5 things WWE must ensure for King of the Ring 2019 to be a success

Formerly one of WWE's signature pay-per-view events, King of the Ring has been largely been ignored by the company over the last dozen years. That has finally changed, as WWE announced the return of the tournament on Monday Night Raw. It will begin next week, with superstars from both Raw and SmackDown.

The once-annual event that helped make the careers of such superstars as Bret Hart and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin among others. But in recent years, King of the Ring has not been a consistent concept for WWE. Ever since they discontinued the pay-per-view in 2002, it has been held only four times.

The final few editions of King of the Ring were largely frustrating, taking place over the span of one or two nights. While this year is set to be TV-only as well, it should last a few weeks. Sixteen superstars will vie for the crown. This presents a golden opportunity for WWE. They have to nail this edition of the tournament.

Here are five things that WWE must ensure for this year's King of the Ring to be successful.

#5 Lengthy matches

Monday Night Raw is three hours long and SmackDown Live is two hours long. This should really allow WWE to book longer matches. After all, it is called King of the Ring. Guys like Cesaro, Ricochet, Andrade, and Ali among others would be able to produce 20-minute classics which would only serve to benefit them in the future, whether they win or lose. They have the in-ring acumen to do that. They should be let loose by the company.

WWE could have a couple of tournament matches on each show, starting from next week's Raw. That way, there is enough time to breathe and the matches can be longer. With the unbelievable talent that WWE has on its roster and for King of the Ring, they must allow them to just go out there and wrestle. If you don't watch 205 Live or NXT, you might be surprised to see what Chad Gable is really capable of. WWE should just give him some time.