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AEW boasts one of the most athletically-gifted rosters in the wrestling industry right now. The moves executed by the wrestlers are not only highly impressive but innovative as well. This includes the finishers as well.
There are many brilliant, awe-inspiring finishing moves in the company, such as the One-Winged Angel by Kenny Omega and Sammy Guevara's 630 senton. These maneuvers are crucial to the wrestler's identity and help them stand out amongst their peers.
From high-flying spots to technical submissions, there are a lot of finishers that are perfect for the wrestlers that utilize them. But at the same time, there are many that could do with being improved upon or are not exactly the right fit. We've previously covered five AEW stars who could use new finishers. Here are five more wrestlers with a suggested new finisher added in for good measure.
#5. AEW TBS champion Jade Cargill - Jaded
The first ever TBS champion Jade Cargill is one of the most promising young stars in the company. The 29-year-old became the inaugural titleholder after defeating Ruby Soho in the first Dynamite in 2022. She used a modified version of her finisher 'Jaded' from the second rope. It is essentially a Double Chicken Wing into a Sit-Down Facebuster or a 'Glam Slam' previously used by WWE legend Beth Phoenix.
While the finisher is certainly devastating and shows off Cargill's impressive strength, it might be dangerous if executed wrongly. Given Jade's relative inexperience, she might be better off using a safer power finisher such as a spinebuster or Samoan drop.
#4. FTW champion Ricky Starks - Roshambo
AEW star Ricky Starks is an absolute star in the making. He has charisma and the look of a future top champion for the company. Starks already holds the unrecognized FTR championship, but it's only a matter of time before he figures in high-profile storylines for AEW.
When it comes to his finisher, Starks calls it the 'Roshambo' which is a Running Sitdown Dominator. It's a curious move to use as it is traditionally a power finisher used by heavyweights. Former WWE champion Bobby Lashed employed the Dominator during his first run with the company when he was ECW champion.
As Starks is a smaller-sized wrestler, his finisher might not be able to be executed on larger opponents. He should therefore utilize a move that takes advantage of his speed and agility. Something like the Zig Zag or Shining Wizard would be much more effective.
#3. Former AEW TNT champion Darby Allin - Coffin Drop
AEW original Darby Allin is known to enjoy putting his body on the line. It is no wonder he would choose a risky move like the Coffin Drop as his finisher, which is essentially a trust fall from the top rope onto his prone opponent. During an interview with The Wrestling Inc Daily podcast, wrestling veteran Al Snow talked about how the Coffin Drop move was too dangerous for Darby Allin and how it was short-sighted of him to perform the move as his finisher all the time on AEW television:
"I think for him, it's a short-sighted thing. The first time I ever saw it, I thought he's an idiot because if again, and granted, look at the stupid stuff I did. You know what I mean? I can't judge somebody. I did a lot of stuff and took a lot of risks and I'm paying the price now. I'm in pain every single day of my life. I really am – a dramatic amount of pain and I'm not exaggerating. I hurt all the time. Sometimes I hurt so bad and it's so oppressive that sometimes I have to lay down to take a nap because it just wears me out. It's my choice."
Al Snow has a point as the Coffin Drop is highly dangerous and can shorten Darby's career as he chooses to do it on a regular basis. It would be much safer to do something like the 619 or a top rope splash that still shows off his high-flying tendencies while protecting his body.
#2. AEW star CM Punk - GTS
CM Punk's AEW comeback has been well-received so far. When he finally pulled off his iconic GTS finisher for the first time in seven years, the crowd roared with approval. Fans already recognize most of Punk's move-sets such as the GTS, Anaconda Vise and Diving Elbow. It has served him well in the past and helped him to multiple WWE championships in the past.
So why fix something that's not broken? The answer is simple: reinvention. Punk should look no further than Chris Jericho, who debuted a new finisher in the Judas Effect when he first appeared in AEW. Jericho was smart enough to do that as he knew it would help to evolve his persona even further in the new environment.
As one of the best in-ring technicians in the business, Punk would have no problem adding a new weapon to his arsenal. Previously he used the Pepsi Plunge during his time in the independents, which was a Pedigree from the top rope. It would be interesting to dust off that finisher during special occasions in big matches. He could also use the F5 as a nod to another former rival, John Cena.
#1. AEW champion Hangman Page - Buckshot Lariat
AEW champion Hangman Page has one of the coolest finishers in the business. The Buckshot Lariat, a flip from the apron into a clothesline, is a cool visual, especially if his opponents get turned inside out. While we are not campaigning to remove the finisher completely, it seems like it will be a difficult move to pull off the older Page gets.
It's hard to imagine the Cowboy trying to flip his way to end of matches when he is in his late 40s or early 50s. He could probably take a page from his recent rival, Bryan Danielson, who has found numerous ways to end a match without using the same offense. One thing Hangman doesn't have is a submission is his armory. Perhaps he could pay homage to one of the best world champions in history, Bret Hart, by adopting the Sharpshooter as an additional finisher.
