Best Anti-Air Finisher

[The Insano Shiekh]

Hello, three ladies and gentleman of WrestleZone, today, I have a special topic for all of you, Greatest Anti-Air Finishers.

Basically, the point of this forum is to discuss which finisher is best for anti-air (catching, kicking, slamming, punching, or etc. someone when they're springboard jumping or jumping off the turnbuckle) finisher right now in the WWE. Below is my list.

1. Black Hole Slam- Currently, no one is using this in the WWE, but when Umaga (RIP) was still active in the WWE, he used it every now and then as some kind of signature. Usually, if someone is using this finisher, when their opponent jumps, the user can just catch the opponent in mid-air and perform the Black-Hole Slam and usually just go for the pin, possibly having the impact be more deadly than in usual situations.

2. Superkick- By use of many superstars, although not mostly as finishers, when their opponent leaps, all the user has to do is just throw up their boot at the right time and their opponent is usually out, no other details to it.

3. RKO/Cutter- Pretty simple. The user's opponent leaps, and the user just jumps up and slams their head into the mat, done and done, period.

4. Spear- Though not used in situation where the user's opponents go for a crossbody, in a jump for a Hurricanrana, the user just runs up and nails the Spear.

5. Chokeslam- In most situations, all the user would have to do is grab their opponent by the throat and slam them down as a Fatality.

What do you guys think?

 

[Ferbian]

There's a lot of finishers or regular moves that could be used to anti air.

I do however don't see the Chokeslam as one. The times we have seen it the high flyer is caught coming down. But he lands on the ground before the move is performed.

I think it's a hard thing to really choose which of the moves is the better one. I mean I definitely enjoy a great RKO from Randy against some of the high flying people. But I just as well loved shawn Michaels kicking the living shit out of Rey Mysterio back in January I believe.

Also as I mentioned - There's regular moves that could be anti-air moves as well. It all depends on making them a finisher I would guess. A move like the dropkick, Ziggler performs it amazingly for example.

Also there's moves you left out. Like Batista's Batista Bomb that has been used against aerial moves before like John Cena's leg drop from the top turnbuckle.

There's a lot of great moves. And I definitely think they're hard to choose from. But if I had to choose my favorite, then it would have to be the RKO. I love the superkick but it's just not seen as often as Randy has performed the RKO to an aerial opponent.

 

[Serious Jones]

It's not a finisher, but it has the impact to be one. When Goldberg or Batista hit the spearbuster, it was always the spot that the crowd marked out hardest for. Power moves normally don't impress me much, but even I mark out when I see it executed.

As for finishers, though, no one can beat the super kick. HBK's superkick to Benjamin was probably one of the most memorable match finishes in Raw history. Just awesome.

 

[The People's Peep]

There are a lot of good moves that can be used to counter a leaping opponent.

Like Ferbie said some of the best ones are regular moves. The dropkick is the perfect example. It just looks like it really hurts when performed properly and it would even be a believable finish to a match. Another regular move that is good in this situation is a clothesline. Just like the dropkick, it looks very effective.

My vote for best anti-air finisher is Chris Jericho's Codebreaker. When he really connects with it, the move looks effective regularly. But when the opponent is falling and his head connects with Jericho's knees, it looks very devastating. There would be absolutely no getting up from that impact.

 

[WWE.IS.AWESOME]

Well if I had to pick, it would definately be between the RKO and Sweet Chin Music (SCM). Both moves were amazing and people barely got up from them.

RKO - Randy Orton can hit this move from out of no where and its one of the most amazing finishers ever. The opponent barely has a chance to see it coming and it can either draw massive heat or a huge pop from the crowd.

SCM - HBK appplied this move perfectly on all his opponents. This move can also be hit from out of no where. It applies a ton of pain and always gets the job done.

Now if i had to pick..... it would probably be the SCM. Only because when Shawn does this epic move, my heart skips a beat. He has put out many opponents using his finisher. Well, that's my vote.

 

[Serious Jones]

I'd like to change my answer. Randy Orton's RKO to counter Evan Bourne's Air Bourne was phenomenal. That move deserves to be in highlight reels for some time. It's a shame that the live camera didn't do the move justice, like Shawn Michael's superkick to Benjamin. The replays showed how nearly flawless the move was.

Randy has done some awesome anti-air RKOs. Mysterio's dive from the top rope comes to mind, but I think tonight's RKO to Bourne was the best.

 

[The Holy One]

For me, when it comes to Anti-Air Finishers, it's all about the element of suprise.
There are only 3 that have that element:

1. RKO - If tonight proved anything is that when trying a high flying move on Randy Orton you have better be sure he is down b/c you will turn into a memorable highlight if you don't. By the way, this move is so epic it turned in a version of the RKO on the SD vs Raw video games

2. Sweet Chin Music - It has been said before but just check out when Shawn hit Shelton Benjamin in mid air to finish a great match on Raw in 2005. The fact that usually when Shawn does SCM, it's a suprise so when it connects in mid air makes it 10 times better

3. Knockout Punch - This maybe a personal favorite of mine but when Mysterio bounced off the ropes and Big Show knocked hit him with the KO Punch at the HIAC PPV was one of my favorite finishes to a match.

