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The Phoenix Splash is one of the most beautiful and gravity-defying wrestling moves ever seen. Not only does the diving wrestler execute a 450-degree spin in mid-air, but they also spin 180 degrees before doing that. It’s as impressive a wrestling move as any. And like even the most basic of diving splashes, it takes incredible skill and training to perfect this move.
However, despite those requirements, this move isn’t as common as other diving moves, especially in WWE. In Vince McMahon’s world of muscular giants, he doesn’t usually like his wrestlers doing flips and crazy spins. He’d prefer they hit big power moves that showed off their physical strength, and – judging by how little he cares/cared about the Cruiserweight division and 205 Live – has never been a fan of aerial maneuvers.
However, there have been a select few WWE superstars that have executed the Phoenix Splash on occasion. And when the move was hit, it brought fans to their feet because of how breathtaking the move itself is.
So which wrestler hit the perfect Phoenix Splash?
#5 Kota Ibushi
Kota Ibushi is absolutely crazy. He is a true wrestling machine, capable of hitting certain wrestling moves perfectly. From big power moves to standing splashes to running and out-of-the-ring dives, Ibushi can do virtually anything in and above a wrestling.
One of those moves that he executes is his take on the Phoenix Splash. If you watch Ibushi move, you’ll see that he has this amazing ability to defy gravity and spin and rotate so many times in the span of less than three seconds.
While it might look a bit slow, he still lands the move perfectly, splashing on top of his opponent without even the slightest hint of error.
Although Ibushi has moved onto the heavyweight division these days and does a lot more knee striking than flying, you can be sure that if he were to bust out the Phoenix Splash, he’d land it as perfectly as ever.
#4 Low Ki
The man once known as Kaval in WWE is one of the most underrated wrestlers to ever wrestle in WWE. His WWE run was horribly underwhelming and he could’ve accomplished so much had he been given the chance to show off his skills.
Outside WWE, he was known for being an amazing high-flying wrestler that could do almost anything.
One of the best moves in Low Ki’s arsenal was his Phoenix Splash. What made his so great was the height he’d get. While most wrestlers would jump off the top rope mostly forward before turning into the splash, Low Ki would jump even higher, flying in a huge arc before landing on his opponent.
His Phoenix Splash was said to be so impressive that all it took was one execution for him to get bookings for Japanese promotion Pro Wrestling NOAH for years.
It almost looks like he slows down in mid-air or completely defies gravity based on how he gets so much air and so many body rotations in such a short amount of time.
If Low Ki – or Kaval, as he was known as in WWE – had been given a chance to use this move while on SmackDown, there’s a chance he might’ve experienced more success during that short run.
#3 Seth Rollins
Seth Rollins is one of the tallest wrestlers to use the Phoenix Splash as a regular move. Because of his build, his rotations are more pronounced as he flies through the air. Because of all of this, Rollins looks like he’s hitting the move more slowly than his smaller wrestling brethren.
Because of this seemingly-slower rotation, you get the chance to view the move in greater detail and appreciate the rotations and motions more than you would with someone smaller and faster.
Furthermore, Rollins is one of the few wrestlers that does the full rotation while in the air, whereas some wrestlers do the spin into the 450 Splash the moment they push off the turnbuckle. It takes an exceptional amount of skill to pull off a Phoenix Splash under normal circumstances.
But it takes, even more, to pull off so many rotations while in mid-air, and especially when you’re at a heavyweight level.
#2 Neville
Neville’s aerial acrobatics were the stuff of legend. The man could fly around and hit so many impressive high-flying moves it’s a wonder that WWE misused him to the degree they did. Yet while most of the attention seems to be given to his Red Arrow corkscrew shooting star press, Neville hit a damn fine Phoenix Splash as well.
Neville had this amazing ability to tuck in his body and complete so many body rotations in such a short amount of time. Furthermore, Neville tended to hit his Phoenix Splash from the second rope and not the top rope. In other words, he had less time and elevation to work with, yet still tended to hit the move perfectly and give his landing the illusion of extra impact.
The only reason he doesn’t rank higher here is because he used the Phoenix Splash as a rare secondary move and not as a finisher. As such, using it for a throwaway 2-count diminishes its power, which isn’t what you want out of a big move like this.
#1 Hayabusa
Once again, no one can perform a particular wrestling move better than its creator.
Hayabusa created the Phoenix Splash during his run in FMW during the 1990s. During that period, his initial finisher from the top rope was the Firebird Splash, which is known as the 450 Splash.
As time went on, he made this move into something bigger by turning 180 degrees before hitting the 450 spin. This move would eventually become his primary finisher and the move synonymous with Hayabusa’s name.
Although other wrestlers have hit the move faster, with more impact, or with better rotations, all of them modelled their execution of the Phoenix Splash after Hayabusa’s execution. Without Hayabusa innovating the move, none of the other wrestlers on this list would’ve ever hit the move to begin with.
To this day, watching Hayabusa hit his Phoenix Splash is so much fun. Even his costume makes the move better, as his mask bands flying through the air help visualize how quickly his body flies and spins through the air.
