Finish Him!

[King Cucaracha 0]

[Golgo 13 0]

Remember when Batista was killing people with a clothesline? Those were the days.

 

Same with Stan Hansen... his lariat was certifiably deadly.

 

I think it was the Axe Bomber Batista was using. I wish he would have kept it.

[johnson316cane 0]

I dunno...I kinda doubt El Dandy ever knocked anyone out with a punch...

 

WCW announcers always did tout El Dandy’s punch as being one of the best in the sport. He never used it as a finisher (I believe he used a La Majistral style roll-up he called the Dandy Roll or something) but the announcers would always note when he hit his big punch. My favorite El Dandy moment was when Flair and Anderson were bribing him to lose to David Flair back in 99. Flair’s bribe was hilarious, saying something like, “steak every night, stay on this side of the border, permanently.” Then during the match, El Dandy got pissed at David for something and knocked the piss out of him which prompted AA to spinebuster him so that David could get a cheap win via the figure four.

 

[haws bah gawd 0]

I dunno...I kinda doubt El Dandy ever knocked anyone out with a punch...

 

WCW announcers always did tout El Dandy’s punch as being one of the best in the sport. He never used it as a finisher (I believe he used a La Majistral style roll-up he called the Dandy Roll or something) but the announcers would always note when he hit his big punch. My favorite El Dandy moment was when Flair and Anderson were bribing him to lose to David Flair back in 99. Flair’s bribe was hilarious, saying something like, “steak every night, stay on this side of the border, permanently.” Then during the match, El Dandy got pissed at David for something and knocked the piss out of him which prompted AA to spinebuster him so that David could get a cheap win via the figure four.

 

Hah, I'd kill to see that. AA splattering El Dandy all over the mat with a Spinebuster, and David getting a cheap win. Fun times!

[Naked Snake 0]

The whole El Dandy interview is great

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZe6LvqQaVk

[johnson316cane 0]

Why is the Orton running kick sold as death, taking victims out for weeks or months when similar type moves happen as part of a match? How can it be sold to be so much more potent than a pile driver, running knee, chair shot, DDT? Super Kick, Pedigree etc?

 

Why is it Sweet Chin Music is more "deadly" than a regular Superkick, or Jake Roberts' DDT/Raven's Evenflow/Dreamer's DDT more effective than a regular DDT? This point can be made about any move that is used as a finisher.

 

I always liked to think that the logic behind that is that the reason those moves are finishers for those guys and not for others is that because they practice them and know the proper technique to delivering the move. For instance, lots of guys use a ddt but do it pretty sloppily (Rock’s floatover ddt that he botched sometimes) thus it didn’t knock the opponent out. However, since it was Raven’s favorite hold, he practiced it more and executed it better, therefore making it more effective. That’d be a pretty good kayfabe explanation anyway.

[Maztinho 0]

Well that and when Roberts/AA/Raven where using the DDT it wasn't used as a transitional move by bearly trained women in their matches. It's become watered down due to over exposure, kinda like the piledriver was in the mid-late 90's until it got banned/special use only, now it's considered deadly again because it's rare and sold like death.

 

I'm afraid one of my favorite finishers ever the DDT is forever going to be a bodyslam or vertical suplex, just a move that is there.

[Diamonddust 0]

With the thread about favorite/most unique entrances and discussion on how certain moves applied by certain wrestlers appear more effective, here's a no-brainer topic:

 

What do you think are some of the best finishers?

What are some of your personal favorites?

What are some of the best tag-team finishers?

Who made a finishing move look the most effective?

Any other thoughts?

 

My list would include:

 

-The Undertaker's Tombstone: Totally fits the character

 

-The Stone Cold Stunner: Could come out of anywhere, and it usually meant things were over

 

-The Diamond Cutter: Same thing. For a time, the Diamond Cutter was the most over move in wrestling

 

-The RKO/Kick of Death: See above. The Kick of Death is rapidly becoming a top favorite

 

-The Tazmission: I loved this submission and how they sold it.

