5 current WWE Superstars who stole their finishing move
One of the best traits of any WWE Superstar is their finishing move(s). We’ve seen plenty of historic, innovative moves and holds that have withstood the test of time. From the Stone Cold Stunner to the Rock Bottom to Hulk Hogan’s infamous Leg Drop, some finishers are forever attached to the WWE name.
However, there have been several WWE Superstars who have either stolen or used other finishers from the past as homages or tributes to help catapult their own characters to the next level (or simply gain some attention from the WWE Universe).
With that being said, let’s look at five current WWE Superstars who stole their finishing move.
#5 – The Judgment Day's Damian Priest vs. The Bad Guy
The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest used to have a finisher called The Reckoning, a move that he has used since his days in NXT. Once Cody Rhodes made his return to WWE, Priest thought it was time to change up his finisher since it was identical to the Cross Rhodes that Cody uses.
Ironically enough, Priest decided to pay tribute to the late Scott Hall (Razor Ramon) and adopted the Razor’s Edge as his new finisher. Priest had used a variation of the move during his days in NXT but decided to use it as a permanent finisher.
Sadly, Scott Hall passed away in March 2022 following a heart attack due to complications from his hip surgery. To honor his memory, Priest kept using the finisher as a tribute to “The Bad Guy”.
#4 – The Architect vs. The King of Kings
Two generations - ek dhamaakedaar finisher. Who do you think executes the Pedigree better: Seth Rollins or Triple H? https://t.co/MQeV5lLemS
Seth Rollins began using the Pedigree as a finisher (or secondary finisher) when he allied himself with Triple H and The Authority back in 2014. Rollins hasn't been associated with The Game for some time now, so one would think that he'd stop using it.
However, now that Triple H has retired from in-ring competition due to health issues, Rollins continues to use his finisher as a tribute to The King of Kings.
#3 – The Stunner heard across the WWE Universe
Kevin Owens began using a variation of the Stunner as his finishing move starting in 2019. Owens began utilizing the finisher as a tribute to Stone Cold Steve Austin, someone Owens idolized and who had inspired him to pursue his dream as a professional wrestler.
As fate would have it, Austin made his return to the ring for one last match against Kevin Owens at WrestleMania 38. The Rattlesnake ironically won the match with the Stone Cold Stunner.
This was perhaps the biggest match in Kevin Owens’ career to date, and certainly a moment the WWE Universe will never ever forget.
#2 – The battle of the Spear
Who has the better spear: @WWERomanReigns or @Goldberg? https://t.co/oF0mqPmSdH
There have been many variations of the Spear over the years, but it was Goldberg who made the move a household name during his initial WCW tenure. The Spear and Jackhammer combination made Goldberg a megastar during the Monday Night Wars.
Years later, other wrestlers such as Bobby Lashley, Rhino, Edge, Christian, and Roman Reigns would borrow the Spear as a finishing move (or secondary finisher). Reigns would make the Spear his finisher after breaking out as a singles star in 2014.
As fate would have it, both Goldberg and Roman Reigns would have their long-awaited encounter at the 2022 WWE Elimination Chamber, with Roman Reigns defeating Goldberg to retain the Universal Championship.
#1 – Diamond Cutter or those 3 simple letters: R-K-O!
We can’t have a stolen finisher list without mentioning the RKO. The RKO (or Ace Crusher, Diamond Cutter, etc.). is a move that’s been executed and made famous by the likes of Johnny Ace (John Laurinaitis) and Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) during the 80s and 90s, respectively.
Randy Orton would adopt the finisher and make it into his own version called the RKO during his days in Evolution and beyond. What makes the RKO stand out is that Orton can literally hit the move out of nowhere and at any time.
Sure, DDP may have been the innovator of executing the Diamond Cutter from different reversals and move combinations, but it was The Viper who took that basic formula and evolved it into a global phenomenon. The RKO has been used in countless memes and TikTok videos over the last decade.
Simply put, the RKO may very well be the greatest stolen wrestling move of all time.