Not all finishers are created equal. It seems obvious enough, but even the same finishing maneuver performed by two distinct wrestlers can be vastly different. Some finishers are incredible power moves, while others are sights to behold in terms of athleticism and finesse. Some have elaborate setups while others come outta nowhere.
It would be easy to put the RKO on this list, but that wouldn't be too exciting. No, instead we're going to focus on other finishing moves that entertain the heck out of fans, and some that are bland, predictable and should be changed.
Honorable Mentions: Kairi Sane's Insane Elbow (dat hang time tho), Charlotte Flair's Figure 8 (an added layer to a classic).
Dishonorable Mentions: Cesaro's Neutralizer (he just drops his opponent forward on their stomach), Roman Reigns' Spear (overused, at least 5 different wrestlers have done it better).
10 BEST: Ember Moon's Eclipse
It's a shame WWE hasn't given Ember Moon a bigger push yet because watching her pull off the Eclipse to win a Women's Championship would be an incredible moment. Having gone through many injuries, including an Achilles tear, we're hoping she continues to bust out this awesome finisher on her opponents.
Basically a jumping Stone Cold Stunner, Ember leaps from the ropes to deliver this devastating maneuver. It looks great, and more importantly, it looks like it hurts. Moon was a pretty big deal in NXT but has yet to find her footing on Raw and SmackDown.
9 WORST: Alexa Bliss' Twisted Bliss
Alexa Bliss has made fans out of many doubters, using her charisma, athletic talent and undeniable "it" factor to make up for her size - at 5'1", she's one of the shortest competitors in WWE history.
That's mostly what makes her finishing move fall on the "worst" side of things. It looks fine, but it doesn't have enough sizzle to really make it look like it hurts, especially when you consider her size. To put it simply, it looks like a light splash, and not at all devastating. Stick to the DDT, Alexa.
8 BEST: King Corbin's End Of Days
We hate to admit it because he's so overused as an upper card heel, but King Corbin can actually go in the ring when he's allowed to show off his speed and power. Those two words perfectly describe his finisher, End Of Days, and his signature, Deep Six.
We're cheating a little by focusing on two of Corbin's moves, but these are legit two awesome power moves that could both be finishers. These maneuvers just look really cool, so Corbin deserves his due - we'll always enjoy seeing a perfectly timed Deep Six, followed by that awesome setup and execution of the End Of Days.
7 WORST: Dolph Ziggler's Zig Zag
Dolph Ziggler tries, and fans will always like and appreciate him, but sometimes you need to step it up. Whether it's something unoriginal (superkick) or boring (sleeper), Ziggler has won matches in very uninspiring ways. Worst of all is his finisher, the Zig Zag.
Again, Dolph tries. He makes it look as impactful as he can and sells it well, but at the end of the day, he's just grabbing a dude and dropping him down on his back. It's a basic wrestling bump. If Ziggler was a massive wrestler, sure. But Ziggler isn't exactly known for his size.
6 BEST: AJ Styles' Phenomenal Forearm
It really is a thing of beauty, seeing a grown man flying across the ring with phenomenal form to deliver a powerful forearm smack to another grown man's face. Wrestling truly is art, folks.
Shinsuke Nakamura is definitely not the only artist in town, though, as AJ Styles has, not one, but two of the best finishers in all of wrestling. No matter where his opponent is positioned, Styles will nail his Phenomenal Forearm with such finesse and precision. And we didn't even mention his Styles Clash, which finishes off its fair share of matches.
5 WORST: Bayley's Bayley-To-Belly
There's no need to get too technical here, folks. Pun aside, this is a belly-to-belly suplex. That's it. There's nothing scary about this move, and it shouldn't be a finisher for one of the Four Horsewomen.
Bayley is capable of much more than a simple suplex. Her Elbow Drop was an improvement, but when you have others, like Kairi Sane, delivering better elbows than Bayley, well, there goes that. Her recent heel turn led to a possible new finisher, known as the "Rose Plant", which isn't much better. It's basically a face drop with a needless hand hook. Step up your game, Bayley.
4 BEST: Aleister Black's Black Mass
There's nothing quite like a kick to the face, is there? This move not only looks vicious, but it also sounds vicious. Aleister Black has an interesting and unique moveset that focuses on quick, devastating kicks, but none as dangerous as his finishing move. The Black Mass is a spinning heel kick, that's delivered with such grace and force by Aleister, that it looks like he just knocked his opponent out for real.
Whether he's toying with his opponent or when it comes outta nowhere like a certain other move, we hope Aleister Black keeps his Black Mass as a part of his arsenal.
3 WORST: Braun Strowman's Running Powerslam
Let's get this straight: Braun Strowman legit slamming us with his Running Powerslam would send us to the hospital, no doubt. But when it comes to the squared circle, a running power slam as a finisher just doesn't cut it.
It definitely looks painful when a behemoth like Braun performs it, but it still lacks that little bit of the bubbly to make it sparkle more. Simply put, Strowman should definitely use this move as part of his repertoire, but he needs something bigger and better as a finisher. If someone's going to get those hands, Braun, make it worthwhile.
2 BEST: Ricochet's 630
Ricochet looks at your 450 splash and laughs. He's not satisfied with just one spin mid-air, oh no! He adds a few degrees of aerial goodness and delivers one of the best-looking finishing moves in WWE today. The impact and height really make it a thing of beauty.
Sure, we could have gone with a bunch of impressive top-rope splashes by cruiserweights, but Ricochet's 630 is way too impressive to leave off this side of the list. It's a sight to behold, watching Ricochet twist his body so effortlessly to deliver this dangerous move.
1 WORST: John Cena's... Take Your Pick
We'll be the first to let you know that John Cena is sorely missed, but that doesn't mean we'll deny how critical we've been of Cena in the past. Beyond his stale character and booking, John was a competent wrestler who could put on a great matchup with the right opponent. Although his in-ring work evolved past that notion, his finishers never did. In fact, they were some of the blander and uglier finishers in the WWE.
The Attitude Adjustment, one of the most well-known finishers of all-time, is just a flip on the person's back. The STF, as applied by Mr. Cena, is ugly as sin. And the less we talk about his most recent Lightning Fist punch, the better. The Judas Effect, it is not.