Headlocker — Jay Shannon

Our resident philosopher, Jay Shannon, takes a look at the most vicious finishing moves and which wrestlers use the moves best.

I absolutely hate a boring finish to a match. Don’t throw a run-in disqualification at me. Please don’t force me to endure a count-out victory. I want to see someone totally destroy his or her opponent. I’m not saying that I want to see someone injured. I want to see domination. In this edition of HeadLocker, I want to take a look at some of the most awesome finishers in the industry. I want to credit the person who either created the move or perfected it. These are the moves that I never tire of watching.

The Canadian Destroyer–Petey Wiliams

The Piledriver is the most dangerous move in all of wrestling. It was banned for a long time due to the potential of injury. Petey Williams has created a version of the Piledriver that takes the devastation to the next level. His flipping version is one of the most visually interesting moves on the market. It took several times of running the move on frame-by-frame slow forward to figure out how he made the move work.

Petey grabs his opponent and jams their head between his knees, just like a standard Piledriver. Petey then locks his knees and goes for a Sunset Flip. Petey brings his opponent over with him, thus slamming his victim with increased torque. The move never fails to score a win for Petey.

The only limitation to this move is that it is somewhat ineffective against larger opponents. Often someone like a Rhino or Samoa Joe can block the move by shifting their weight. That is the only downside to this flashy finisher.

Effectiveness: 95%

The R-K-O–Randy Orton

Randy’s finisher is a variation of the Diamond Cutter. Randy was given the full blessing of “Diamond” Dallas Page to use the finisher. According to Page, he helped teach the move to Randy. Randy was hesitant to use it because he didn’t want to “steal Page’s move”. Page told him that he would consider it an honor if Randy would use the move.

To execute the move, Randy locks the neck of his opponent. Randy then jumps up and falls to the mat while holding onto the neck and head of his opponent. The move is basically a combination of a Bulldog and an Inverted DDT. Randy’s weight adds extra power to the impact.

The main limitation to the move is that the victim can easily push out of the move. The main advantage is that the move can strike with the speed of a cobra. It can be hit at any time. If the victim isn’t totally prepared, they are history.

Effectiveness: 95%

Pedigree–Triple H

I first saw this move used by Col. DeBeers back around 1985 or 1986. Triple H has taken the move and refined it to a science. Triple H locks in a Double Underhook. He then leaps up and drives his opponent’s face into the mat. Once Triple H hits this one, the match is a done deal.

The main drawback to this move is that the opponent needs to be weakened for it to be effective. The main selling point on this finisher is that it is effective across the board. Larger guys (Big Daddy V, Mark Henry, etc…) are just as easy to fall victim to this as the smaller guys (Rey Mysterio, Jamie Noble). I’ve only seen one or two people kick out of this end-gamer.

Effectiveness: 97.5%

The Jamaican Buzzsaw–Kofi Kingston

The Enziguri has always been a flashy move. There are numerous variations out there, but Kofi’s is probably the most exciting. Kofi’s version combines the standard Enziguri with a Buzzsaw Kick ala Tajiri. The move never fails to score a win.

The main problem with this move is that all of Kofi’s opponents expect it. A wise wrestler would take out Kofi’s legs, thus eliminating it’s use. So far, no one has been able to avoid the move. On the other hand, Kofi hasn’t really been tested against top-tier stars, yet. The move looks good and it has been unstoppable. Whether the Jamaican Buzzsaw will hold up as a finisher is questionable.

Effectiveness: 100% (so far)

Awesome Bomb–Awesome Kong

It may seem unusual to think of a female having one of the most devastating finishers. Kong is not your typical Knockout or Diva. Kong is one of the largest and strongest women to ever compete in wrestling. Her training in Japan has turned her into a machine that can steam-roll anyone, male or female, that would stand in her path.

Kong has numerous moves that could be used as a finisher. In the NWA, she usually ends her matches with the Spinning Back Fist. Various reports from those who have felt the Back Fist compare it to being struck by a brick or baseball bat. Kong also utilizes an Impact Buster. That move is similar to a Pedigree from a Butterfly Suplex position. The most devastating weapon in Kong’s arsenal would have to be the Awesome Bomb. The move is relatively simple. It is a standard Sit-Out Powerbomb. The combination of Kong’s strength and size, along with the much smaller dimensions of her opponents, make this move almost unstoppable.

