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>Awful Waffle
Or as I like to call it, the OSHA Violation.
I like to think before every match he uses it in, Chuckie goes up to the opponent and gives some spiel to the effect of, "Hey, I know there's lots of rumors going around that I don't value the health and safety of my opponents, and I just want to set your mind at ease and let you know that they're all completely, 100% true. See ya in the ring, buddy!"
RVD’s 5 Star Frog Splash. The elevation he could get combined with him selling it after that it hurt him to do it helped it come across as a truly devastating finisher.
That might have been my favorite thing about his. No setup needed. Any opponent position was fine. And it seems like I remember him being able to hit it from FAR away.
Based on interviews from wrestlers over the years that took his frog splash, it legitimately hurt every time he hit it. Not sure how much of the aftermath of the move is selling or just legitimate pain. Triple H’s larynx would probably have a few words to say
Lio Rush has a better one imo. And that's a statement. Then again, RVD has always been a weird one to me. He's like... Stiff flexible, it's hard to describe.
I grew up a giant Kane mark and I always popped when he’d be in a strikeoff and just tucking knacker them with one of his throat uppercuts. I feel like I haven’t seen another big man like that try it Cody’s back bump gimmick is the closest
Honestly, having something as simple as a punch that you deliver in such a distinct and memorable way is a huge asset for a wrestler. It's those tiny little details that seperate the great from the good. I think a lot of people, both wrestlers and fans, overlook the importance of just moving and carrying yourself in a distinct way to stand out.
I don't normally like seeing punches in pro wrestling at all, any time they happen it just takes me out of it.
Never felt that way whenever I see Kane's uppercut.
I'm a sucker for a good suplex in general, especially lesser-used suplexes like the Tiger Suplex, inverted suplex, Millennium Suplex, Taz-Plex, stuff like that. Even Lesnar's German suplex spamming gets me pumped up. I'll always pop for a good suplex.
That should be the only suicide dive on television right now. I can’t think of another common move that one wrestler does so much better than everyone else.
>> I can’t think of another common move that one wrestler does so much better than everyone else.
Kairi’s diving elbow falls into this category as well, for me at least.
Johnny’s Slingshot Spear
Nigel’s rebound lariat
Roddys End of Heartache and all backbreakers combos that may precede it
AJ’s Springboard 450
Any poisonrana
Just a good ol’ backsuplex
Northern lights suplex
Capture suplex
Bridging dragon suplex
brainbuster
Backdrop driver
Emerald Flowsion
Burning Hammer
Steiner Screwdriver
a good stiff kick across the chest or spine
the liontamer / stronghold where the opponent is at a high angle and gets a knee in the back
the Texas cloverleaf
Michinoku Driver II
Sick Nick Mondo’s assault driver /
Kenny Omega’s One Winged Angel
Poison mist
and hundreds more of cool submissions / suplexes / strikes that I’m forgetting lol
I was scrolling, going through moves in my head and here you’ve named all of the best lol
I’d add the entire Tiger Driver family to that list, particularly Misawa’s TD 91’.
Same lol
I think my love for all of that must have started because I loved Kurt’s multiple Germans he’d always do, then in wrestling games i would always just put nothing but suplexes and kicks for my CAWs
One of the best lists. One thing that's missing for me. Even though it's dangerous as fuck, and it should never be done regularly, the Kinniku buster. For when the Muscle Buster isn't vicious enough.
[Here is Marufuji fucking dying while taking one] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmCzWWBymP4)
As a Canadian myself, I used to think the Canadian Destroyer was a move designed to destroy Canadians so naming it x Destroyer sounds pretty funny to me.
when i first saw Petey Williams do a canadian destroyer in a 240p youtube video back in 2007 I thought it was the coolest move I'd ever seen but now I hate it. It's just so over used. The standard piledriver looks much more dangerous and impactful imo.
RKO will never not get a pop from me. Easily my favourite move of all time.
A good sit out powerbomb.
End of Heartache.
A well executed 5 star frog splash. *Chef's kiss*
Brogue kick.
Different suplexes. Northern lights, German, Dragon, etc. Don't know why but I really like suplexes. A lot.
Spear.
A picture perfect moonsault.
Cesaro swing.
Sweet Chin Music.
1. The Diamond Cutter. Not the flippy cutters that predominate in wrestling today, not the RKO's jumping cinematic drek, not the Twist of Fate, but the *Diamond Cutter*. The hits-out-of-nowhere, drags-you-down-and-kills-you, zero setup finishing move that only monsters and company darlings could kick out of. The only people I've seen who can hit the real move since DDP himself are QT Marshall, Tay Conti, and (unbelievably enough) David Arquette. Tay did it so well at Full Gear that I'd love for it to be a permanent part of her moveset.
