King of the Ring

After struggling a couple of times to launch a federation, I decided to try something else to get some more use out of one of the wrestling games. I set up a double-elimination King of the Ring tournament with the Squared Circle. I have enjoyed the gameplay of the Squared Circle considerably, and as I hoped, building toward something with an ending helped motivate me to utilize it more.

I took 32 wrestlers from the WWF 1985-90 set and seeded them according to the initial rankings.

This tournament ran from July through September 2023.

Randy Savage, the #4 seed, won the inaugural championship.

Winners’ Bracket First Round
(1) Hulk Hogan vs. (32) Curt Hennig — Hogan by pinfall
(16) Paul Orndorff vs. (17) Kamala — Kamala by pinfall
(8) King Kong Bundy vs. (25) Hercules — Hercules by countout
(9) Ricky Steamboat vs. (24) Rick Martel — Steamboat by pinfall
(4) Randy Savage vs. (29) Bob Orton — Savage by pinfall
(13) Greg Valentine vs. (20) Honky Tonk Man — Honky Tonk Man by pinfall
(5) Ted DiBiase vs. (28) Bam Bam Bigelow — Bigelow by pinfall
(12) Junkyard Dog vs. (21) Brutus Beefcake — Beefcake by submission
Matches 1-8 Recap
(2) Andre the Giant vs. (31) Bret Hart — Andre by pinfall
(15) Iron Sheik vs. (18) Big Boss Man — Big Boss Man by disqualification
(7) Big John Studd vs. (26) Jimmy Snuka — Studd by submission
(10) Jake Roberts vs. (23) Hillbilly Jim — Roberts by pinfall
(3) Ultimate Warrior vs. (30) George Steele — Warrior by pinfall
(14) Rick Rude vs. (19) Jim Duggan — Rude by pinfall
(6) Roddy Piper vs. (27) Billy Jack Haynes — Piper by pinfall
(11) Tito Santana vs. (22) Nikolai Volkoff — Santana by disqualification
Matches 9-16 Recap

Losers’ Bracket First Round
(16) Paul Orndorff vs. (32) Curt Hennig — Hennig by pinfall
(8) King Kong Bundy vs. (24) Rick Martel — Martel by pinfall
(13) Greg Valentine vs. (29) Bob Orton — Orton by countout
(5) Ted DiBiase vs. (12) Junkyard Dog — DiBiase by pinfall
(15) Iron Sheik vs. (31) Bret Hart — Sheik by submission
(23) Hillbilly Jim vs. (26) Jimmy Snuka — Snuka by pinfall
(19) Jim Duggan vs. (30) George Steele — Duggan by pinfall
(22) Nikolai Volkoff vs. (27) Billy Jack Haynes — Volkoff by submission
Matches 17-24 Recap

Winners’ Bracket Second Round
(1) Hulk Hogan vs. (17) Kamala — Kamala by pinfall
(9) Ricky Steamboat vs. (25) Hercules — Steamboat by pinfall
(4) Randy Savage vs. (20) Honky Tonk Man — Savage by pinfall
(21) Brutus Beefcake vs. (28) Bam Bam Bigelow — Beefcake by pinfall
(2) Andre the Giant vs. (18) Big Boss Man — Andre by pinfall
(7) Big John Studd vs. (10) Jake Roberts — Roberts by disqualification
(3) Ultimate Warrior vs. (14) Rick Rude — Rude by pinfall
(6) Roddy Piper vs. (11) Tito Santana — Santana by submission
Matches 25-32 Recap

Losers’ Bracket Second Round
(18) Big Boss Man vs. (32) Curt Hennig — Big Boss Man by pinfall
(7) Big John Studd vs. (24) Rick Martel — Studd by submission
(3) Ultimate Warrior vs. (29) Bob Orton — Orton by pinfall
(5) Ted DiBiase vs. (6) Roddy Piper — DiBiase by submission
(1) Hulk Hogan vs. (15) Iron Sheik — Hogan by pinfall
(25) Hercules vs. (26) Jimmy Snuka — Snuka by disqualification
(19) Jim Duggan vs. (20) Honky Tonk Man — Honky Tonk Man by disqualification
(22) Nikolai Volkoff vs. (28) Bam Bam Bigelow — Bigelow by countout
Matches 33-40 Recap

Winners’ Bracket Quarterfinals
(9) Ricky Steamboat vs. (17) Kamala — Steamboat by pinfall
(4) Randy Savage vs. (21) Brutus Beefcake — Savage by pinfall
(2) Andre the Giant vs. (10) Jake Roberts — Andre by pinfall
(11) Tito Santana vs. (14) Rick Rude — Santana by disqualification
Matches 41-44 Recap

Losers’ Bracket Third Round
(7) Big John Studd vs. (18) Big Boss Man — Big Boss Man by pinfall
(5) Ted DiBiase vs. (29) Bob Orton — DiBiase by disqualification
(1) Hulk Hogan vs. (26) Jimmy Snuka — Snuka by pinfall
(20) Honky Tonk Man vs. (22) Nikolai Volkoff — Honky Tonk Man by countout

Losers’ Bracket Fourth Round
(17) Kamala vs. (18) Big Boss Man — Kamala by pinfall
(5) Ted DiBiase vs. (21) Brutus Beefcake — Beefcake by pinfall
(10) Jake Roberts vs. (26) Jimmy Snuka — Roberts by pinfall
(14) Rick Rude vs. (20) Honky Tonk Man — Honky Tonk Man by pinfall
Matches 45-52 Recap

Winners’ Bracket Semifinals
(4) Randy Savage vs. (9) Ricky Steamboat — Savage by pinfall
(2) Andre the Giant vs. (11) Tito Santana — Andre by pinfall

Losers’ Bracket Fifth Round
(17) Kamala vs. (21) Brutus Beefcake — Beefcake by pinfall
(10) Jake Roberts vs. (20) Honky Tonk Man — Honky Tonk Man by pinfall

Losers’ Bracket Sixth Round
(11) Tito Santana vs. (21) Brutus Beefcake — Beefcake by pinfall
(9) Ricky Steamboat vs. (20) Honky Tonk Man — Honky Tonk Man by pinfall
Matches 53-58 Recap

Winners’ Bracket Final
(2) Andre the Giant vs. (4) Randy Savage — Savage by pinfall

Losers’ Bracket Seventh Round
(20) Honky Tonk Man vs. (21) Brutus Beefcake — Honky Tonk Man by pinfall

Losers’ Bracket Final
(2) Andre the Giant vs. (20) Honky Tonk Man — Honky Tonk Man by pinfall
Matches 59-61 Recap

Championship
(4) Randy Savage vs. (20) Honky Tonk Man — Savage by pinfall
Championship Recap