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Whether Bryan Danielson's ''Flying Knee" or Kenny Omega's "One-Winged Angel", AEW has some of the most devastating finishers in the industry. A finisher is a move or hold that has the potential to instantly finish a pro wrestling match.
A great finish can be an integral part of a wrestler’s gimmick. The Diving Headbutt of Dynamite Kid enhanced his crash and burn wrestling style, signifying how much he is willing to sacrifice his body to win a match.
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A wrestler might need a new finisher for multiple reasons. It could be overused and lose its charm or it may longer go along with their gimmick. The list will feature five finishers from AEW superstars that need to be replaced:.
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5. AEW star MJF’s “Salt of the Earth”
This is MJF's alternate finisher as his primary finisher is a punch to the face wearing the Dynamite Diamond Ring. The Diamond Ring punch happens behind the referee's back and draws a ton of heat, perfectly matching his loud-mouthed cowardly heel gimmick. MJF is a smart worker and knows that he can’t use this sucker punch to win every match. Therefore, he needed an alternative finisher to get the job done regularly.
MJF appears as a heel technician, and his main strategy in a match is to evade as much as possible until he can land a sneaky cheap shot. He never works on body parts to soften up and lock in a submission hold, which takes some power away from this kind of finisher.
Sooner or later, the Diamond Ring punch will also have run its course. It would be convincing for MJF to earn pinfall over top names like CM Punk with a sucker punch behind the referee’s back. He needs a new finisher which matches his gimmick while being able to be performed in front of the referee.
4. AEW star Wardlow’s powerbomb
MJF's henchman Wardlow also needs a new finisher. Wardlow is a giant who possesses explosive athleticism. However, we haven’t seen much from him inside the AEW ring. He has only appeared in a handful of matches to this date. Recently, he has been using the “powerbomb symphony” to squash enhancement talents.
A good finisher is not required to be used multiple times in a match. The idea is to present Wardlow as a ruthless force who only cares about hurting opponents. The use of multiple powerbombs takes away the edge of the powerbomb. Powerbombs have also been overly used in pro wrestling. Wardlow definitely needs a convincing power move as his new finisher. His F-10 would be a good choice.
3. Orange Cassidy’s Orange Punch and Beach Break
Love him or hate him, Orange Cassidy always draws a reaction from the crowd. He is the perfect example of how modern wrestling fans influence booking decisions. He plays a reluctant “stoner” like persona, and is an underdog babyface who loves to play mind games with his opponents.
Orange Cassidy is by no means a muscular hunk. He is the smaller guy in most cases and it is not believable for him to knock out bigger men with a single punch. As for the Beach Break, it appears weak because it is kicked out of too often. A smaller comedic underdog like him does not need a high-impact finisher. A convincing roll up out of nowhere will do the job.
2. Former AEW Champion Jon Moxley’s Paradigm Shift
Jon Moxley has been an exciting wrestler to watch in AEW. His promos are excellent and his deathmatch fighter gimmick is perfect for his personality. The only drawback to his game is his finisher.
A finisher cannot be considered great unless it is executed properly. The Double Underhook DDT is not even something that Moxley innovated. Cactus Jack used it as one of his signature moves and it looked much better than Moxley’s version. Drew McIntyre used his version of the move dubbed the Future Shock DDT which is the most impressive-looking variation of the move. Moxley never seems to properly lock in the Double Underhook, which makes it look like a botch. He also uses a lift-up variation of the move which makes it look more like a Butterfly Suplex than DDT.
Moxley is currently undergoing rehab and may come back even stronger with a new impressive-looking finisher.
1. AEW star Eddie Kingston’s Back Fist to the Future
It is very hard to find any flaws in Eddie Kingston’s game. He can talk his heart out and sacrifices his body for the craft. He can make people care for him irrespective of who he is facing.
If there is anything wrong with his game it would be his finisher. The Spinning Backfist looks too fancy for his gimmick and doesn't always get the job done. Remember, CM Punk beat Kingston even after getting back-fisted in the initial moments of the match.
Kingston is a raw, wild character in AEW and his finisher needs to be something less flashy and more damaging. This will bring the Mad King to the top level for sure.
