Sometimes a signature move can be as important as a wrestler's finishing move, especially if it gets the crowd excited and ready for the big finish. Fan interaction has always been a crucial element in professional wrestling. In years prior, many performers would call the match in the ring, letting the audience's reaction guide them to the next spot. Nowadays, things are done a bit differently, but receiving crowd response is still an essential component.

A performer's finisher is usually guaranteed to trigger a crowd reaction. However, below the reaction for a finisher is the crowd's reaction to a signature move. A signature move isn't a finisher, but rather an offensive maneuver that fans have come to expect from a performer. Some signature moves are a prelude to a finisher, while others are just transitional spots. Whatever the case, there have been some signature moves over the years that fans can't seem to get enough of, making them receive some of the loudest pops of the match.

UPDATE: 2024/04/05 17:30 EST BY SHAWN S. LEALOS

Wrestling has always been a sport that puts showmanship over all else. The entire goal is to get fans excited about the moves that might be coming next, and that makes the signature moves so important. Over the years, wrestlers have built up their signature moves to gain a huge pop just by hinting at it. When The Rock takes off his elbow pad, fans explode because the People's Elbow is coming. The same thing happens when John Cena teases the 5-Knuckle Shuffle. Rey Mysterio has still become a master at setting up his 619, and Roman Reigns still puts on a production with his Superman Punch. These moves are still even more effective than many wrestlers' finishing moves.

20 Dusty Rhodes' Bionic Elbow

Dropped An Elbow Before Hitting His Finisher

Years before The Rock stopped for his People's Elbow and John Cena hit opponents with his Five Knuckle Shuffle, The American Dream, Dusty Rhodes had a signature move that was even more devastating. However, just like those later moves, it didn't look like it hurt much. The purpose of the move was to get the fans excited about what was coming next. This was Rhodes' Bionic Elbow.

Dusty would get an opponent into position, and then he started performing his jiggling little dance in the ring. The opponent remained stunned and unable to do anything but wait for contact. After Dusty wiggled his hips, he would spin his hands in circles, stop, and hit a big elbow into his opponent's head, knocking them to the mat. It was a way to get the fans excited over anything else. Dustin Rhodes and Cody Rhodes also use it on occasion to pay homage to their dad.

19 Roman Reigns' Superman Punch

Uses A Big Punch To Set Up His Spear

Roman Reigns finishing move is the spear, which he uses with great impact to take someone out with one big hit. No one in wrestling today hits a spear like Roman Reigns. However, Roman also uses a signature move before he hits his spear to keep his opponent stunned and off balance to time his finisher properly. Roman used to have two signatures - The Drive-By and The Superman Punch. Reigns still uses the Superman Punch to get fans involved in what he is about to do.

Roman takes his opponent down with a power move and then waits in the corner. He then squats down before rising and giving a loud war yell to the sky. He then races across the ring, leaps into the air, and comes down with a giant punch that takes just about anyone he is wrestling down to the mat. Then, it is just a matter of seconds before he hits his spear for the one-two-three.

18 The Dudley Boyz' Wassup

A Signature Move That D-Von Dudley Hated

It is funny because the Dudley Boyz didn't use Wassup in ECW, and it was a move they only used once in WWE before Vince McMahon asked that they do it all the time. This was not something that D-Von Dudley liked, but McMahon overruled him (via Wrestling Inc). Soon, the Wassup became one of the most popular signature movies in the Dudley Boyz repertoire.

This was the move where the Dudley Boyz took an opponent down to the mat. While they lay on the mat, Bubba Ray would grab their legs and spread them apart while D-Von climbed to the top turnbuckle. The two would then yell "Wassup" (which at the time was part of a beer commercial slogan) and then D-Von dived off with a headbutt to the opponent's groin. It didn't lead to much, but the fans loved it.

17 The Young Bucks' Superkick Party

Signature Move Became A Meme

The Young Bucks remain one of the top tag teams in the world today and two of the biggest stars in AEW. While they have just as many haters as fans, they do a lot right, including getting fans involved in their matches. In something they have done since their days in PWG, Ring of Honor, and NJPW, the Young Bucks utilize superkicks - almost to an absurd amount.

This became known in the indies as the Superkick Party. There was even a time in Ring of Honor when a ticker began counting on the screen for every superkick they delivered, and they would often throw 20 or more superkicks in a short amount of time, taking out everyone around them. In AEW, they no longer use the Superkick Party (although it is part of their original theme song) but still deliver some of the best superkicks in the industry.

16 Asuka's Mist Blow

The Empress of Tomorrow's Signature Is A Japanese Tradition

It is often strange to consider cheating as a signature move, but when it is as iconic as Asuka's mist blow, that is exactly what it is. Asuka works with a mist pack located somewhere on her person. When things get tough, she secretly puts it in her mouth, pops it open while in there, and then blows her mist into her opponent's face, often blinding them and helping Asuka hit her finisher to pin the blinded opponent.

