https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpriF0bhvBY Fandango's finisher can be even more delightful to watch than his dancing. Too bad he rarely ever gets to use it. Perhaps it's because Beauty in Motion is a move that probably isn't something you can do every night, as the impact is a bit rough. But this top rope legdrop is something he shouldn't get rid of, just like that first dancer he used. She should have stuck around. Where did she go? Anyway, in Fandango's most recent televised win he used a kick to capture the pinfall, so maybe he has moved on. He was also briefly using an STO to win matches, before Bray Wyatt took on his own version. Just stick with what worked!
9. Samoa Joe: Muscle Buster
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4t0694uCLE0 It's about time we saw some Muscle Bustin' inside of a WWE ring! Well...except for the time Joe performed one on Tyson Kidd that is. Otherwise, The Buster remains one of the coolest, punishing looking moves in all of wrestling. Joe places his opponent on the top turnbuckle, then lifts them on his shoulder, with their neck at a strange angle, and legs locked with his hands. They're helpless, and high off the ground. There's nowhere to go but down, and with a lot of force. Hopefully Joe can take this to the main roster soon.
8. The Dudley Boyz: 3D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LDjq1SG1Y48 The Dudleyz have returned home to the WWE, and luckily they've brought the Dudley Death Drop (3D) with them! We've seen the brothers use it countless times in ECW, WWE and TNA to win title after title, becoming one of the most popular tag teams of all time. It remains an incredibly popular move, one of the few that fans chant. When was the last time you heard the crowd chant "Skull Crushing Finale!" or "Zig Zag!" in unison when those moves were hit? What makes the 3D so great is the timing and coordination needed to pull it off. Devon grabs an opponent and throws them up in the air, while Bubba Ray catches them with a jumping cutter. Long after the two have retired, the finishing move will be remembered for delivering many incredible moments.
7. John Cena: Attitude Adjustment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaCv8QMCN7M At the end of the day, an Attitude Adjustment would probably hurt less than a regular old bodyslam. John Cena doesn't use much force when he uses the move, and instead throws (or sometimes rolls) his opponent off his shoulder. However, it has become established as an iconic wrestling move, and has been delivered on nearly every top name in the industry over the past ten years in huge matches. Due to Cena's incredible strength, he's been able to perform the Attitude Adjustment on incredibly large opponents like Mark Henry, The Great Khali, and The Big Show. Perhaps even more impressive is the rare occasions when he stacks multiple opponents on his shoulders, and is still able to hit it. Whether you like him or hate him, The Attitude Adjustment may be the most iconic finisher to come out of this era.
6. Kevin Owens: Pop-Up Powerbomb
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwzMVj0JgJo The Pop-Up powerbomb is one of the newest finishers on this list, but it's also one of the most fun to watch. Few moves in wrestling are more satisfying than a good old fashioned powerbomb. While Kevin Owens lacks the height of Sid Vicious or Kevin Nash to drop his opponents from great heights, he's found a workaround in tossing his opponent into the air, grabbing them, and then slamming them into the mat. Now do it again!
As Rust Cohle from True Detective said "Life's barely long enough to get good at one thing. So be careful what you're good at."
Sadly, I can't solve a murder like Rust...or change a tire, or even tie a tie. But I do know all the lyrics to Hulk Hogan's "Real American" theme song and can easily name every Natural Born Thriller from the dying days of WCW. I was once ranked 21st in the United States in Tetris...on the Playstation 3 version...for about a week.
Follow along @AndrewSoucek and check out my podcast at wrestlingwithfriends.com