5 Most Dangerous Finishers in WWE History, From Piledriver to Pedigree

• In the WWE, finishing moves are important to fans and wrestlers
• These moves, like the RKO, make the superstars stand out
• Some moves have ended careers and brought lawsuits over the years

A finishing move is a key part of a wrestling superstar. It endears them to fans, who make them iconic.

Over the decades, we have seen some legendary finishing moves in the WWE, like the RKO, the Stone Cold Stunner, and the People's Elbow.

However, some finishers can be risky to the point where they can end a career or a life.

Wrestling promotions have found ways for talent to do their finishers safely, without putting the career or life of another wrestler in danger.'

However, wrestling stars always want to showcase their best to millions of fans who watch them every week. Sports Brief looks at some moves that can be dangerous.

REVEALED! The top 20 dirtiest NBA players of all time

NBA

Top 5 dangerous WWE finishers

5. Pedigree

Triple H made the Pedigree an iconic finisher. However, it had a few issues early on. Basically, the finisher is a double under-hook facebuster. The Game would hook the opponent's hands behind their back before implanting their face on the mat.

Before he adjusted it, Triple H would hold the opponent's hands until they hit the mat but later remodelled it to make sure he released them before they took it.

In the 1990s, he injured Marty Garner with the move, but luckily, there were no career-threatening injuries.

4. Rocker Dropper

The Rocker Dropper was another version of the "famouser". Marty Jannetty of the Rockers used the Rocker Dropper as a finisher for their tag team, alongside Shawn Michaels. Jannetty would add a wrist lock into a "famouser" where the opponent's head is set to be planted on the mat. It looked like an easy move to pull off.

Ranking the 10 best attacking trios in football history

Football

However, that is not always the case. In December 1990, Jannetty performed the move on an inexperienced Charles Austin, who didn't know how to take the move. Austin was paralysed as a result. He sued Jannetty and the company and ended up receiving millions of dollars in an out-of-court settlement.

3.' Shooting Star Press

This move nearly resulted in a horrific accident when Brock Lesnar faced Kurt Angle at WrestleMania 19, per Sportster. This finisher is done with the wrestler jumping in the air, pulling their knees to their chest before backflipping. Lesnar attempted the move but botched it and got a concussion. Things would've been worse.

Billy Kidman, Evan Bourne, and now Ricochet are known to have incredible Shooting Star Press. Bourne was RKO's when attempting the move on Randy Orton, making it arguably the best RKO of all time. Although it looks appealing, it carries a serious risk.

Ranking the top 10 best Brazilian football strikers of all-time

Football

2. Doomsday device

This move was used by the legendary Road Warriors (Legion of Doom in WWE). Animal will put an opponent on his shoulders then Hawk would deliver a devastating clothesline, forcing the opponent to fall onto the mat. It was dangerous.

An adjustment means the wrestler falls down with the opponent to make it a safer move.

1. Piledriver

This is arguably the most iconic move in WWE history. Legendary names like the Undertaker, Jerry Lawler, and the late Owen Hart used it. As appealing as it looks, it is dangerous.

The sit-down version Hart did on Stone Cold Steve Austin in SummerSlam 1997 shortened Austin's career. The WWE legend was temporarily immobilized after the move but managed to secure the win with a roll-up. Stone Cold went on to have a historic run in the business, but his in-ring performances significantly declined after the piledriver.

Hardest skateboard trick: Which are the 10 hardest skateboard tricks to land?

Other Sports

WWE's top 5 botches

Sports Brief earlier reported on the biggest botches in WWE history.

Owen Hart's tragedy is still fresh in the minds of wrestling fans, but it remains a touchy subject.

Stone Cold Steve Austin's broken neck and Brock Lesnar's botched shooting star press move in a Wrestlemania are some of the most infamous botches.