It's no secret that I'm more of a workrate guy than a sports entertainment guy here on this blog. While I love a good promo, I can say that I'm still a fan after all these years mainly because of what they do in the ring rather than what happens outside of it. I mean, why else would have features dedicated to the actual matches and moves, like the Best Moves Ever series.
So in the vein of that series, I'd like to start what I hope will be the first of many, a reader-voted Top 25. Given the predilection towards workrate, I think it's appropriate that the first one is the Best Finishers of All-Time. So, how are we doing this? Well, here's the deal. You, the readers, each submit a ballot, in order, of your top 10 finishers ever. We're talking finisher, not signature move. A finisher is a move that has been used to finish a match. Some wrestlers have multiple finishers, like Undertaker for example. For Undertaker, the gogoplata, Tombstone and Last Ride would all be finishers. Old School wouldn't. Get it. Got it? Good.
So, how do you submit your ballot? You can do it in one of several ways:
- In the comments here
- Via e-mail: tom DOT holzerman AT gmail DOT com
- Via private message at any one of the boards I post at (A1, PTC, FW)
- Via AIM
- In person
The deadline for this is going to be next week, Saturday, June 13th at midnight-ish. After that, I tabulate and I will slowly unveil the moves in a countdown format.
So please, start sending in ballots! Let's make this first Top 25 work!
10. - Chokeslam - A simple move with devestating effects. Especially if your much bigger than your opponent, as is the case for The Big Show. There aren't many Superstars who could hope to recover from a Big Show chokeslam, and only a handful have.
ReplyDelete9. - Flying Elbow Drop - When you saw Randy Savage perched atop the turnbuckle about to strike, you knew it was over. And in his day, Savage made this move look as graceful as could be.
8. - Banzai Drop - Just the sheer size of 500+ pounds of man coming down onto the chest of a hapless victim alone makes this one of the top finishers in my book, and add to the fact that Yokozuna in his time was so dominant with it. If you like high impact finishers, this one certainly has to be on the tops of the list.
7. - DoomsDay Device - This finisher by The Road Warriors/Legion of Doom takes high impact to another level. Not only do you have to contend with Hawk blasting you with that clothesline off the top rope, but also with dropping over six feet to the ring below. And lets not forget Henry Godwinn literally breaking his neck when taking this maneuver. This was really a dangerous move.
6. - Stone Cold Stunner/RKO - I grouped these two together for two reasons. One, I consider them to be very similiar moves as they are both variations of cutters, and two, I could decide if I liked one better than the other. The RKO can be seemingly pulled out of any situation, exactly how the Diamond Cutter used to be with DDP. The Stunner was the same way though Austin usually prepped his opponent with a kick to the stomach before performing the move. So if anything, I give the edge to the RKO for the sheer surprise factor.
5. - Spear - No matter whether Edge sets up for this move by waiting for his opponent in the opposite corner, or pulls it out of nowhere, it's high impact and it's usually it for opponents.
4. - Crippler Crossface - When you watch a Chris Benoit match, and you see the intensity he put into the match, you had to wonder if he was going to yank the arm out of socket when he got his opponent in the Crippler Crossface. I've seen other wrestlers using this move some lately, but they don't pull it off like Benoit did. Benoit had a method of locking that in and you knew it was going to take an act of sheer willpower to escape from that move.
3. - Sharpshooter - A relatively simple move with painful consequences. Only a handful of Superstars ever escaped this move, and only one made it look good, and that was Bret Hart. Other wrestlers have used this move, either as a joke, or as actual moves in thier repetoire, but it doesn't look the same, and to me, doesn't have nearly the same effect as when Bret Hart locked this in.
2. - Figure-Four Leglock - This move has probably won more championships than any other move in the history of professional wrestling. Used by greats such as Ric Flair, Greg Valentine, and Buddy Rogers, this hold has withstood the test of time and remains as viable a finishing move as it did during it's heyday. While most wrestlers eschew this move for other's with higher impact, or other submission moves, over the years, this move has remained consistent.
1. - Tombstone Piledriver - There are few certainties in this life. Death, taxes, and the Tombstone Piledriver. Over the course of nearly 20 years, this move has put thousands of opponents down for the count. And even if it has taken multiple Tombstones, the simple fact remains that over the course of time, it's been very rare that a wrestler has been able to escape this move once it's been performed. This move usually guarantees victory, and the success of the Undertaker over the last 20 years, I would challenge anyone to suggest another finisher that has been nearly as successful.
- Jason Payne
Gotta go with...
ReplyDeletePetey Williams- Canadian Destroyer
Abyss- Black Hole Slam
Randy Savage- Flying Elbow Drop
Mr. Wrestling II- Flying Knee Lift
Magnum TA- Belly to Belly Suplex
10. Lariat (Stan Hansen, Kenta Kobashi, Nigel McGuinness, etc.)
ReplyDelete9. Shooting Star Press (Jushin Liger, Evan Bourne)
8. Backdrop Driver (Steve Williams, Takeshi Morishima)
7. Tiger Driver (Mitsuharu Misawa)
6. Flying Elbow (Randy Savage)
5. Sharpshooter/Scorpion Deathlock (Bret Hart, Sting)
4. DDT (Jake Roberts)
3. Tombstone Piledriver (Undertaker)
2. Superkick (Shawn Michaels)
1. Stunner (Steve Austin)
10. Pedigree (Triple H)
ReplyDelete9. Stunner (Steve Austin)
8. RKO/Diamond Cutter/Ace Crusher (Orton/Page/Ace)
7. Lariat (Stan Hansen/Kenta Kobashi/JBL/Nigel McGuinness)
6. Sharpshooter (Bret Hart/Sting)
5. Shooting Star Press (Lyger/Bourne)
4. Spinebuster (Arn Anderson)
3. Evenflow DDT (Raven)
2. Flying Elbow Drop (Randy Savage)
1. Figure Four Leglock (Ric Flair/Greg Valentine/Buddy Rogers/Eddie Graham)
10.Rude Awakening
ReplyDelete9.Perfect Plex
8.DDT-Jake Roberts version
7.Elbow Drop-Savage
6.Cattle Mutilation
5.Angel's Wings
4.Diamond Cutter
3.Jerry Lawler's old school piledriver
2.Canadian Destroyer
1.Sweet Chin Music
Speaking of finishers have you seen Daffeny's? Perfect Plex spinning thing
ARRGH! How could I forget GO TO SLEEP? Replace the DDT. sorry Jake
ReplyDelete