Each successful match that you become involved with over what you hope to be your long and prosperous career in the ring will come to the same point: your opponent is worn down, and need only be put away.  The question that you will need to answer is simple: How do I accomplish this?

Don’t fret.  The answer is simplicity in itself… you utilize your patented finishing move.  Whether it be a classic move for the ages, such as Ric Flair’s Figure Four Leg Lock, or an innovative move that you cook up early in your career such as Louie Spicolli’s Spicolli Driver (now commonly referred to as the Death Valley Driver), your finishing move will be that signature move that fans will associate with you for your career.

The finisher dilemma is one that comes in several points, which I’ll address for you in this article.  These points are:

1. Should the finisher be a submission hold, top rope move, or something else?
2. Should I invent my own move, or should I borrow one from an experienced grappler?
3. Does my finisher need to be distinctive?

To better answer these questions, first we’ll catagorize the five different types of finishers.

The first type is the submission hold.  This category is pretty self explanatory, it involves any hold which, when applied to an opponent, will put them in an amount of pain sufficient for them to give up, or pass out.  Moves like the Sharpshooter, Figure Four Leglock, Crippler Crossface, and the STF Submission are all examples of this type of finisher.  Any wrestler can use these as their finishers.

The second type of finisher is the top rope move.  These are also pretty straight forward: You climb to either the top turnbucle and execute a manuever designed to incapacitate your opponent for long enough to get you the three count.  The Moonsault, Guillotine Leg Drop, Superfly, Frog Splash, Senton Splash, and 450 Splash are all examples of top rope finishers.  Anyone can use these as well, but lighter wrestlers show more skill with them.

The third category of finisher is the wear down hold.  These holds are designed to reduce your opponent to unconsiousness.  The sleeper hold, all of its derrivatives, the front face lock, the bear hug, the head, or body scissors, and the full nelson are all examples of the wear down hold.  Once again, any wrestler can use these, but larger, stronger wrestlers tend to be more successful with them.

The fourth category of finisher is the power move.  These moves usually involve lifting your opponent up off the ground, then slamming them back down again, usually in as painful a fashion as possible.  The Powerbomb, Piledriver, Gorilla Press Slam, Power Slam, and any Suplex, or Driver derrivative are all examples of power finishers.  Big, strong wrestlers have the most success with this type of finisher.

The fifth, and final category of finisher is the non-power move.  These moves involve incapacitating your opponent while leaving him standing, allowing smaller wresters to perform them.  Any DDT derrivative, the Stone Cold Stunner/Diamond Cutter, Reverse Neck Breaker, Swinging Neck Breaker, and the Harlem Side Kick are all examples of this type of finisher.  Any wrestler can use them, but wrestlers in between Cruiserweight and Super Heavyweight have the most success with them.

Question number one is dependent upon what type of wrestler that you are (i.e. your wrestling style).  Always keep in mind what your strengths are as a wrestler.  If you rely on speed and aerial moves to win matches, a power move is unlikely to be an effective primary finisher.  Juventud Guerrera doesn’t perform his Juvy Driver on Scott Norton… he can’t lift him up!  Technical wrestlers, for this reason tend to have the greatest leeway when choosing a finisher.  This is not to say that you can’t mix styles.  A big man who goes off the top rope for a moonsault finisher can be devastating, but it is fairly uncommon.  And there are power wrestler that use submission holds as their finisher… it just doesn’t happen as often.

Question number two is all a matter of choice.  Aside from a move already used by another member of your organization, any move used by a wrestler is fair game.  Personally I chose to fashion my own finisher… a derivative of a move used by many other wrestlers as their finisher: The Spicolli Driver.  I inverted the victim, making it a much more devastating manuever.  While the DDT is an effective finisher, Sting’s Scorpion Death Drop is much more painful looking.  Basically what I’m saying is this: sometimes creating a new move is as simple as inverting the position of the victim of a current move.

Finally on to question three.  A finisher needn’t be distinctive, as I discussed above.  In point of fact, there are many wrestlers that ever even use their finishers, preferring to cheat their way to victory instead.  As long as it works for YOU, that’s the important thing.  Let’s be honest… Hulk Hogan’s Leg Drop of Doom is about as devastating a move as a poke in the eye, but it worked for him, therefore, it’s an effective finisher.

The main point in using a finisher is functionality.  If it works with your gimmick, use it.

By “Leviathan” Victor Dougan

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