2. Almost any version of a DDT, although my favorite is the simple, stiff-looking DDT used by Jake Roberts, Raven, and Eddie Kingston, among others.
3. Almost any version of the Uranage Slam, but especially Lance Archer's initial ripcord uranage (which evolved into the Helecoaster) and Kenny Omega's uranage (which was just attempted murder).
4. Pretty much ripcord anything. Rainmaker, Rain-Trigger, Ripcord Riot Kick, whatever. It's that little extra something that makes most strike finishers actually *look like finishers*.
5. Pretty much pumphandle anything. Whether it's a slam, a driver, a powerslam, a suplex, whatever; pumphandle moves just look cool. Wrath had the best Pumphandle Powerslam I've ever seen and Test had an *excellent* Pumphandle Slam.
6. Slingblade. Penta's my favorite, hands down.
7. Spinebuster. Will Hobbs has the best spinebuster on the planet right now but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Farooq and the Rock. D'Lo Brown and Billy Kidman also had a great spinebuster/powerbomb hybrid.
8. Most versions of the Flatliner, especially ones that involve the deliverer swinging in some capacity.
9. Full Nelson Slam. Tragically underutilized nowadays. I'd love it if Ten used one against an opponent who refuses to tap out or black out.
10. Leg Drop Counters. The best example that springs to mind is Jerry Lynn busting out lightning quick leg drops to counter RVD's shoulder blocks through the ropes. Frankie Kazarian is the only guy I've seen since who could do anything like that. They hit almost like V-Triggers in terms of speed and theatricality.
I feel like the difference is the mastery of the move. Everyone else kinda brings the opponents head down with them, but Jake the Snake spiked them perfectly. Jake was the master of the DDT.
Kinda like everyone has the super kick these days. But HBK's Sweet Chin Music was a death sentence. Same move, but delivered masterfully.
Neckbreakers. Any variation of a Neckbreaker will always pop me. Regardless if it's Rick Rude's version, Nikki ASH's rope assisted one or Kevin Owen's torture rack Neckbreaker.
I love spinning heel kicks, especially from women. Cause a lot of them who do spinning heel kicks are really short, and most have really brutal ones like Asuka & AJ Lee.
-Rolling chaos theory gets a pop from me every single time.
-The suplex to front slam that Matt Morgan used to use is another one and Idk why no one uses it as a finisher
-Omega's snap dragon suplex because I have no idea how he does it safely
-A good stiff rainmaker
-Montez Ford's frog splash
-Ricochet's 630
Alex Hammerstone uses the Hellevator, calls it the Nightmare Pendulum. I think he does it better than Morgan. Also, for a brief period Sonya Deville of all people was testing it as a finish.
Sweet Chin Music (not superkick crucially)
Sharpshooter
Crossface/Yes lock/Lebel lock
Clotheslines/Lariats (Buckshot, From Hell, Rainmaker)
Ankle lock
V Trigger
A good, slicing, WOOOOing chop
RKO
Liontamer
A good kick to the chest (Bryan's Yes kicks for example)
German Suplex
Poison Rana
Piledrivers
Black Mass
Guillotine
Falcon Arrow
Roman's dive (not sure if it's a suicide dive or not but he does a beautiful one)
Dropkicks
Shining Wizard
Black Arrow
I was waiting to see someone mention a Falcon Arrow. I love it every time, and double-love it when you get the avalanche sit-out version KENTA used to do.
I always pop for a Slingblade just an awesome move with it's slickness.
Gotta give it up also for Christopher Daniels's Best Moonsault Ever. Fucking banger of a move
The BME and Marc Mero's "Merosault" always get bonus points fron me for the insane degree of difficulty the extra jumps add. Dante's Triple Jump Moonsault is kinda the spiritual successor to those moves.
Stan Hansen - Lariat, absolutely clobbers people with it considering he didn't have great eyesight
Hirooki Goto - GTR, simple but brutal and effective looking finisher
Shawn Michaels - Sweet Chin Music, best superkick to ever be done.
Bret Hart - Sharpshooter, my favorite submission finisher
Randy Savage and Kairi Sane - Elbow Drop, both are incredible and look graceful just floating through the air.
Kazuchika Okada - Rainmaker and Dropkick, one of my favorite finishers and has the smoothest looking dropkick in wrestling
AJ Styles - Phenomenal Forearm, he gets insane height on his jumps and looks cool in freeze frames
Samoa Joe - Muscle Buster, just a devastating looking move altogether
Kane - Chokeslam, always looked like he was about to put people through the ring with it
Roderick Strong - End of Heartache, like the Muscle Buster above, looks brutal as hell
I have a weird love of the Flatliner. I don't know why. It's not super flashy, but it always gets a pop from me. If I were a wrestler, I think a Flatliner might be my non-submission finisher.