The Awesome Bomb helped Kong earn the TNA Knockout title. So far, it has helped her keep it in battles against ODB and Gail Kim. The only defense against this move is to flip over the top of Kong just before she would bring the victim crashing to the mat. A few have gotten lucky by doing this. While they might get free once or twice, Kong’s foe will eventually get caught and planted.

Effectiveness: 100%

Tombstone Piledriver–Undertaker

Oddly enough, this move was invented for Andre the Giant. Due to his limited mobility, Andre needed something that could be effective without a great expenditure of movement or energy.

When Undertaker was brought into the WWF in 1990, Creative wanted a move that could capitalize on the mortuary motiff that Undertaker embraced. It was Gorilla Monsoon that dubbed the move “The Tombstone”. It was later modified to the Tombstone Piledriver. The reason for the name is that graveyard workers often carried tombstones to the graves in much the same way that Undertaker holds his victims.

Much like a standard Piledriver, the victim’s head is wedged between Undertaker’s knees. The main difference with this move and the standard Piledriver is that the victim is turned 180 degrees to face in towards Undertaker. Undertaker is able to clutch the person in much tighter. That allows for a more powerful downward spike.

The main issue with this move is that as Undertaker ages, he struggles against larger opponents. It is almost impossible for him to use the move against Big Daddy V and other super-heavyweights. That is one reason that he has begun to employ the Triangle Choke as a secondary finisher. Against a wrestler under 300 pounds, the Tombstone Piledriver never fails to end a match in ‘Taker’s favor.

Effectiveness: 90%

Go-To-Sleep–C.M. Punk

When Punk first entered the WWE, he used the Anaconda Vise as his finisher. The move was effective, but dull. As he progressed in the company, he switched to his current finisher, The G-T-S (Go To Sleep).

The move is much less complex than it appears. Punk lifts his opponent with a Fireman’s Carry. Punk then hoists the victim up over his head and starts to drop him. As the victim falls, Punk brings up the knee and nails them under the chin. The Kneelift knocks the opponent out cold, thus allowing Punk to take the pin.

The obvious issue with this move is getting larger men up into the Fireman’s Carry. Chavo Guerrero, Matt Striker and Elijah Burke are not a problem for Punk. When Punk has to face a Mark Henry, Big Daddy V or Great Khali, the move is almost useless. Fortunately, Punk has the Anaconda Vise to fall back on in a pinch.

Effectiveness: 90%

Unprettier–Christian Cage

This move can be a match winner if it can be locked in. The problem is that it’s just so hard to catch an oppenent in this twisting Backwards Face Plant.

Christian Cage comes around behind an catches a Double Chicken Wing. He then pivots the person until they are facing down with Cage over them. Cage then drops to the mat, which slams the face of the opponent with considerable force. If Cage can get this hold set, he’s sure to take the win. So many people have learned to unlock one arm and spin free that this move is losing its effectiveness at warp speed.

Effectiveness: 75%

Gringo Killa (Kudoh Driver)–Homicide

This unique Backwards Piledriver could cause serious injury or even death if hit wrong. It is similar to the Gory Bomb, only the victim is upside down. The victim comes down on the top of his head (or worse yet, his neck). The jarring of this move incapacitates the victim for some time.

Fortunately, Homicide is such a fantastic competitor that his opponents can feel safe with Homicide at the command of this amazing power move. Homicide is often over-looked as a competitor but he is one of the most impressive stars in the industry. The only drawback of this move is that it doesn’t work as well on larger opponents.

Effectiveness: 92.5%

Muscle Buster–Samoa Joe

This move requires quite a bit of set-up to be effective. Joe almost always sets his opponent on the top rope before he starts. Joe then wraps the opponent’s arm around his (Joe’s) neck, as if for a Suplex. Joe then locks the leg of his opponent before lifting them off the turnbuckle. From there, Joe spins around and drops straight down. The impact on the neck and spine is enormous. The victim is usually out cold before Joe unhooks himself.

Many men have found counters to keep from getting locked in this monster hold. If Joe does clamp it down, the match is over. This variation on the Brain Buster is another move that could jeopardize the spine if botched. While many people will ridicule Joe’s abilities, this is one move that he has perfected.

Effectiveness: 90%

In Conclusion:

Sleepers and submission holds get the job done. My main issue with those moves is that they bore me. You don’t go to a NASCAR race to watch the cars drive at 55 MPH. Wrestling is about impact, power and speed. I respect all wrestlers for being able to do what they do. I just smile a little wider when I see moves like the ones I’ve listed above.

–J ay Shannon
JayofPWD@SBCGlobal.net
(3/23/08)