Best Finisher of all-time

[Marcus]

With all the RKO Vines floating around the Internets it got me to thinking about what should be widely considered as the best finisher in wrasslin history. how much of it is timing, situational, suddeness, impact, realism, and selling by the opposition?

which move does it for you? I like to think the RKO is up there but I do still look at the way he's hitting it from any and everywhere as a homage to DDP in his heyday.

where does the Sweet Chin Music rank?
3D?
Rock Bottom?
Spears?

etc...etc....

chime in folks.

[Stanford]

Stunner

[Marcus]

Stunner

care to state why?

[Stanford]

Because Stone Cold said so.

[Marcus]

Because Stone Cold said so.

i feel like i RAN head first into that one.

well played sir. well played.

[loserX]

I like to think the RKO is up there but I do still look at the way he's hitting it from any and everywhere as a homage to DDP in his heyday.

This always helps a lot, at least for me. Back when Chris Benoit was here and wrestling, I loved how he could hit the crossface on anyone at any time.

But my favourite was always the 3-D. Thought it looked great with everyone in motion like that.

Obviously the Stunner, Rock Bottom and Sweet Chin Music (and Tombstone) have their place in history because they could draw huge pops, but that was more to do with the wrestlers. As moves in and of themselves, meh.

[WRau1]

I loved the Diamond Cutter for all the reasons you guys listed. Shane Helm's Vertebreaker looked sick, like he killed you with it. I also like Gail Kim's Eat Defeat and Zima Ion's Submission impossible. The Burning Hammer isn't used by anyone anymore but I really like that move as a finisher and I always use it as my finisher in wrestling games. And Chris Hero's Rolling Elbow.

[Shaazzam]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DolsJV-vLo[/youtube]

[TheGameChanger]

The Worm and The Cobra

[Stanford]

Seriously, the stunner is the best ever.

- Looks great on big guys and small guys.
- Incorporates a set up move (kick to the mid-section) better than any other finisher
- Allows the opponent to put a signature touch on it
- Never looks silly and contrived
- Can be done in rapid fire succession
-

[SDM]

Love the stunner, but it's similar to some 1 count moves like the jawbreaker off the top of the head. I like that he can hit it on anyone, which is important for a finisher, but it's fairly tame on the impact side of things.

Knowing today that you'd never see the Vertebreaker or the Kryptonite Crunch, I'd go for the RKO. Headlock driver looks amazing when the right guy is selling it... ECIII has my current fave finisher. Bully Ray's throwback piledriver... good stuff, would like to see more piledrivers as finishers.

Pedigree is hella underrated. It looks like it hurts like a bitch, can put it on anyone. Big fan of the "planting a guy on his face" finishers.

[Marcus]

I like to think the RKO is up there but I do still look at the way he's hitting it from any and everywhere as a homage to DDP in his heyday.

This always helps a lot, at least for me. Back when Chris Benoit was here and wrestling, I loved how he could hit the crossface on anyone at any time.

But my favourite was always the 3-D. Thought it looked great with everyone in motion like that.

Obviously the Stunner, Rock Bottom and Sweet Chin Music (and Tombstone) have their place in history because they could draw huge pops, but that was more to do with the wrestlers. As moves in and of themselves, meh.

that was my next question. how much does a finisher's impact matter in terms of who delivers it? outside of it just being "this guys move" where a stunner from Austin hurts more than a stunner from the rock. i mean in terms of because HBK is as huge of a star that he is his superkick automatically holds more weight than say the Young Bucks who are notorious for superkicks and pretty good looking ones with the timing and all that as well. Or how the RKDoane that Spirit Squad Kenny used in OVW isn't as effective as Orton's because he's not Orton?

Does the execution of the move by certain performers give it more impact for you?

[Marcus]

and just to further add to the finisher discussion. I always loved the visual of Monty Brown's Pounce.

enjoy

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUrdz66-NeY[/youtube]

[loserX]

I like to think the RKO is up there but I do still look at the way he's hitting it from any and everywhere as a homage to DDP in his heyday.

This always helps a lot, at least for me. Back when Chris Benoit was here and wrestling, I loved how he could hit the crossface on anyone at any time.

But my favourite was always the 3-D. Thought it looked great with everyone in motion like that.

Obviously the Stunner, Rock Bottom and Sweet Chin Music (and Tombstone) have their place in history because they could draw huge pops, but that was more to do with the wrestlers. As moves in and of themselves, meh.

that was my next question. how much does a finisher's impact matter in terms of who delivers it? outside of it just being "this guys move" where a stunner from Austin hurts more than a stunner from the rock. i mean in terms of because HBK is as huge of a star that he is his superkick automatically holds more weight than say the Young Bucks who are notorious for superkicks and pretty good looking ones with the timing and all that as well. Or how the RKDoane that Spirit Squad Kenny used in OVW isn't as effective as Orton's because he's not Orton?

Does the execution of the move by certain performers give it more impact for you?

Two parts to this. One, it usually depends for me who was the first guy I saw do it (even if he's not the one who "invented" the move). In most cases I'll associate it with that person first and foremost. But yes, if a bigger star incorporates it into the repertoire, and the announcers sell it better, that can change.

And two, of course, some guys are just better at hitting certain moves than others. How many people have used the spear as their finisher? And yet to me, it's never looked better than when it was Rhyno's "gore". I just thought he did a better job of hitting a fairly elementary move than anyone since (YMMV).

[jade_hippo]

as a kid, the elbow from Randy Savage was one I was always in awe of, the visual of this large muscle-bound man launching from the top rope driving his elbow into you was fantastic, you knew if that landed it was over.

Vader's powerbomb gets a kudo for being just vicious and the Rude Awakening gets a kudo for style.

[spykelee]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WZD6CDmphw[/youtube]

[SDM]

as a kid, the elbow from Randy Savage was one I was always in awe of, the visual of this large muscle-bound man launching from the top rope driving his elbow into you was fantastic, you knew if that landed it was over.

I've always preferred strong, precise, measured top rope attacks. Alabama Jam or elbow drop over the flippy stuff that barely makes contact any day.

[Shaazzam]

What about Hardy's Swanton?

[SDM]

What about Hardy's Swanton?

Beautiful to look at... but his torso is about 20 inches around and it's not the most impactful. New Sin Cara has the same problem... he drops like a feather, which I suppose is an awesome athletic feat. Shouldn't really hate on these guys for doing high risk moves safely. Steen's is better, IMO and I'd have no problem if he used it as his finisher.

[Marcus]

What about Hardy's Swanton?

Beautiful to look at... but his torso is about 20 inches around and it's not the most impactful. New Sin Cara has the same problem... he drops like a feather, which I suppose is an awesome athletic feat. Shouldn't really hate on these guys for doing high risk moves safely. Steen's is better, IMO and I'd have no problem if he used it as his finisher.

To piggyback on the size point I was always impressed more with sean ohaires senton than hardys. Just seemed more impactful than anything hardy could do.