 

[The 1-2-3 Killam]

Shawn Michael's "Sweet Chin Music" is the best anti-air finisher of all time. Orton's RKO has inched up the list after he nailed Bourne out of the SSP last Monday, and Jericho has impressed with the Codebreaker since his 2007 return. But HBK has just hit so many people with that move out of nowhere over the years, it has to be my favorite. The two most memorable ones are of course the springboard reversals to Shelton Benjamin and Rey Mysterio, but there have been plenty of others. Hell, Sweet Chin Music is just one of the greatest anti-finishers in general. It's something he can use from any position, and is most commonly used when reversing somebody else's finisher. Like I said, the RKO and Codebreaker are close just because of their nature. The Spear and Chockeslam are used rarely in those cases, and can often just look odd or unimpressive.

 

[LitasRevenge79]

1. RKO/Cutter- the single most out of nowhere move to hit anyone. Plus, the greatest ever time it was done, on 7-12-10, it was done in mid-air from an Air-bourne finisher...the BEST RKO EVER!! Never have I seen an audience go so freakin ape-shit for one move whether he's heel or face. Its quick and effective. Another momentous RKO was when Orton was on his punting of people out of careers and he RKO'd RVD so hard that RVD was standing on his head straight up and down. Many times I've seen it on youtube as 'The sickest RKO ever' that may have changed since last Monday. lol

2. Sweet Chin Music- the anticipation leading up to it drives people nuts, 'tuning up the band.' Even if it was just done with a simple kick, its effectiveness is swift and harsh to the mouth. You can see people spitting out their gum or whatever is in their mouth.

3. Crippler Crossface- I LOVE this move. I still remember seeing an article in my husband's old WWF magazine about the submission moves and what muscles they wear down. The Crippler Crossface was ranked #1 for pain since it also affects the carotid if done right. I just remember the intensity of The Rabid Wolverine when he would lock in his opponent, and seeing people tap out so quickly to that move, I just loved seeing that done.

4. Codebreaker- Some people don't like this, but I've liked it. When done right its pretty good. I've seen it applied in some amazing moments. Just like the RKO, you can be caught off guard at some points. I recall a match between Rey and Y2J where he tried to to a top rope jump and Y2J caught him mid air into a codebreaker. I think I was just in awe the rest of that match until Jericho's music declared him the winner. I'm all for oldies but sometimes if done right, you can get some pretty cool effects when countering.

5. Anaconda Vise- I wish Punk would go back to using this like he did back in his old ECW days. This is what he originally built himself on when he had that long undefeated streak. It was awesome that he was so well known for that specific ground game at first. I really am a sucker for submissions.

 

[Optimist Prime]

1. Razor's/Outsider Edge - So innovative and ahead of it's time. Razor Ramon used this in a time where moves like this were unheard of. Currently, Shamus uses his own version of this.

2. Jacknife Powerbomb - Kevin Nash, again, used this move at a time where other guys didn't really use moves like this. I'll always remember Kevin Nash kicking Bob Backlund in the gut and giving him the Jacknife to win the World Heavyweight Title in like 6 seconds. To me it signaled the old guard witnessing first hand the new guard...and just being simply overmatched beyond belief.

3. Superkick/Sweet Chin Music - Like the Diamond Cutter/RKO, this move can be pulled out of no where. I like it a lot better when he (Shawn Michaels) didn't ""tune up the band" as I thought it was stupid...and usually when he did it - it signaled that the move was NOT going to work. I love the origin of the move (superkicking Marty Jannety and throwing him through the plate glass window on the "Barber Shop". It fit Shawn Michaels' personality perfectly.

4. Diamond Cutter/RKO - Loved how it could be pulled out of no where. I liked DDP's version of it better. I'm not a big fan of wrestlers taking a lot of time pounding fists into the ground or "tuning up the band". DDP's simple "Self-high-five" was enough. Not too long and still effective. Seems like today, Vince McMahon is giving his wrestlers these "People's Elbow, Five Knuckle Shuffle, etc." type moves along with very lengthy "taunts" or "set up gestures" these days in order to kill time or something. They existed before...but not to nearly the length that they do today. Not a fan.

5. 3-way tie between the Fame-Asser and The Stroke and the Scorpion Death Drop/Curtain Call - I loved all 3 of these equally so I can't choose between them. They're all pretty cool looking moves that, despite being simple, still came across as severely effective at the same time. Big fan of all 3.

Honorable Mention: I wanted to lump the Rude Awakening and Jake "The Snakes" DDT in there because they were pretty awesome back in the day...but I decided against it because they're used so constantly these days.