6 Ups And 6 Downs From Last Night's WWE Raw (April 27th)

2. Classing Up The Joint

Throughout the 90s into the early 2000s, the King of the Ring tournament was one of the most hotly anticipated events of the year. Much like the Royal Rumble served to anoint €œthe man€ for WrestleMania, the winner of the King of the Ring often was in line for a major push to the top of the card (Mabel and Billy Gunn notwithstanding). Kurt Angle became world champion four months after winning KOTR, while Brock Lesnar won a world title two months after first donning the crown. The tournament inexplicably went on a four-year hiatus, returning in 2006 to give Booker T. new life. After two more tournaments in four years, KOTR disappeared for five years, until now. Bringing the tournament back could be an excellent move for WWE, especially if it€™s used the way it was during the Attitude Era to label a rising star. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsqZhLzL7LI Sure, there are question marks about this tourney, whether it will actually measure up, whether it will be more than a one-off deal, and whether being the winner will actually mean something. You could argue that the Money in the Bank briefcase has replaced King of the Ring, but if done well, this could be a welcome re-addition to WWE.