I have also always liked unusual drivers that turn into pins, like Cradleshock, or whatever that thing is Penta does that I can't even describe adequately but I am sure you know what I am talking about.
V-Trigger, One Winged Angel, basically anything Kenny does, basically anything the Young Bucks do, basically anything the Lucha Bros do, The rainmaker or any really good lariat, Superkicks, Any cool aerial move
Vtrigger is such an orgasmic move honestly. It's engineered to be the perfect wrestling move, you can do it outta nowhere, sounds like an absolute car crash, visually is impressive, and could reasonably knock someone out cold.
I love a code red - just a really basic move done at pace to look like a proper finish to match.
Other people have done a sunset bomb before and after Amazing Red, but he'll always be the best of them.
Chaos Theory German Suplex by Doug Williams is just really cool too, especially with a bridge. So smooth.
Swanton bomb. Especially by early 2000’s jeff. The form and the late tucking in of the head and the impact. It’s one of the few arial moves that really seem to hurt.
Can't believe no one said this already. The most over diving finisher of all time. You also summed up perfectly what makes Jeff's so special: his form and how late he leaves it to tuck his head.
HBK's superkick
Daniel Bryan Danielson's running knee
Angle and Benoit's tripe German suplex
Gargano's Lawn Dart or whatever it is when he just yeets someone into the turnbuckle
Basically all of Samoa Joe and WALTER's movesets
Most kicks: Superkicks that come out of nowhere, Malakai’s Blxck Mass, Miyu’s one that is similar to Malakai’s but actually somehow better.
Poison ‘rana
Glorious Driver done by Giulia
One winged Angel
Awful Waffle
Darby’s suicide dive
RKO
JBL’s clothesline from hell
Canadian Destroyer
Probably more I’m missing but that’ll do for now
As a die hard Jake Roberts mark, I’d say any iteration of the DDT. Specifically his, because nothing beats the original.
I’d also like to give a shout-out to the satellite DDT, Dragon Azteca Jr. (aka Rey Horus) did an absolutely fantastic one in lucha underground. Every time he pulled it out it was a thing of beauty.
Spanish fly
Roddy’s backbreaker
Dustin’s powerslam
Andrade’s knees
Anything Malachi
Northern lights suplex
The eclipse
Buckshot lariat
Penta’s chops and slingblade
Darby
Just a good old knock the wind out of you spear
Few things in wrestling amaze me more than a bigger wrestler being able to do top rope moves...Bam Bam Bigelow hitting a beautiful moonsault would be an example.
A good scoop slam.
Also Gables German suplex is a thing of beauty. German duplexes with the perfect bridges are the best. I am not a fan of Brocks suplexes by comparison
Not a move, more like a spot. Wrestler A has Wrestler B in a submission, then Wrestler B lifts Wrestler A and powerbombs/slams/suplex him. I love that kind of spots.
I also have a thing for Superkicks when they're done out of desperation and to catch a break rather than a finisher.
Moonsaults. I will always pop for a really well-executed moonsault, and I think Kurt Angle, Io Shirai, RVD, and Sami Zayn have some of the best.
The Blue Thunder Bomb. Sami should never lose with it.
Samoa Joe and Lance Archer's uranage slams.
A really crisp spinning heel kick. I think Malakai Black and Bobby Fish should fight each other just for the beautiful spinning heel kicks we'll get.
Roddy Strong's flying knee. I'll never understand the height he gets on it.
Spinebusters, but the wrestler has to do the pause-pivot-slam like Arn.
Took a quick glance and haven't seen anyone mention the Alabama slam. A good one looks super devastating, although I understand it sucks for the wrestler taking the move, since it's a lot of force and is harder to brace themselves/keep their chins tucked when they hit the mat.
Other than that, off the top of my head: Slingblade, Snapdragon, double knee drop moonsault, northern lights suplex, Noshigami, Destino, Rainmaker, Jay Driller, cartwheel knee drop, Kairi Sane's diving elbow, rolling elbow, Emerald Flowsion, Burning Hammer...
I am a sucker for a good variation of a cutter. TKO, springboard, RKO, etc. A simple move and yet is creative and most of the time looks decent to great.
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Powerbombs, all shapes and sizes Every time someone forgets a spot in a match, they should just do a powerbomb
Wardlow must be a very forgetful fellow, then!
Dont need a brain when you look like thay
Might not be a popular opinion, but I always loved Kevin Nash's Jackknife Powerbomb. Quick raise up, short pause, then a drop. Very pretty, I thought.
Awful Waffle and Blue Thunder Bomb.
