Only A Real WWE Fan Can Match These Wrestlers To Their Finisher
- by Harry Kettle
- – on
- in Sports
The weird and wonderful world of professional wrestling isn't for everyone, but we're pretty confident in saying that the majority of people reading this would've had some kind of experience with it over the years. Whether you happened to flick it onto the television by mistake or you're a diehard fan and know what the phrase All Elite Wrestling means, there's a place in everyone's hearts for the graps - even if that place isn't permanent.
There's a very real chance that wrestling is going to be enjoying a boom period sooner rather than later, with AEW and WWE going head to head in a similar fashion to the Monday Night Wars from all those years ago. Of course, there were plenty of stars from back in those days that made the Attitude Era what it was, and we're going to be referencing some of those top stars in our quiz here today.
The quiz in question, as you can see by the title, will test your ability to name some of these superstars' finishers. Now before we get started, yes, we know that some guys and girls have more than one finisher, but we want you to pick out the one that is best aligned with them out of the four available options.
For those of you who don't know or understand what a finisher is, it's pretty much the signature move that winds up finishing off a wrestler's opponent more often than not. Yes, it sounds weird, but just go with it.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
If we're talking about all-time legends of the business, Randy Orton has to be up there with the best of them. The Legend Killer, aka The Viper, aka The Apex Predator, has been at the top of the food chain for longer than most fans have actually been watching professional wrestling. He came into the mix a year or so after the Monday Night Wars came to an end, which should tell you all that you need to know about his longevity. Sure, he hasn't always been the most favourable of characters, but the same could apply to a lot of guys.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Triple H has single-handedly (well, not really, but you get the point) been able to orchestrate a movement down in NXT that very few fans probably saw coming when it was first introduced as a concept. The Game has built a developmental system that, in truth, isn't really a developmental system at all anymore. It is littered with some of the biggest names from the independent scene, who are now striving to be world class stars under the WWE umbrella. Oh, and did we also mention that Triple H himself just so happens to be one of the all-time greats?
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
There's no getting around the fact that Jeff Hardy has made his fair share of mistakes over the years, and we'd be doing a disservice to the fans if we tried to avoid that part of his history. Of course, beyond all of that noise you've also got to take into consideration one very important factor: he's incredibly good at wrestling. He is one of the best high flyers the business has ever seen, and his return to WWE back at WrestleMania 33 will go down in history as one of the greatest moments in Mania history. That, dear friends, is a fact.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
During the first few years of his time in WWE it really did seem like Shinsuke Nakamura was destined to be a multi-time world champion with the company. As time has gone on it's become quite clear that isn't the case, but hopefully, he'll get the chance to showcase his skills and abilities in some form or another before he leaves for New Japan. We're saying that like it's a foregone conclusion that he'll head back over there, and to be perfectly honest, we're kind of surprised that it hasn't happened already. After all, the guy isn't getting any younger.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Very few superstars can claim to be in the running for the title of the greatest female wrestler of all time, but Charlotte Flair is certainly in the mix. As the daughter of legendary Hall of Famer Ric Flair, she had a lot to prove from the moment she stepped foot into the squared circle, but for the most part, we'd say she's been knocking it out of the park. She's already a multi-time world champion, and she's often able to bounce back and forth brilliantly between being a world class heel and a world class babyface. That isn't easy.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Despite not really featuring on WWE television all that much these days, it's worth noting that The Big Show is probably one of the most underrated wrestlers of the last few decades in WWE. He has been forced to take part in some really humiliating storylines over the years, all the while knowing that he is probably one of the most well-rounded performers in the company. That sounds like a bit of an overstatement, but the guy can do some pretty remarkable things when you consider his size. He should've had a better run as a world champion, and that's just a fact.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Ah, The Deadman. Some fans choose to believe that The Undertaker is over the hill in terms of his wrestling ability, but we'd like to think he is going to be around forever. The guy is an immortal legend in the ring and it's pretty hard to argue against that, especially when he went on that fantastic run of WrestleMania matches against Batista, Edge, Shawn Michaels, Triple H and CM Punk. He is the one ever-present member of the main roster that we can count on to send shivers down our spine with his entrance, and we absolutely love that.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
