Despite having multiple vignettes selling the idea that winning King of the Ring is a career-boosting accomplishment, WWE has done everything in their power to kill the gimmick and bury the wrestler holding the crown. In late 2010, when Sheamus won the King of the Ring tournament, he almost literally never won again until dropping the gimmick before Wrestlemania (and subsequently winning the United States Championship). This year, the unfortunate recipient was Wade Barrett, who had been gaining traction as Bad News Barrett before constantly having his momentum cut by injury. Barrett won the crown on a WWE Network live special, and again proceeded to constantly lose matches to the man he beat in the tournament final, Neville. Things got so bad that R-Truth began to mock the gimmick, coming out with a plunger as a scepter. The feud between Barrett and Truth came to a head on the Battleground pre-show where the two battled over the King gimmick. Barrett won, but considering how WWE treats its Kings, he probably would have been better off losing.
