The Greatest "King Of The Ring" In History?

[THEpapachamp]

The King of the Ring was an event in which typically sixteen wrestlers wrestled in a one-on-one single elimination bracket. When a wrestler wins a match in the bracket, they advance to take on another wrestler that has also won. The final few matches would then take place at that year's King of the Ring event. The winner of the final match is officially crowned the King of the Ring. There were also other matches that took place at the King of the Ring event since it was a traditional three hour pay-per-view.
While some believe that the new King of the Ring traditionally receives a WWF/WWE Championship shot at the SummerSlam pay-per-view, this only became an established rule in 2002, for what would become the final King of the Ring tournament for 4 years until SmackDown! General Manager Theodore Long brought it back in 2006. Only four kings went on to challenge for the championship at SummerSlam (Owen Hart, Mabel, Kurt Angle, and Brock Lesnar) and only in Lesnar's case was the challenger granted a title shot as a "right" after winning the King of the Ring. More important than an actual title shot was the prestige of winning the tournament itself; in general, the winner of the King of the Ring is a wrestler whom management has picked to advance in the storylines and be the next breakout star. In fact, Steve Austin's famous "Austin 3:16" saying started during a speech made after he became the King of the Ring. A number of wrestlers have had huge successes after winning the tournament (in particular Steve Austin, but also Bret Hart, Kurt Angle, Edge, Triple H, and others), while some wrestlers have admittedly been flops as king (such as Mabel) or received little to no push after winning (such as Billy Gunn)

Below is a list in order of every King of The Ring winner in WWE History..

Don Muraco
Harley Race
"Macho King" Randy Savage
"The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase
Tito Santana
Bret "The Hitman" Hart x2
"The King of Harts" Owen Hart
King Mabel
"Stone Cold" Steve Austin
Triple H
Ken Shamrock
"Mr Ass" Billy Gunn
Kurt Angle
Edge
Brock Lesnar
King Booker
William Regal
King Sheamus

With this list of talent who went on to become the most successful King of The Ring following his title victory?

Who went on to be the worst?

 

[Murphy]

3:16 was born when Austin won King Of The Ring. Now I'm not going to go on and list Austin's accomplishments following The birth of 3:16, because everyone already knows them. As for worst, well of recent memory Sheamus went from Main Eventer to Mid Carder following King Of The Ring. It might have happend anyway but it still happend at that time.

 

[Rated-RKO_24]

Even though the KotR has done good things for some great wrestlers, Austin was obviously the one where it made the biggest impact, simply because as you mentioned that's when Austin 3:16 was born (in one of the most famous promos ever), and what really kicked off probably the most important era in wrestling history.