Gunther WWE Night of Champions 2024
WWE.com
King of the Ring has long been a popular concept in WWE, dating back to 1985. Queen of the Ring didn't arrive until 2021, expanding on the idea and quickly becoming a staple around the summertime, when WWE traditionally holds its Saudi Arabia-based premium live events, first with the aptly named King and Queen of the Ring and now Night of Champions.
In the past, winners were often saddled with a "king" gimmick that either propelled them, like Stone Cold Steve Austin, or turned them into comic relief acts, like Baron Corbin. Now, tournament winners receive world championship matches at SummerSlam, and considering it's WWE's second-biggest show of the year, that's a hefty reward.
The added stakes have helped breathe new life into a concept that had grown stale during the 2010s. It's fair to compare WWE's approach to AEW's Owen Hart Cup, which rewards the winners of both the men's and women's tournaments with world title matches at All In.
King and Queen of the Ring has become even more of a WWE staple since Queen of the Ring debuted in 2021, with the event becoming an annual fixture beginning in 2024. So how have the winners over the last three tournaments fared once the crowns were handed out?
Zelina Vega became the inaugural Queen of the Ring when she defeated Doudrop (now Piper Niven). The match lasted less than six minutes, but it still represented an important milestone in the evolution of WWE's women's division and gave Vega arguably the biggest accolade of her WWE career.
Vega continued feuding with Doudrop after the tournament, defeating her in a rematch shortly after Crown Jewel. She soon teamed with Carmella to win the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, but becoming Queen of the Ring never propelled Vega into the singles title picture in the immediate aftermath, though she would eventually become WWE Women's United States Champion years later.
Meanwhile, Xavier Woods fulfilled a lifelong dream by defeating Finn Bálor to become King of the Ring, though that final also lasted under 10 minutes.
Woods continued feuding with The Bloodline and Happy Corbin, but he never received a world title opportunity after winning the tournament. Failing to capitalize on momentum became a recurring theme during the final years of Woods and Kofi Kingston's WWE runs, and perhaps partially explains why neither remains with the company.
Ultimately, these victories felt more like personal achievements than launching pads. Would that change a few years later?
Gunther’s King of the Ring victory in 2024 propelled him to a long deserved main-event status.. After defeating Randy Orton in a controversial final, the then-leader of Imperium immediately set his sights on Damian Priest and the World Heavyweight Championship. The victory earned him a title match at SummerSlam, where he defeated Priest to capture his first world championship on WWE's main roster.
Following the title victory, Gunther embarked on a lengthy World Heavyweight Championship reign. His most notable feud coming out of the tournament was with Orton, who argued that Gunther's shoulders had been pinned during the final and sought revenge at Bash in Berlin. Gunther also feuded extensively with Priest as their rivalry stretched through much of the summer.
Nia Jax's Queen of the Ring victory similarly paid immediate dividends. After defeating Lyra Valkyria in the final, Jax challenged Bayley for the WWE Women's Championship at SummerSlam and defeated her to capture the title. The victory completed one of WWE's more surprising comeback stories after Jax had returned to the company less than a year earlier.
Once champion, Jax became one of SmackDown's central figures. Her most prominent feud coming out of the tournament was with Bayley, while Tiffany Stratton's Money in the Bank briefcase loomed in the background. The dynamic between Jax and Stratton eventually became a major storyline as tensions developed between the allies before Stratton ultimately cashed in her contract.
For perhaps the first time in years, both tournament winners immediately ascended to the top of their respective divisions and remained there.
Jade Cargill’s Queen of the Ring victory felt like another major checkpoint in her WWE rise. By defeating Asuka in the tournament final, Cargill earned a world title opportunity at SummerSlam for one of the biggest moments of her career.
However, before fully shifting her focus to championship gold, Cargill still had unfinished business with Naomi. Their rivalry remained front and center in the months following Night of Champions and eventually culminated in a No Holds Barred match at Evolution. Only after settling that score did Cargill fully turn her attention toward the title picture.
Cody Rhodes won the 2025 King of the Ring tournament by defeating Randy Orton in the final at Night of Champions. Unlike Gunther the year prior, Rhodes entered the tournament already established as one of WWE’s biggest stars, so it became more about adding to his loaded resume.
The win earned Rhodes a world title opportunity at SummerSlam while further fueling his rivalry with John Cena. The American Nightmare would win that match to reclaim the WWE Championship and hold it until a match on SmackDown with Drew McIntyre on the Road to WrestleMania 42.
Unlike in 2021, recent tournament winners have generally seen tangible benefits from their victories. Whether that trend continues this year remains to be seen, but WWE has done a strong job of restoring much of the prestige King and Queen of the Ring had lost over the years.
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