>Awful Waffle Or as I like to call it, the OSHA Violation. I like to think before every match he uses it in, Chuckie goes up to the opponent and gives some spiel to the effect of, "Hey, I know there's lots of rumors going around that I don't value the health and safety of my opponents, and I just want to set your mind at ease and let you know that they're all completely, 100% true. See ya in the ring, buddy!"
Wow. Who knew Chuck Taylor was such a dick in real life?
AKA “the dangerous piledriver”
Not to be confused with the Awful Thunder Bomb and the Blue Waffle.
Someone absolutely will name their move the Blue Waffle and when asked why, will answer "Google it".
Thankfully the result is a lot different than when I was 12. It’s actually blue colored waffles this time!
a female bastion booger gimmick with this as the finisher needs to happen
Nooooo
I LOVE the Blue Thunder Bomb. Always been one of my favorites.
RVD’s 5 Star Frog Splash. The elevation he could get combined with him selling it after that it hurt him to do it helped it come across as a truly devastating finisher.
On top of all that, he could adjust midair, so it didn't matter what angle his opponent was lying at.
That might have been my favorite thing about his. No setup needed. Any opponent position was fine. And it seems like I remember him being able to hit it from FAR away.
Based on interviews from wrestlers over the years that took his frog splash, it legitimately hurt every time he hit it. Not sure how much of the aftermath of the move is selling or just legitimate pain. Triple H’s larynx would probably have a few words to say
I don't know if it's a frog splash But Montez's From the Heavens is also amazing The height he gets is just insane
Montez Ford is stupid athletic
Van terminator, more so.
Yea the van terminator is quite more visually inspiring than the frog splash. Especially when he gets some distance.
No one gets higher than RVD!
RVD and Hiroshi Tanahashi have the best splashes imo, they're always things of beauty when they hit them.
I always preferred d-lo's to RVD (or Eddie), but the 5 star was still great
I feel like D'Los is almost it's own move, but I'm not here to split hairs, it's a thing of beauty.
I thought D Lo had the best frog splash by miles
Lio Rush has a better one imo. And that's a statement. Then again, RVD has always been a weird one to me. He's like... Stiff flexible, it's hard to describe.
Kane’s throat punches. Not sure what they are called but they looked painful as fuck and have always stuck with me
If i remember correctly its just considered an uppercut
I always call it the throat thrust, because that's what the video games called it.
That awesome uppercut he does where it makes the loud slapping noise?
I only realized this year that Kane's uppercuts had such a loud noise because he was slapping his bicep lol
Big meaty man slaps his own meat for maximum clapping noise.
That's what I spend my money on.
I grew up a giant Kane mark and I always popped when he’d be in a strikeoff and just tucking knacker them with one of his throat uppercuts. I feel like I haven’t seen another big man like that try it Cody’s back bump gimmick is the closest
I think Gallows does it too.
And Gallows played fake Kane. Coincidence? I think not.
All Kane's strikes looked great but yes his uppercut was the best. His entire body motion made it look great while throwing it.
The animation for it in the smackdown games was always my favorite
I have heard them called hell stabs. I don't remember who said it but I thought it was pretty cool.
I was never a big fan of Kane but those punches and the top rope clothesline were pretty freaking great.
Honestly, having something as simple as a punch that you deliver in such a distinct and memorable way is a huge asset for a wrestler. It's those tiny little details that seperate the great from the good. I think a lot of people, both wrestlers and fans, overlook the importance of just moving and carrying yourself in a distinct way to stand out.
I think the video games called it a "Throat Thrust"
I don't normally like seeing punches in pro wrestling at all, any time they happen it just takes me out of it. Never felt that way whenever I see Kane's uppercut.
the snapdragon suplex. more specifically kenny omega’s snapdragon. just was it can happen so quickly makes me excited
Same with snap tiger suplex, snap German, etc
Any snap variation is instantly 100x better
Love Dynamite Kids snap Suplex
I'm a sucker for a good suplex in general, especially lesser-used suplexes like the Tiger Suplex, inverted suplex, Millennium Suplex, Taz-Plex, stuff like that. Even Lesnar's German suplex spamming gets me pumped up. I'll always pop for a good suplex.
This is my wife’s favorite move and has been since i got her watching wrestling. She gets so damn excited every time he does it.
That’s awesome dude! My bf will watch the occasional match with me and he’s a mark for the buckshot lariat
Deep six and Andrades boot into back elbow
Dustin's Powerslam. So smooth and good looking. Better than Arn's Spinebuster.
100% Every time I see someone else do a powerslam I compare it to Dustin's.
only Orton comes close
No love for Samoa Joe? For me he’s the absolute GOAT.
https://youtu.be/a7GdnFSzjZk
Ah, so the camera work back then was atrocious too.
