10 Most Bizarre WWE King Of The Ring Moments
8. Roddy Piper And Jerry Lawler's Awkward Main Event (1994)
As aforementioned, things had started to change in the WWF as far back as 1992. Fans demanded faster, more athletic action with an emphasis on in-ring quality. Guys like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were perfect for this, as was the 1994 King Of The Ring winner himself.
Owen Hart would follow his brother's achievement of the previous year, setting him up for a magical summer program against his sibling. Meanwhile, Jerry 'The King' Lawler and Roddy Piper were chosen to headline the pay-per-view, producing a match that seemed to come straight out of yesteryear. It was Hogan vs. Yokozuna all over again, only this time the old-school bout closed out the show.
Even a WWF Heavyweight Title showdown between Bret Hart and Diesel was shunted out of the way, placed on the mid card instead of in the main event slot. That was a poor decision, because Piper and Lawler couldn't hope to follow the lightning-quick athletics people had seen from the Hart brothers, The 1-2-3 Kid, and others.
It was a head-scratching decision to have Piper vs. Lawler headline.