Finishing moves and signature moves are some of the greatest parts of pro wrestling. Sure, it’s all scripted but who can forget that rush of adrenaline when you see Randy Orton hitting one of his RKOs? Professional wrestling would be incomplete without these moves.
But, there are also a very limited number of moves available to pro wrestlers that they can perform safely and still make look devastating. It is because of this reason that a number of superstars end up stealing finishers for themselves.
People like AJ Styles and Finn Balor, who invent their own moves, are a rarity these days and there is very little surprise when you see someone use the exact same finisher as someone else, just with a different name.
Today, we are here to list out superstars who have gotten away with theft for their own personal gain. So, without any further ado, here is a list of 5 WWE superstars who stole their moves:
#5 Bret Hart
The Sharpshooter is Bret Hart’s iconic finisher. It is one of the most fondly remembered moves for anyone who saw The Hitman perform, and there is very little doubt that he can pull it off better than almost anyone alive.
The Scorpion Deathlock is Sting’s iconic finisher. It is one of the most fondly remembered moves for anyone who saw The Stinger perform, and there is very little doubt that he can pull it off better than almost anyone alive.
The two moves look eerily similar. So, what exactly is the difference between the two? Nothing, according to Sting, who is credited with as the originator of the move for western audiences after he learnt it during his time in Japan.
So, yeah. The Sharpshooter is a rip off of the Scorpion Death Lock, and Sting’s version is very much the original
#4 Jack Swagger
I still cannot believe that Jack Swagger, of all people, somehow ended up winning the World Heavyweight Championship. The man is one hell of an average performer with an average gimmick and to top it all off, he stole his finisher from one of the true legends of the business.
Jack Swagger stole the very same ankle lock that Kurt Angle made famous. He doesn’t perform the move with anywhere near the same level of intensity as the 2017 WWE Hall of Famer, and it just looks weak in his hands.
It seems like the only reason he was given the green light for this was because Angle and the WWE weren’t on the best of terms when The All-American started using the move. Now that the Olympic Gold Medalist is back, though, perhaps it’s a good thing that Swagger has been released. At least we won’t have to see his version of the iconic move.
#3 Randy Orton
Randy Orton’s RKO might be marketed as one of the most devastating moves in professional wrestling, but the truth of the matter is that it’s a glorified Cutter. And, it isn’t the first famous Cutter to be used as a finisher.
Diamond Dallas Page made the move famous by using it as the Diamond Cutter – his finishing move. For those of you who will step in and say that he stole it from Johnny Ace, this isn’t the true because DDP got permission to use the move.
Also read: Randy Orton on the RKO vs. the Diamond Cutter
They’re almost the exact same move. I still like the RKO better, although, there are a number of people who prefer Page’s version. Here, see for yourself and decide:
#2 Roman Reigns
Add another reason on the list to hate Roman Reigns, but the man practically ripped off his finishing move from Edge. Hell, he didn’t even bother to change the name to something else. Everyone still calls it the Spear.
Sure, Edge may have originally stolen it from Goldberg, but Bill’s major finisher was always The Jackhammer, and Edge used the Spear for a much longer time than Goldberg, regardless.
Reigns does perform the move with devastating impact, but that still doesn’t take away from the fact that it brings no originality to the table. It seems to be very much like his personality.
#1 Michelle McCool
What? How is The Undertaker’s wife number 1 on this list? Well, let me explain. Michelle McCool used to use a move called the Faithbreaker during her wrestling days with the WWE. Here take a look and let me know if it looks familiar:
That’s right. A member of the WWE’s Diva’s Division stole a finisher from one of the top wrestlers in TNA at the time. Michelle McCool, of all people, stole the Styles Clash and made it her own. Talk about a slap in the face.
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