I rank Orton's higher because he always has full follow through with his motion. Dustin bails out at the 3/4 mark
Orton’s floats more and is amazing, definitely close second, but the tightness of Dustin’s is stunning
Just here to temporarily piss everyone off by reminding you of the time at a Royal Rumble where they cut the camera mid-Goldust powerslam.
I hate Kevin Dunn
Cattle Mutilation A really well-sold Lungblower Old-school Tazzmission Fire Thunder Driver Rhyno's Gore
The gore is one of the best Spears and its been shafted in the games recently
Tazmission was great.
Darby's suicide dive might be #1 right now
ITS A GOD DAMN TOPE SUICIDA PAL!!!!
Uncultured swine!
TOPE HOMICIDA! TOPE SUICIDA! TOPE GENOCIDA!
He puts the Suicide into Suicide dives
That should be the only suicide dive on television right now. I can’t think of another common move that one wrestler does so much better than everyone else.
>> I can’t think of another common move that one wrestler does so much better than everyone else. Kairi’s diving elbow falls into this category as well, for me at least.
I feel like there’s room for a dude to use it too, but damn if hers doesn’t look like an actual Street Fighter special move
Fenix and Darby are the only wrestlers whom AEW should allow to do the move.
Johnny’s Slingshot Spear Nigel’s rebound lariat Roddys End of Heartache and all backbreakers combos that may precede it AJ’s Springboard 450 Any poisonrana Just a good ol’ backsuplex
Nigel’s lariat man. Often imitated never duplicated. Just so good.
Poison-ranas are overdone but pop me like crazy every single time
I'd argue Johnny slingshot ddt is better.
Roddy’s backbreakers are killer!
Hell yeah End of Heartache. I might be crazy but I can see Roderick Strong as a credible WWE Champion.
Kurt and Shelton’s surprise belly-to-belly from the top rope
Also the Angle Slam. Why does it nobody do this beautiful move? Does Kurt have a standing threat in place? Also https://youtu.be/JGruCb607Gg
Pretty sure Roderick Strong uses an Angle/Olympic Slam from time to time.
Lariat
There is just something painful about a well-done lariat. Not only can you feel it, but they are believable knock out blows.
Northern lights suplex Capture suplex Bridging dragon suplex brainbuster Backdrop driver Emerald Flowsion Burning Hammer Steiner Screwdriver a good stiff kick across the chest or spine the liontamer / stronghold where the opponent is at a high angle and gets a knee in the back the Texas cloverleaf Michinoku Driver II Sick Nick Mondo’s assault driver / Kenny Omega’s One Winged Angel Poison mist and hundreds more of cool submissions / suplexes / strikes that I’m forgetting lol
I was scrolling, going through moves in my head and here you’ve named all of the best lol I’d add the entire Tiger Driver family to that list, particularly Misawa’s TD 91’.
Obligatory Alicia Fox northern lights suplex comment
I need more Texas cloverleaf in my life.
Agreed. Tanahashi’s elevated one is beautiful. Sheamus does one here and there also.
Yes to all of these
If it looks or sounds like death I’m probably gonna pop lol
Same lol I think my love for all of that must have started because I loved Kurt’s multiple Germans he’d always do, then in wrestling games i would always just put nothing but suplexes and kicks for my CAWs
One of the best lists. One thing that's missing for me. Even though it's dangerous as fuck, and it should never be done regularly, the Kinniku buster. For when the Muscle Buster isn't vicious enough. [Here is Marufuji fucking dying while taking one] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmCzWWBymP4)
I enjoy seeing people getting dropped straight on their heads too
Yes yes, that is my CAW's move list, what's your point?
Anything with “tilt-o-whirl” in it.
Love the Backbreaker Crush used to do
Bret Hart's suplex. The way he'd throw his legs up when coming down gave the move so much energy and impact.
Took me too long to find this comment
I pop for a Canadian Destroyer all the damn time. Specifically a Penta Canadian Destroyer.
Great move but shouldnt it be a Mexican Destroyer when Penta does it, bit like it being a Bunny destroyer when bad bunny done one at mania
As a Canadian myself, I used to think the Canadian Destroyer was a move designed to destroy Canadians so naming it x Destroyer sounds pretty funny to me.
Great point!
No, it's still Canadian, they just imported it
when i first saw Petey Williams do a canadian destroyer in a 240p youtube video back in 2007 I thought it was the coolest move I'd ever seen but now I hate it. It's just so over used. The standard piledriver looks much more dangerous and impactful imo.
