10 Unlikely Origins Of Wrestling Finishers

10. Who Invented Randy Orton's RKO?

Hi.

He's John Laurinaitis, and you may remember him from such films as 'Completely Destroyed The Developmental System' and 'Literally Dumb Enough To Confuse The Two One-Legged Wrestlers Working In North America'.

Modern/younger WWE fans will definitely remember 'Big Johnny' as the latest in a long line of heel authority figures, in which his hapless decision-making and generally daft quality was canonised in a strange meta rib. It was a self-own - the bit was that he was he inept, and yet it was very true - but not not entertaining, insofar as tired WWE tropes go.

As Johnny Ace, the man was actually a damn good worker who starred beneath the legendary Four Pillars of All Japan Pro Wrestling's seminal King's Road era. He was a pioneer, too. He invented the cutter. His Ace Crusher was a variation on the bulldog set up from a facelock position. Refined and tweaked by the likes of Diamond Dallas Page, Steve Austin and Randy Orton, it was the ideal puro finisher to adapt to the more safety-conscious realms of American television.

This as with much of American wrestling was incredibly hypocritical - unprotected chair shots to the head were more dangerous than dangerous-looking moves executed with masterful precision - but you get the idea.