 

-The Rock Bottom/People's Elbow: The People's Elbow showed how skilled The Rock was. He could make a simple elbow drop the most anticipated spot of the match.

 

-The Doomsday Device: Best tag-team finisher ever. I would never want to be on the receiving end of this one.

 

-Demolition's Finisher (Can't remember the name): A close second.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

For tag finisher, can't go wrong with the 3D.

 

I mean, the thing was sold as DEATH in ECW.

 

EDIT: Also, how can you NOT include the finisher that you're named after! The Diamond Dust, IMO, was an improved version of the Stunner/Cutter/RKO.

[Maztinho 0]

I've always dug the Screwdriver or any of the many variants that are running around in Japan. Vertical Suplex into a sitting tombstone?

 

Death.

 

Vader's Powerbomb was always awesome too.

 

As for Tag Teams I liked the Total Elimination, mainly that Joel Gertner sold the move for years!

[Diamonddust 0]

I've always dug the Screwdriver or any of the many variants that are running around in Japan. Vertical Suplex into a sitting tombstone?

 

Death.

 

Vader's Powerbomb was always awesome too.

 

As for Tag Teams I liked the Total Elimination, mainly that Joel Gertner sold the move for years!

 

Agreed X 3.

 

Vader's powerbomb was great until Hogan killed it.

[CanadianGuitarist 0]

Even though the mark in me prefers technical wrestling and storytelling, for me, the key to a great finisher is the ability to hit it out of nowhere, as opposed to working over an arm/leg/etc. to build for it. So, I'd say my favourites are RKO and Diamondcutter. Tell me you didn't think DDP had the title won when he reversed the Jackhammer into it, ditto for Orton-Taker at Wrestlemania 21.

 

There's kind of a middle tier between those, in which my favourites include 619 and Stone Cold Stunner.

[Diamonddust 0]

For tag finisher, can't go wrong with the 3D.

 

I mean, the thing was sold as DEATH in ECW.

 

EDIT: Also, how can you NOT include the finisher that you're named after! The Diamond Dust, IMO, was an improved version of the Stunner/Cutter/RKO.

 

Forgot all about The Diamond Dust (And Joey Styles calling it when Tanaka hit it in ECW). Thanks for the reminder.

[Steviekick 0]

I absolutely love when Chris Hero breaks out the Rubix Cube (kind of like an electric chair into a piledriver). Just sick and always looks spectacular.

[Maztinho 0]

I absolutely love when Chris Hero breaks out the Rubix Cube (kind of like an electric chair into a piledriver). Just sick and always looks spectacular.

 

Along that route the Storm Cradle Piledriver (look it up, I ain't going to attempt to describe it) is another one of those sick headdrops.

 

At some point I kinda fell out of love with alot of the innovative indy fed finishers, and I think my growing MMA fandom has something to do with that. Like CG, I like a move that has sort of an "outta nowhere" feel to it, or one that doesn't have a ton of contrived motion to it, although I do like the suspense of a guy working a bodypart looking for one specific hold to end the match, because I think it leads to more drama on the counter of the big finisher.

 

A good finisher can be anything really, as long as it's sold well and doesn't look too outlandishly fake (Worm I'm lookin' at you) I mean in a world of fake fighting, if a move is so outlandishly flashy or takes forever to set up it loses all "suspension of disbelief" that wrestling should get you to.

[Star Ocean 3 0]

Kanyon Cutter

[KobashiFS 0]

Death Valley Driver. I love Drivers in general, and the DVD is the best when executed properly. I watched a Driver compilation on youtube recently featuring many cool looking Drivers that I had never seen before, but the DVD is simple and effective.