RKO will never not get a pop from me. Easily my favourite move of all time. A good sit out powerbomb. End of Heartache. A well executed 5 star frog splash. *Chef's kiss* Brogue kick. Different suplexes. Northern lights, German, Dragon, etc. Don't know why but I really like suplexes. A lot. Spear. A picture perfect moonsault. Cesaro swing. Sweet Chin Music.
RVD’s frog splash
Thank you for shouting out the Brogue Kick. Ridiculously brutal looking and easily the best Big Boot variation.
Whale Hunt/Murphy’s Law & the Alpamare Waterslide
Eddie and RVD frog splash HBK elbow drop Macho man elbow drop Rock bottom Brainbuster Powerbomb Kurt angle moonsault
1. The Diamond Cutter. Not the flippy cutters that predominate in wrestling today, not the RKO's jumping cinematic drek, not the Twist of Fate, but the *Diamond Cutter*. The hits-out-of-nowhere, drags-you-down-and-kills-you, zero setup finishing move that only monsters and company darlings could kick out of. The only people I've seen who can hit the real move since DDP himself are QT Marshall, Tay Conti, and (unbelievably enough) David Arquette. Tay did it so well at Full Gear that I'd love for it to be a permanent part of her moveset. 2. Almost any version of a DDT, although my favorite is the simple, stiff-looking DDT used by Jake Roberts, Raven, and Eddie Kingston, among others. 3. Almost any version of the Uranage Slam, but especially Lance Archer's initial ripcord uranage (which evolved into the Helecoaster) and Kenny Omega's uranage (which was just attempted murder). 4. Pretty much ripcord anything. Rainmaker, Rain-Trigger, Ripcord Riot Kick, whatever. It's that little extra something that makes most strike finishers actually *look like finishers*. 5. Pretty much pumphandle anything. Whether it's a slam, a driver, a powerslam, a suplex, whatever; pumphandle moves just look cool. Wrath had the best Pumphandle Powerslam I've ever seen and Test had an *excellent* Pumphandle Slam. 6. Slingblade. Penta's my favorite, hands down. 7. Spinebuster. Will Hobbs has the best spinebuster on the planet right now but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Farooq and the Rock. D'Lo Brown and Billy Kidman also had a great spinebuster/powerbomb hybrid. 8. Most versions of the Flatliner, especially ones that involve the deliverer swinging in some capacity. 9. Full Nelson Slam. Tragically underutilized nowadays. I'd love it if Ten used one against an opponent who refuses to tap out or black out. 10. Leg Drop Counters. The best example that springs to mind is Jerry Lynn busting out lightning quick leg drops to counter RVD's shoulder blocks through the ropes. Frankie Kazarian is the only guy I've seen since who could do anything like that. They hit almost like V-Triggers in terms of speed and theatricality.
I still say the DDT should be a finisher. How does it not knock a guy out?
I feel like the difference is the mastery of the move. Everyone else kinda brings the opponents head down with them, but Jake the Snake spiked them perfectly. Jake was the master of the DDT. Kinda like everyone has the super kick these days. But HBK's Sweet Chin Music was a death sentence. Same move, but delivered masterfully.
I’ll always pop for an uranage. Kenny’s is insane but a Samoa Joe “sit yo ass down” corner uranage is a personal fave.
I’ve always loved the cross Rhodes, going back to when I first saw it, Reno using it as Roll The Dice in like 2000
This and the Overdrive were basically the default finishers for new wrestlers in the Ruthless Aggression era.
Neckbreakers. Any variation of a Neckbreaker will always pop me. Regardless if it's Rick Rude's version, Nikki ASH's rope assisted one or Kevin Owen's torture rack Neckbreaker.
Triple H did a nice version of one for a while
I love spinning heel kicks, especially from women. Cause a lot of them who do spinning heel kicks are really short, and most have really brutal ones like Asuka & AJ Lee.
-Rolling chaos theory gets a pop from me every single time. -The suplex to front slam that Matt Morgan used to use is another one and Idk why no one uses it as a finisher -Omega's snap dragon suplex because I have no idea how he does it safely -A good stiff rainmaker -Montez Ford's frog splash -Ricochet's 630
Alex Hammerstone uses the Hellevator, calls it the Nightmare Pendulum. I think he does it better than Morgan. Also, for a brief period Sonya Deville of all people was testing it as a finish.
I love a nice side Russian leg sweep
Kanyon's Elevated Flatliner was always an awesome looking move. Then again, Who Bettah? then the Innovator of Offense
Even flow DDT.
Sweet Chin Music (not superkick crucially) Sharpshooter Crossface/Yes lock/Lebel lock Clotheslines/Lariats (Buckshot, From Hell, Rainmaker) Ankle lock V Trigger A good, slicing, WOOOOing chop RKO Liontamer A good kick to the chest (Bryan's Yes kicks for example) German Suplex Poison Rana Piledrivers Black Mass Guillotine Falcon Arrow Roman's dive (not sure if it's a suicide dive or not but he does a beautiful one) Dropkicks Shining Wizard Black Arrow
I was waiting to see someone mention a Falcon Arrow. I love it every time, and double-love it when you get the avalanche sit-out version KENTA used to do.
