Now, pretty much all the superstars have a big finishing move or a submission hold that they end a match with. Back during the old days, most wrestlers used some of the same finishes/submissions , although some had signature moves.

 

As an old school guy, I always liked the sleeper hold. Vern Gagne was renowned for using it. Piper and Beefcake also put folks to sleep to win matches. Ronnie Garvin and the Mongolian Stomper were two old school guys that I remember making use of the sleeper hold.

 

Flair won many matches with his Figure-Four Leg Lock. Paul Jones did a variation of the Figure -Four called the Indian Death Lock. Triple H also made use of this early in his career.

 

"The Excellence of Execution," Bret Hart, did a variation called the "Ring Post Figure- Four" which was even more devastating. Bret's "Sharpshooter" including elements of both the Figure- Four and the Boston Crab.

 

The Funk's, both Terry and Dory, Jr. , made use of the Spinning Toe Hold to finish matches.

 

Bob Backlund's signature submission hold was the Crossface Chicken Wing.

 

Remember when wrestlers would finish with a move called the "Airplane Spin" ? Put your opponent on your back and go around really fast in circles like little kids love to do to get dizzy.

 

Blackjack Mulligan and Baron Von Rashke made use of the claw hold to finish off their opponents. Killer Kowalkski used the stomach claw.

 

I always like how Flair did his souplex. He would hold the opponent high in the vertical position for what seemed like a full minute before finishing off the move.

 

I always like the piledriver as well. I used that one a lot when us kids would wrestle in the backyard. One time it almost went terribly wrong and I never used it again.

 

 

What are some of your favorite finishing moves or submission holds and the wrestlers who best executed them???

Ultimate Warrior's guerilla press followed by a big splash.

 

Undertaker's Tombstone piledriver.

 

Mr. Perfect's Perfect Plex.

Jake the Snake and the DDT. Simple, but effective.

Earthquake's splash. John Tenta should have been a champion.

 

Also, a guy from the NWO Wolfpac named Konnan had a cool move called the Tequila Sunrise.

When my cousins and I used to wrestle the DDT and Torture Rack were my finishing moves and still two of my all-time favorites.

 

A well landed DDT looks like you killed someone but it's probably one of the safest finishing moves that you can execure without worrying about hurting someone.

Figure Four is my all-time favorite however, I've been put in and put others in it 100's of times.

Stone Cold Stunner

Figure Four - Ric Flair

Sweet Chin Music before everyone was doing Superkicks

Diamond Cutter including Randy Orton's RKO version

Earthquake's splash. John Tenta should have been a champion.

 

Also, a guy from the NWO Wolfpac named Konnan had a cool move called the Tequila Sunrise.

 

Konnan was a mean dude. Not real friendly to fans either.

Does anyone remember the Iron Sheik's "Camel Clutch" or Sgt. Slaughter's "Cobra Clutch" ?

Does anyone remember the Iron Sheik's "Camel Clutch" or Sgt. Slaughter's "Cobra Clutch" ?

 

Definitely remember those.

Undertaker's Tombstone piledriver.

 

Another guy who finished with the sleeper was Maniac Mark Lewin. Some of you may remember him in Kevin Sullivan's "cult" as "The Purple Haze." They guy was a scary heel character. He would often foam at the mouth and his eyes would glaze over as he locked in his sleeper.

 

Scott Steiner back in the day had a sweet looking Frankensteiner.

I always liked the Million Dollar Dream. Because you know.... Everybody's got a price!!! Bahahahaha (Million Dollar Mans laugh was great)