Finishing Move of All Time

[IrishCanadian25]

The Leg Drop

Hogan's simple finisher, the crowd still went nuts over it, and few men (Sid Justice, Yokozuna, Vader) have ever kicked out of it in WWF History.

Big Elbow

Seeing Randy Savage on the top rope, putting his arms up in the air with the pointer finger outstretched, was one of the coolest moments in any match. That elbow was just perfect.

Banzai Drop

Surprised? Someone find me a finishing move that nobody has EVER kicked out of or recovered from. This is it. If Yokozuna hit this, it was over.

Stone Cold Stunner

A simple front snap mare, but it became the fastest and often the most exciting move in wrestling when Austin hit it, then getting in the face of his fallen opponent with the double middle fingers.

People's Elbow

Though the Rock Bottom was the true finisher, this move brought the crowd to their feet ever when The Rock was the biggest heel in the business.

The Sharpshooter

Bret Hart's modified leg grapevine, this move won The Hitman his first Intercontinental and WWF Titles, and also provided us Stone Cold's face turn and gave Owen Hart another dimension.

DDT

Jake Roberts' finisher, the DDT was one of the first "it's over in a flash" finishers, and really fit his "snake" character perfectly.

Tombstone

When The Undertaker hit this, it just seemed eerie - he really seemed to be putting someone underground. I'll never forget Hogan's head hitting that chair at Survivor Series.

Figure-4 Leglock

Ric Flair's finisher has elicited "Whoooo!" from crowds all over the world, evern when he wasn't the one performing it. Classic submission.

Sweet Chin Music

Oddly, this was HBK's precursor to his original finisher - the side suplex? The cresent kick has won Michaels many titles and matches, and also has one of the most fun build-ups of any other move.

 

[HBK-aholic]

I love the build up of the Sweet Chin Music which you mentioned. It's a great way to get the audience excited, and to set it all up. However the best move of all time is the Sharpshooter, and I don't think it's close. Many people have used this, but it is ultimately Bret Harts move. He performs it amazingly. It has also been at the centre of 2 huge moments in WWE - the face turn of Stone Cold, and the Montreal Screwjob.

 

[Papa Shango]

Most might say the Leg Drop, simply because of Hogan. But Hogan's Finisher could have been a flick to the ear, and the crowd still would have eaten it up. The Leg Drop doesn't get nearly the reaction when performed by anyone else. The Stunner, on the other, is timeless. Much like how the crowd "Woooo!"s when a wrestler performs a chop or the Figure 4, the crowd just can't help but think of Austin when anyone performs a Stunner. The swift, volatile, painful-looking move that put down so many of the crowd's most hated men. It comes from nowhere, or an opponent can be stalked, set up. Hell, nowadays, even just a segment on the show gets all the more exciting, just because we KNOW we're going to see a Stone Cold Stunner.The Stunner is quite possibly the most enjoyable finisher in wrestling history.

 

[klunderbunker]

Breaking it down as always.

Legdrop- Shango put it perfectly. It's the most generic move ever, but it was HULK FREAKING HOGAN dropping that leg. Going to be tough to beat, but might be dead last.

Elbow- I have always and will always mark out for anyone doing this move. Savage did it first, and it was simply perfect. Few kicked out of it, but Warrior's crazyness kicked out of 5 straight at WM 7, so because of the lunatic, it loses it's power.

Banzai Drop- Yes it was unblockable, but it never did it for me. Anything where you benefit from being insanely fat just doesn't work well in my mind.

Stunner- Here we get to the first of the quick finishers, which are always the most exciting. When Austin went for the kick, the crowd rises to their feet every single time. It's quick, it's devastating, and there's about a million ways to take it. The new leader.

People's Elbow- I hate this miove. It's a damn elbow drop, which usually hit the arm. Just.......no.

Sharpshooter- Sthing used if first, so no.

DDT- My all time favorite move. This move has been kicked out of one time that I can remember, by the Undertaker. It has put down so many people, and in something that I love the most, it was made by mistake.

Tombstone- This is way up there also. When Taker did this, you didn't get up. Even Kane kicked out of two, but eventually fell to the third. He did this, the match ended. Took a long time to set up though, and Taker killed my soul when he used it to beat Hogan, so it takes second place.

Figure 4- Again, too basic. anyone can do it, but for some reason Flair's is best? Doesn't work for me.

SCM- Epic is the only word to describe this move. Shawn can hit this from anywhere. Just ask Shelton Benjamin. The only problem though is that when he stomps the mat, has no one ever picked up that that means DON'T TURN AROUND???

DDT takes it for me.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

rather subjective IMO, as to what makes a good finisher just that. to me, I had to go with what move FINISHES opponets most often. I mean the move gets hit, and the match is OVER. And out of all those, there is one move that I can only recall a very trifle few ever kicking out of.

