5 WWE stars who won their first world title right after winning King of the Ring

The King of the Ring is a prestigious elimination-based WWE tournament that was established in 1985. The winner of the tournament is crowned "The King of the Ring," marking a significant achievement in their career.

The King of the Ring tournament has played an important role in the careers of several WWE Superstars over the years. For some, winning the tournament has been a significant turning point, leading to character transformations and catapulting them to the main event scene in WWE.

One of the most notable examples is Stone Cold Steve Austin, who won the 1996 King of the Ring tournament. This victory marked the beginning of his rise to becoming the biggest star in the company.

Following are some superstars who went on to become World Champions shortly after winning the King of the Ring.

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#5. 'Macho Man' Randy Savage

Randy Savage's popularity was on the rise in 1987 when he was being cheered by the majority of the fans despite being a heel. He went on the win King of the Ring that year by defeating King Kong Bundy in the finals.

Right after this win, he started feuding with The Honky Tonk Man for the Intercontinental Championship before eventually winning the WWF World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania 4.

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#4. Kurt Angle

Kurt Angle indeed had one of the best rookie years in WWE history. Coming off his reputation as an Olympic Gold Medalist, he seamlessly transitioned to the world of professional wrestling.

In 2000, Angle was crowned King of the Ring, defeating Rikishi in the tournament finals. Following this victory, he entered into a high-profile feud with Triple H and Stephanie McMahon.

Angle's meteoric rise to the top culminated at No Mercy later that year, where he defeated The Rock to win the WWF Championship.

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#3. Bret Hart

The legendary Bret Hart holds the distinction of being the only wrestler to win the King of the Ring tournament twice. His first victory in 1991 solidified his dominance as the reigning Intercontinental Champion. However, it was his win in 1993 that truly propelled him to the top of the company.

Following his loss of the WWE Championship to Yokozuna at WrestleMania 9, Bret Hart was determined to work his way back to the top. He entered the 1993 King of the Ring tournament and emerged victorious by defeating Bam Bam Bigelow in the finals.

He eventually got his much-anticipated rematch against Yokozuna at WrestleMania 10. In a memorable and hard-fought match, Bret Hart defeated Yokozuna to reclaim the WWF Championship.

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#2. Booker T

When you mention King of the Ring in history, one of the superstars that immediately comes to mind is Booker T with his 'King Booker' persona. He won the 2006 edition of the tournament by defeating Bobby Lashley in the finals.

After becoming King of the Ring, Booker T fully embraced his royal persona, incorporating king-like mannerisms and attire. He even formed a royal court for himself, featuring members such as Finlay, William Regal, and Queen Sharmell.

Later that year, King Booker achieved another milestone in his career when he defeated Rey Mysterio to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. This was his first world championship win since joining WWE.

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#1. Brock Lesnar

The King of the Ring tournament has always been prestigious, but in 2002, the stakes were raised when the winner was announced to become the number one contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam that year.

Brock Lesnar burst onto the scene in 2002 and had arguably the greatest rookie year in WWE history. He dominated the competition and became King of the Ring by defeating Rob Van Dam in the finals.

Lesnar went on to dominate The Rock at Summerslam to become the Undisputed WWE Champion, making him the youngest world champion in history at just 25 years old.