10 Best Ever Wrestling Tournaments
1. WWE King Of The Ring 1993
As far as King of the Ring goes, it’s hard to top the original tournament. There were no title shots on the line, only bragging rights, but that didn’t stop some of WWE’s most talented wrestlers from putting on a great show. The likes of Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and Bam Bam Bigelow all worked their way to the pay-per-view’s quarter-finals, with Bret Hart securing a convenient first round bye.
Hart outworked Razor in his first tournament match, then faced Mr. Perfect in the tournament’s strongest contest. Hennig and Hart put on a technical masterclass full of counters, transitions, and surprise roll-ups, and after 18 tough minutes, The Hitman sealed the victory.
His eventual opponent, Bam Bam Bigelow, hadn’t exactly endured a tough road to the final. Defeating Typhoon and Jim Duggan with relative ease, he was given a semi-final bye after Tatanka and Lex Luger had wrestled to a draw, and came in as the much fresher man. Thus, Bigelow controlled much of the final, but Hart stayed resilient, overcame the odds, and took a roll-up win following a mid-match restart.
Bret, of course, became one of the biggest stars of his era. He moved into a feud with Jerry Lawler in the aftermath, and having lost his WWE Championship to Yokozuna at WrestleMania IX, The Hitman regained it the following year. Already one of the most popular wrestlers in the company, Hart’s KOTR win helped take him to the next level.