What is it with man and his fascination for flight? When human beings are airborne, it’s something else. It’s a feeling which is almost indescribable and in the world of WWE where superstars push their bodies to the limit, the fans love and admire stars who go ‘airborne’ to pull off a move.
Whether it’s off a turnbuckle or a ladder or at the top of a steel cage; the WWE universe certainly loves and appreciates stars who take the extra risk in using the air to their advantage.
These stars who are still loved by the WWE universe were let go for various reasons but their time in the WWE has left us with some of the most brilliant moments that make us love the beautiful sport of wrestling.
- Rob Van Dam
Need a frog splash? Call Rob van Dam. The high flyer who has returned to wrestle on the independent circuit was once a crowd favorite in the WWE. RVD’s finishing move was the five-star frog splash which is unique in the way he would do it.
The frog splash is still used by some stars in the WWE. However, when RVD executed one, it looked a 100 times better. Ascending the turnbuckle in a unique way with the crowd chanting his name, he would cover huge ground to splash his opponent. He would often change direction mid-air to make it look that much better.
- Rey Mysterio
Arguably the best and the most entertaining high flyer in the WWE was Rey Mysterio. Mysterio’s finisher, the 619 was created when he came to the WWE to go along with one of his other moves, the Hurricanrana.
Swinging through the ropes, Rey Mysterio would land the Hurricanrana roll-up pin after the 619 that almost always led to victory. Mysterio’s appeal was so powerful that he went up against the likes the Undertaker, Batista, Big Show and so on.
Size does become a huge factor when the world heavyweight championship and being the face of WWE are concerned but Rey showed the WWE universe that anything is possible with the heart of a champion. It also helps if you can fly.
- Jeff hardy
The death-defying and invincible Jeff Hardy was notorious for leaping off huge ladders and steel cages to excite and electrify his fans. Hardy’s Swanton Bomb and the Whisper in the Wind were signature moves that always had him leap in the air with huge risk, but Hardy was always up for it.
Jeff once delivered a Swanton bomb on Randy Orton from 30 feet above the ground which is pushing the limit, even for a professional wrestler. Jeff hardy is one of those wrestlers that are pushed by the energy of the crowd and in turn, Hardy could always be counted on to excite the fans.
- Shelton Benjamin
When other wrestlers used the turnbuckle and ladders to gain height; Shelton would use, wait for it, his feet! His insane jumping ability is one that can be matched by very few from the current wrestling world.
Not one to avoid risk, Shelton once jumped off the biggest ladders at WrestleMania 25. When Shelton became “The Gold Standard” in WWE, he came up with a new finisher called “Paydirt”, another move that showcased his jumping ability.
- John Morrison
The enigmatic wrestler was known for his beautiful and unique moves during his days in the WWE. Currently showcasing his talent in Lucha underground, John Morrison had one of the most unique finishing moves in the “Starship Pain”.
Bouncing his legs off the turnbuckle rope, Morrison would do a complete Corkscrew Flip before landing on his opponent. Though he was not considered a typical high flyer like the superstars in this list, he was sure to catch the attention of the fans when he went up the turnbuckle.
- Evan Bourne
Evan Bourne is one star who never received the push he deserved. His finisher, the “Shooting star press” was used by many wrestlers before, but very few perfected it like Evan Bourne did during his time in the WWE.
The move itself requires a longer air time compared to other moves. Evan Bourne could easily be considered an underdog in almost all of his matches, but his arsenal of moves almost always ensured to amaze the crowd even when he lost. Not having a similar tag team partner may have stemmed his growth in the WWE. But then again, there are very few who can match his talent.
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