[Corey_Lazarus 0]

Ah, the DVD (or DVB for the puro nuts). My favorite version of it, all-time, is definitely Saturn's, because he just got them up into the fireman's carry, side-step, BAM! Better than any of the ones I've seen from anybody else, IMO. Most people seem to just roll over (Lobo, I'm ESPECIALLY looking at you), not just go WHAM~ and drop them, releasing their legs when they're vertical. It's too bad that Cena uses a much tamer version of it, because I remember when the FU Victory was a DVD, and he did it well.

 

Cutter variations always work, with my favorites being DDP's Diamond Cutter, Mikey Whipwreck's Whippersnapper (even faster and more impactful than the Stunner, and with even more variations to it than the Diamond Cutter...man I miss Mikey), and the three best users of the TKO (Mero's was sweet, as is Lynn's, but my favorite was the Messiah's Godsmack because he did a full rotation or two before dropping them into a Stunner).

 

I've become very fond of strike finishes, too. I'm surprised that the only people State-side to use the Roaring Elbow (yeah, I know it's technically Rolling Elbow, but Roaring sounds cooler) have been Masato Tanaka (I've seen clips of other people use it, and his is STILL my favorite, especially when done Van Daminator-style to Mike Awesome or Balls Mahoney, who just sold that shit as DEATH) and Chris Hero. I love Hero, amazing heel, but his strikes are just so bland compared to his personality and technical-to-the-point-of-rifuckingdiculous style he once employed. I also love how Claudio Castagnoli's European Uppercut could be considered a finish on the indy scene, especially that elevated version he has.

 

Tag-wise...Doomsday Device (Road Warriors), 3D (Dudley Boyz), Total Elimination (Eliminators), and the Electric Chair 'Rana (Kid Kash/Rob Van Dam, and it was an awesome visual even if botched) stand out as my favorites. I also dug Team No Respect's suplex-to-superbomb, as well as that Stomp/Cop Killa combo that LowKi and Homicide used.

[Diamonddust 0]

Ah, the DVD (or DVB for the puro nuts). My favorite version of it, all-time, is definitely Saturn's, because he just got them up into the fireman's carry, side-step, BAM! Better than any of the ones I've seen from anybody else, IMO. Most people seem to just roll over (Lobo, I'm ESPECIALLY looking at you), not just go WHAM~ and drop them, releasing their legs when they're vertical. It's too bad that Cena uses a much tamer version of it, because I remember when the FU Victory was a DVD, and he did it well.

 

Cutter variations always work, with my favorites being DDP's Diamond Cutter, Mikey Whipwreck's Whippersnapper (even faster and more impactful than the Stunner, and with even more variations to it than the Diamond Cutter...man I miss Mikey), and the three best users of the TKO (Mero's was sweet, as is Lynn's, but my favorite was the Messiah's Godsmack because he did a full rotation or two before dropping them into a Stunner).

 

I've become very fond of strike finishes, too. I'm surprised that the only people State-side to use the Roaring Elbow (yeah, I know it's technically Rolling Elbow, but Roaring sounds cooler) have been Masato Tanaka (I've seen clips of other people use it, and his is STILL my favorite, especially when done Van Daminator-style to Mike Awesome or Balls Mahoney, who just sold that shit as DEATH) and Chris Hero. I love Hero, amazing heel, but his strikes are just so bland compared to his personality and technical-to-the-point-of-rifuckingdiculous style he once employed. I also love how Claudio Castagnoli's European Uppercut could be considered a finish on the indy scene, especially that elevated version he has.

 

Tag-wise...Doomsday Device (Road Warriors), 3D (Dudley Boyz), Total Elimination (Eliminators), and the Electric Chair 'Rana (Kid Kash/Rob Van Dam, and it was an awesome visual even if botched) stand out as my favorites. I also dug Team No Respect's suplex-to-superbomb, as well as that Stomp/Cop Killa combo that LowKi and Homicide used.

 

I had also forgotten about the Roaring Elbow... completely bad-ass finisher right there.

 

[Ravenbomb 0]

The DDT.

[HarleyQuinn 0]

My favorites...

