The King of the Ring tournament is prestigious and something that wrestling fans have always held in high regard. While WWE's booking of the tournament has been hit-and-miss over the years, winning it has had a huge impact on many people's careers, showcasing how important it can be.
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For some of the previous winners, earning this accomplishment has allowed them to become legends in the business, while others didn't go on to have as much success. Right now, all of those wrestlers are in different places, with some still competing while others are enjoying retirement and different roles.
10 William Regal
One of the highlights of William Regal's incredible career was his victory in the King of the Ring tournament back in 2008. He defeated CM Punk to achieve this goal, and he then went on to cut some fantastic promos while on the throne, creating a brilliant heel character.
Nowadays, Regal is gone from WWE and finds himself working with AEW. He is in charge of the Blackpool Combat Club faction, and while he isn't wrestling anymore, he is a regular part of the show and someone who plays a big part in that group.
9 Wade Barrett
Wade Barrett was a smart choice to be the King of the Ring winner in 2015 when WWE decided to bring back the tournament. He defeated Neville in the final which was a huge moment for him, but the company never really pushed the Englishman after this moment to go along with the gimmick.
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Barrett is still with WWE though, even though he did have a break from the company for several years. He now works in NXT 2.0 as a commentator, which is a role that suits him perfectly. He has always been a great talker and this is a spot that gets to shine that ability.
8 Sheamus
Sheamus is another modern King of the Ring winner that a lot of fans forget about, mainly because WWE didn't push him much either when it comes to this gimmick. He modified the look afterward with his style, but outside of that his 2010 victory was a little flat.
12 years later and the Celtic Warrior is still part of the company, putting in great performances regularly. He is part of the SmackDown brand and now has his own faction, with Ridge Holland and Butch working alongside him.
7 Bret Hart
Throughout WWE history only one man has been able to win the King of the Ring twice, and that man was Bret Hart. He was brilliant in this role, and he did a great job of making fans connect to him as a character during this period. While he achieved so many other things, this was still a big part of his career.
Nowadays, the Hitman is firmly retired and just makes occasional appearances as a legend when needed. He has worked with WWE and even popped up in AEW to unveil the AEW World Championship when the company began. Fans also get to see him at conventions and meet and greet.
6 Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase won the tournament in 1988 and was only the fourth person in history to achieve that goal. He beat Randy Savage in the final, which was a huge accomplishment for him. WWE would later induct DiBiase into the Hall Of Fame, with his career being one of the greatest from that era.
Nowadays, he makes appearances at conventions to stay in touch with wrestling, and he was recently back in WWE for a storyline with Cameron Grimes which saw the Million Dollar Championship return.
5 Triple H
Triple H had a storied career in wrestling that saw him win countless titles, main event PPVs, and win Royal Rumbles. But, he is also a former King of the Ring winner. In 1997, he defeated Mankind to claim his prize, and The Game never looked back.
Unfortunately due to a recent heart issue, Triple H is recently retired from in-ring competition, and he officially left his boots in the ring back at WrestleMania 38 to cement that decision.
4 Edge
Few fans would have predicted that Edge would still be wrestling in 2022 when he captured the 2001 King of the Ring, but that is the case. Winning this tournament was a great launching pad moment for him in terms of Edge's singles career, as he truly went to the next level after that.
Nowadays, he is a Hall Of Famer, who was forced to retire due to neck problems only to return as good as ever. Edge has created his own faction known as Judgment Day, with Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley working alongside him right now.
3 Billy Gunn
A lot of fans just think about Billy Gunn as a tag team wrestler due to the brilliant run that he had alongside Road Dogg. However, he was also a fantastic singles worker which was clear by the fact he won the 1999 King of the Ring, defeating X-Pac in the final match.
He is someone that is still actively working in the business as part of the AEW roster. Billy wrestles occasionally, but he is mainly used as a manager now with The Gunn Club, focusing on trying to guide his sons as they begin their wrestling journey.
2 Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar added this accomplishment to his long list of achievements back in 2002 by defeating RVD, which was truly the start of his rise to the main event scene. Since that point, the Beast has not looked back and has dominated the industry and everyone who has got in his way.
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Right now Lesnar isn't part of WWE's product, but he is still under contract. He works a part-time schedule and comes in and out when the company needs him, and while his next appearance is unclear, it could end up being at SummerSlam later this year.
1 Booker T
When fans think about the King of the Ring gimmick it is likely Booker T that comes to mind. His King Booker gimmick is one of the greatest in WWE history, and it is something that he is certainly remembered for. Booker took on the royal character and pushed it to new levels as a performer.
While he is not officially retired, as he does occasionally work for his own promotion, Booker's focus is out of the ring now. He runs his own training school, has a radio show, and still works for WWE by appearing on the pre-show panels for each premium live event.