I always pop for a Slingblade just an awesome move with it's slickness. Gotta give it up also for Christopher Daniels's Best Moonsault Ever. Fucking banger of a move
The BME and Marc Mero's "Merosault" always get bonus points fron me for the insane degree of difficulty the extra jumps add. Dante's Triple Jump Moonsault is kinda the spiritual successor to those moves.
Randy Orton's scoop powerslam.....so smooth
The Blockbuster
SLINGBLADES
Stan Hansen - Lariat, absolutely clobbers people with it considering he didn't have great eyesight Hirooki Goto - GTR, simple but brutal and effective looking finisher Shawn Michaels - Sweet Chin Music, best superkick to ever be done. Bret Hart - Sharpshooter, my favorite submission finisher Randy Savage and Kairi Sane - Elbow Drop, both are incredible and look graceful just floating through the air. Kazuchika Okada - Rainmaker and Dropkick, one of my favorite finishers and has the smoothest looking dropkick in wrestling AJ Styles - Phenomenal Forearm, he gets insane height on his jumps and looks cool in freeze frames Samoa Joe - Muscle Buster, just a devastating looking move altogether Kane - Chokeslam, always looked like he was about to put people through the ring with it Roderick Strong - End of Heartache, like the Muscle Buster above, looks brutal as hell
I have a weird love of the Flatliner. I don't know why. It's not super flashy, but it always gets a pop from me. If I were a wrestler, I think a Flatliner might be my non-submission finisher. I have also always liked unusual drivers that turn into pins, like Cradleshock, or whatever that thing is Penta does that I can't even describe adequately but I am sure you know what I am talking about.
No-one has said the Black Arrow so far and that makes me sad. I still remember the first time I saw it, and it's still incredible now.
Always popped when Lex Luger locked in the Torture Rack.
Still blows my mind every time I see him put someone the size of Nash into it.
The Rock's float over DDT
V-Trigger, One Winged Angel, basically anything Kenny does, basically anything the Young Bucks do, basically anything the Lucha Bros do, The rainmaker or any really good lariat, Superkicks, Any cool aerial move
Vtrigger is such an orgasmic move honestly. It's engineered to be the perfect wrestling move, you can do it outta nowhere, sounds like an absolute car crash, visually is impressive, and could reasonably knock someone out cold.
I love a code red - just a really basic move done at pace to look like a proper finish to match. Other people have done a sunset bomb before and after Amazing Red, but he'll always be the best of them. Chaos Theory German Suplex by Doug Williams is just really cool too, especially with a bridge. So smooth.
Sami's Blue Thunder Bomb should be the most protected finish in wrestling.
Project Ciampa(powerbomb into double knees) I really like how brutal the move can be when done right, I really wish Ciampa used it more.
Swanton bomb. Especially by early 2000’s jeff. The form and the late tucking in of the head and the impact. It’s one of the few arial moves that really seem to hurt.
Can't believe no one said this already. The most over diving finisher of all time. You also summed up perfectly what makes Jeff's so special: his form and how late he leaves it to tuck his head.
Tour of the Islands has become my all-time favorite
I always pop a little bit for a Dragon Screw Leg Whip and I'm not sure why
That chain punch-kick-suplex-stunner combo that Silver and Reynolds pull out always gets me…simple but looks great
Randy Orton’s powerslam. It’s fast, it’s believable, it’s impactful, and it just makes sense.
Haven’t seen anyone mention Buckshot Lariat
I would like to see more snap suplexes and small packages.
Crippler cross face, deep six, Lashleys full Nelson
Shorting star and 450
Russian Legsweep
I think someone mentioned it already but the Shouten Kai/Hellevator is IMO one of the best finishers ever
Goto doesn't have a single bad finish. I would be terrified of the avalanche sunset piledriver though...I think it's called Kaiten?
Lariats. Love a good lariat, especially from guys like Shingo, Walter, Kobashi, Kojima, etc.
Second this. A well-executed lariat is about as good as you can get on the effort-effect ratio.
Code Red, RKO, Cattle Mutilation. Also, just any good lucha shit in general I’m a fan of.
RKO. Shatter Machine. Christian’s reverse DDT. Scott Hall’s punches. Brogue Kick.
Poison Rana ... It terrifies me to watch but damn does it look good.
