10 Terrible Finishers Used By Great WWE Wrestlers
Becky Lynch and Asuka
10. Chris Jericho – The Breakdown
Chris Jericho has built a Hall of Fame career on reinvention, producing some of the most effective finishers of all time like the Lion Tamer and the Walls of Jericho. The Breakdown, however, was a rare misstep. Introduced during his main-event rise in late 2001, the move almost never looked clean. Whether it was Jericho’s execution, the opponent’s positioning, or a mix of both, the slam frequently appeared awkward and mistimed. Jericho himself later admitted he could never get the science down right and quickly realized it wasn’t working, leading him to abandon it entirely.
9. Mick Foley - Double-underhook DDT
When Mick Foley arrived in WWE, he added the double arm DDT to his offense alongside the Mandible Claw. For a performer known for unforgettable violence and self-sacrifice, the move was surprisingly bland. It rarely felt like a match-ender and often looked like just another move in Foley’s arsenal. Its effectiveness varied wildly depending on who was taking it, and even later versions—such as Dean Ambrose’s Dirty Deeds—never truly convinced as devastating finishers.
8. Trish Stratus – Stratusfaction
Trish Stratus evolved into one of the most improved performers in WWE history, but her finisher never kept pace. The Stratusfaction was a creative idea in theory, requiring Trish to leap to the ropes, turn mid-motion, and deliver a bulldog—but in practice it looked awkward. The biggest issue was how obvious the cooperation was; the move could only work if the opponent was perfectly positioned and compliant. No matter how skilled Trish became, the Stratusfaction never stopped looking forced.
7. Mark Henry – World’s Strongest Slam
Mark Henry was presented as a genuine monster—someone whose sheer presence suggested unstoppable power. Ironically, his finisher felt underwhelming. While a slam from someone of Henry’s size would be devastating in reality, in wrestling terms it looked too ordinary. For someone billed as “The World’s Strongest Man,” the move lacked the spectacle and brutality expected of a top-tier powerhouse finisher.
6. Shelton Benjamin – Exploder Suplex
Shelton Benjamin was an extraordinary athlete capable of pulling off highlight-reel offense on a nightly basis. That’s why using a standard exploder suplex as a finisher felt like a mismatch. While it had the benefit of being usable on any opponent, it often looked no more impactful than a routine slam. When poorly taken, it completely undermined Benjamin’s credibility as a dynamic, explosive performer.
5. William Regal – Knee Trembler
William Regal was a master technician, a true student of wrestling with a deep arsenal of painful submissions and suplexes. The Knee Trembler, though realistic in a real-world fight, never looked particularly devastating in WWE. For someone known for precision, brutality, and technical dominance, it was a strange choice—especially when compared to the Regal Plex or Regal Stretch, which better reflected his skillset.
4. Scott Steiner – Flatliner
Scott Steiner’s WWE singles run was plagued by injuries and unfortunate timing, but his finisher choice didn’t help matters. Known for once-spectacular offense like the Frankensteiner and Steiner Screwdriver, Steiner later adopted the highly effective Steiner Recliner. Yet during his WWE run, he relied heavily on a basic Flatliner. The move felt lazy, uninspired, and emblematic of a midcard act—something that clashed badly with Steiner’s legacy and presentation.
3. The Ultimate Warrior – Running Splash
The Ultimate Warrior looked like a comic-book superhero brought to life, but his finisher didn’t match his aura. While a 280-pound man crashing onto you would hurt in real life, within the context of wrestling it was difficult to believe the move could put down the massive opponents Warrior routinely defeated. For someone portrayed as an unstoppable force, the running splash felt oddly tame.
2. Kerry Von Erich – Tornado Punch
Kerry Von Erich had an incredible look and one of wrestling’s most iconic weapons in the Iron Claw. However, during his WWE run as the Texas Tornado, the claw was often de-emphasized in favor of the Tornado Punch. Despite Kerry’s legitimate background as a discus thrower, the move rarely looked devastating. The added spin did nothing to enhance its impact, and it only ever truly shined when an opponent like Mr. Perfect sold it to perfection.
1. Becky Lynch – Manhandle Slam
Becky Lynch rose to the top of WWE through charisma, toughness, and storytelling. While her Dis-Arm-Her submission was believable and effective, her pinfall finisher was a different story. The Manhandle Slam required a level of size and leverage that didn’t suit Lynch, often appearing awkward and sloppy. Opponents frequently struggled to take it cleanly, making the move look more forced than fatal. For a star of Lynch’s caliber, it never felt like a truly “big-time” finisher.
