect.

There was zero doubt they'd click as opponents, and sure enough, they delivered in spades. In the process, they made capturing the crown feel as important as possible and made it genuinely unpredictable who would advance.

Hart was coming off his heartbreaking loss of the WWE Championship to Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX, so becoming King of the Ring would increase his chances of getting back in the championship hunt. As for Mr. Perfect, he obviously excelled in every area and could've used this victory to propel himself toward the top of the card where he belonged.

This was wrestling at its absolute finest with both guys having spectacular showings. With the crowd completely invested in every hold they traded and every submission they locked on, Hart was successful in getting past his Perfect adversary, still with one more match to go in the finals later in the night.

2. Ilja Dragunov vs. Ricochet (Raw, May 6, 2024)

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As soon as Ilja Dragunov was announced as making his Raw debut against Ricochet in the first round of the 2024 King of the Ring tournament, fans were convinced a classic was incoming.

Ricochet hadn't won anything substantial in sometime, but as an in-ring performer, he was (and still is) second to none. In many ways, he was the ideal opponent for Dragunov in his debut as he'd ensure the former NXT champion looked like a million bucks while also showcasing his own skills.

Their chemistry was off the charts from the get-go. The offense was explosive and Dragunov very quickly became a fan favorite with how much of a rising star he came across as.

Likewise, it was among Ricochet's best WWE matches ever. He was evidently more motivated than usual and was successful in stealing the show.

The brutal back-and-forth battle culminated with Dragunov mercifully defeating Ricochet and punching his ticket to the quarterfinals. Ricochet was gone from WWE just over a month later, so having one of the best Raw matches in recent years served as a bittersweet finale for him.

1. Bret Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow (King of the Ring 1993)

The ultimate honor of the greatest King of the Ring match ever belongs with Bret Hart, simply for how he managed to have three barn-burners in one night and still reign supreme.

His matches with Razor Ramon and Mr. Perfect earlier in the evening had left him weary and at a distinct disadvantage heading into the main event with Bam Bam Bigelow, a vastly different opponent than the other two.

Memorable matches in WWE were far and few for Bigelow at that point, but he stepped it up to another level upon clashing with Hart that night. The Hitman was the world-class wrestler he always was and put forth the same amount of effort he did against Ramon and Perfect.

This was a terrific David vs. Goliath-type of match made even better by the story they were telling with Hart having to overcome the odds. He did just that and won his second straight King of the Ring crown.

The 1993 King of the Ring show as a whole was among WWE's strongest ever, putting to rest any doubt that The Hitman couldn't live up to his "the best there is, the best there was and the best there ever will be" mantra.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.