10 Awesome Finishers WWE Stars Should Steal

5. Clothesline From Hell (JBL)

Kota Ibushi GIF
WWE Network

For use by: Bray Wyatt

You might not like JBL, the man. You might not like his politics, his toadying, or his propensity to soap up his penis and threaten to rape new recruits as an exercise in "hazing". You might not even like JBL, the performer. Outside of claret-soaked classics with Eddie Guerrero and John Cena, his in-ring CV is deeply average.

But you cannot deny the literal, ludicrous power of his Clothesline From Hell finish. Every time you watch him hit it, even those struck years ago, you're left in amazement that the poor f*cker taking it wasn't decapitated.

Sister Abigail is, or was, a brilliant finisher - so brilliant that New Japan's Jay White, in a rare subversion, stole it from WWE - but the preceding, finger-biting theatrics are as silly as anything else associated with the Wyatt character in 2018. The move has also been rendered as ineffective as Wyatt himself. Like so much of the act, disassociation is required.

Adopting the Clothesline From Hell would reinforce the very real notion that underneath the bullsh*t is a physically frightening performer who doesn't require an Exorcist pose to inspire that fear.

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!