10 Transitional Wrestling Moves That Should Be Finishers

3. Neckbreaker

Ziggler DDT Neille
WWE

Just saying the name of this move should bring shivers down wrestlers' spines...the neck-breaker.

Now, like many moves in sports-entertainment, there are a number of different variations and forms of the neckbreaker, but for the purposes of this article, it's the style that Rick Rude perfected as the "Rude Awakening" that is the focus.

The way Rude executed the neckbreaker was much more devastating looking than, say, the Honky Tonk Man's "Shake, Rattle, & Roll". Still, any move that is intended to break their opponents neck, needs to carry a certain finality to it.

If an opponent can survive a broken neck, there probably isn't a move in the wrestler's arsenal that could truly finish them off.

Many of the issues with finishing moves today could be resolved by getting back to the basics. It should be quite easy for the audience to understand that successfully performing a "neckbreaker" should signal for the bell.

Contributor
Contributor

A former stuntman for Paramount Pictures, Matt enjoys sports, water skiing, driving fast, the beach, professional wrestling, technology, and scotch. At the same time, whenever possible. Having attended many famous (and infamous) shows including WrestleMania XV, In Your House: Mind Games, and the 1995 King of the Ring, Matt has been a lifelong professional sports and wrestling fan. Matt's been mentioned in numerous wrestling podcasts including the Steve Austin Show: Unleashed, Talk Is Jericho, and Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard. As a former countywide performer, Matt has been referred to as Mr. 300 for his amazing accomplishments in the world of amateur bowling. He is also the only man on record to have pitched back-to-back no hitters in the Veterans Stadium Wiffle Ball League of 2003.