5. Burning Hammer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OHHnMzfBvvk In the 1990s, Japan (and All Japan Pro Wrestling in particular) got a reputation for putting out a more intense, physical version of the U.S.'s pro wrestling product, and it was well-founded. The titans of the time would compete in grueling contests, often taking bumps that their American counterparts wouldn't even consider. One of the more infamous moves from 1990s AJPW was Kenta Kobashi's Burning Hammer. Kobashi, like other stars, had a "special finisher" - a move that he'd bring out on important occasions, and which looked particularly devastating. The Burning Hammer was essentially an inverted Death Valley Driver, with the victim taking the impact of the move directly on the shoulders, neck, and even the head. There were only a handful of true Burning Hammers, but they never failed to get the job done.
Scott Fried
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Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
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