In the summer of 1993, the WWF was at a pivotal crossroads. The organization faced intense scrutiny over drug use, particularly steroids. Although the legal proceedings didn’t begin until 1994, the repercussions were felt in 1993, leading to the departure of several key figures like Sid Justice, the British Bulldog, Road Warrior Hawk, and the Ultimate Warrior. Many of these wrestlers resurfaced in WCW, which, with Ted Turner’s backing, was gaining a strong foothold in the national wrestling scene. As a result, WWF’s popularity took a significant hit. Enter King of the Ring 1993.
Hulk Hogan, a long-time cornerstone of the WWF, had aged and was facing scrutiny over steroids. He was ready to pursue other interests (like Thunder in Paradise). Vince McMahon knew he needed a new plan, and with strong fan support in America and Europe, Bret Hart emerged as the star to focus on.
The formula seemed straightforward: move on from Hulk Hogan and give Bret Hart a long run with the title. But Vince McMahon’s indecision led to a confusing turn of events at WrestleMania IX, held in Caesar’s Palace. The event was intended to be Hogan’s farewell pay-per-view, where he teamed with longtime friend Ed Leslie (Brutus the Barber Beefcake) to face Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Shyster) for the Tag Team Championships. The match ended with Hogan using a foreign object, and despite a disqualification being ruled shortly after, Hogan and Beefcake celebrated their “victory” by throwing Money Inc.’s cash to the fans.
Later in the evening, Yokozuna defeated Bret Hart, who had won the title from Ric Flair in late 1992. In a hasty decision, Hogan challenged Yokozuna and won the title back almost immediately. McMahon’s plan to elevate Bret Hart was derailed, as Hogan was put back on top. The original plan was for Hogan to lose the belt back to Bret Hart at SummerSlam ’93, but Hogan, ever the backstage politician, argued that Bret was “too small” to beat him convincingly. Instead, Hogan suggested losing the belt to Yokozuna, which McMahon reluctantly accepted.
Thus, King of the Ring 1993 was conceived. This wasn’t the first King of the Ring tournament; it had been a successful house show event since 1985, featuring wrestlers like Don Muraco, Harley Race, Randy Savage, Ted DiBiase, and Bret Hart. The goal of the 1993 pay-per-view was twofold: to create a new marketable event between WrestleMania and SummerSlam, and to spotlight Bret Hart without giving him the top title. On June 13, 1993, King of the Ring made its pay-per-view debut.
And it worked remarkably well. The 1993 King of the Ring featured some of the best matches of the era. Bret Hart, the tournament winner, delivered outstanding performances against Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and Bam Bam Bigelow. The event also showcased Shawn Michaels defending his Intercontinental Championship against Crush, and Hogan losing to Yokozuna in a solid thirteen-minute match, albeit with some interference involving a “camera explosion.”
Unfortunately, the WWF struggled following King of the Ring. The aftermath saw Bret Hart embroiled in a tiresome feud with Jerry “The King” Lawler, while Yokozuna’s open body slam challenge led to a fleeting push for Lex Luger, who lacked Hogan’s charisma and in-ring prowess. Luger’s momentum fizzled, and by WrestleMania X, he lost to Yokozuna, who then lost the title to Bret Hart after a grueling night.
King of the Ring Tournament Matches:
- First Round Matches:
- Bret Hart vs. Razor Ramon: Bret Hart won.
- Mr. Perfect vs. The Narcissist Lex Luger: Mr. Perfect won.
- Owen Hart vs. Michael “PS” Hayes: Owen Hart won.
- Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Hackshaw Jim Duggan: Bam Bam Bigelow won.
- Semifinals:
- Bret Hart vs. Mr. Perfect: Bret Hart won.
- Bam Bam Bigelow vs. Owen Hart: Bam Bam Bigelow won.
- Finals:
- Bret Hart vs. Bam Bam Bigelow: Bret Hart won, becoming the King of the Ring for 1993.
Non-Tournament Matches:
- Intercontinental Championship Match:
- Shawn Michaels (c) vs. Crush: Shawn Michaels retained his title.
- Tag Team Championship Match:
- Hulk Hogan and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake vs. Money Inc. (Ted DiBiase and Irwin R. Shyster): Money Inc. retained their titles due to a controversial finish where the initial decision was reversed. Hogan and Beefcake’s victory was overturned by a new referee.
- World Heavyweight Championship Match:
- Hulk Hogan vs. Yokozuna: Yokozuna won the World Heavyweight Championship. The match ended with interference from a ringside photographer (Harvey Wippleman), whose camera “exploded,” causing Hogan to lose.
