So I'm watching HEAT last night, and there's a match between Chuck Palumbo and Chris Benoit. It's nearing the end of the match, and Chuck hits his apparent finisher, which is a big running kick. And I think to myself, I have a real problem with a kick of any kind, unless it's something damn impressive, being used as a finishing move. Chuck, Tyson Tomko, Test, Albert... all big men who used a kick as their finisher at one point, and I never really bought into it. It always seems anti-climactic; these guys are using power moves all match, and then the end is a random kick that is usually done sloppily.
It's the new powerbomb, and I don't buy it as a finisher any more. It's simply not as impressive as it used to be to see a big guy throw his leg up that high. I liked the set-up Test gave it; it seemd to have more oomph to it. The bicycle kick can work because it allegedly drives the foot under the chin or nose as opposed to the now-standard flat of the foot to the head.
Speaking of finishers, I hope Snitsky isn't going to rely on the pumphandle slam to end his matches. I expect a bit more than the one-time finisher ror Road Dogg.
"To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker
Test's Big Boot O' Death was an awesome finisher, and I was sad to see him retire it. But as a rule I can see your point-unless you've got some real power or speed behind it (a la Shawn or Tajiri) a big kick will invariably just look lame.
Also, Snitsky seems to have switched to the Meltdown/Pumphandle Powerslam as a finisher, ratehr than just a garden variety pumphandle. It's what he used to finish off Regal last week.
Once upon a time in China, some believe, around the year one double-ought three, head priest of the White Lotus Clan, Pai Mei was walking down the road, contemplating whatever it is that a man of Pai Mei's infinite power contemplates - which is another way of saying "who knows" - when a Shaolin monk appeared, traveling in the opposite direction. As the monk and the priest crossed paths, Pai Mei, in a practically unfathomable display of generosity, gave the monk the slightest of nods. The nod was not returned. Now was it the intention of the Shaolin monk to insult Pai Mei or did he just fail to see the generous social gesture? The motives of the monk remain unknown. What is known, are the consequences. The next morning Pai Mei appeared at the Shaolin Temple and demanded of the Temple's head abbot that he offer Pai Mei his neck to repay the insult. The Abbot at first tried to console Pai Mei, only to find Pai Mei was inconsolable. So began the massacre of the Shaolin Temple and all 60 of the monks inside at the fists of the White Lotus. And so began the legend of Pai Mei's five point palm exploding heart technique.
Originally posted by Matt TrackerIt's the new powerbomb, and I don't buy it as a finisher any more. It's simply not as impressive as it used to be to see a big guy throw his leg up that high. I liked the set-up Test gave it; it seemd to have more oomph to it. The bicycle kick can work because it allegedly drives the foot under the chin or nose as opposed to the now-standard flat of the foot to the head.
Speaking of finishers, I hope Snitsky isn't going to rely on the pumphandle slam to end his matches. I expect a bit more than the one-time finisher ror Road Dogg.
Actually, Snitsky's pumphandle slam is the one test used to use as his finisher. The Road Dogg used more of a pumphandle powerslam type thing.
That's not Chuck's finisher, though. He was using the superkick on Smackdown, but I believe he's switched to the move he tried to put on Benoit before Benoit reversed it into the Crossface (holds the guy in front of him, hoists him up into a fireman's carry position to hit a Samoan Drop).
Although, it's been quite some time since my boy Chuck won a match, so I could be wrong.
Originally posted by Spaceman SpiffThat's not Chuck's finisher, though. He was using the superkick on Smackdown, but I believe he's switched to the move he tried to put on Benoit before Benoit reversed it into the Crossface (holds the guy in front of him, hoists him up into a fireman's carry position to hit a Samoan Drop).
Fair enough; I don't watch HEAT very much, so I was only going by what the announcers said, which was something like "There's that kick that he put so-and-so away with last week!"
Originally posted by Spaceman SpiffThat's not Chuck's finisher, though. He was using the superkick on Smackdown, but I believe he's switched to the move he tried to put on Benoit before Benoit reversed it into the Crossface (holds the guy in front of him, hoists him up into a fireman's carry position to hit a Samoan Drop).
Although, it's been quite some time since my boy Chuck won a match, so I could be wrong.
Yeah he has been using the Samoan drop to finish off his wins. And yeas, the kick is an unimpressive finisher. But what do you expect? The WWE seems to have about 30 moves it lets its guys do these days; there's nothing interesting being done by wrestlers right now. If anything, the finishers are regressing rather than evolving. I mean Shelton Benjamin is using a powerslam, Edge is using a spear, and the WWE champion uses a freakin' clothesline to end matches. (and as much as I like JBL, has there ever been a less impressive finisher for a WWE Champ; yeah i know the big legdrop by Hogan sucked, but at least it pooped the crowd.)
Originally posted by sentonBOMBSo I'm watching HEAT last night, and there's a match between Chuck Palumbo and Chris Benoit. It's nearing the end of the match, and Chuck hits his apparent finisher, which is a big running kick.
