WWE Revives King and Queen of the Ring Tournaments with New Format

STAMFORD, Conn. — WWE announced on June 6, 2025, that the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are making a comeback. WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis revealed the news during an episode of SmackDown. The tournaments will start next week and feature a new format.

This year, the tournaments will begin with a total of sixteen participants in the opening round, split into brand-exclusive Fatal Fourway matches. Each show will host two such matches for both men and women. Winners will progress to the semifinals, which will be cross-brand competitions. The finals will take place at Night of Champions on June 28 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The winners of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments will earn title shots against their respective brand champions at the upcoming SummerSlam event on August 2-3. Last year’s tournaments saw Nia Jax and Gunther crowned as the winners, both of whom succeeded in their title matches at SummerSlam.

<p“Once again, the stakes are higher than ever,” said Pearce during the announcement. “We’re excited to bring this tournament back and give our superstars a chance to compete for a shot at history.”

The tournaments are expected to kick off with matches on WWE programming, beginning June 9 on Raw and June 13 on SmackDown. The initiative aims to generate excitement among fans as WWE continues to innovate its storytelling and match formats.

As of now, participants for the tournaments have yet to be announced. Fans are eager to see who will step up to claim the titles of King and Queen of the Ring this year.