What makes a finisher great?

[Remix]

I think we can all agree that not all finishing moves are equal, I mean just look at Khali's. So what I'm asking is there some factor that makes some finishers better than others? or is it down to the wrestler to take a move, and mould it into an awesome finisher.

I think to start we need to define what a great finisher is. to me a great finisher is: memorable, associated with the wrestler (to think of the figure four is to think of Ric Flair, even though others before and after have used it), and brings the crowd to its feet.

which means thast there are two broad kinds of finisher: the realistic and the completely over the top. the great realistic finishers are ones that look like they'd legitimately take someone down and make them stay down (good examples of this would be Sweet Chin Music (discounting the OTT tuning up the band stuff), the Perfect-Plex (and other bridging suplexes), Piledrivers (and variations on it), Power moves from a huge motherf**ker, Cutters and Stunners, and most submission moves (shit ones like the Khali Vice Grip are being discounted). Now, a great realistic finisher depends on both the deliverer to perform the move right (compare Batista's Ankle Hug to Angle's) and the recipient (to sell the move aproprieately and consistently (which coincidentally is one of my problems with the 619)). However when it all comes together the crowd can roar when they see it executed and believe that it would finish the match.

Now, great OTT finishers are memorable for a different reason and fit into two main catagories, the OTT move (such as Shooting Star (SS) presses, SS legdrops, SS any other move you can imagine, 450 splash, any move done by Teddy Hart, Spiral tap, The Canadian Destroyer, and Star Ship Pain), and the OTT build up (The People's Elbow, The Worm ,The Atomic Legdrop, (and to some extent), Sweet Chin Music, the Ankle Lock, and any other move that the wrestler signals to the audience before delivery). In the former case the move itself is what's great. How can you not be excited by watching a corkscrew sumersault senton, or a flipping piledriver (which combined a grain of realism to boot)? And if done correctly and consistently will get a pop for the move alone. In the latter, even if trhe move is shit, and would ordinaraly be a boring move that never finishes anybody, the wrestler himself makes the move memorable. Not by making the move spectacularly more impressive (like breaking the laws of physics to jump 7 ft into the air to deliver a leg drop), but by working the crowd, so that they know what's coming and are excited before the (usuallly shit) move's delivered. The People's Elbow without the buildup is just an elbow drop, but with it it's the most electrifying move in sports entertainment. the crowd's hyped before Rocky skids to a halt, fakes a legdrop and drops the elbow. and when the elbow's dropped the crowd's disbelief is suspended long enough for the audience not to realise that The Rock beat the Big Show with an elbow drop, and go home satisfied with the ending. While both take skill, I think that making the crowd get excited for a leg drop takes more skill than getitng the same crowd hyped a suicide springboard corkscrew SS knee strike.

But that's just me, what do you think makes a great finisher?

 

[Leafy]

Great thread idea.

I think every part of a wrestler should be a summary of his or her character. A great finisher should match their persona. A heel should have a quick finisher that can come out of nowhere, they take any opportunity to win the match even when their opponent is distracted. A face should have a finisher that gives the crowd the opportunity to get on their feet. The same goes with lightweight and heavyweights. The lightweights that show their athleticism and the powerhouse their strengths.

Back to the thread idea. When a wrestler gets a finisher that matches their persona this helps to create the great finisher. Let's take the Tombstone. Undertaker has created this great finisher. It goes with his character in the way it gives him the chance to cross the arms and it shows his power. If he was given a move such as the stunner it would look awkward and would ruin his character. So only when a wrestler has a finisher that adds to his character can it only be a great finisher. Oh, and they need to do it well, that's a given.

 

[2012isbs]

I think a great finisher needs to be as you said sold right, if you no sell an RKO it looks harmless whereas if you start convulsing or get knocked out, you know the RKO is a deadly move, the RKO also will occasionally have a great buildup, Randy will Push-ups right next to the victims face, stomp on his limbs, etc. then hit RKO.
Another thing a good finisher can have is that it always looks like the victim can counter it until the very end, for example, the Killswitch, when he's about to drop the victim there's that split second where you think, 'is he gonna counter it' then it gets hit, and your suspense ends you think that was an awesome match.
But every Finisher needs to fit the wrestler's style (Crippler Crossface) or be so out of place it gives them depth (Vadersault), A bad mix for example is Batista's ankle lock for two reasons, one it has no need to be in his moveset he never goes after then ankle, and he is a powerhouse, I want a crushing, or ripping submission not a grab of the foot.
I agree with what everyone abvove me has said.