John Cena has become what he once hated: a part-time superstar. Still, even with that being the case, John is still very much considered to be one of the all time greats in WWE - and professional wrestling as a whole. The 16-time world champion is just one reign away from breaking his tie with Ric Flair, and we think it's going to happen sooner rather than later. Beyond that he's doing some great stuff in Hollywood right now, and all wrestling fans should be happy about the fact that he's going out there and representing us in such a good way.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Has one legend ever done so much for the business even after retiring? We aren't so sure. Diamond Dallas Page is one of the prime examples of 'it's never too late', after he was able to break into the wrestling business in his mid-30s. Ever since hanging up his boots, though, he's taken on a different career path in the form of DDP Yoga. He has been able to pull a series of world class stars back from the brink of collapse, with two perfect examples of that being Scott Hall and Jake 'The Snake' Roberts. Honestly, he's an inspiration.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
He has about a million and one nicknames, but to us, he's purely known as being one of the best wrestlers in the world. Seth Rollins was widely considered to be the third most important member of The Shield throughout the course of their run as a faction, but now, it's quite clear to see that he is the top dog (no offence, Roman). Seth is flying high as the Universal Champion right now after he was able to shock the world and defeat Brock Lesnar for the belt at WrestleMania 35. Will he be able to hold onto it? Only time will tell.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Upon entering WWE after all these years back in 2016, nobody was really all too sure about how AJ Styles' run with the company would go. Now, more than three years later, it's safe to say it was a positive step forward as he has won multiple world championships to go alongside everything he achieved in ROH, TNA and New Japan Pro Wrestling. AJ is still a top tier talent, and even though he may start to wind down on being a full timer soon, nobody can deny that he is destined for a place in the WWE Hall of Fame one day.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
With rumours circulating in regards to his future in the business, Dean Ambrose aka Jon Moxley is arguably one of the hottest free agents in professional wrestling right now (unless he's signed a contract that none of us are aware of). During his time with WWE he went through a variety of different character shifts and changes, but along the way, his in-ring work was still pretty consistent. WWE probably could've done a better job of promoting him at times and that much is obvious, but perhaps a potential move to All Elite Wrestling is exactly what he needs right now.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Speaking of All Elite Wrestling, say hello to one of the faces of the brand new promotion: Chris Jericho. Y2J once stated that he would never go to another promotion inside of North America, and that New Japan Pro Wrestling would be his only destination outside of WWE. Of course, we now know that isn't the case, as he has taken it upon himself to sign a multi-year contract with AEW. He has definitely taken in a risk in putting himself forward as one of the faces of this promotion, but if it pays off, he'll look like a genius.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Have you ever seen Big E's Twitter account? If you haven't, then we have to warn you: it's baffling and hilarious in equal measure. In the ring, though, Big E is no mug either. The New Day's most charismatic member (arguably) has been riding high as one of the most entertaining members of the WWE roster for quite some time now, but after his recent injury, some fans have been questioning whether or not his association with The New Day will be coming to an end sooner rather than later. There's no guarantee of a break-up working, but if it happens, Big E vs Kofi for the WWE Championship could be something special.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
After going away and reinventing himself on the independent scene, Drew McIntyre has been able to return in quite a 'statement making' kind of way over the last year or so. His time down in NXT was a resounding success, and after being called up to the main roster, he has been heavily tipped to be a world champion sooner rather than later. It wouldn't exactly be hard to imagine that happening for him, especially given his overwhelming size and ability in the ring. Scotland has been eagerly awaiting a world champion of their own, and it doesn't seem like we're all too far away from it becoming a reality.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
The greatest of all time? That's one way of looking at it - and by one way, we mean it's the correct way. Kurt Angle's latest run with WWE may not have been a masterpiece, but people aren't going to remember that. In the years to come fans are going to be thinking about his first stint with the company, which is where he was truly able to become a legend of the business. In terms of in-ring ability, there are very few guys and girls that can touch him, and even in TNA he was able to do some great work.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
