5 WWE King of the Ring winners who went on to become main event superstars
King of the Ring is one of the most prestigious WWE tournaments dating back to 1985. Don Muraco defeated The Iron Sheikh to become the inaugural 'King.'
Over the years, WWE has seen prominent superstars like Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Brock Lesnar, Booker T, Kurt Angle, Edge, the late Owen Hart, and Triple H win the tournament.
For some, winning King of the Ring has been a stepping stone to becoming the main event superstars as their careers have progressed.
The last King of the Ring Tournament was held in 2019, where Baron Corbin emerged victorious by beating Chad Gable. King Corbin recently lost his title to Shinsuke Nakamura in the 'Battle for the Crown' match, making Nakamura the reigning King in WWE.
In this article, we dive into five WWE King of the Ring winners who became main event superstars.
#5 Triple H - King of the Ring winner in 1997
Triple H fka Hunter Hearst Helmsley won the King of the Ring tournament in 1997 by beating Mankind. Winning this prestigious tournament gave him the much-needed push as he formed the infamous D-Generation X with Shawn Michaels soon after.
In a couple of years, The Game won his first WWE Championship in 1999 when he beat Mankind and became one of the biggest heels in the Attitude Era.
His career has since been what dreams are made of, being a former fourteen-time World Champion, five-time Intercontinental Champion, two-time European Champion, and a two-time Royal Rumble winner. Triple H remains one of the very best superstars of his generation and a true legend in WWE.