10 Unlikely Origins Of Wrestling Finishers

9. CM Punk's Pepsi Plunge

John Laurinaitis Randy Orton RKO
WWE.com

This was so unlikely as to become heavily ironic.

In his early independent days, CM Punk used the Pepsi Plunge as his finisher. For perhaps the least likely WWE headliner ever - from his size, style to uncompromising attitude - this was Very WWE. The name took on the alliteration beloved of Vince McMahon, and the move itself was a top-rope modification of the Pedigree popularised by Triple H.

Infamously, when watching Punk work a Sunday Night Heat match on a monitor backstage, Trips and Shawn Michaels decreed that he "didn't know how to work". This, again, has become ironic. Triple H meant that Punk wasn't methodical or histrionic. He just worked a different style, one that became so popular that, were CM Punk to walk into the Performance Center today, Trips would shake his hand in a bid to appear cool via osmosis.

This was obvious gotten-to bullsh*t with one supporting argument. Punk retired the Plunge because it was murder on the knees. Heartbreaking: the worst person you know just made a great point.

It's honestly miraculous that Triple H never used all of that as ammo in their feisty shoot promo battles of 2011: "Hey Punk, you should have used a finish that cushioned your skinny fat ass in those high school gyms!"

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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!