Jimmy Valiant's elbow drop .

I used to like Abyss' Black Hole Slam, but only when he'd do it to a pre-"Rockstar" Spud in 1PW and give him an insane number of rotations before slamming him

Cattle Branding. There were a few wrestlers who used to do it but Dick Murdoch is the guy I saw do it the most. Someone should have stolen that and used it in the 2000s while everyone else was busy stealing moves from Japanese wrestlers.

 

 

I think I remember Raven using it for a spell, towards the end of his WWE run and during his initial time in TNA in 2003/04, you know, when he was in the physical condition to go to the top rope like.

 

Agree though, awesome manoeuvre.

 

Owen Hart's belly to belly when he just snapped them over at an insane speed was always pretty slick.

Atomic drop straight into a back suplex is a nice little spot (inc its variants) used in Global a lot which isn't used at all today, someone needs it in their repertoire...

For example, the first one that comes to my mind is the, as it is now called, Phenomenal forearm. I loved seeing it back in TNA, soved it ever since and am SO hyped that it has now become his finishing move, although I really liked the Styles Clash as a visual as well.

The thing I like most about it is how it still looks good in slow motion replays. Good thing considering how many replays he gets in the course of a match.

 

Randy Orton's snap scoop powerslam is my favorite move on the roster right now. Always looks good. Sheamus' backbreaker usually looks good.

I still think a well-executed clothesline is my favorite wrestling move, especially if it comes with a spin bump. Think John Cena vs Daniel Bryan at Summerslam 2013.

As a joshi fan, I'm contractually obligated to mention Kairi Hojo's top-rope elbow drop.

 

 

 

 

Also, Moonsault Footstomp!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Those were pretty great.

 

Pretty much every Midnight Express finisher. Veg-o-Matic > Double Goozle > Gravedigger > Rocket Launcher > Flapjack.

This is probably a ridiculous request, but can you describe those? I've watched plenty of Midnight Express, but other than the Rocket Launcher and Flapjack I don't think I can name any of their finishers.

 

 

Veg-o-matic was Stan grabbing a guy in a bearhug and leaning over so Bobby could hit him with the Alabama Jam. Too Cool used it a couple of times.

 

The Double Goozle was a chop block from Lane hitting at the same time as a Bobby would land a Barry Windham-esque lariat.

 

Don't know the Grave Digger.

Lita's moonsault always looked pretty athletic, iirc. I think the moonsault itself is a pretty good looking move, although it is kind of "simple" comparing it with some of the other crazy stuff nowadays. As is the Frogsplash, especially Eddie's of course.

Kawada's single leg crab.

Alicia Fox has a great looking Northern Lights suplex, always gets a terrific bridge on it

Been thinking about this for a few days and I can't come up with anything better than Arn's spine buster.

Dundee bulldog (Santo also does one on the floor against Felino in July 1997 that was terrific)

 

Rey Jr. flip over top rope into a rana (2/95 vs Eddy, 3/95 vs Psicosis, 10/97 vs Eddy)

Dibiase fist drop

Togi Makabe's King Kong knee drop. It even sounds awesome.

Dick Murdoch's Brainbuster. He executed it the way it was meant to be executed.

 

Road Warriors' Doomsday Device.

 

RVD and Sabu's Rolling Thunder.

Another move that I have come to appreciate the last two years because I've been watching a lot of Southeastern/Continental: The Fuller leglock. It single handedly looks like the most painful submission move I've ever seen.

I regret not mentioning the Fuller Leglock myself. I don't even think anyone outside of the Fullers/Jimmy Golden ever used the move so unless you watched Southeastern/Continental or saw the Robert Fuller/Jimmy Golden run in SMW you've probably never even seen it.

Corey Graves finisher in NXT used to be the Fuller Lock.

I love the Dudley Death Drop - always have. First time I saw that move, I was hooked on ECW forever. Even now, today, when I'm totally over the Dudleys... I still pop for the finish.

 

I like a good Camel Clutch, especially when it's a finish. Also the Crossface Chickenwing.

A well executed DDT always has me excited. But only the "plant face on the mat" variant, I don't like the ones where they roll over. I think it just looks weak.

Ocean Cyclone Suplex.

A well executed DDT always has me excited. But only the "plant face on the mat" variant, I don't like the ones where they roll over. I think it just looks weak.

Yeah, the best way to sell a DDT is that your head hits and you just kind of go limp. All the flip overs, implants, and anything else takes away from the impact of the move. I'd prefer if the guy had to struggle to roll the victim's lifeless body over to pin them.

 

Also, Moonsault Footstomp!!!

 

Hot damn. I'm a sucker for double stomps and any other move that still makes me question how in the hell it's "worked."

 

 

A well executed DDT always has me excited. But only the "plant face on the mat" variant, I don't like the ones where they roll over. I think it just looks weak.

Yeah, the best way to sell a DDT is that your head hits and you just kind of go limp. All the flip overs, implants, and anything else takes away from the impact of the move. I'd prefer if the guy had to struggle to roll the victim's lifeless body over to pin them.

It depends to me. Selling it like death when it's being used as a transition move is silly, and I think it helps differentiate the DDT from a normal move and a (potential) finish based solely on how it's sold. There was a while where anybody taking the Evenflow would do the "face plant -> DEAD" sell that helped separate it from other DDTs on the same show, not unlike how Rhino was able to get the piledriver over as a believable finish in an era where it was as common as a lock up by merely doing it that much better.