10 Awesome Finishers WWE Stars Should Steal

8. EVIL (EVIL)

Kota Ibushi GIF
New Japan World

For use by: Dolph Ziggler

Wrestling is deceptively easy sometimes, in that a simple modification can do so much to reignite a cooling act. Seth Rollins was directionless on RAW as Dean Ambrose succumbed to an elbow injury. One unbanned finisher and a warrior marathon performance later, he is this year's Harper: not that it is at all likely to happen, but if he were a late entrant into the Universal Title picture, fans would go wild at the prospect. He is back.

Ziggler is far from that touchpoint; stigmatised as a Show-Off who cannot back it up, some form of change is required for a man who has existed in stasis for what feels like - and genuinely is close to - a decade. His Zig-Zag finisher underscores the problem; all bump and little delivery, it is almost too fitting for its subject. Adopting EVIL's EVIL STO - the snap behind which is reinforced with a killer leg sweep - weaponises him. So much of Ziggler's offence looks like it takes too much painstaking effort to execute. Even when on offence, he can't help himself but hit the mat back-first. It's as if he is genetically coded to job.

A succinct and brutal finish requiring no weird flailing cooperation would put over the idea that he is no mere New Gen clone.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!