There are a million and one reasons to appreciate and love Alexa Bliss, and we don't care who knows it. The former NXT stand-out has been an absolute revelation since making her way to the main roster, becoming the first woman to win both the RAW Women's Championship and the SmackDown Women's Championship. She isn't a member of the Four Horsewomen, but let's be honest, she doesn't need to be in order to be successful. Bliss is a phenomenal heel but we wouldn't be surprised if, one day, she switches gears and goes on a really strong run as a babyface.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
If you want to talk about fighters, Roman Reigns is right up there with the best of them. This man has been through a lot throughout the course of his life, and especially in the last few years. In the face of all that adversity, though, Roman has battled his way through with the kind of spirit and intensity that you'd expect from a performer of his calibre. Right now he's attempting to battle his way back into the main event picture, and we don't think it's going to take all too long before he gets back to that point.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
While he may be best known as a Hollywood superstar in the present day, Dave Bautista is best known to wrestling fans as just good old Batista. When he was rising up through the ranks with Evolution we didn't know whether or not he could be a success on his own, but when push came to shove, he proved himself to be a pretty remarkable World Heavyweight Champion. His rivalry with former mentor Triple H is widely considered to be one of the best in WWE's recent history, and upon watching a few of their wars, it's hard to argue with that.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Despite the uncertainty surrounding her future in WWE, there's no denying the fact that Sasha Banks is one of the most exciting female performers in the world today. She puts her body on the line every single time she goes out there, and she does so for one reason: she loves this. At this moment in time she's been in the midst of a long run as a babyface, but we all know that she's destined to revert back to her heelish ways sooner rather than later. Who knows, perhaps she'll return and go after 'best friend' Bayley who now holds the SmackDown Women's Championship.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Despite cooling off ever so slightly since WrestleMania 35, Becky Lynch is still one of the biggest stars in WWE today - and a lot of that is down to her hard work as opposed to anything WWE themselves have done. She has been on a rocket ship to the moon ever since she started speaking up for herself, and we mean that both on WWE television and on social media. The Irish sensation has the potential to do so much in the women's division, and now, we just have to wait and see how WWE books her moving forward.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
It's difficult not to think about the legacy of Shawn Michaels and question why he decided to take that money and compete in a match in Saudi Arabia, but for the sake of avoiding sad subjects, we're going to try and push that to one side for now. Shawn Michaels, aka The Heartbreak Kid, is highly regarded as one of the best to ever lace up a pair of boots: and rightly so. From his first run with WWE to his memorable and sometimes unbelievable second run with the company, there are very few folks who could replicate (or better) this man.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
A lot of fans aren't really in favour of Shane McMahon being one of the biggest heels in WWE today, but let's face it, the guy is good at it. Sure, it'd be nice to see WWE push some of the younger talent, but Shane is a useful hand to have around and it helps that he can still somewhat go in the ring. We still think the fact that he's 2-0 up on The Miz in their current feud is ridiculous, but hey, you can't get everything you want. P.S: we do have to admit his finisher is super fun.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Despite having a short run as a babyface lately, we all know that Kevin Owens is destined to be a bad guy. He is just able to pull off the role so magnificently, which sometimes makes us question why he wasn't utilised all that well prior to his injury. Thankfully he's been on a good run of form ever since he returned, and it certainly helps that he's aligned himself with Sami Zayn. Those two are fantastic together, and whenever they end up breaking up again (because you know it's going to happen), you just know that we're going to get some phenomenal matches out of them.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Can you dig it, sucka? Look, we aren't massive fans of Booker T on commentary, and we aren't exactly expecting you guys to be either - but that's not the story here. The story is that this two-time Hall of Famer is one of the most underrated singles (and tag team) stars of all time, and that's the bottom line. The five-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion wound up being a better representative for that company than just about anyone else, which is saying something. Then, when he came over to WWE, he had a run that was better than most fans could've anticipated.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
As much as we've couldn't stand WWE's booking of Bayley in the last few years, there's no getting away from the fact that she's still one of the most fun performers on the main roster. Her recent surge back up to prominence as the SmackDown Women's Champion certainly came out of nowhere, but you know what, we'll take it. She has been showing a new fire lately and that is really going to help her out moving forward, especially if she winds up having to face off against her fellow Four Horsewomen members (which is almost certainly going to be the case).
