Finishers are the most important weapon in the arsenal of a pro wrestler. Throughout the history of the sport, fans have seen various Superstars use different finishers to keep their opponent down for the three-count.
With the evolution of the business, it's not very rare to see Superstars counter the finishers of their opponent to deliver theirs. But the biggest surprise comes when they decide to give their opponent a taste of their own medicine.
In what was called as a "red smack" in 2003's "WWE SmackDown! Here Comes the Pain" for PS2, there have been instances of a Superstar getting hit by his own finisher during a match. It can be seen either as a desperate move to win a match or a classic example of the popular saying - imitation is the best form of flattery.
Whatever you may consider that to be, it is indeed quite thrilling to see superstars getting their finishers hit on them. In this article, let's take a look at five such instances. Make sure to comment and mention your favorite "red smack" in WWE history.
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#5 Tombstone Piledriver
The Undertaker has been one of the biggest Superstars in the company for the last three decades. Many even argue that his character of The Deadman has been the one of the best gimmick. A mere look from the Phenom standing across the ring, rolling his eyes backward, is enough to intimidate any opponent.
Another major part of his persona is his finisher - the deadly Tombstone Piledriver, through which he has made many of his opponents to rest in peace.
But the WrestleMania 27 match between The Undertaker and Triple H saw The Game use this very move against The Deadman. He perfectly delivered a Tombstone Piledriver to him in the middle of the ring- even trying to pin him in typical Undertaker manner.
Even though this was not enough to keep The Phenom down, the fans in the arena, as well as everyone watching around the world, surely were up on their feet.
#4 The Stunner
The Stone Cold Stunner is one of the most iconic finishers in the history of the business. If one talks about the moves which get the loudest reactions, the Stunner probably tops the list. The move fits the character of Stone Cold Steve Austin perfectly and also looks deadly.
But do you remember the time when the Texas Rattlesnake got stunned himself by none other than the most electrifying man in all of sports entertainment - The Rock. During their rivalry in 2003 around WrestleMania XIX, Rock hit the Stunner on Austin - first on RAW during the buildup, and later during the actual match as well. Was that the most electrifying stunner ever?
#3 The Shield Triple Powerbomb
One of the most destructive forces in WWE history, the trio of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, and Dean Ambrose, known as The Shield arrived in the scene during 2012's Survivor Series and haven't looked back ever.
We all fondly remember the sight of the Hounds surrounding their target, attacking him together, and then finishing them off with their classic Shield Triple Powerbomb - a move which has taken out the likes of The Undertaker and John Cena.
But the year 2014 saw the rebirth of the Evolution as Triple H, Randy Orton, and Batista came back together to take on the Hounds of Justice. On the May 5th episode of RAW that year, the trio took out the powerhouse of The Shield - Roman Reigns - with their very own Triple Powerbomb.
#2 Attitude Adjustment
The Poster Boy of the company for nearly a decade, John Cena has made a special name for himself in the world of sports entertainment. Throughout his journey of winning 16 world titles, Cena has adjusted the attitude of many fellow Superstars in the ring by taking them out clean and square.
One of his biggest rivals has been The Viper, Randy Orton. Having wrestled each other maybe a million times, the two have given us many memorable bouts and feuds. During their World title match at Royal Rumble 2014, Orton resorted to using his opponent's signature move AA on him to try and secure a win.
Later on in the match, Cena also used the same trick, but both failed the pin attempts.
#1 RKO
The three most devastating letters in sports entertainment - RKO. One of the finest finishers of all time, this "outta nowhere" move is a thing of beauty. We've seen Randy Orton take out numerous Superstars with this, but there have been a few who've tried to give Orton a taste of his own medicine.
After the famous Heist of the Century by Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 31, he defended his World title against the Viper inside a steel cage at Extreme Rules. While Orton was banned from using the RKO in that match by The Authority, an interference saw him lose control and deliver the vicious move to Kane, but only for Rollins to sneak up from behind and deliver an RKO to The Viper himself.
Other than that, Rollins has also RKO'd Orton during a Live Event in Antwerp, Belgium after Orton tried to mimic the Stomp.