 

1: Raven's Evenflow DDT. I know Jake did it before but Raven was the one who really made me fall in love with it. Not a lot of variations on it although I'm always impartial to the shortarm into it.

2: Death Valley Driver + Saturn.

3: Rob Van Dam's Van Daminator although it can get contrived at times. Ironically, I think I actually preferred Jerry Lynn's version from that HH (?) match that was re-aired on ECW on TNN's initial show. The way Lynn extended the leg and the way it was shot, gorgeous!

4: DDP's Diamond Cutter, mainly during 1997 I believe when it seems like he was trying to set a record on how many variations he could do it from. IIRC, in WCW/NWO Revenge there were like 3 or 4 different ways of doing it as well.

5: Bret Hart's Sharpshooter. As classic a finisher as the Figure 4 or the Legdrop and Bret had that knack for really cinching it in that Austin/Rock didn't do.

[HollywoodSpikeJenkins 0]

Jerry Lynn's Cradle Piledriver.

[ChrisMWaters 0]

Oh, and a newer for this wrestler finisher that I've been growing to like:

 

The Undertaker's submission...which as of this Smackdown is being called the Devil's Gate. (Also called the Devil's Triangle, Hell's Gate and "That Deadly Submission Hold!")

[Broward83 0]

Sharpshooter

That's Incredible

Awesome Splash

Stunner

Van Daminator

X Marks the Spot

[BruiserKC 0]

Other clothesline finishes of the past and present...

 

JBL's Clothesline From Hell

 

The Koloffs using the Russian Sickle

 

The Hart Foundation using the Hart Attack.

 

 

One I thought was cool back then but would be a lame finisher now...when the Rock n'Roll Express used the double-dropkick. What made their move so deadly to finish off opponents yet for most the dropkick was a transitional move at best?

[BruiserKC 0]

You have to mention Petey Williams and the Canadian Destroyer. I can't believe this post went this far and no mention of it.

[Maztinho 0]

Oh, and a newer for this wrestler finisher that I've been growing to like:

 

The Undertaker's submission...which as of this Smackdown is being called the Devil's Gate. (Also called the Devil's Triangle, Hell's Gate and "That Deadly Submission Hold!")

 

Gogoplata for the win.

 

And I hate Petey's Canadian Destroyer, the first time I saw it I did the typical holy shit! mark out moment, but like I said, my taste is changing and it just seems so contrived, and that the guy taking the move actually does more work than the giver that I've soured on it, and dislike it completely.

[haws bah gawd 0]

My current favorites:

 

The Border Toss - Looks like death when sold by the smaller guys, and still convincing enough to put away others.

RKO - The equivalent of death in WWE. Just as much as the Pedigree.

G.T.S. - A simple, effective move.

Hellevator - A little contrived, but looks cool and sometimes that's all it takes.

 

Old School:

Scorpion Deathdrop - Doesn't convince me much these days. Back in 1996 though, this was the most amazing thing I'd ever seen. I can still remember thinking to myself, "A Reverse DDT? That's amazing! Who ever thought of such a thing?".

Ultimate Warrior's any-given-combination of Gorilla Press, Clothesline, Shoulder Tackle, Big Splash.

Vader's Moonsault

Vertebreaker

Steiner Screwdriver

Scott Steiner's Frankensteiner

[The Flamboyance 0]

I agree with any of Tanaka's finishers as well as with a few already mentioned like the Cradle Piledriver and some others, but I didn't see the double arm piledriver in this thread. Whether it's Kid Kash or Jay Briscoe, that move is awesome.

 

Shiranui's are pretty sweet too. I'm also a sucker for a good Lariat.

 

For double team moves, any of the Briscoe Brothers Double Team finishers.

[Slingshot Suplex 0]

Usually by the time the RnR Express used the double dropkick, they had worn down their opponent with their quick tags and their speed. So the force of two men delivering synchronized dropkicks was enough to drive the air out of them and pin them.