 

[Scotty]

IMO what makes a great finisher is a combination of things. First and foremost it has to be fitting to the character.Some examples of moves that fit the character are ones such as the FU, the RKO, the Tombstone, yada yada yada... and the name of the finisher counts to. The Skull Cruching Finale is just a terrible name. Reality Check was way better.But what I think really makes a finisher is the WOW factor. Because when you see it, it amazes you and you know the match is over. Then there are finishers that are just kinda blah because they look weak. Take for example Sheamus. His new finisher apparently is the Razor's Edge. What happened to his backbreaker? Or The Miz. His finisher is growing on me but it looks more like a setup move then a finisher. But the worst finisher that I have seen on Raw since I don;t know when.......The Playmaker. I get the name but it really looks like a rookie finisher that should be put out of it's misery.None of those are really great finishers because they are just kinda there...nothing special or get excited about. Just there.I don;t really get the Starship Pain because he used that move while the Moonlight Drive was his finisher and it never finished anybody but now it is supposed to? What's the deal with that? But all in all I think a great finisher depends solely on how good the wrestlers perform and sell it. You wouldn't want to see somebody screw up a finisher and it "knock them out" would you. No plain and simple. When a finisher is hit right then you KNOW the match is over.

 

[Freddy4190]

It does have to fit the character. That's a must. I wouldn't wanna see Triple H attempting a moonsault or anything. Another is the ability to get people on their feet. Sometimes a bit of showmanship is necessary. Shawn Michaels finisher is a kick. Yeah, it's recognized now as much more than that. But essentially it's a kick. He spices that up with a bit of foot stomping. Not ever move has to be flashy and flippy and stuff like that. It doesn't hurt, but it's not completely necessary. Innovation is always a good thing. If you can't come up with a finisher that hasn't been seen, at least try to give it a little touch that makes it different. The name seems to be essential to. People were so confused with Undertaker's choke hold. They went through like 8 different names for it. Khali's Chop was boring, so instead of giving it a cool name. They called it the Khali Chop. Innovation..

 

[morrisonc66]

It has to be innovative and fresh. Something that will not only catch your opponent off gaurd, but wow the audience at the same time. Take the RKO for instance. Randy Orton took the boring old ace crusher and added a new innovative twist to it with a simple leap. Also, he made it to where he could put you into it out of nowhere and it has become one of the most devastating finishers of all time.

 

[great1]

for me, if it has any or all of the following:

a) shock value. my current favorite is the rko, just because there are times when you simply don't see it coming.

b) theatrics/build up. the people's elbow is a good example because as he puts himself in the position to start delivering the move, the crowd goes wild. and you just dont know if he's gonna land it!

c) counter into a submission. catches you off guard, and looks like it legitimately hurts. ex: crossface, ankle lock.

d) innovative high flying move. just cuz they're nice to look at

and yes, they must fit with the character

 

[ABMorales787]

A great finishing move should always have at least 1 of these criteria:

* Believable: This is something that has to be done by both performer and reciever, otherwise the move will look bad and incapable of finishing off an opponent. IE: The Pedigree. Triple H releases the opponents arms so they don't break their nose but sometimes the opponent basically cushions the fall completely with their hands.

*Crowd Appeal: The move must get a big pop from the crowd every time its performed. The RKO and Codebreaker can be hit from any angle, making the crowd pop in surprise. The Batista Bomb and FU sets the opponent up but delays the impact, thus leaving the crowd to wonder if it will work or not. The Peoples Elbow and Atomic Leg Drop alert the crowd that the move is coming and most likely not countered. These kind of moves amy not be believeable but are discouraging to the opponent.

*Execution: A submission move can be sold as a finisher if executed correctly and at the proper time. Take the Ankle Lock for instance. Kurt Angle either takes the straps off and stalks (Drawing Crowd appeal) or locks it right out of the blue by using some type of transition move (armbar, cradle, countering a lift). He also looks like he's really gonna snap an ankle by literally waving the leg around and cranking the ankle. However when Batista or Shawn Michaels do it, it just looks like a rest hold showing little to no emotion or intensity at all.