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
He's coming back for an exceptionally controversial show in Saudi Arabia, but at the very least, you've got to respect Goldberg's hustle. We saw during his 24 special that is was exceptionally difficult for him to get into the kind of shape that he did for his last run in 2016/17, and that in addition to getting into shape, he was also very anxious. We've got to respect anyone who is willing to admit that, and you've also got to realise that this man was almost single-handedly responsible for WCW fighting back against WWE in the Monday Night Wars all those years ago.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Never forget what this man did for the business, folks. The Rock is so much more than just a Hollywood star, and every single WWE fan out there knows it. When he first debuted there was a certain apathy towards his initial character, but over the years, he was able to flip the script. He wound up being one of the most electrifying superstars in all of professional wrestling, to the point where WWE even named their secondary show after him. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine being so overwhelmingly popular that you get your own show named after you? Mind-boggling.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Brock Lesnar does what Brock Lesnar wants, and in a weird way, you kind of have to respect that. The Beast Incarnate plays by his own rules and whilst we may not always like his rules, you can't deny that he puts butts in the seats. In the last few months there's been a great deal of speculation as to whether or not Brock would wind up returning to mixed martial arts with the UFC, but it appears as if that's not going to be the case - and instead, he's going to be running the show in WWE as Mr. Money in the Bank.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Stone Cold Steve Austin's star power can only really be rivalled by the likes of Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair and The Rock, which is saying something. This man is a cultural icon and during the prime of his run at the top of WWE, he was one of the primary reasons as to why professional wrestling was so popular. As the years have gone on he's continued to be semi-involved with the business, but in terms of in-ring work, his final big match will continue to go down as being his WrestleMania 19 loss against The Rock - and we're okay with that.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Sometimes we wonder why WWE doesn't just put Finn Balor in The Demon costume on a 24/7 basis, but after a quick thought process, it becomes obvious why: because it's special. When Finn comes out as The Demon you sit up and take notice, because it's something different. We're talking about a guy who is considered to be the greatest NXT Champion of all time, and was also the first ever Universal Champion. Those kinds of accomplishments can't just be swept under the rug, and as we look ahead to the rest of 2019, we hope to see him re-enter the main event scene.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Despite this wrestler being in the midst of a misguided run as a babyface, we're still of the belief that The Miz will indeed hold either the WWE or Universal Championship again one day. He has come on leaps and bounds since being joined by his wife Maryse after WrestleMania 32, to the point where you could even argue he has experienced a resurgence. He's enjoying the spotlight created from their Miz & Mrs show, but given the fact he is moving towards his fourties, we'd like to see the aforementioned title run happen sooner rather than later. Pretty please, WWE?
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
At one time, Rob Van Dam was considered to be the best wrestler in the world and that's no exaggeration. This ECW original was able to wow fans all over the world with his incredible athleticism and fantastic commitment in the ring. Of course, there were times when he wasn't able to get out of his own way, but we still believe this man is a guaranteed Hall of Famer one day. His finest day came during ECW One Night Stand when he faced John Cena for the WWE Championship, and was actually able to beat the poster boy for the belt.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
WOOOO! When you're that iconic that your signature catchphrase is still being uttered around the globe decades after your prime, you know that you've done something right. Ric Flair just seemed to have that 'it' factor that was so hard to find in your everyday superstar. Even in the present day he has this fantastic presence whenever he walks into a room, and it's hard not to be mesmerized by it all. In recent years he has suffered from a few health scares here and there, but if there's one thing we have learned about Ric over the years, it's that he is a fighter.
What is this wrestler’s finisher?
Would WWE be where it is today without the influence of Hulk Hogan? The correct answer is probably not, despite how much fans would like to put him down for his indiscretions in the last few years. The Hulkster was responsible for a generation of professional wrestling fans attaching themselves to the business, and many of them haven't let go ever since. The guy just screams star power and even though his return to WWE has been met with mixed reviews as of late, he certainly knows how to draw in the crowds both young and old. Will he continue to make sporadic appearances? Probably, brother.