Best Wrestling Moves

Three disclaimers before this article begins: 
1) This list does NOT include finishers. That's a whole other list in itself
2) To be eligible for this list, a move must be used reguarly by an active WWE Superstar
3) This list is, of course, subjective. I personally enjoy these moves and the ways they look. I'm definitely going to miss out on some quite excellent moves, so feel free to tell me all about it in the comments or on Twitter @wwereview2. Thanks for reading!

As easy as it is to forget sometimes, at the core of it all, WWE is a wrestling company. Despite all the convoluted storylines, backstage segments, authority figures, and a litany of other non-wrestling related activities that take place on TV, at the end of the day, the product is meant to revolve around wrestling. Therefore, one of the most important elements of WWE programming is the moves that matches consist of. From moves that absolutely everyone uses, like headlocks and suplexes, to more exclusive moves like the Five Knuckle Shuffle or the Superman Punch, let's take a subjective look at the top 10 best wrestling moves currently in WWE. For an interesting twist, though, this list will be comprised only of non-finishing moves! Let's get into it.

10. DDT
Used by: a lot of guys, notably Randy Orton
Famously popularized by Jake "the Snake" Roberts following a botched front facelock in a match against Len Denton, the DDT has now become an essential part of many modern wrestlers' arsenals. From Randy Orton's vicious elevated DDT to Sami Zayn's tornado DDT to everything in between, the DDT finds itself on this list in large part because of its versatility. Simply look on its Wikipedia page, and you'll be astounded at just how many variations of this simple move exist. Not only is it extremely versatile, however, but if performed correctly, it's also a very believeable move that legitimately looks as if it will cause the performer taking it brain damage—much like its chemical namesake, DDT.

9. Enzuigiri
Used by: Seth Rollins

Frankly, when I say that the enzuigiri is one of the best moves in wrestling, a large part of that is due to recently-departed Superstar Alberto Del Rio. When the Mexican Aristocrat left his feet to deliver this devastating kick to the head, it was always a joy to watch. The perfectly-timed cracking noise when his foot made contact with his opponent's head was just the icing on the cake. While Seth Rollins carries on the legacy of the move quite admirably, there's never going to be another enzuigiri quite as crisp and devastating as Del Rio's.  

8. Superplex
Used by: a lot of guys

Based on pure logic alone, the superplex is one of the most devastating moves we regularly see inside a wrestling ring. With both guys falling from the top rope, one of them generally reaching as high as 10 feet in the air, simple physics dictates that this move is not only incredibly aesthetically pleasing to viewers, but incredibly painful to experience. No matter how "fake" you may think wrestling is, there's just no way that doesn't hurt. Of course, since we're in the twisted world of professional wrestling here, the more it hurts, the more amazing the move looks. Therefore, the superplex does a phenomenal job of combining showy spectacle with legitimate wrestling acumen in the form of a modified suplex.

7. Clothesline
Used by: everyone
When done correctly, a simple clothesline can be one of the most devastating-looking maneuvers in all of wrestling. Case in point: Dean Ambrose. Sure, his rebound clothesline may be a bit predictable at this point, given that he does it in every match ever, but that doesn't diminish the fact that it looks absolutely vicious when he pulls it off. There's something so satisfyingly simple about just watching a man thwack (that's the technical term) another man as hard as he can, and seeing him go down. The main reason the clothesline is on this list, however, is because of the amazing visual it creates when a Superstar truly lets loose with a clothesline. Watching Bray Wyatt, the aforementioned Ambrose, or even some old clips of JBL letting their opponents have one is just so enjoyable, particularly when the move is sold well. For example, clotheslines where the person receiving the blow does a full 270 degree flip onto their face? Possibly the greatest thing ever.

6. Cesaro Swing
Used by: Cesaro. Duh. 

Quite possibly the most popular non-finisher in all of WWE, and for good reason too. By now, we've all been told a thousand times that, pound-for-pound, Cesaro is one of the strongest guys in the company. This move simply validates that, and in an extremely entertaining way to boot.
Cesaro is a uniquely talented Superstar inside the squared circle, and this move is a prime example of why. However, the biggest strength of this move (no pun intended) lies in the pure excitement it draws out from fans. When the Swiss Superman picks up his opponent and begins swinging them around, the always-out-of-sync crowd goes wild. Few other singular moves in the business, especially non-finishers, generate a positive reaction quite like that.

