2026 WWE King Of The Ring Winner

Published: 2 hours ago by SP3 | Last Updated: 2 hours ago by SP3

Born in Harlem, New York and now living in the Bronx, Sid Pullar III aka SP3 is a lifelong wrestling fan who has been covering the industry for over nine years as a podcaster and writer. His passion for the industry has been documented with over 3,000 videos on YouTube and 8,000 written pieces across multiple outlets, such as WrestleTalk, Sports Illustrated and more.

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On Saturday, June 27, WWE will present this year’s Night of Champions premium live event from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The past few years have seen Night of Champions host the conclusion of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments, so that may well be the case again this year.

With every star looking to earn the opportunity to challenge for the world title on their specific brand, the King of the Ring winner has earned that title shot at WWE SummerSlam for the past two years.

Here are eight potential 2026 WWE King of the Ring winners.

8. GUNTHER

Back in 2024, GUNTHER won the King of the Ring tournament by defeating Randy Orton.

‘The Ring General’ went on to defeat Damian Priest to win the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE SummerSlam 2024.

Parlaying that victory to his first world title in WWE, GUNTHER has shown why the tournament came back in the first place and could do that yet again this year.

With his sights set on becoming a three-time World Heavyweight Champion, GUNTHER could enter this year’s tournament, become a two-time King of the Ring, and go on to set up a first time ever meeting with Roman Reigns come WWE SummerSlam 2026.

7. Ethan Page

On the April 20 WWE Raw after WrestleMania 42, Ethan Page made his main roster debut as the newest member of the red brand.

‘All Ego’ has showcased himself to be ready made for the main roster since signing with WWE in 2024.

First winning the NXT Championship after two months with the promotion and then becoming one of the longest reigning NXT North American Champions, Page has displayed what makes him ready for the spotlight WWE Raw offers.

To really introduce himself to this next stage of his career, Page could go on to win the King of the Ring tournament and earn himself a shot at the World Heavyweight Championship.

6. Royce Keys

On the April 17 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, Royce Keys won the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

With this victory under his belt, Keys has shown the world that he is more than prepared for whatever is next in WWE.

Looking to propel himself to that next level, the former Powerhouse Hobbs could enter the main event picture with a win in the King of the Ring tournament.

Whether it be against his friend Cody Rhodes or another titleholder, Keys could earn top star status by earning his shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2026.

5. Jacob Fatu

At WWE WrestleMania 42 Night One, Jacob Fatu defeated Drew McIntyre in an Unsancitioned Match.

‘The Samoan Werewolf’ now looks to focus his sights on the World Heavyweight Championship when he challenges his cousin Roman Reigns at WWE Backlash 2026.

If Fatu loses, he may acknowledge ‘The OTC’ and be forced to join forces with The Bloodline moving forward.

Wanting to bring more gold to The Bloodline, Fatu could change his sights back on the Undisputed WWE Championship by winning the King of the Ring tournament this year.

4. Carmelo Hayes

Ahead of WrestleMania 42, Carmelo Hayes lost the United States Championship to Sami Zayn on the March 27 edition of WWE SmackDown.

Since then, fans have been wondering how Hayes will regain his momentum after missing out on Mania.

Over the past few months, Melo has proven himself as a fighting champion and shown why he could be one of the best in-ring performers on the WWE roster today.

To take the next step in his career, Hayes could enter and win the King of the Ring tournament to earn a shot at the Undisputed WWE Championship at the SummerSlam 2026 premium live event in August.

3. Trick Williams

At the WWE WrestleMania 42 Night Two, Trick Williams defeated Sami Zayn to win the United States Championship.

Since getting called up to the main roster, Williams has quickly become one of the most popular stars on the Friday Night SmackDown brand.

Usually garnering some of the loudest cheers from the audience on a weekly basis, Trick’s title win should not stop his upward trend to the top of WWE.

Adding to his list of accolades, Trick has everything it takes to win the King of the Ring tournament and become the number one contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2026.

2. Bron Breakker

For the past year, it has become obvious that it will not be long before Bron Breakker becomes a world champion.

Since joining forces with Paul Heyman and The Vision, Breakker has been billed as a future WrestleMania headliner.

The second generation star has displayed his unbridled rage and intensity that makes him a must watch talent on the WWE roster today.

Now that he has made his return at WrestleMania 42, Breakker seems poised and ready for his spot at the top of the mountain by winning the King of the Ring and becoming the top contender for the Undisputed WWE Championship.

1. Oba Femi

There is no one on the WWE roster today who has garnered as much momentum than Oba Femi.

‘The Ruler’ is coming off the heels of the biggest win of his career when he defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 Night Two.

After making it clear that he has his sights on Roman Reigns’ World Heavyweight Championship, Femi feels like the odds-on favorite to win the King of the Ring tournament and earn his shot at the top prize on Monday Night Raw.

Femi winning the King of the Ring is the most logical next step to launch him into the stratosphere even more and set up a huge showdown with Reigns at WWE SummerSlam 2026.