![]() ![]() The way he built up to it during a match - it was practically the only thing he did in the ring - the way people sold it (like they were dead) and the fact that no one ever kicked out all led to the DDT being one of the most devastating finishers in wrestling history. But back in the late 80s, when Jake “The Snake” Roberts was at his best in WWE, the move was monstrous. These days, the move is, admittedly, terribly overused, especially once you factor in the eight million different variations that now exist. Perhaps the best example of this is the DDT. DDT Complicated finishers can be awesome, but oftentimes, something that’s quick, simple, and well-delivered can be just as effective - maybe even more so. The American independent scene is full of people who can and do hit stunning acrobatic moves, but the End of Heartache succeeds and stands out because of its crushing brutality. ![]() The move, which has also been called the Strong Breaker, sees Strong live up to his old nickname, “The Messiah of the Backbreaker,” by lifting and flinging an opponent with a vertical suplex, only to fall down underneath of them, hitting them with a brutal double-knee backbreaker in the process. To wit: Ring of Honor’s Roderick Strong and his End of Heartache. But that doesn’t mean there’s not awesome, fascinating stuff going on in other promotions. End of Heartache WWE is the world’s largest wrestling promotion, so it’s no surprise that many of the most notable finishing maneuvers take place in their rings. When she lifts a woman up on her shoulders, then dramatically drops to her knees as part of a backbreaker rack drop, it looks like she legit cripples them. While her slimmer sister Brie tends to wrestle more like her husband Daniel Bryan (missile dropkicks, even busting out the Yes Lock on occasion), Nikki has leaned into her more muscular physique and begun wrestling like a power-based competitor. Rack Attack I’m sure to lose internet wrestling fan credibility points in certain quarters for this, but that’s totally fine, because anyone with eyes to see already knows that Nikki Bella is a far better wrestling heel than anyone wants to give her credit for (which is, in and of itself, an example of how great she is), and that her Rack Attack move is amazing. The versatility and effectiveness of the move is underscored by how many tag teams still use the Doomsday Device, or variations of it, to finish their matches today. The Doomsday Device was great because it took both powerhouse wrestlers’ strengths and amplified them, with Animal using his massive power to hoist an opponent up on his shoulders and Hawk using his explosive strength to nearly take their head off with a leaping, top rope clothesline. Doomsday Device The Road Warriors weren’t the first tag team to have a joint, double team finishing move, but they were arguably the first to have one that mattered. And on top of all of that? The Figure Four features one of my favorite absurd bits of wrestling logic: the idea that you can roll the move over to reverse the pressure. Additionally, once applied, the Figure Four gives wrestlers numerous opportunities to continue telling the story of their match, as both talents have their faces visible (the better to emote to the audience) and their hands free (the better to scramble for leverage and/or a rope break). With such an instantly recognizable set-up, the audience knows what to expect, making it easier for wrestlers to play around with those expectations. But both of those things, which could, at first, appear to be weaknesses, actually become strengths when discussing the Figure Four. While the RKO is more of a striking maneuver that must be followed up by a pin, the Figure Four is a submission. While the RKO is quick, the Figure Four requires a set of deliberate motions. Figure Four The Figure Four is almost the complete opposite of the RKO. Throw in the fact that it’s one of the best “out of nowhere” moves - a valuable thing when building out exciting match finishing sequences - and it’s pretty difficult to beat the RKO. And seeing as the person delivering it just needs to jump up, grab someone and fall down, it can also be delivered by pretty much anyone. Seeing as it doesn’t require anyone to actually be picked up, the move can be hit on pretty much anyone. If you think we missed something, you’re almost certainly wrong, but you should still feel free to tell us about it in the comments! RKO Whether you call it the RKO, the Ace Crusher, the Diamond Cutter, or the Gun Stun, the Cutter is, quite possibly, the perfect finishing maneuver. Below, presented in no particular order, are the 11 absolute best wrestling finishers in existence. ![]()
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