Which wrestler won the first-ever King of the Ring tournament in 1985?

Don Muraco won WWE's first King of the Ring tournament in 1985.

The tournament was held at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage, Alaska, on July 8, 1985. Muraco defeated the Iron Sheik in the final to become the inaugural King of the Ring. The event established a tournament concept that WWE later expanded into a major annual pay-per-view and a recurring championship opportunity.

The 1985 tournament was not originally the same kind of large televised event that fans associate with later King of the Ring editions. It was a house-show tournament, while the 1993 event became the first King of the Ring tournament distributed as a pay-per-view.

Bret Hart and Owen Hart won later tournaments, and Harley Race was famous for using the “King” persona in wrestling. Those facts can cause confusion, but Muraco is the correct winner of the inaugural 1985 tournament.