Does anyone remember WHY Kane seemed like an unstoppable monster for kicking out of the tombstone?? becuase to my knowlegde, he may have been the first to do so. People kicking out of the tombstone is just something you dont really see often, or have seen often EVER. Its taken numerous stunners, rock bottoms, and Sweet music to put people down over the years, but generally speaking, the tombstone is a one and done deal. There is no "only hitting it halfway" there is no nothing. You rest in peice after taker puts your head into the mat, and crosses your arms over your chest.

 

[Shocky]

I'm backing Norcal on this one, the Tombstone is the epitome of what a finishing move should be. Nobody kicked out of that damn thing, until Kane did it at Wrestlemania 14. Then of course seeing how over Kane got, good old Vinnie Russo decided to have everyone kick out of it for the next two years and ruined it, thus the Last Ride was born along with the neck moves being banned. Seriously, teh Attitude Era was terrible.

The Deadman returns, and the Tombstone becomes an elite move once again. You have a man nearly 7 feet tall, dropping you on your head, and the move works damn near 100% of the time. When the Undertaker hits a finisher, you can almost guarantee the match is over.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

Really gentlemen?

So you're saying that The Tombston is the most dominant finisher because only one man is remembered to have kicked out of it? That one man being Kane?

Well, that's one more man than has kicked out of Yokozuna's Banzai drop. That number, of course, is a big fat ZERO.

You talk about Undertaker standng almost 7 feet tall and dropping someone on their head. Well, imagine 505...550...600 lbs crashing down upon your prone chest from the middle rope. And then staying there, your arms pinned at your sides by thighs the width of sycamores.

Nobody - EVER - has kicked out of the Banzai Drop. Your ONLY prayer is to have the wherewithall to roll away or sit up before he crashes down on you. But once that gerth hits you, there's nothing left to do but wait until you're permitted the opportunity to breathe again and count your remaining ribs.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

LOL

IC. the incredible blind SHW biased strikes yet again.

He lost in the WM of Mania becuase of the move. Its actually very easy to counter. Just ask Bret Hart. All you have to do is roll, and you can pin Yokozuna in a main event of WM for the title. And who has yoko beat with it??? a bunch of jobbers and has beens in one of the most terrible eras in WWE history?? Really?? Undertaker put down HULK HOGAN during hulkamania, for the belt, with the tombstone. The liast of accolades and victims for the tombstone is laughably superior to that of the Banzai drop. Pullleeeaasse.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

LOL

IC. the incredible blind SHW biased strikes yet again.

He lost in the WM of Mania becuase of the move. Its actually very easy to counter. Just ask Bret Hart. All you have to do is roll, and you can pin Yokozuna in a main event of WM for the title. And who has yoko beat with it??? a bunch of jobbers and has beens in one of the most terrible eras in WWE history?? Really?? Undertaker put down HULK HOGAN during hulkamania, for the belt, with the tombstone. The liast of accolades and victims for the tombstone is laughably superior to that of the Banzai drop. Pullleeeaasse.

At least my blind SHW Bias is unique. It's better than being SlyFox's stooge.

Maybe if Roddy Piper didn't have his hand on the rope when Yoko was climbing it, he wouldn't have fallen. Hart was LUCKY at WrestleMania 10, and to his credit, he survived long enough to capitalize on Yoko's only mistake in a year.

Zuna has beaten a host of men in a bunch of ways, including DOMINATING your boy Hogan at King of the Ring. When I think of the Banzai drop, I think of Hacksaw Jim Duggan getting 4 of them, the last of which occured with the flag draped over his motionless body.

I also find it funny that you're toting the Tombstone as the best move ever, when a man like Yokozuna would NEVER have to worry about it, since Taker's tombstone was useless against anyone who was more than 350 lbs - basically half of Taker's opponents. EVERYONE is susceptible to the Banzai Drop, and nobody kicks out of it. Can't say the same for the Tombstone.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

At least my blind SHW Bias is unique. It's better than being SlyFox's stooge.

Maybe if Roddy Piper didn't have his hand on the rope when Yoko was climbing it, he wouldn't have fallen. Hart was LUCKY at WrestleMania 10, and to his credit, he survived long enough to capitalize on Yoko's only mistake in a year.

Zuna has beaten a host of men in a bunch of ways, including DOMINATING your boy Hogan at King of the Ring. When I think of the Banzai drop, I think of Hacksaw Jim Duggan getting 4 of them, the last of which occured with the flag draped over his motionless body.

I also find it funny that you're toting the Tombstone as the best move ever, when a man like Yokozuna would NEVER have to worry about it, since Taker's tombstone was useless against anyone who was more than 350 lbs - basically half of Taker's opponents. EVERYONE is susceptible to the Banzai Drop, and nobody kicks out of it. Can't say the same for the Tombstone.

