Finishers Are Meant for...

[The Jew]

PPVs, especially WrestleMania. I mean, it adds so much suspense when someone hits their finisher and then the match is over... or is it? Sure, on a weekly basis if someone hits their respective finisher, the match is over. But on the PPVs, John Cena hits the AA or Batista hits the Batista Bomb, the match won't always end, especially at WrestleMania or the other big 3 but not so much. Look at Cena/Batista at Mania, both hit their respective finishers at least once. The match didn't end, it just built suspense for the fans.

It's also an attraction, like Shooting Star Press off the ladder, Zig Zag from the ladder, RKO from the ladder, Spear off the ladder, etc. It doesn't necessarily have to look painful, it should just look crazy cool and out of the ordinary. Like the RKO isn't painful at all, it just looks cool and can get a crowd and fans at home going.

Your thoughts.

 

[Ferbian]

I wouldn't necessarily say they're for Pay Per Views, but I do agree with seeing as the wrestlers obviously are booked to kick out of one finisher on the big ones (at least the main eventers, unless it's already been a very grueling match, and then someone hits the finisher, then I guess it's decent to have him stay down)

I think if we're to explain it from a kayfabe view, it would be because the wrestlers obviously pull every single percentage of energy they have in them since the last time they performed to kick out, or because they're not concerned with loosing the weekly episode match as opposed to saving energy and then focusing on winning their pay per view match.

But if we're to say they are for Pay Per Views, sure it's understandable, because it's a show people pay to watch, and therefore they'll expect something out of the match, and because they expect that, the wrestlers are automatically booked to be able to sustain a little bit more damage, and I can't exactly say I mind it, because it's a more important match, which automatically means I'm gonna want to watch more of it.

WWE seems to pull a lot of finishers, or more resilience into wrestlers when they're in an incredible important match, like for example Triple H vs John Cena to name the number 1 contender for Randy Orton's WWE championship at Night of Champions, it was a high profile match, and therefore it had a good hype for it.

So in the end I guess we can also say.. Hype = long finisher rich match.

 

[Lazerball]

im not really sure wat u are trying to discuss, but i think i know wat u mean, ur talkin bout how on raw one AA will put anyone down for a 3, but at a ppv it takes a lot more, yea, its all suspense, otherwise we would just have a load of boring raw matches at ppvs. i do think that sometimes this concept is taken to far, like the taker shawn match, how many finisher were in that match, it was like watching people play the video games, or somtimes wat it takes to win at a ppv, i remember when jericho was the first undisputed champ and faced the rock, jericho low blowed rock, hit him with the title rolled him up and held the tights to get the win, seems a lil far. sometimes its a good thing, and sometimes not

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

The fact is they're called finishers for a reason. They're meant to FINISH a match be it, PPV, House Show or TV. Kicking out of finishers once or even twice is okay but only occasionally (A.K.A Michaels/Taker, Savage/Warrior, Austin/Rock) does kicking out of three work. They don't need to be reserved for PPV mainly for the reason that sometimes a finisher is the pay off for some wrestlers. randy orton is a great example. Without his RKO, I don't believe there's a move in his arsenal that could put anyone beyond the midcard down. Wrestlers need finishers to end matches and it doesn't matter where.

 

[kobrad]

Good thread

I have been thinking a little bit the same. Along the lines with they are for an epic match finishing. I totally think they should be used weekly to show how devastating the finishers can be.

I think it can add to the match if they kick out of a finisher over and over again. That is one reason HBK vs. Taker was so great because everytime i thought it was over especially after the second superkick

 

[goldbergiswrestling]

To say finishers are ment for ppvs is a little to broad of catagories to be throwing it into. on your weekly shows ur matches should be a struggle struggle to wear ur opponent down enough and finish him off with ur finisher, it should very rarely be kicked out of on your weekly shows, it belittles the move as a finishing move.

On PPVs it depends on the importance of the ppv and the importance in the match, the under card should pretty much be the same as ur weekly ppvs but with more finisher attempts and more finisher reversals. the main event however can havea few finisher kick outs depending on the hype and the build.

Big PPVS Wrestlemania summerslam etc. u should pull out all the stops finisher kick outs that u never saw comin not every match cause it will eleminate the shock value.

 

[Spidey Revivey]

I believe you are right to a point there. When the finisher hits, the pinfall comes, and then the rare kick-out, it all builds up suspense for the fans watching. That's all what it's about really.

There are times however that midcard talent nails their finisher and there is a kick-out. Even on cable television that happens moderately. But as far as the Main picture is concerned the last time I saw anyone kick out of a finisher was when Brock Lesnar took a chokeslam by the Big Show back in 2003 or so. You just don't see that anymore.

Honestly, there is no real difference in kicking out of the AA on cable compared to kicking out at a PPV except for the build-up. You get what you pay for, you know. Sells tickets and gives the fans their money's worth.

 

[Harrison101]

I definitely see your point. Sometimes kicking out of finishers does add to the match, and generate a false finish, which can be entertaining, but there is such a thing as putting a guy a little too over.

Example? Kurt Angle vs AJ Styles on January 4th. AJ Styles gave Angle THREE Styles Clashes and a Springboard 450 and Kurt kicked out. I get that it was a nice effect, but at the same time, it diminishes the move a tad if someone repeatedly kicks out of it. There's a good case either way.

 

[mister_b1LL]

The always good failsafe to someone getting out of a finisher is a rope break. Like if Swagger hits a gutwrench powerbomb on John Morrison, everybody is devestated that their favorite wrestler just got destroyed by the other guy's finisher...but wait he grabs the rope!!! There's still hope for him!

The great thing about doing that is by having somebody grab the rope is that he never really kicked out of the move and thus the lethality of the finisher is still intact.

 

[Syborgg]

I've come to predict the "finisher kick-out". Usually seems to happen when there is a delay between the move and the pin attempt. Like for example when HHH hits a pedigree out of no where, but is too out of it to make a cover right away. That to me is a way that doesn't totally deminish the "power" of the move.

I have to say that TNA tends to overdo it though, especially in the Jan. 4th match between AJ and Angle. However I do remember Angle kicking out of multiple Stunners and Rock Bottoms back in his WWF/E days, so maybe it's something that Angle himself puts into his matches.

 

[BourneToFly]

Ssyborg, definitely get what you're saying about predicting the kickout, but one thing that blew my mind was Shawn kicking out of a tombstone last year at Mania, because he didn't wait around for the pin at all, in fact, he even did the crossed arm pin thingy and stuck his tongue out like usual, but Shawn still kicked out. Never saw it coming.

But addressing the overall topic, I think finishers need to be used on a weekly basis, because it shows exactly how destructive it is. You don't expect the mid card talent that is thrown into matches with main eventers to be able to kick out after one finisher, thus, it's called a finisher. When main eventers finally go one on one in a high-profile match that's been hyped for weeks, sometimes months, we need to see some kick outs after a finisher, but how great would it be to see Edge spear someone and immediately go for the pin, only to have them kick out after 2, or what if Batista nailed Randy Orton with a Batista Bomb, and rolled him up. Then Orton kicks out after 2, surprising everyone.

I think there should be main eventers kicking out for suspense after a finisher, I just think that they should kickout immediately following a finisher, that way, we have no idea what to expect. A kickout could come at any time.

By the way.. to whoever said the thing about Randy's RKO.. That punt that he has is pretty brutal too. I think he could lay just about anyone out with that thing.