One of the best things about watching pro wrestling matches is that if there are two or more people in the ring, there is always chance for them to counter each other. As in, they are in a quest to outsmart one another by getting out of moves, etc.
If executed well, this brings the storytelling to light. Counters absolutely make the match whether it’s getting out of regular moves or finishers. Many times, fans will remember the counters the most out of a match.
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Whether they’re just spots or moment makers, they are an essential part in the storytelling of a pro wrestling match. They impress you, and display the Superstar’s versatility as a pro wrestler. There are so many of them we could cover all day long. For now, we will highlight just a few of some amazing counters in a WWE match.
10. Seth Rollins outsmarts Roman Reigns to end his WWE Championship Reign
I want to start with this one first – I thought this was a great move, especially since Reigns possesses one of the most impactful spears in WWE’s history. These two guys have history, and that serves for some great combinations.
They know each other well, and it showed in this matchup from last Sunday. Rollins proved he was one step ahead of Reigns when he was stopped dead in his tracks from spearing his former brother. That pedigree, and one more later proved to be the end for Reigns.
9. Forgotten gem ends with Sweet Chin Music
Shelton Benjamin is one of the most underrated Superstars WWE has seen. After the breakup of the World’s Greatest Tag Tam, Benjamin found himself in singles competition. While there was much left to be desired on his singles run, Benjamin shined in 2005 when he faced Shawn Michaels on Raw in the Gold Rush Tournament.
In a quest to determine the Number One Contender for World Heavyweight Champion Batista, Benjamin and Michaels excelled in this classic match. Benjamin’s athleticism was on full exhibition and was complimented by the ring general in Michaels. This classic was topped off by Michaels catching Benjamin with the Sweet Chin Music as he flew across the ring in a failed springboard.
8. First time was a charm; the second time is a bust
One of the great things about Reigns’ Superman Punch is literally it can come from nowhere, almost like the RKO. On an edition of Raw, The Shield faced off against Big E, Cody Rhodes and Goldust.
During the match, Rhodes hit Reigns with one Disaster Kick that left the juggernaut stunned. However, when Rhodes attempted to strike gold again, he was met with a devastating Superman Punch.
Rhodes thought he had gotten him, but Reigns showed to be quick on his feet. It went downhill from there for the Rhodes brothers and Big E, as it ended up too little to stop The Shield’s thunder.
7. Rey Mysterio flies into a Spear
Edge is another WWE Superstar who had a devastating Spear. Then on the other hand, you had someone like Rey Mysterio who was mostly able to avoid counters due to his quickness and size. Plus his agility served him when the odds were against him.
Mysterio gave Edge a run for his money at the Royal Rumble 2008 in a hard fought battle. Mysterio was able to counter much of Edge’s offense, but the World Heavyweight Champion had the last laugh as he speared a springboarding Mysterio for the win.
6. The Next Big Thing is dethroned by Latino Heat
Eddie Guerrero may lie, cheat and steal, but he is also known as a great mat technician. His legacy was forever cemented at No Way Out 2004 when he picked up a surprise win over Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship.
For Guerrero, counters and reversals were his best friends in dismantling the young Beast Incarnate. Even with an assist from Goldberg, Guerrero put his cheating skills to good use while the referee was knocked out. He countered Lesnar’s F5 with a DDT onto the Championship. He would then win the match in underdog fashion via the Frog Splay. Viva La Raza!
5. The greatest RKO on the WrestleMania Stage
The Rollins and Randy Orton feud came to a head at last year’s WrestleMania. In what was one of the best matches of the night, Rollins fell short of the victory when he attempted the Curb Stomp, only for the veteran Orton to counter the finisher with one of the sickest RKO’s he’s executed. It was superb, and even though Orton got the victory, Rollins had made up for the loss later that night with his successful Money in the Bank cash in to end WrestleMania.
4. The Uppercut is Cesaro’s greatest arsenal move
Every time Cesaro utilizes the uppercut, it is a thing of beauty. It’s sold as a huge move and is always impressive. It was no different when Cesaro answered John Cena’s US Title Open Challenge in 2015. Cena produced some of his best work with the Challenge, and his match with Cesaro was one of the best matches from that.
Cesaro is an underrated ring technician who is able to make the most out of the time he is given. His Crossface counter with the Five Knuckle Shuffle was stellar, as was Cena’s counter of the Swing.
Whether it’s the corkscrew Uppercut, or just the standard Uppercut, when Cesaro’s opponent is in midair or stunned, there’s not much they can do to stop the power of Cesaro. He countered the AA by holding onto the ropes, then avoiding a clothesline to send Cena flying into the air and into the uppercut. Cesaro would lose the bout, though Cena had his work cut out for him.
3. The Showstopper falls short in WrestleMania classic
After Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker had a short program in the late 90s, no one had any idea that we hadn’t seen anything yet. In what was no doubt one of the greatest matches in WrestleMania history, Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker put on a classic for the silver anniversary of the sports entertainment spectacle.
Michaels appeared to have Taker’s number, but it was the Deadman who prevailed in a hard fought win taking his WrestleMania record to 17-0. First, Taker countered the Sweet Chin Music dropping to the mat and locking Michaels into Hell’s Gate.
Michaels stayed in the match outsourcing any move he could to take down Taker. However Michaels’ Mmoonsault was cut short when landed right in Taker’s grasp, where he was able to administer a second Tombstone for the three count.
2. The RKO that got snubbed
The best RKO Randy Orton ever executed came at the expense of Evan Bourne on an episode of Raw. When Bourne attempted the Airbourne (shooting star press), the RKO outta nowhere was heard around the world, and had people talking.
When it came to the Slammy Awards, the moment lost out to John Cena of all people. Orton took to Twitter and called WWE out on it, and with good purpose. Nobody cared about that AA through the stage compared to that awesome RKO.
1. Guerrero’s Clever WrestleMania Moment
I put this as number one, because honestly, this is my favorite counter. While it wasn’t a hard hitting move, the fact that the finish to Eddie Guerrero vs. Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XX was the most clever finish to a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match.
In the midst of the match, Guerrero’s shoe strings on his boot became loose, only for him to use it to his advantage when Angle locked him in the Angle Lock. Guerrero managed to slip his ankle out of the boot, causing Angle to be surprised and be rolled up for the win. Guerrero is known for lying, cheating and stealing, so with this counter, Guerrero stole the win from Angle to retain the Championship. It played into his gimmick well and fans loved it.