This, of course, did not originate with Asuka. The Great Muta was one of the biggest stars in Japanese wrestling when Asuka started the business. The legend would always blow his green mist and did so regularly for American fans when he worked in WCW and feuded with Sting in the early 1990s. Asuka took it on as her own and has kept the move alive with wrestling fans in the 2020s.

15 Claudio Castagnoli's Big Swing

Gets Fans Counting For His Specialty Move

Claudio Castagnoli started using his Big Swing in the Indies. When he worked in PWG, fans would call for him to do the swing. They counted along to see if he could break previous records. The move is simple, yet difficult. Claudio takes his opponent by their feet and then starts spinning in circles. It would take him numerous spins before he even got too dizzy to continue.

There are two things to note about this signature move. The first is Claudio hitting enough swings without falling himself due to dizziness. The second is the other wrestler keeping himself at a perfect angle for the swing. Claudio's record in WWE was 23 swings on Seth Rollins. In Chikara, he almost hit 100 swings on Grizzly Redwood while Bryan Danielson counted along. He still does the Big Swing in AEW, much to fans excitement.

14 Sheamus' Beats Of Bodhran

Beats His Opponents Senseless

Sheamus is one of the biggest bruisers in WWE. He has been turning in solid matches for years as someone who goes into the ring and beats up his opponents. His finishing move is the Brogue Kick, but he also uses several signature moves. While he uses White Noise and the Irish Curse, his most popular signature move is, by far, the Beats of Bodhran.

This is where Sheamus puts his opponent on the ring apron, drapes the opponent's arms over the top ropes, and then starts to chop them in the chest as the fans count to 10. This signature move leaves whelps on his opponent and is why Sheamus says he delivers "banger after banger after banger."

13 The Undertaker's Old School

The Phenom Loved To Walk The Ropes

Undertaker has plenty of signature moves he uses to lead into his finishing move of the Tombstone Piledriver. One of these is something that pops the crowd huge when he pulls it off. This is what fans call Old School. The move doesn't do too much, but as with most popular signature moves, it is there for the fans more than anything.

Undertaker executes Old School by climbing to the top turnbuckle while holding his opponent's hand. He then walks across the top rope, which is always impressive for a man of his size, before dropping an elbow onto his opponent. It is a nice move to show he is athletic, and it always entertains Undertaker fans.

12 Bryan Danielson's Chest Kicks

Kicks The Breath Out Of His Opponents

Bryan Danielson got over huge with the WWE Universe thanks to his Yes Movement. While WWE seemed intent on keeping Bryan at the mid-card, the fans wouldn't stop cheering for him and forced WWE to push him to the main event of WrestleMania.

Bryan also gave the fans plenty to cheer for in the ring. He got the Yes Chant going strong and fans loved his aggressive style. One of his biggest signature moves was his chest kicks. Bryan repeatedly kicks his opponent in the chest while the fans chant Yes. Then, in the end, the fans would do a prolonged Yes and Bryan would deliver one last kick to the head.

11 Ric Flair's Chops

Got Fans Yelling Woooo

The Ric Flair chop became something that surpassed even the Nature Boy's in-ring career. He delivered some of the biggest chops in the business and often his opponent's chests would be red and swollen by the end of matches. What made it bigger was the fans chanting, "Woooo" during each chop.

Flair had Figure Four as his finishing move, but his knife-edge chops had the biggest influence on the sport. No matter who throws chops in the corner now, fans yell "Woooo" when they do it, showing respect to the man who popularized this signature move.

10 The Undertaker's Chokeslam

Various Wrestlers Used Is As A Specialty Move

The Chokeslam has been used as a finisher by the likes of Kane and The Big Show for over two decades. Before that though, the Chokeslam was a signature move for The Undertaker, which he occasionally used to finish larger opponents that he couldn't get up for the Tombstone.

The Undertaker wasn't the only performer to use the Chokeslam as a signature move. Scott Hall also frequently used the move throughout his career. Additionally, The Hurricane used the Chokeslam as a comedic signature move during his early 2000s run with WWE. The move is still used today, although it has lost a lot of its shine over the years.

9 Rikishi's Stinkface

Signature Move Was Humiliating

Some hardcore fans look down upon comedy in pro wrestling. They feel that pro wrestling should be treated as a serious contest between two or more competitors. Other fans believe there is always room for some laughs, regardless of the setting. Comedic signature moves exist to please that second set of fans. Arguably the best comedic signature move ever belongs to Rikishi.

During the Attitude Era, Rikishi would get his opponent in a vulnerable position in one of the ring corners, shove his backside in his opponent's face, and begin gyrating his hips. Love it or hate it, the Stink Face left its mark on pro wrestling history. Even Rhea Ripley paid homage to Rikishi with the move in 2024.

8 Kurt Angle's Triple Suplex

Pulled Off Three Great Moves In A Row

A slip of the tongue on pro wrestling's biggest stage forever linked Brock Lesnar to the suplex. However, Lesnar isn't necessarily at the top of the list when it comes to suplexes, especially as a signature move. Lesnar's affinity for the suplex only grew to its current state after his 2012 return to WWE. During his first WWE run, Lesnar used the suplex, but the move was way more closely associated with Kurt Angle.

