10 Wrestlers Who Are The Worst In The World At Exactly ONE Thing

4. Kane: Selling The Pedigree

Shane McMahon Punches Thumb
WWE

The Pedigree is a tremendous and indeed tremendously-named finish.

It underscored why Triple H was great when his pride allowed himself to be great; a dangerous-looking move executed well within the parameters of WWE's safety-conscious approach, the set-up registered the pop before the move itself signalled imminent victory - or, when the occasion demanded it, a thrilling near-fall.

Taking the move involved the recipient kicking their legs out and landing flat, c*ck-first, on the canvas. It was more aesthetically pleasing and less painful on the knees this way. Kurt Angle took it better than anybody; upon impact, he'd indent the mat with his face, and his legs would flail upwards to sell the devastation. He obscured the cooperative element completely. He took the hell out of the finish, even if it winded him.

Kane in contrast was too large, too un-athletic, and too sh*t to make it look halfway good. He couldn't physically complete his role in the move, and as a result, he drove one of his knees with some degree of force onto the mat. He could actually bother himself to take it properly at one point - see evidence here - but beyond that, it made for an aesthetically ugly and surely painful sight. It just looked weird and awkward.

And people say he was one of the cleverer wrestlers in the locker room.

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!