Chuck's used that kick for years since his WCW Saturday Night prelim days. Back then it was called "The Jungle Kick" because he used to come out in jungle-themed attire.
Originally posted by BigSteve and the WWE champion uses a freakin' clothesline to end matches. (and as much as I like JBL, has there ever been a less impressive finisher for a WWE Champ;
It can all be relative depending on who's doing it and how they differ. For me, Bradshaw's lariat is nothing great, but Stan Hansen's lariat was the greatest thing on earth. That's the only time I will attempt to draw any comparison between the two men.
I did like the big boot when Test used it for his finisher. When Kane or Taker use it in the middle of a match as a transition move I could care less about it.
"I don't know why we bother, we should let you all burn." - Basil Fawlty on the importance of fire drills.
Originally posted by Spaceman SpiffThat's not Chuck's finisher, though. He was using the superkick on Smackdown, but I believe he's switched to the move he tried to put on Benoit before Benoit reversed it into the Crossface (holds the guy in front of him, hoists him up into a fireman's carry position to hit a Samoan Drop).
Although, it's been quite some time since my boy Chuck won a match, so I could be wrong.
Yeah he has been using the Samoan drop to finish off his wins. And yeas, the kick is an unimpressive finisher. But what do you expect? The WWE seems to have about 30 moves it lets its guys do these days; there's nothing interesting being done by wrestlers right now. If anything, the finishers are regressing rather than evolving. I mean Shelton Benjamin is using a powerslam, Edge is using a spear, and the WWE champion uses a freakin' clothesline to end matches. (and as much as I like JBL, has there ever been a less impressive finisher for a WWE Champ; yeah i know the big legdrop by Hogan sucked, but at least it pooped the crowd.)
I entirely agree. Aside from Paul London, no WWE superstar in the last year, give or take, has really shown me any new moves that made me say "Wow, that was pretty cool." The last WWE superstar i've seen in the last couple of years with a cool finisher is....Victoria, with the Widow's Peak. A cool finisher or a cool moveset can instantly get a guy over, which is why it bugs me that so many of the big hoss wrestlers that WWE has been pushing (Jindrak, Heidenreich, Tomko, Reigns, etc.) have been using such generic power moves to finish their matches. The so-called stars of the future like Orton and Cena use a diamond cutter and a fucking fireman's slam, for pete's sake.
Originally posted by BigSteve and the WWE champion uses a freakin' clothesline to end matches. (and as much as I like JBL, has there ever been a less impressive finisher for a WWE Champ;
It can all be relative depending on who's doing it and how they differ. For me, Bradshaw's lariat is nothing great, but Stan Hansen's lariat was the greatest thing on earth. That's the only time I will attempt to draw any comparison between the two men.
I remember reading somewhere that Stan Hansen's lariat had an extra scary component for the recipient. Hansen's eyesight was so bad (he wore insanely thick glasses in everyday life) that he was nearly blind in the ring. So when he threw that vicious shot, many times he missed the mark and just drilled guys in the face. Ouch!
"Well, you can't involve friendship with business. It has to be one or the other. It's either business or friendship, or hit the bricks!" --Life Lessons from "The Tao of Bobby the Brain Heenan" Uncensored 2000 preview
"As long as the check don't bounce, I guess he's okay with it!" --Former All Pro Giants LB Harry Carson on Bill Parcells joining the hated rival Dallas Cowboys
Personally, I hate when Michaels or Test telegraph their kick finishers. They're much more likely to hit a guy without making a big sound first, and that leads to the "stunned/hurt enough for a three count" psychology.
Another kick move I hate is Booker T's scissors kick. It seems very light to me. Tajiri's Kick of Death is my current favorite, for the complete opposite reason: it seems stiff.
Not a single mention of The Barbarian's big boot finisher? For shame. I loved it when he'd pull that off.
I hate the running Big Boot as well. The Big boot that Hogan or The Undertaker would use is a great set up for the finish, but the running big boot is so stupid.
I think Palumbo had to switch to that because of the No Person shall use the same finisher rule the WWE seems to have.
Either way he looks stupid wearing Kaki's and his red wrestling boots with the white bottoms.
Originally posted by Phantom LordEither way he looks stupid wearing Kaki's and his red wrestling boots with the white bottoms.
Actually, those aren't boots, they're Converse Chuck Taylor sneakers, often called "Chucks," which I assume is a play off of his name, or just the weirdest coincidence ever...
"Naughty by Nature, Evil by Choice!" Evil Buddha... Wrestling Fan, Bud Man
Originally posted by Phantom LordI think Palumbo had to switch to that because of the No Person shall use the same finisher rule the WWE seems to have.
Unless, of course, the finisher in question is the chokeslam.
Originally posted by Phantom LordI think Palumbo had to switch to that because of the No Person shall use the same finisher rule the WWE seems to have.
Unless, of course, the finisher in question is the chokeslam.
Or the frogsplash.
Kudos by the way for the thread that apparently cursed Test and Albert.
(edited by Matt Tracker on 2.11.04 0648) "To be the man, you gotta beat demands." -- The Lovely Mrs. Tracker