Earlier this week we asked which pro wrestling finishing moves YOU thought were the greatest of all time, and after more than 18,000 votes we’re ready to reveal the results. More than 40 moves were voted upon, many submitted by you, and we’re going to count down our list of all the best wrestling moves – or, at least the top ten.
On a related note: we get it, you’re not a huge fan of the Attitude Adjustment. Message received. I’ll go ahead and scrap that big Top 300 Best Attitude Adjustments editorial I’ve been working on.
List of All the Best Wrestling Moves – Honorable Mentions
15. The Rock Bottom
Admittedly we were a little surprised to see The Great One’s finishing move so far down the list. Maybe it’s not as flashy or as lethal as some that did make the final cut (and by the way, there were NO votes for the Final Cut) but come on… it’s The Rock! At least we can all agree that it’s a better finisher than the People’s Elbow.
14. Frog Splash
The frog splash has been performed for decades, but no one did it better than the late WWE Hall of Famer Eddie Guerrero. Everything from the top rope shoulder roll to Latino Heat’s incredible air game was a thing of genuine beauty. The move was innovated by the late Art Barr, an early tag team partner of Eddie’s, who then took the move and turned it into what fans recognize today. Shout-out to Rob Van Dam and his own Five Star Frog Splash for being able to bust the move out from just about any angle, at any distance.
13. The 3D
Tag team finishing moves are, thankfully, making something of a comeback in the new era of pro wrestling. Just ask the Young Bucks. But easily one of the best duo finishers of all time came from the most successful tag team of all time, those damn Dudleys. With or without a table, Bubba Ray and D-Von have been popping crowds from bingo halls to WrestleMania arenas for years.
12. Razor’s Edge
Pick him up, put him down. Say hello to the bad guy, meng. And then you might want to sell hello to your chiropractor, because your spine is all kinds of jacked up.
11. Jackhammer
Goldberg is the undisputed all-time king of squash matches, and the all-powerful Jackhammer is a big part of the reason why. On paper it’s just a simple vertical suplex into a front powerslam, but Goldberg picked up some of the greatest of all time and slammed them down with such authority he elevated the combo to a whole different level.
List of All the Best Wrestling Moves
#10 – The Sharpshooter
The Sharpshooter is one of the greatest submission holds in the history of pro wrestling, and according to you, might just be the best ever (the Figure Four somehow got absolutely buried in your rankings).
There are three names you really need to know when discussing the Sharpshooter, originally known as the sasori-gatame, or Scorpion Hold. The first is the great three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion Riki Choshu, who invented the maneuver and used it to tap out some of the greatest names in the storied history of Japan. The second is Sting, who popularized it first in the United States during the pre-WCW era of the NWA. Then of course there’s the self-proclaimed best there ever was, is, or will be, Bret “The Hitman” Hart, who took the move and elevated it as the face of WWF during the ’90s.
#9 – Canadian Destroyer
The Canadian Destroyer is… well, it’s a piledriver that defies the laws of physics entirely. Innovated and made famous by TNA original and two-time X-Division champion Petey Williams, this front flip piledriver is one of the most unique and devastating things you’ll ever see in a wrestling ring.
#8 – The Pedigree
There have been many variations on the facebuster over the ages, but none more famous than the iconic signature maneuver of the King of Kings, Triple H. He didn’t invent the move, per say – did you know there are rare clips of the late Andre the Giant actually doing a version of the move? But to our knowledge he’s the first to do a double underhook variation, and certain the wrestler who put it on the map as one of the best, most recognizable WWE stars of all time.
#7 – Styles Clash
Can we just take a second to recognize what AJ Styles has accomplished in just the last few years of his career? The current WWE World Heavyweight Champion, one year removed from being IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the leader of the biggest faction in pro wrestling since the original Degeneration X, two years removed from being the face and world champion of TNA. And that’s just three years of a storied, decorated tenure in sports entertainment.
Pro tip for anyone taking the Styles Clash – don’t tuck your chin. You will get hurt.
#6 – The F5
Brock Lesnar is a monster of a human being, if he is in fact human at all. The cold, seemingly emotionless Beast Incarnate has been murdering people in pro wrestling rings with the F5 for years, backed up by a legitimate career in MMA becoming the UFC Heavyweight Champion at the pinnacle of his game, not to mention one of the biggest draws ever in both sports. Within the wrestling realm, the F5 has become synonymous with Lesnar, who has become synonymous with carnage. It is perhaps the most fitting move for any wrestler I have ever seen.
#5 – Go To Sleep (GTS)
CM Punk may have popularized the GTS among Western wrestling fans, but the move was actually innovated by Kenta Kobayashi, or as WWE fans know him today, Hideo Itami. Of course you can make up your own mind as to who had the better version of the move, but take a look at the original before you make your decision…
#4 – The RKO
Besides spawning one of the greatest mainstream memes in internet history, the RKO has been used by Randy Orton to devastate opponents for over a decade. Of course there cutters well before Orton got his hands on the move, but none have been as viscous or, dare we say, out-of-nowhere than those from the Legend Killer himself. Anyone watching at the time will never forget the famous RKO counter to Evan Bourne’s Shooting Star Press (a move surprisingly absent from the top of this list).
#3 – Tombstone Piledriver
When I was a kid, The Undertaker was legitimately the most terrifying creature I had ever seen. He was to my childhood as a wrestling fans what Jake Roberts was to many growing up a decade or two before me. I mean yeah, he’s an undead wizard man and living proof of exactly how ridiculous pro wrestling can be, but at the same time… tell me he didn’t scare the hell out of you when you saw your very first pay-per-view. And sure he has the chokeslam, and the Last Ride powerbomb, but absolutely nothing compares to the greatest move in the Deadman’s arsenal, the Tombstone Piledriver.
#2 – Sweet Chin Music
Before the Young Bucks started throwing superkick parties, and before Randy Orton started RKO-ing people out of nowhere, there was Shawn Michaels and his patented brand of Sweet Chin Music. Arguably the greatest pro wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots, Michaels cemented his legacy with incredible matches, iconic promos, and a little help from a swift kick straight to the face.
RIP Stan the backstage producer.
#1 – Stone Cold Stunner
Was there ever any doubt as to what would top this list? Actually, yes. At one point there was less than a one-percent difference between Sweet Chin Music and your official winner, the Stone Cold Stunner. Steve Austin is one of the greatest ever, and the single biggest star of the biggest era in WWE history, and his finishing move is known the world-over. Even today, more than a decade removed from retirement, the Stunner is still called for every time the Texas Rattlesnake graces a WWE ring with his presence.
Thanks for reading our list of all the best wrestling moves, and be sure to sound off with your opinions in the comment section!