IC, why are you trying to lure me into a spamming infraction by making my arguments for me?? you basically just proved my point. There has be primarily NO competitors of noteriety to have been beaten by the butt drop of doom. be serious. a large portion of his NOTABLE victories, came as a result of fuji interfereance followed by a belly to belly suplex. The memory that comes to your mindis of the QUINTESSENTAL burned out, has been jobber, Hacksaw Duggan. true, everyone is SUSCEPTABLE to the Drop. Coulda, woulda, shoulda. too bad this isnt fantasy camp, and Yoko put down very few, if any guys of note with the move. On the other hand, Taker has a list of names, events, and titles won with the tombstone that is second to almost none. I would call it a laundry list, but I cant think of any person who has that much fucking laundry.

The tombstone is the end all, be all.

 

[IrishCanadian25]

<sniff> STOP BAITING ME!

When was the last time Taker even USED the Tombstone as his finisher? It was so effective, sure, that he abandonned it for The Last Ride, and now for a glorified MMA submission hold. Yeah, way to cement that legacy.

And you talk about how easy it was for Bret to counter the drop. Well, take the Tombstone. Kick your legs a few times and flip it around. I've seen it more times than I care to mention.

And don't blame Yokozuna for his versatility. THe Banzai Drop was STILL the most feared finisher ever, and even if he didn't finish EVERYONE off with it, everytime he DID use it, it ended that person's night.

 

[Mighty NorCal]

<sniff> STOP BAITING ME!

When was the last time Taker even USED the Tombstone as his finisher? It was so effective, sure, that he abandonned it for The Last Ride, and now for a glorified MMA submission hold. Yeah, way to cement that legacy.

And you talk about how easy it was for Bret to counter the drop. Well, take the Tombstone. Kick your legs a few times and flip it around. I've seen it more times than I care to mention.
.

Ive seen..the Undertaker do that to OTHERS a lot. I cant even name any times its been reversed into a tombstone ON Taker, save maybe for Kane, although I dont remember that ever happening either. And abandoned??? hardly. He was about to put Batista away with it just as recently as last survivor series. Does SummerSlam ring a bell??? ask Edge if Taker abandoned the Tombstone pile driver.

How very hypocrtical of you. Right after this, you go on to tell me "well dont blame Yokozuna for being versatile"....so Its ok for the guy who you want to win, but not for mine?? really??? And what does it say about the move you tout, when as you say you cant even remember the last time Taker used it to win, yet the list of individuals beaten, and the amount of accolades gained by the move, is somewere in the neighborhood of 57 times longer than for the Banzai drop. Once again IC, im perfectly capable of debating, you dont need to make my arguments for me (blatant baiting here)

And don't blame Yokozuna for having a stupid move he only ever beat jobbers using. THe Banzai Drop was STILL the most feared finisher ever, and even if he didn't finish ANYONE that mattered off with it, everytime he DIDnt totally miss it, it ended that person's night.

There I fixed it for you. This is what any wrestling fan without an adoration for mass amounts of cellulite would say.

 

[FromTheSouth]

I picked the stunner because of the sheer ferocity of the move. Slamming two people's body weight all onto someone's jaw in seconds was amazing. That move, in a couple of different forms, but the same idea, has won matches for so many people, most recently, Randy Orton. I know that it's closer to the Diamond Cutter, but same idea.

Plus, Stone Cold coming to the ring, delivering 10 stunners, and leaving is one of my favorite WWE memories. How lame would it have been waiting on ten leg drops?

 

[Sparky]

I picked SCM, for the reason I love moves that can come out of nowhere. I mean, when you hear him warming up the band then you know its coming but it is more often or not that he pulls it out of thin air. It does damage and you can tell. It can happen to many people in a row without having to set up again and again, its just bang bang bang etc. Where (like the guy above me said) imagine the leg drop or any move up there minus the stunner, done to say ten people in a row. it wouldnt be beliavable. where as it is somewhat possible to do it with SCM.

Sadly, I only voted for this becouse the RKO, isnt up there. I think the RKO is even with the SCM for the excact same reasons as each other.


Edit: NorCal, the last guy to attempt it was Mr Kennedy in the first blood match? a couple of years back.

 

[Father:_Polley]

Well boys with all your complaining over the definition of what makes a good finishing move, I present my arguments for the DDT.

It doesn't have a weight limit - All you need to do it get enough momentum to slingshot the guy onto his head. This negates the Tombstone's 'has to be able to be lifted argument'

It is damn fast - Rock back and you're done. It lacks the build up of the Banzai and the Tombstone. It's hit with such speed that only really SCM and the stunner can compare.

