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Like each of us, WWE Superstars don't appreciate things being stolen from them. Over the years, several WWE Superstars have called out other wrestlers for using signature moves that they invented or made popular.
Kevin Owens used “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s Stunner, but took permission from The Rattlesnake to use the move. Similarly, Seth Rolins has used Triple H’s pedigree and MVP has used Shelton Benjamin’s Paydirt.
But a few major WWE Superstars haven’t been too happy watching their moves being copied by other wrestlers in the ring. They’ve called out such competitors and expressed their displeasure at their moves being stolen.
Let’s take a look at five WWE Superstars who were not happy watching their moves being stolen by other wrestlers.
#5 Billy Kidman tried to stop two WWE Superstars from using his finisher
Veteran WWE fans will remember Paul London as a lovable highflyer who performed jaw-dropping moves. Along with Brian Kendrick, the Superstar formed a great tag team that was prominent during the 2000s. Not only did London compete in a tag team with Kendrick, but he also found a partner in Billy Kidman before him.
Appearing on The Pancakes and Powerslams Show, London recalled the time when he was in a tag team with Kendrick and decided to use the Shooting Star Press as his finisher. Kidman, who was known to do that move, asked London to stop using it.
"I remember we were working I think Matt [Hardy] and Shannon [Moore] in New York, and I decided that we could start doing something where Brian [Kendrick] is on all fours, and I run, jump off his back, and do a Shooting Star [Press] off his back. So I started doing that in the matches, and it was getting really good reactions, how we were using them. And I remember [Billy] Kidman coming up to me, and he said, 'Hey man! You're gonna steal my move every night?! You're gonna keep stealing my move every night?!' I just looked at him and said, 'Do you do a running Shooting Star off the back?' He goes, 'uh... well no, but...' I go, 'Well... yeah.'”
However, London clarified that he was using a modified version of the move and continued to use it for as long as he was in WWE.
London isn’t the only Superstar whom Kidman called out for using the Shooting Star Press. AJ Styles has also revealed that Kidman was unhappy with him for performing the move back in WCW.
"I don't know if I've ever told you guys this, but I was in WCW if you guys didn't know that, and I did the Shooting Styles Press, which is like a gainer to the outside. Billy Kidman, who was working there, was like, 'What the heck!?' He even called me AJ Steals, which kind of p***ed me off. But he was Kidman, so what could I do? I ended up testing out the Spiral Tap without ever hitting it on anyone because I wasn't sure how that would go.”
Despite Kidman's apprehension, many wrestlers both inside and outside WWE use the Shooting Star Press during matches.
#4 Kurt Angle called out WWE Superstars for using his finisher
Known as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, Kurt Angle is seen as the finest Superstar WWE has ever produced. Angle’s past in amateur wrestling helped him learn the ropes of professional wrestling and win several titles in WWE.
Angle had a phenomenal wrestling career inside and outside WWE, and retired at WrestleMania 35 after over two decades. While Angle made several friends along the way, he was unhappy with a couple of WWE Superstars who started using his moves in the ring.
Angle’s signature Angle Slam and Ankle Lock helped him win several matches during his career, and other Superstars started using similar moves. During an interview with New York Post, the Olympic Gold Medalist called out Jack Swagger and Randy Orton for using his moves in WWE.
“When Jack Swagger copies my ankle lock and Randy Orton does my Angle Slam, it’s disrespectful. I didn’t come up with the Ankle Lock, Ken Shamrock came up with the Ankle Lock but I waited until he retired to do the Ankle Lock. That company has no respect for me.”
Angle was not contracted with WWE at the time and did not like Superstars using his moves in his absence.
#3 Chris Jericho did not like a WWE Tag Team use his finisher
Chris Jericho has been one of the most outspoken Superstars in WWE’s illustrious history. The multi-time WWE Champion was (and is) one of the finest workers in the ring and a great entertainer.
Jericho had many different moves and finishers up his sleeve, including one known as The Codebreaker. Y2J used The Codebreaker during his time in WWE and outside the company too.
In 2014, when Jericho was on a hiatus, WWE tag team The Revival started performing a modified version of The Codebreaker called The Shatter Machine. Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson continued to use the move even after Jericho returned to WWE.
Wilder tweeted a GIF of himself and Dawson performing The Shatter Machine, and Jericho immediately took a shot at the WWE Superstar.
Wilder decided to have some fun and responded by apologizing to the Japanese wrestler Marufuji who was the pioneer of the move. WWE NXT General Manager William Regal also joined the conversation and thanked Jericho for inventing “everything”.
It looks like The Revival and Jericho have since made up and are now part of the AEW promotion together.
#2 Goldberg does not like Roman Reigns use the Spear in WWE
WWE fans never got to watch that big match between Roman Reigns and Goldberg. The two men seem to have a lot in common in WWE, and they even share the same finishing moves that fans have compared several times.
The two Superstars were supposed to lock horns at WrestleMania 36 but plans changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Goldberg has been very vocal about Reigns using the Spear as his finishing move, something that Goldberg has been using for decades.
Goldberg appeared on WWE’s The Bump and spoke about how Reigns stole his move and backed out of their match at WrestleMania.
"He backed out on me at WrestleMania. He stole my move, god knows how long ago. And he continues to perform it at sub-par level. Let's be perfectly honest, I'm the dude who delivers the spear and I don't think that he understands what it's like until I deliver one to him. So Roman, it's coming and I'm coming for you. I may be old, I may be gray, but I'm still Goldberg."
The man known for his streaks in WCW and WWE still competes in the ring a few times each year. It’ll be interesting to see if Goldberg and The Tribal Chief come face-to-face before he calls it a day.
#1 John Cena doesn’t like WWE Superstars using his moves
John Cena is one of the nicest and most philanthropic Superstars in WWE. The wrestling legend is well-known for his work inside the ring. But his work outside the company has also earned him a lot of respect.
However, one thing Cena doesn’t like is watching Superstars use moves similar to his own. On an episode of Sean Ross Sapp's Q&A show on Fightful Select, Sean told the audience that Tyler Reks opened up to him about an unpleasant interaction with Cena in WWE.
“Tyler Reks told me a story one time about how he went through the curtain after doing his inverted death valley driver (the burning hammer) and John Cena didn't go off on him but as like, 'What is that? That's too similar to my move. Don't do it again.'”
“And I have actually heard that about multiple people as it pertains to John Cena and their finishing move that if it looked similar to his, then he was like don't do it.”
Reks himself has spoken about the time Cena caught him backstage after a WWE match and yelled at him for using the move, and threatened the WWE Superstar before walking away.
“I come backstage happy after a good match with Eddie [Primo] all excited and John grabs me in front of everyone and says, ‘What do you think you're doing? I thought I told you to get a new finisher.’”
“He started yelling at me asking who gave me permission to use that. He belittled me, called me an idiot, and asked me if I enjoyed working here. I told him of course I do. He told me, ‘Find another finisher or you're fired.’”
While Cena has worked tirelessly to put newer talent over and give others a chance, he didn’t enjoy seeing Superstars use moves similar to his.
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