10 Secret Genius Details Behind Wrestling Finishers

6. Adam Cole's Last Shot

Kenny Omega One Winged Angel
WWE.com

Adam Cole has literally one flaw.

He is annoyingly handsome. He is the one thing that the wives of at least two WhatCulture staffers will pay attention to when passively watching pro wrestling. He exudes star power. He is also the nicest guy. He loves his Twitch following more than most people love their families. And yet, he is so goddamn talented that, breaking the rule of the pro wrestling persona, he can play the smarmy, arrogant heel with a sh*t-eating grin even though it just isn't him. He makes it feel like it's him. He is also an in-ring wizard as good as any performer at the lung-bursting turbo-drama of a lengthy modern wrestling match.

He is also quite short. That idiot Road Dogg all but booted his biggest star out of the door by saying this out loud; if Cole were the size of Karrion Kross, Dogg said, he'd star on the main roster.

"Well, best f*ck off then!"

Cole is also a very intelligent man. Not unlike Edge before him, he works, brilliantly, around his slender frame as a counter expert, and the Last Shot is the glorious, literal endpoint of his in-ring strategy: he is savvy and sly enough to crack his knee against the vulnerable back of the skull.

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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!