Angle's triple suplex spot was a fan favorite during his first WWE run. Angle's amateur background made the move a perfect fit for him as well. Eddie Guerrero would also use a version of the triple suplex, though his variation was a trio of vertical suplexes.

7 John Cena's 5 Knuckle Shuffle

Loved To Drop A Beat

John Cena is perhaps the most polarizing figure of pro wrestling's last 20 years. Many of Cena's detractors have pointed to his lack of depth in terms of wrestling moves as one of the main reasons for their dislike. Some fans have even gone as far as dubbing Cena's offensive repertoire as his "5 Move of Doom." Amongst those five moves is the 5 Knuckle Shuffle.

At some point during every match, Cena lets his opponent know he can't see him, waves his hand over his face, and then drops a fist on his opponent's face. It's not the most devastating move, but Cena's fans have grown extremely fond of it throughout the years.

6 Randy Orton's Draping DDT

More Than Just The RKO

In the 80s, Jake Roberts elevated his DDT finisher to near-mythical status. As a result of overuse by other performers, the move had lost most of its luster heading into the new millennium. Enter Randy Orton. During his rise to prominence, Orton began using a variation of the DDT as his signature move. Orton would drape his opponent across the second rope before delivering a vicious DDT.

Orton has become almost synonymous with the move and still uses it with regularity. That being said, the Draping DDT has also become a part of other performer's arsenal. Namely, Tommaso Ciampa in NXT.

5 Rey Mysterio's 619

Signature Move Is More Popular Than His Finisher

Rey Mysterio is one of the most innovative in-ring performers ever. For over 30 years, Mysterio has left audiences in awe with some of the maneuvers he's been able to perform. One of those maneuvers is the 619. The move starts with the opponent hanging over the second rope. Mysterio then gets a running start, grabs the top and second rope, and spins himself, kicking his opponent in the face.

Most fans think of the 619 as a finisher, but the follow-up West Coast Pop or Splash was usually his finishing move for the victory. Mysterio used the move sparingly during his time in WCW. The 619 didn't get its name or gain popularity until Mysterio used it in WWE. Since then, San Diego's area code has become the most popular area code in all of wrestling.

4 Ultimate Warrior's Gorilla Press Slam

The Set Up For His Splash

The Ultimate Warrior energized an audience like no other performer before him. Complete with eye-catching ring attire and a high-energy ring entrance, The Ultimate Warrior's mere presence was a shot of adrenaline to any live audience.

Inside the ring, however, The Ultimate Warrior remains one of the most limited performers in history. John Cena catches a lot of heat for allegedly being limited inside the ring, but compared to the Ultimate Warrior, he's a mat technician. One of Warrior's bright spots inside the ring was a Gorilla Press Slam that he used to set up his Big Splash finisher. The move was nothing spectacular, but being associated with Warrior was enough to elevate it into pro wrestling lore.

3 Goldberg's Spear

The First Man To Perfect A Wrestling Mainstay

The Spear went from being a signature move in pro wrestling's most lucrative era to becoming a finisher in the Ruthless Aggression Era and remaining one until this day. The move was made popular in the late 90s by former Atlanta Falcon turned professional wrestler, Bill Goldberg.

Goldberg isn't regarded as one of the best in-ring performers of his generation, but that didn't stop him from perfecting the Spear. Goldberg's Spear was originally used to set up his Jackhammer finisher, but as he's continued to wrestle sporadically into his 50s, he's leaned on the Spear more and more. Goldberg's signature move remains more devastating than many finishers.

2 The Rock's People's Elbow

The Most Eletrifying Move In Sports Entertainment

The Rock was an extremely gifted performer inside and outside of the ring. With an in-ring style as braggadocious as his mic skills, The Rock always had the audience in the palm of his hands.

One of The Rock's moves that was a particular fan favorite was The People's Elbow. The move consisted of The Rock dramatically taking off his elbow pad, throwing it into the crowd, and running back and forth across the ropes before dropping an elbow on his opponent. It's alternated at various points of being his finisher and a signature move. Not the most intricate move in wrestling history, but boy could it electrify an audience.

1 Sting's Stinger Splash

One Of The Many Moves In His Arsenal

In the late 80s and early 90s, Sting was everything Vince McMahon wished The Ultimate Warrior could be. Dubbed "WCW's Franchise" early in his career, The Stinger was a rare combination of physical talent and charisma. Sting's high-energy personality appealed to adults and "little stingers" alike.

Inside the ring, Sting was a legitimate heavyweight who could move like a middleweight. Sting's finisher was The Scorpion Death Lock which he set up using his extremely popular Stinger Splash. The move was a simple splash in the corner, but Sting's intensity combined with the height he would get on the delivery made the move special and elevated it to the top of many fans' lists.