10 Finishers That Are Shared By Legends

Nothing gets a reaction from a wrestling audience quite like a perfectly timed finisher. Throughout the years, the wrestling universe has seen its fair share of iconic moves end a match. Finishers like Hulk Hogan's Atomic Leg Drop, "Macho Man' Randy Savage's Flying Elbow Drop, and Steve Austin's Stone Cold Stunner, have captured the imaginations of millions.

A popular finisher can be an amazing asset to a wrestler's career. In many cases, a wrestler and their finisher can become synonymous with one another. However, not all finishers are exclusive to only one performer. Some finishers are so impactful that they've been used throughout the years by multiple legends.

10 Sleeper Hold

The Sleeper Hold is certainly not the flashiest finisher in pro wrestling history. However, some of the sport's most legendary performers have used it with great success. The legendary Gory Guerrero is credited with inventing the move, but it was The Sheik who popularized it in the U.S.A.

The peak of the move's popularity came during the '80s wrestling boom where "Rowdy" Roddy Piper used it as his finisher. When Piper left WWE, Brutus "The Barber" Beefcake adopted the Sleeper Hold as his finisher. Today, WWE Superstar, Dolph Ziggler still uses the move occasionally, but the Sleeper Hold has lost a lot of its luster over the years.

9 Banzai Drop

When the massive Yokozuna debuted on WWE programming, he was a sight to behold. Weighing in at over 500 lbs, Yokozuna needed a finisher that would compliment his gargantuan frame. Enter the Banzai Drop. During its peak, Yokozuna's Banzai Drop was the most protected finisher in the business. When Yokozuna dropped his massive girth down on his opponent, the match was over.

Flash forward a few years, and Yokozuna's real-life cousin, Rikishi started using the move as a tribute to the late Yokozuna. Rikishi's Banzai Drop was far less protected than Yokozuna's, but to be fair, Rikishi was considerably smaller than his predecessor.

8 Spear

The Spear has become one of the most overused moves in all of pro wrestling. However, when Bill Goldberg first started using it as the set up for his Jackhammer finisher, fans marveled at its ferocity. It might not have been Goldberg's finisher, but it was a very big part of his appeal and popularity.

The Spear would go on to be used by future WWE Hall Of Famer Edge in the 2000s, but his delivery was far less impactful than Goldberg's. A variation of the Spear was also used by ECW standout, Rhyno who called it The Gore. Rhyno's Gore was significantly more impactful than Edge's Spear, making it a lot more believable as a finisher.

7 Figure Four

Ric Flair is arguably the greatest professional wrestler to ever lace up a pair of boots. However, Flair borrowed a significant amount of his character from the original "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, including his Figure Four. Rogers used the move with much success during the late '50s and '60s. When Flair adopted the move though, he took its popularity to the next level.

In WWE, the Figure Four was made popular by Greg "The Hammer" Valentine. Valentine's father, Johnny was a former partner of Buddy Rogers and also used the move with regularity during his career. Jeff Jarrett incorporated the Figure Four as his finisher in the '90s, but nobody has been able to disassociate it from Ric Flair.

6 Chokeslam

The Chokeslam, or at least some variation of it, has become a staple in the repertoire of many big men. Legends like The Undertaker, Sycho Sid, and Big Van Vader all used it at one point or another during their careers. However, believe it or not, the move can be traced back all the way to the 1800s where Former President Abraham Lincoln used it.

In more modern times, the Chokeslam has become closely associated with The Big Show and Kane. The Big Show has changed up his delivery of the move throughout the years. Kane, on the other hand, has remained pretty consistent with his "Chokeslam From Hell" since the Attitude Era.

5 Ankle Lock

The Ankle Lock arrived on the scene in the late '90s when UFC superstar, Ken Shamrock decided to try his hand at pro wrestling. Shamrock signed with WWE and immediately made an impact. His MMA background made the Ankle Lock an extremely believable finisher. The move propelled Shamrock to win the WWE Intercontinental Championship and the 1998 King Of The Ring.

After Shamrock's departure from WWE, Olympic gold medalist, Kurt Angle used the finisher to win multiple world championships in multiple promotions. Both men's grappling background made the Ankle Lock the ideal submission finisher.

4 Powerbomb

The Powerbomb might possibly be the finisher with the most variations. Everyone from Big Van Vader to Jushin "Thunder" Liger and even Sable had their own version of the move. Perhaps the most recognizable Powerbomb belongs to "Big Daddy Cool" Diesel, who used his Jackknife to amass a year-long WWE Title reign during the mid-'90s.

At the start of the new Millennium, during his American Badass run, The Undertaker began using a vicious elevated Powerbomb called "The Last Ride." Batista also found success with a Powerbomb finisher during the Ruthless Aggression Era. His version was a devastating sit down Powerbomb which he dubbed the "Batista Bomb."

3 Frog Splash

The Frog Splash was to the mid-2000s what the Flying Elbow Drop was to the 1980s. Simply put, it was the prettiest move in the business. The move was brought to the U.S. by Eddie Guerrero's former tag team partner, Art Barr. After Barr's untimely death, Guerrero began using the move as a tribute to his fallen friend. Guerrero would become synonymous with the move and would eventually use it to capture the WWE Championship.

Only one other Frog Splash can even be mentioned in the same breath as Guerrero's Frog Splash. In the early 2000s, Rob Van Dam switched finishers from a Split Legged Moonsault to his now-iconic Five-Star Frog Splash. Van Dam's hangtime and ability to change directions in mid-air made the move truly one of a kind.

2 Sharpshooter/Scorpion Death Lock

This move is most commonly referred to as The Sharpshooter, but to fans who grew up south of the Mason-Dixon Line, it will always be The Scorpion Death Lock. Japanese wrestling legend Riki Choshu is credited with inventing the move, but it was Sting and Bret Hart who elevated it to iconic status.

Despite the move being more closely associated with Hart, Sting was actually using the Scorpion Death Lock as a finisher nearly two years before him. The Sharpshooter was recommended to Hart by Pat Patterson. The move's application was taught to Hart by Mexican wrestling legend, Konnan. Despite the similarities, both wrestlers have managed to make the move their own.

1 Diamond Cutter/RKO

Professional wrestling has never seen a more game-changing finisher than the Diamond Cutter. The move became the hottest finisher of the '90s and elevated Diamond Dallas Page to main event status. The move was originally used in Japan by Johnny Ace, but it would be the suddenness of Page's version that would make the move legendary.

After Page retired from full-time competition, Randy Orton adopted the move, adding a leap to the beginning of it to make it more impactful. Orton took the torch from Page and ran with it, making the RKO his own, while once again making it the hottest finisher in the wrestling industry.

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