King of the Ring is back as will commence from next week. Considering sixteen Superstars compete for the crown, it is certainly an exciting tournament. A victory could elevate the stature of a Superstar and it could help substantially in the future.
King of the Ring is set to take place for the first time in four years, and Wade Barrett was the winner last time out. Colossal names like Randy Savage, Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar and many more have won the King of the Ring throne in the past.
Eight Superstars from RAW and eight Superstars from SmackDown Live will be part of the tournament. The last two men will fight in the final stage and the King of the Ring will be crowned at Clash of Champions. Kevin Owens, Andrade, Chad Gable, Apollo Crews, Ali, Buddy Murphy, Elias, and Shelton Benjamin will participate from SmackDown Live.
Let's have a look at 3 Superstars from the Blue Brand who deserve to win the King of Ring crown this year.
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#3 Ali
Ali could be a frontrunner to win the tournament from the Blue Brand. The former Cruiserweight Superstar recently had a rivalry with Shinsuke Nakamura as he was chasing the Intercontinental Title. Ali didn't have a match at SummerSlam this year.
After getting drafted to SmackDown Live, Ali has become a key member of the Blue Brand. Earlier, he was in the Cruiserweight division where he produced some extraordinary matches. Though Ali never won the top prize of the Purple Brand, he was a significant name in the division.
Ali is one of the best high-flyers in the company and he is adept of offering thrilling matches every week. He came close to win the Money in the Bank briefcase this year but Brock Lesnar grabbed the opportunity. If Ali manages to win the King of the Ring tournament, he could make a massive statement and the victory could put him on course to pursue the WWE Title.
#2 Andrade
There is no denying that Andrade is one of the most underutilized Superstars in WWE but his fortunes could change if he wins the King of the Ring tournament this year. Andrade is having an interesting rivalry with Rey Mysterio as the former has dominated the latter in recent weeks. Though Andrade skipped SummerSlam, he defeated Rey Mysterio on RAW this week.
Andrade is another Superstar who is immensely talented in the squared circle. During his tenure in NXT, he dominated the developmental brand. While he held the NXT Championship 140 days, he also won NXT Match of the Year Award.
Though the former NXT Champion failed to replicate the same success on the main roster, the King of the Ring tournament could open that gate for him. The King of the Ring crown could help him to re-establish himself on the Blue Brand. Since making his debut last year, Andrade has never been in the WWE Title picture but the fans would love to see him as a top guy on SmackDown Live.
#1 Kevin Owens
If Drew McIntyre is the favourite candidate to win the tournament from RAW, Kevin Owens is certainly the best pick from SmackDown Live. As a matter of fact, Owens will be one of the favourites among the sixteen participants. The Prize Fighter already has a noteworthy career and he could add another feather in his illustrious career by winning the King of the Ring crown.
Since turning a babyface, Owens has been on a roll and he is gradually establishing himself as a top star of the Blue Brand. The former Universal Champion put his career on the line at SummerSlam where he defeated Shane McMahon.
Owens is certainly one of the most charismatic guys of the current roster. After making his main roster debut, Owens won multiple titles including the Universal Championship. While he held the most coveted prize of the Red Brand, he never managed to grab the WWE Championship. If Owens wins the King of the Ring tournament, he could build significant momentum which could allow him to chase the WWE Title.