10 Wrestlers With Better Signatures Than Finishers

1. The Undertaker

Better Than This
WWE

The finisher:

The Tombstone is a tremendous and iconic finish that will never look like anything less than certain death. The masterful execution, twinned with the Undertaker's formidable aura, renders every last, rare near-fall a moment of high drama. It's not just protected to a mythical extent; it's a finish that looks brutal to a level beyond WWE's norm even before its traditional counterpart was outlawed. The visual of spinal compression is very effective and convincing, and there's a pleasing, idiosyncratic way to the victim just flops down, limp, dead. But the telltale way the recipient motions to take it ruins the illusion, depending on how incompetent of a mood the production crew finds themselves in.

The better signature:

The Last Ride is a superb tweak on the traditional powerbomb. The set-up is fantastic. With a motion of pure disrespect, 'Taker grabs the head of the recipient and forcefully positions them. It's an aggressive gesture of finality, one less hokey than the throat-slit, that convinces you of the three count before the impact. 'Taker hoists the recipient so far in the air that the subsequent thud looks like it took forever. There's an exceptional in-character cruelty to it, too: it's as if 'Taker teases them with a glimpse of heaven before sending them straight to hell.

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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!