A few components and characteristics make each wrestler different and probably make them a superstar. Look, athleticism, playing style, entrance music, or even the voice are important for a wrestler. But the main part of a wrestler is deadly finishing moves, which makes them unique.
We all love the jaw-dropping finishes, but have you ever wonder which greatest wrestler has the best finishing moves in wrestling history?
Well, it can be difficult to say right away, and you may need to memorize to make a list.
In this article, we produced a list of finishing moves based on many different factors. Is it a surprising move? Is it a submission finisher? Is the finisher actually painful for the opponent?
Let’s find out!
#10. The Rock’s Rock Bottom
Image: WWE
Dwayne Johnson, also famous by his ring name “The Rock,” is hardcore and dominating wrestler when we consider his finishing moves. The Rock Bottom and the People’s Elbow is one of the best wrestling moves you could ever imagine. However, The People’s Elbow, inspired by the finishing move of Booker T, is one of the easiest signature moves in WWE history. Before planting an elbow drop to the opponent, Rock had a habit of crisscrossing the ring, which was quite dramatic.
Many wrestlers have used The Rock Bottom finisher move. They used to grab the stunned wrestler with one arm, then lift, them almost immediately crushing onto the ring mat. However, it’s placed in the bottom list because Rock had to perform the People’s Elbow right after the Rock Bottom, which is confusing to know his exact finisher move.
#09. The Big Show’s Chokeslam
It’s a fact that the Undertaker was the first wrestler to use chokeslam to finish an opponent in WWE, but The Big Show’s chokeslam is pretty close to the Undertaker’s finisher love. It takes a huge amount of strength to lift an opponent almost 10 feet high in the air and slam them as hard as possible on the ring mat, which makes it one of the craziest wrestling moves ever.
Weapon of Mass Destruction is a straight forward finishing move. However, neglecting it will cause the opponent to receive a knockout blow. The powerful right-handed punch is enough to immobilize the opponent, while you must not forget that it’s coming from one of the most powerful and largest athletes in the world.
The reason why The Big Show’s finisher moves stay at 9th place in the list of best wrestling moves because Big Show had to use both Chokeslam and Weapon of Mass Destruction to finish off his opponent.
#08. Triple H’s Pedigree
Credit: WWE
No other Finisher move is as popular as Triple H’s Pedigree in the modern era. From the starting of his career until the semi-retirement at WrestleMania XXVII, the pedigree is one of the best moves in the entire WWE history.
Triple H’s finishing move, The Pedigree, is named after his previous persona as a rich snob. When you see Triple H grabbing an opponent’s arms and bending them behind, be prepared to see one of the great signature moves. With the piledriver-like position, the opponent cannot do anything but expect a devastating blow in the head. A Pedigree simply means it’s time to pin the opponent.
However, Pedigree is listed in the 8th position because it doesn’t show enough attitude, respect, and power like the other wrestler’s finishers.
#07. Shawn Michael’s Sweet Chin Music
One kick to the face, and the opponent is unconscious and done wrestling. This is the main thing that made Shawn Michaels more famous than any other WWE wrestler.
Sweet chin music can be considered as one of the legendary finishers in WWE. Shawn Michaels was among the few legendary wrestlers who used a long-running kick to the opponent’s face. The twist is that the finisher could come from anywhere, and Shawn Michaels had a tendency to inform the audience that the move was coming. When the opponent is stunned, Shawn used to go to the corner side of the ring and start his “tuning up the band.” Then he would come forward, running and dropping a huge kick to the opponent’s head.
#06. Kevin Nash’s Jackknife Powerbomb
Credit: WWE
Kevin Nash was considered a gem in his time in WWE, and his most significant move is none other than Jackknife Powerbomb. The finisher move quickly became famous when Nash appeared on WCW TV and knocked down Eric Bischoff with his Jackknife Powerbomb.
Additionally, his strength is proven through this finishing move, which gave him the title of one of the best signature moves. Nash used to lift his opponent upside-down and flips them over, and then slamming them with his full force on their back. Nash could lift pretty much everyone, including The Big Show. However, Big Show suffered from a neck injury after getting hit by a Jackknife Powerbomb.
#05. Jeff Hardy’s Swanton Bomb
Credit: WWE
Undoubtedly, Jeff Hardy created one of the most dangerous finishing moves ever in WWE history. With the wrestler lying on the ring, Jeff Hardy would climb the turnbuckle and flips over on the wrestler with his back. This was a dangerous move, especially when Jeff used tables, chairs, or ladders.
However, his second finisher, known as the Whisper in the Wind, couldn’t gain as much popularity as the Swanton Bomb.
#04. Randy Orton’s RKO
Without question, you’ve heard the term “RKO outta nowhere” before. The commentators will say this phrase immediately after seeing an RKO. Quick and aggressive like a fanged viper, Randy Orton earned his stage name due to this finishing move. There is no doubt that RKO can chop down any opponent within seconds.
The RKO is a surprising finisher move. Randy stalks his opponent for a couple of moments until the stunned foe comes in the perfect position. Orton then proceeds and grabs his opponent’s head and drops them into the canvas, resulting in smashing the chin.
Randy Orton also has another finisher move called The Punt Kick. However, the WWE authority banned Orton from using this move.
One “The RKO outta nowhere” is enough to finish a match.
#03. Curt Hennig’s Perfect-Plex
Curt Hennig had one of the most effective and simple finishing moves in the WWE industry. The Perfect-Plex is arguably the best suplex in WWE history.
The Perfect-Plex was basically a Fisherman’s Suplex and a combo of pinning. Curt Hennig used to flip his opponents over, with both of his arms tightly locked around the opponent’s legs. He used to prevent his opponents from escaping.
Curt Hennig performed in WWE with extraordinary wrestling abilities. However, his finishing move was so perfect that it could knock any opponent regardless of their size and weight.
#02. Rob Van Dam’s 5-Star Frog Splash
While legendary wrestlers like Hornswoggle or Eddie Guerrero have used the same finisher technique, no one can match the brutality level as Rob Van Dam.
When the opponent is down and the audience chanting “R-V-D,” Rob climbs the turnbuckle, usually taking a few seconds to mock the opponent, and then leaps off, resulting in great damage to the opponent. However, it was so brutal that Rob himself held his own stomach after the devastating hit. It was the same move that pinned John Cena and named Rob as the WWE champion.
If you think that the finishing move isn’t that scary, don’t forget that Rob jumps 13 feet in the air and lands on the opponent’s body with his 220-pound weight.
#01. Undertaker’s Tombstone Piledriver
It’s the special move that led Undertaker to win multiple World Heavyweight Championships and WWE Championships.
Despite the popularity of Tombstone Piledriver, Undertaker also had other finishing moves such as Chokeslam, The Last Ride, and Old School. The Chokeslam can be considered as his second most famous finisher. However, the other two finishers didn’t get much popularity due to his previous different persona.
The complete creativity and the fatal damage helped the Tombstone Piledriver stay at the peak of the list of best finishing moves in wrestling history. Because of the Piledriver, Undertaker was undefeated in the WrestleMania matches. After picking up the man, flipping upside-down, Undertaker used to crash his own feet and blow damage to the head and body of the opponent.
However, there are other famous finishing moves like John Cena’s Attitude Adjustment or Goldberg’s Jackhammer, which were very much lethal and scary.