With that, on to the aforementioned moves...
Stunner - It's not realistically going to hurt the guy on the receiving end, given it's Austin dropping and more likely to injure his ass in the process. SCM and DDT have at least a semblance of being painful.

SCM - Nit-picking I know, but it's been said. Why not roll away for the stomping. Hit from nowhere, it's impressive.

Incredulous as it is to believe that a move done by accident and the result of a slip could be my candidate, but it was a dangerous and high impact move, and even had a Honky Tonk led campaign to have it banned... the move was simple genius

 

[Stickstar 16]

Went with SCM. was tempted to go with the ddt but since Jake, everyone uses it so its lost some of its appeal as a move that truly ends the match. as for the point about "tuning up the band" i've noticed that more recently, when Shawn does this, his first attempt will be dodged, and the out of nowhere a few moves later he hits it. saying that you should notice the stomping is like saying, when edges runs to the corner don't get up. most wrestler have some precursor or another that you would know after facing them once or twice would lead to their finisher.

Also when comparing jake's ddt and SCM, u can say that many people have used a ddt and a superkick, but while some ddts such as the edgecution or the one randy orton does with the ropes can be as powerful as Jake's, no superkick has the effect of HBK performing it, like when Morrision does it, although impressive, its just not the same, doesn't have that snapping sound that you always get when HBK delivers it

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

The one thing I like about a finishing move is not that it can come out of nowhere but that it can be used on anybody. That's why I am going with the RKO. I love the way Randy Orton sets it up and it can literally come out of nowhere especially when countering his opponent's moves like Chris Benoit at Summerslam '04.

I would have to go with the Banzai Drop second because nobody is going to get up when 600 pounds crashes on your chest. The only thing I have against it is how long the setup takes but when it is effective, it is effective. I remember Yokozuna trying to use it on Stone Cold and he damn near broke the ring.

Honorable Mention goes to the Widow's Peak. It's one of the deadliest looking finishers in the WWE and I haven't seen anybody kick out of it and the fact that Victoria uses makes me like it even more

 

[agentmichaelscarn]

Out of the ones listed I gotta go with the Stunner even though my personal favorite was the F-5 but its not listed. No move got a pop like the Stunner did, especially during the attitude era. When he would stun somebody and then you would hear the glass shatter and his music hit the place would go apeshit. I also like it because it can be applied to anybody big or small and can happen in a blink of an eye. The downfall to it is alot of people kicked out on it especially The Rock but at that time people always kicked out of other people's finishing moves. I like sweet chin music too but I actually prefer it when he does it out of nowhere instead of "tuning of the band".

 

[Y 2 Jake]

The Figure-4 is only as good as the person selling it. Ric Flair as the person applying it always sold it better than the wrestlers he had it applied to.

I'd go for The People's Elbow or The Atomic Leg Drop. Two moves that aren't generally thought of as being great. I've always looked at it as, how would you like a muscular guy to drop/hit an leg/elbow across/into your throat/heart. They both have a set up with build anticipation, or leads to a predictable ending. Depending how you look at it.

I'll go People's Elbow for looking slightly more ridiculous than the Atomic Leg Drop. Stunner for coming out of nowhere & DDT for looking like it could get you done for manslaughter.

 

[Miko]

The Rock doesnt get much love in these tournaments it seems

So it's okay for a legdrop to be phenominal because Hogan does it but when The Rock (arguably the second greatest of all time) hit's an elbow thats lame?

Well anyway I gotta say that it's between the Legdrop and The People's Elbow, why you ask? Because not even Stone Cold Steve Austin could've got away with poncing around so much before hitting something relatively simple. The Stunners and the SCM's have their place but no finisher's for me has ever matched the awesomeness of those two.

I will choose the People's Elbow because the move has beaten Hogan were as Rock has never been beaten with a Legdrop.

 

[NSL]

I had to go with the Bonzai Drop, because as corny as it was, it is the definition of a finisher. He hit it, and the match was finished.

I love the Figure-Four and the Sharpshooter, and still mark out when I see the People's Elbow, and the finisher's of the 80's were classic, but there's examples of people kicking out of all of them.

I have to ask, where's the Crossface? Is it being excluded because of the attachment to Benoit? It was a move that hurt to watch, and if anyone has ever strapped it on their little brother, they know how effective it really can be. Unless my meory fails me, it took a long time for anyone to figure out how to reverse/escape it, and it was HHH, who isn't half-bad himself...

 

[48.7 is Approximately 49 Times Better Than You]

I voted for the DDT. It was brutal, man. When Jake hit that, the match was over. It's now overused and is just a regular old move that really doesn't do anything anymore, but it used to be the most dangerous move in all of wrestling.