10 Most Protected WWE Finishing Moves Ever
Santino Marella's Cobra is as protected as Kenta Kobashi's Burning Hammer. No, really.
The art of a pro wrestling finisher is precisely that; the move that ends - or should end - a pro wrestling match.
Nobody kicks out of Kenny Omega's One-Winged Angel in AEW because it is a killshot. It has been since 18 August 2012 when Kota Ibushi was the last to evade defeat by it and even then, it at least made sense for Ibushi to avoid succumbing to Omega's lethal weapon. The two are long-time dance partners in their Golden Lovers pairing and their epic war over the DDT KO-D Openweight Championship called for such a memorable moment.
The One-Winged Angel is one of only a few fully-protected finishers left in wrestling. Other moves which should be consistent match-enders - the Superkick, the Canadian Destroyer, a stiff Lariat, etc. - are now as commonplace as your average punch, kick, and body slam, such is the natural evolution of professional wrestling from a closed-door, kayfabe-protecting sport to a world of GIFs, one-upmanship, and CM Punk calling your favourite wrestler sh*t.
Never again will the Burning Hammer or the Heart Punch be as feared as they were when in the hands of Kenta Kobashi and Ox Baker, respectively.
These moves are up there, too...
10. K.O.D. - Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair's Kiss of Death is as much a Burning Hammer as John Cena's STF is an STF.
The essence of the Kenta Kobashi-influenced super-finisher is there; Belair hoists an opponent across her shoulders in an Argentine position, flips them over, and sits down, slamming them chest-first into the mat. The Burning Hammer, meanwhile, had Kobashi drilling the victim's NECK into the mat like some sick, twisted, body convulsion pervert. Bianca Belair's K.O.D. has none of this bloodthirsty impact.
That said, it is a beauty - and a protected beauty at that.
Belair has perfected the move to such a degree that its impact gets tighter, louder, and more poignant with each execution. She can perform it on an array of talent, too, being able to successfully pull the move off on slender, smaller talents such as Asuka and big bruisers like Piper Niven. Each has been put away with the K.O.D., the move acting to benefit Bianca's 400+-day stint as Raw Women's Champion.
The move stands out, too, because it's different. The main roster women's division is awash with primarily submission-based grapplers at the forefront. It desperately needed that one impressive and impactful slam-based match-ender, and Belair provided just that on such a grandiose level. Should it be kicked out of, it must go to WWE's next top female star.
Or, y'know, Charlotte Flair.