10 Awesome Finishers WWE Stars Should Steal

7. Tokyo Pimps (Yujiro Takahashi)

Kota Ibushi GIF
New Japan World

For use by: Cesaro

Yujiro Takahashi isn’t the best wrestler on the New Japan roster. He isn’t even the best wrestler on the roster with the surname ‘Takahashi’. But his version of the sit-out inverted front powerslam - the Tokyo Pimps - is one of those marvellous feats of bodily destruction ripped, seemingly, from a video game. It is prime CAW fodder - a Dominator with grace to match its brutality, where only the lesser-spotted badass could viably pull off the original all these years later.

Cesaro is one of several massively talented WWE superstars in possession of a suspiciously average finisher. His Gotch-style Neutraliser is a less impressive variation of an inverted slam; laboured in set-up - even more conspicuously so than the typically telegraphed modern finisher - the impact is effective enough. But for a man so physically impossible in how he glides around the ring, he just sort of falls down right at the last.

The (realistic) prospect of Cesaro dead-lifting opponents into the Razor's Edge position and using his balletic grace to mirror their fall, in a way that doesn't crack it, is an awesome one.

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!