5. Topé con hilo
Used by: multiple guys, especially the cruiserweights and traditional high-flyers

There's a reason why high-flying, energetic offense is as popular as it is in the world of professional wrestling today. Who doesn't love seeing a guy risk life and limb to win a match? For real, though, any sort of topé, including the popular topé suicida, is sure to bring an instant burst of energy to any match and any crowd. The topé con hilo is, in my opinion, particularly amazing to watch simply because it entails doing a front flip onto one's opponent, adding in an extra element of danger to an already awesome move. Just like in the case of the superplex, gravity isn't something you can fake. Flying 10+ feet in the air, no matter how much your opponent may cushion your fall, hurts both you and the guy catching you, and it creates an awesome visual spectacle.

4. Big E's spear
Used by: Big E. Again, duh.
When you think about it, it's kinda odd that this isn't Big E's finisher. After all, it involves a 285-pound jacked unicorn launching himself at an opponent through the ring ropes, sending both guys tumbling to the concrete floor with relatively little control over where they land (especially Big E himself. Ouch). Frankly, it makes not only the Big Ending, but even the legendary finishing move of stars such as Goldberg and Edge (not to mention good ol' Roman Reigns) look tameby comparison. That's no small feat, and this move is highly underrated as one of the most dangerous-looking—and therefore exciting—in the entire business. Kudos to Big E for being brave enough to do it. Seriously. I'd be terrified.


3. Ura-nage slam
Used by: Bray Wyatt
This is by far the most exciting move that nobody knows the name of (it required extensive Googling for the purposes of this article). To be perfectly honest, the awesomeness of this move mainly lies in its sheer brutality. Much like the aforementioned clothesline, there's just something so barbarically pleasurable about watching a man pick another man up, essentially by the throat, only to slam him down again with an incredible amount of force. In addition, with all due respect to the Undertaker and Kane, you don't know a forceful chokeslam until you've seen the Eater of Worlds deliver a uranage slam. Unlike the Brothers of Destruction, Wyatt carries out this devastatingly dynamic move with just one hand, meaning he has no way to brace his opponent's fall. The result, of course, is some absolutely brutal-looking slams that look like they could legitimately leave an opponent out cold, as well as quite susceptible to some amount of brain damage.


2. Sami Zayn's tornado DDT thing
Used by: Do I even have to say?
Just stop for a second and take a moment to think about just how difficult this move must be to pull off. A tornado DDT is an incredibly difficult move in its own right, one that takes years and years of wrestling training to perfect. However, when you add in the fact that, for this move, Sami Zayn has to accurately send his entire body flying between two ropes that are about 1-2 feet apart, at the maximum, this move goes up yet another notch. He essentially takes the most difficult part of a suicide dive, then adds on the fact that the dive is done diagonally right in front of a ring post (which is another obstacle that must be avoided), as well as having to perfectly catch his opponent in a front facelock when emerging from the ropes, followed by the spin and subsequent planting of his opponent's head into the ground. This move not only looks even cooler than a traditional tornado DDT, but also adds an incredible degree of difficulty that justifies this maneuever as number 2 on our subjective list of the best moves in WWE today.

1. Scoop powerslam

Used by: Randy Orton, Goldust, etc.
Before you go complaining about how a move as plain and boring as the powerslam is ranked number one on this list, hear me out: the quality of the move lies in its simplicity. Yes, it may not look as legitimately life-threatening as a full ura-nage slam, exciting as a topé con hilo, or technically sound as Jack Gallagher literally tying his opponents into a knot (literally one of my favorite things in wrestling—ever. I love Jack Gallagher), but a perfectly-executed powerslam is just so smooth that it's impossible not to love it. Just watch Randy Orton flawlessly scoop his opponent right off the mat, then effortlessly slam them back down all in one fell swoop, and tell me that's not a thing of beauty. In one continuous motion, your opponent goes from standing running towards you to flattened like a pancake, wondering what just happened to them. The ease with which veterans such as Orton and Goldust pull off this move is nothing short of astounding, and just watching how easy they make it look is an absolute joy to behold. Therefore, on our subjective list of the best wrestling moves currently in the biz, the scoop powerslam takes the cake as our number one.


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