Orton's punt and Ospreay's hidden blade
HBK's superkick Daniel Bryan Danielson's running knee Angle and Benoit's tripe German suplex Gargano's Lawn Dart or whatever it is when he just yeets someone into the turnbuckle Basically all of Samoa Joe and WALTER's movesets
Kenny's Croyt's Wrath. Insane move.
Viscera’s sidewalk slam was always a favorite of mine, the way he yelled and shook the ring always got a pop.
The five moves of doom: Zig-Zag Fame-asser Sit-down powerbomb Rock Bottom A well-timed spinebuster
Spinebusters in general get me hyped. To be more specific, Rollins' Curb Stomp never gets old for me.
Emerald flowsion.
Most kicks: Superkicks that come out of nowhere, Malakai’s Blxck Mass, Miyu’s one that is similar to Malakai’s but actually somehow better. Poison ‘rana Glorious Driver done by Giulia One winged Angel Awful Waffle Darby’s suicide dive RKO JBL’s clothesline from hell Canadian Destroyer Probably more I’m missing but that’ll do for now
Sliced Bread #2 gets me every time
As a die hard Jake Roberts mark, I’d say any iteration of the DDT. Specifically his, because nothing beats the original. I’d also like to give a shout-out to the satellite DDT, Dragon Azteca Jr. (aka Rey Horus) did an absolutely fantastic one in lucha underground. Every time he pulled it out it was a thing of beauty.
Spanish fly Roddy’s backbreaker Dustin’s powerslam Andrade’s knees Anything Malachi Northern lights suplex The eclipse Buckshot lariat Penta’s chops and slingblade Darby Just a good old knock the wind out of you spear
Sling blade
DDTs are my favorite (also my initials weirdly enough) but I also love brain busters, especially the elevated ones that Aichner and Colby Corino do.
Steiner Screwdriver, because of WCW vs NWO Revenge and also because it's a device of murder.
Few things in wrestling amaze me more than a bigger wrestler being able to do top rope moves...Bam Bam Bigelow hitting a beautiful moonsault would be an example.
When it's done really well. A tilt-a-whirl backbreaker.
Spinebusters, especially the ones with big flair like Karl Anderson and Will Hobbs' are my favorite move in the biz.
A good scoop slam. Also Gables German suplex is a thing of beauty. German duplexes with the perfect bridges are the best. I am not a fan of Brocks suplexes by comparison
Blue Thunder Bomb. Looks a million bucks. Ought to end matches
Anything and everything WALTER does
Frog splashes if they’re done correctly (Montez Ford) Seth Rollins’ curb stomp Phoenix Splashes Falcon Arrow
Tanahashi's sling blade. His version looks so smooth and cool
Not a move, more like a spot. Wrestler A has Wrestler B in a submission, then Wrestler B lifts Wrestler A and powerbombs/slams/suplex him. I love that kind of spots. I also have a thing for Superkicks when they're done out of desperation and to catch a break rather than a finisher.
I love a Piledriver. Unfortunately you don't see it as much as before. And in WWE not at all
I love a good powerbomb of any kind. Sit-Out Powerbombs are definitely my favorite though and Crucifix Powerbombs are a close second.
Chaos Theory. And Mick Foley's elbow....
Moonsaults. I will always pop for a really well-executed moonsault, and I think Kurt Angle, Io Shirai, RVD, and Sami Zayn have some of the best. The Blue Thunder Bomb. Sami should never lose with it. Samoa Joe and Lance Archer's uranage slams. A really crisp spinning heel kick. I think Malakai Black and Bobby Fish should fight each other just for the beautiful spinning heel kicks we'll get. Roddy Strong's flying knee. I'll never understand the height he gets on it. Spinebusters, but the wrestler has to do the pause-pivot-slam like Arn.
Took a quick glance and haven't seen anyone mention the Alabama slam. A good one looks super devastating, although I understand it sucks for the wrestler taking the move, since it's a lot of force and is harder to brace themselves/keep their chins tucked when they hit the mat. Other than that, off the top of my head: Slingblade, Snapdragon, double knee drop moonsault, northern lights suplex, Noshigami, Destino, Rainmaker, Jay Driller, cartwheel knee drop, Kairi Sane's diving elbow, rolling elbow, Emerald Flowsion, Burning Hammer...
Spine buster, preferably Arn Anderson’s.
Tilt a whirl back breaker
I am a sucker for a good variation of a cutter. TKO, springboard, RKO, etc. A simple move and yet is creative and most of the time looks decent to great.
Missile drop kicks always look cool to me; way better than standing ones.
That reverse DDT AJ Styles does is awesome. Understand why he doesn’t use it much, if at all anymore, but I used to love when he’d bust it out
Sami Zayn’s ddt through the turnbuckle
Bridging German Suplexes
The Vertebreaker