7 Shocking Times WWE Revived Banned Moves
6. Burning Hammer
The Burning Hammer was a subject of some consternation in WWE dressing rooms in the mid-2000s, but surprisingly not for its inherent danger.
A blow-up between Tyler Reks and John Cena ultimately resulted in the move disappearing from view after 'The Champ' angrily implied that it bore too great a similarity to his Attitude Adjustment.
Reks commented, "I used it at Bragging Rights 2010 and John was literally across the ring from me when I hit Santino with it. I'd been using it for 8 months on Superstars and everything before all this. I come backstage...and John grabs me in front of everyone and says, "what do you think you're doing? I thought I told you to get a new finisher." I said, "yeah, I thought you were joking John...I'm really sorry." He started yelling at me asking who gave me permission to use that. He belittled me, called me an idiot, and asked me if I enjoyed working here. I told him of course I do. He told me, "find another finisher or you're fired." I was humiliated, I was a full-grown man, why can't we talk about this like human beings?"
Shielded from view somewhat on the WWE Network, Brian Kendrick and Kota Ibushi clearly didn't read the memo when they utilised it to dramatic effect in 2016's celebrated Cruiserweight Classic. The brutal execution should have been the finish, however.