10 Iconic Wrestling Finishers (& How They Have Evolved)

“Time to go home, kid,” is generally wrestling jargon for it's time to hit your finish, end the match and head to the locker room. Wrestling finishes have evolved plenty over the years. A clothesline used to be the end of the match sometimes. A dropkick was once the big aerial maneuver that served as the climax to any encounter.

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Nowadays kick outs are extremely commonplace no matter how many times a wrestler might have hit their finisher. Whether you enjoy this style of wrestling or not, the evolution of finishers is just another part of the industry that has evolved over time.

10 Dropkick

Originally called “The Kangaroo Kick,” the Dropkick was once a devastating finisher in the early days of the twentieth century. After all, it’s both feet being launched into your opponent as hard as you can.

Over the years the move became a regular transition move. However, the occasional superstar has used The Missile Drop Kick (like even The Big Show!) or The Coast To Coast Drop Kick to more effectiveness.

9 The Piledriver

As one of the fundamental wrestling moves, there might not be a single superstar who hasn’t tried to deliver the Piledriver at least once in their lives. It’s also one of the most dangerous moves to attempt. But visually, every fan watching can wince at the idea of dropping an opponent on their “stack of dimes”.

Related: 10 Variations Of The Piledriver That Are Insane To Watch

Over the years, it has also become one of the easiest moves to innovate and update. Whether it’s a Spike Piledriver from FTR, The Brain Busters, or The Bucks or The Tombstone - the piledriver will continue to be a big time finisher, or at least a big signature move, for the industry.

8 The DDT

It’s one of the most devalued moves in the business, but that’s only because the man who it is most associated with and the move itself are just so cool. Jake The Snake Roberts spoke softly and carried the big stick known as Damien with the DDT as his finisher - short fall, bad landing… “The end,” as he put it.

Wrestlers must’ve had weaker heads and necks back then, or Jake just knew how to deliver The DDT with a fierce amount of match ending force, since nowadays, everyone seems to kick out of the move.

7 The Sasori-Gatame

Invented by Japanese legend, Riki Choshu and ported over to the US initially by The Stinger, the Sasori-Gatami became known as the Scorpion Death Lock, as it continues to be known to this day whenever The Icon slaps on the hold in AEW.

Of course, there is another name for the submission. Once Bret Hart began using it, it became The Sharpshooter for the legend and anyone else that pulls the move out as a tribute to The Hitman.

6 Superplex

A suplex is one thing - but when The Ace Cowboy Bob Orton hoisted you to the top rope to deliver a Superplex…you were done, game over. Wrestlers from Barry Windham to Bret Hart to Ace’s son have utilized your basic Superplex to all sorts of results.

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Over the years, tag teams like Power and Glory have co-opted the move for The Power Plex. Meanwhile, superstars like Seth Rollins have decided that one big Superplex isn’t enough and have added a roll-through into a Falcon Arrow combination.

5 Ace Crusher

It pains wrestlers and wrestling fans to do so, but credit must be given Johnny Ace for at least one thing in his career. The raspy-voiced sycophant was a big star in All Japan in the early nineties and invented a move he called The Ace Crusher. He would snatch an opponent’s head and cradle it in his forearm before crashing down.

The cutter variation has been utilized by plenty of superstars over the years. But the most famous one would have to be Stone Cold Steve Austin who used it as the Stone Cold Stunner, getting the move over like no one else could.

4 Frog Splash

Generally associated with Luchadors like La Fiera, who is credited with inventing the move, The Frog Splash is actually a take on the big splash or the Superfly splash. Since he first did the move, Art Barr, The Mysterios, Kevin Owens, D-Lo Brown, and of course RVD and Eddie Guerrero have all made The Frog Splash something special.

Most recently Mami herself, Rhea Ripley has also used the move, only more in tribute to her Dom Dom than anyone else.

3 Spinebuster

There are two types of people in this world. The types that prefer The Double A Spinebuster and the ones who prefer Ron Simmons’ version. Both moves are easy to pull off and easier for fans to understand why their so painful.

Arn more or less innovated the move. But variations like The Alabama Slam and the sit out spinebuster have taken hold over the years too. The move now is mostly a setup move, as it leads to another big move, or is just part of a wrestler's comeback.

2 The Flying Elbow

There were probably a few people before and certainly plenty of acolytes of The Macho Man afterward who have leapt off the top turnbuckle to deliver a devastating elbow into the heart of their opponents. But no one did better than Randy Savage.

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Seldom is a move so synonymous with the man that every fan and superstar immediately think of him. But that hasn’t stopped the likes of Bayley, CM Punk, Max Caster (Mic Drop), or Kairi Sane (The InSane Elbow) from delivering their own version.

1 Superkick

While this list isn’t necessarily about how moves get tarnished over time, that is the exact evolution of The Superkick. Just go kick your pal in the face right now, he’s certainly going down for the three, if not the ten count and perhaps might need a new jaw depending on how well you landed your foot.

But in wrestling we’re supposed to suspend all kinds of disbelief that a human being can handle 975 kicks to the face during a match.