5 retired finishing moves current WWE stars need to use right now

The finishing move is the namesake of any successful pro wrestler, and a great finishing move can help a star not only achieve success in the ring, but also boost star power if the move becomes universally popular.

The RKO, for instance, is one of the most popular finishing moves in the history of pro wrestling, dating back to Diamond Dallas Page using the move and calling it the Diamond Cutter.

During a promo leading up to SummerSlam, Randy Orton made it clear there is only one thing he needs in order to be successful in WWE, and that is the RKO.

With the above in mind, let's take a look at five retired finishing moves that could be dusted off by current WWE Superstars with potentially great avail.

#5 The Torture Rack

The Torture Rack, aka The Torture Rack of Doom, was made famous by former WWE and WCW star Lex Luger.

The move is a submission hold, and sees the wrestler "racking" his opponent on his shoulders, bending the opponent's back in order to force a tap out.

The move was later adapted by Nikki Bella as The Rack Attack, and Bella used the move less as a submission hold, and more as a standard finisher, dropping down with her opponent on her shoulders as opposed to attempting the submission.

Current WWE star Braun Strowman could benefit greatly from adding a submission hold to his offensive arsenal, as he currently does not have a submission finisher.

WWE typically gives the Bear Hug to big men in the ring, but the move is dated and does not pack the visual punch offered by The Torture Rack.

Should Strowman enlist the Rack as one of his finishing moves, it would freshen up his repertoire, which right now only consists of a running powerslam finishing move, and would add depth to The Monster Among Men's in-ring work.

#4 The Scorpion Death Drop

Another classic finishing pro wrestling move is The Scorpion Death Drop, made famous by WWE Hall of Famer Sting.

The move is essentially an inverted DDT, in which the wrestler drops his opponent on the back of his head, as opposed to his face, after hooking his head and back of his neck.

Sting retired from WWE after being inducted into the Hall of Fame, meaning it's highly unlikely that he will be using the move again, leaving it available for any number of current WWE stars to use.

With regards to current WWE Superstars, Drew McIntyre might be a talent well suited for the Scorpion Death Drop, as McIntyre's size would lend a fresh face to the move.

As of now, McIntyre uses the Claymore Kick, and while it's an effective move, it looks more like a jazzed up dropkick than anything else.

McIntyre incorporating a DDT-style maneuver into his offense could help add to his offensive toolkit, which as of now boasts less technical holds and moves and more ground-and-pound. Plus, McIntyre could simply change the name from The Scorpion Death Drop to The Scottish Death Drop and it would be a fun homage to the Icon, Sting.

#3 The Jackknife Powerbomb

The Powerbomb has become a common move in pro wrestling, and has gone from strictly a finishing maneuver to something used mid-match which might only yield a two-count.

During his heyday in pro wrestling, Kevin Nash, aka Diesel, utilized The Jackknife Powerbomb, a souped-up version of the powerbomb which saw Nash release his opponent at the height of the powerbomb lift in order to throw them forward and down.

The move was most impressive looking given Nash's size, and current WWE big men could benefit from dusting off the move and using it as a finisher.

WWE SmackDown Live star Kevin Owens previously used the pop-up powerbomb as his finisher, but with KO now using the Stunner more often than the pop-up, it would be a good time for another star to utilize the brutal piece of offense.

As for who could use the move, a number of talents come to mind, in particular, Luke Gallows. Physically, Gallows is reminiscent of Kevin Nash, as the two are very tall, and the Good Brother could do the Jackknife justice with his extreme height. Other names who could use the move are Bobby Lashley and perhaps a returning Harper.

#2 The Razor's Edge

One of the most innovative finishing moves in the history of pro wrestling is the Razor's Edge, an impressive looking piece of offense made famous by Razor Ramon, aka Scott Hall.

The move is equal parts showy and devastating, and it begins with the wrestler hoisting his opponent over his head as if to deliver a powerbomb, but the opponent drops all the way down so the wrestler is holding him up over his head by his arms. The second part of the move involves the wrestler driving his opponent down into the mat with the top of the back making contact and taking the blow.

Razor Ramon used the move to finish off a number of opponents during his storied pro wrestling career, and the move has been seldom used following Ramon's retirement from wrestling.

WWE star Sheamus used the move for a short period of time, calling it The Celtic Cross, but for reasons unknown, The Celtic Warrior dropped the move from his arsenal, favoring The Brogue Kick instead.

One current WWE star who is in bad need of freshening up, and potentially a reboot, is Elias. The Razor's Edge could be a great move added to The Drifter's arsenal which could help boost Elias back up in the WWE ranks.

#1 The Perfect Plex

Known for his technical ability, the late Mr. Perfect, aka Curt Hennig, was a master in-ring performer and is regarded as one of the best in-ring wrestlers in the history of the sport.

While Hennig used a variety of offensive moves to defeat opponents throughout his career, he is best known for his finishing move, which he called The Perfect Plex. The move is also referred to as a Fisherman's Suplex, likely due to the nature of how the move is performed.

The move involves the wrestler hooking (like a fish) the right or left leg of his opponent, then snapping him back into the suplex. The point of the leg hook is to push the move into a pinning combination, as the opponent lands on his back and the hooked leg allows for leverage in scoring the pinfall.

WWE star John Cena utilized the Fisherman's Suplex for the better part of his career, but with Cena's full-time WWE days likely over, it's time for another star to adopt the move.

When thinking of current WWE stars who could benefit from the Fisherman's Suplex, it would be wise to consider the more technical WWE warriors, and Cesaro could be an excellent choice.

The Swiss Cyborg could benefit from a non-submission finishing move, and with The Swing being more flash than substance, The Perfect Plex could work well for Cesaro.

What other classic moves would you like to see brought back? Let us know in the comment section!