Every WWE King Of The Ring Winner Ranked From Worst To Best
7. Harley Race (1986)
When eight-time NWA Champion Harley Race came to the WWF in 1986, the company had a dilemma(lina): Race had a long pedigree as a champion, but the promotion could not (or more accurately, would not) acknowledge any of it.
So how do you portray a multi-time World champion as a threat without referring to his past? By having him win the second King of the Ring tournament in 1986, clearly. Race became King Harley Race, being the first person to bring the WWF king gimmick to television, and the only one of the first six winners.
Race donned a crown and cape and made it his entire persona. Harley would feud with Hulk Hogan, Junkyard Dog and “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan over the next year-plus.
In 1988, Race got injured (that table spot from Saturday Night’s Main Event), so his “king” title was transferred to fellow Heenan Family member Haku, who subsequently lost the title to Duggan, who lost it to “Macho Man” Randy Savage in 1989. Savage would hold it until 1991.
Now that was a kingship that had staying power, hanging around a solid five years after Harley had been crowned.