10 Most Devastating Finishers In WWE Today
It's not about the journey, it's all about the destination.
Once upon a time, a finisher was exactly that: the move that would bring about the ending of a contest. If a Razor’s Edge was on the horizon, you knew that it signalled a win for Razor Ramon, and if it wasn’t to be Scott Hall’s night, this was simply because he never managed to execute his finishing manoeuvre.
This level of finisher protection is almost unheard of in modern wrestling, let alone in WWE. Although Kenny Omega’s ‘One Winged Angel’ was protected like the beaches of Normandy at Wrestle Kingdom 11, most performers aren’t afforded that same courtesy.
In 2017, most finishers resemble signature moves, and most signatures have simply devolved into transitional moves, so common is it to see superstars overcome them. This has affected the flow, pacing and structure of wrestling matches in general for some time now, and has rendered the overwhelming thrill of an ‘unbelievable’ kick out all too believable.
With that being said, there are still a few finishing moves standing tall on their protected pedestals. These finishers are either completely inescapable, indefensible, or are only ever kicked out of on the rarest and most dramatic of occasions. They represent the very pinnacle of what a finisher should be: they put people away for the 1, 2, 3.
This list occupies the mystical realm of kayfabe, hence the omission of certain finishers that are incredibly dangerous in ‘real life’, but are portrayed as less so on TV. Although the Styles Clash and the Muscle Buster have the power to physically maim people for real – as Lionheart and Tyson Kidd can attest – they’ve been kicked out of plenty of times between TNA and WWE alone.
10. WMD/KO Punch - Big Show
The WMD could arguably take home the award for ‘Dumbest Move’ on this list, but it’s also one of the most protected. For what is essentially a lackadaisical punch to the side of the face, the WMD has seen the end of plenty of big name superstars, including Mark Henry, CM Punk, John Cena, and Triple H.
Sheamus once kicked out of the WMD at Hell In a Cell 2012, in a match that also saw Big Show kick out of Sheamus’s previously protected Brogue Kick. While the Brogue Kick was reduced to nothing more than a glorified big boot during the Fella’s title feud with Roman Reigns in 2015, the WMD is still protected to this day.
Why do we rarely see it anymore? Because Big Show doesn’t win anymore. Love it or hate it, that’s the sign of a finishing move that finishes matches.