10 Wrestling Moves That Worked For One Wrestler (But Not Another)

Moonsaults, Olympic slams, and elbow drops aren't for every wrestler...

By Gareth Morgan /

Finding what specific moves to add to your in-ring arsenal is arguably the most difficult part of a performer's job when it comes to forging a career within the pro wrestling business.

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Sure, crafting a compelling gimmick that the audience can connect to and getting yourself into fighting shape are also pretty damn important. But without a carefully curated move-set, a performer can quickly find themselves fading into the background.

It isn't always a case of trying to think outside the box and come up with ground-breaking new manoeuvres to introduce to the paying public, either. Quite often, what's old is new in terms of pulling off a crowd-popping signature or finishing sequence. Yet, just because it worked a treat with one wrestling legend of the past, doesn't guarantee that an iconic, eye-catching, or insanely physical weapon will lead to instant success for another hopeful star.

From outstanding high-flying flourishes sinking when they should've soared, to body-breaking, brutal bulldozers being diluted by some limp execution, many a wrestler has unfortunately learned the hard way that some acts are a little too hard to follow.

10. Moonsault

As this list will highlight a few more times before all is said and done, there's nothing quite like watching a human being throw themselves off the top rope before elegantly falling onto their unsuspecting adversary below.

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In particular, launching yourself off the the turnbuckles and performing a full on backflip in mid-air is something that will never get old. But that doesn't strictly mean that incorporating this move into your arsenal will garner you instant critical acclaim.

For every outstanding execution of the out-of-this-world feat of athleticism, from the likes of the freakish Kurt Angle and Io Shirai, there's unfortunately another instance of a performer never quite hitting the perfect version of the moonsault. In fairness, the stars who quickly figure out that the move isn't for them - looking at you CM Punk mid-Night of Champions 2012 - tend to leave it well enough alone.

But, saying that, Charlotte Flair still hasn't given up trying to add more much-needed elegance to her back-flip in recent times, despite the fact that she also possesses a truly insane corkscrew moonsault that would likely set her apart from other flippers.

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