tl;dr: Chris Jericho, Jeff Hardy, Randy Orton, John Cena, CM Punk
Continuing ARolemodel.com’s countdown of the Top WWE finishing moves of the past ten years.
Chris Jericho Lionsault
Chris Jericho has always been one of the more graceful and artistic male WWE superstars, so its only fitting that he have an acrobatic finishing move. The lionsault reflects Jerichos extremely slick style and artistic, creative in-ring skills.
Jeff Hardy Swanton
Jeff Hardy was the ultimate WWE daredevil, diving off of any ledge he could mount. He was also one of the most stylish WWE wrestlers of all time, with his unique psychedelic attire. His finishing move needed to illustrate his ability to look slick as hell well being totally suicidal (which in itself is no mean feat). To create this image, he didn’t just dive off the turnbuckle, but more importantly, reflect his “never say die” attitude by pretending his fingers were a gun pointing down his own throat.
Randy Orton RKO
Viper’s strike and no move in the WWE ever struck with such speed an ferocity as Randy Orton’s RKO. To be true to his character, the RKO needed to be quick, cunning, deadly and decisive, and oh boy was it!
John Cena Attitude Adjustment
There’s a simplicity about the way John Cena wrestles. He’s not particularly artistic, like a Chris Jericho or Jeff Hardy; he isn’t gritty like CM Punk and he’s not particularly in your face like Stone Cold or Brock Lesnar, he just gets the job done. The same can be said about the Attitude Adjustment. It’s not amazingly stylish, it just gets the job done. What it is, however, is a great show of strength (especially when he did it to the Big Show). Not much can compare to holding the seven foot giant over your head!
CM Punk – GTS Go To Sleep
CM Punk has always been . .. . well, a punk. His in ring personality is dogged and gritty. His awesome mic skills always show him as a defiant, in your face guy. And more than anything else, he looks like he just walked into WWE off the streets. So what better finisher for him than a move youd expect to see more in a street fight than a wrestling ring? When CM Punk slams his knee into his opponent’s face, he isn’t just winning a match, he’s showing off his brash, street, down to earth and rebellious persona.