Well maybe. But close observation shows they sometimes get confused and if the other wrestler just moves to the side they’ll keep running from rope to rope until they’re exhausted and fall down. It’s kind of a mystery why they don’t notice what’s happening.
That’s the behind the scenes Dolyist explanation–I am talking more about the kayfabe Watsonian explanation.
Moves/Spots That Make No Sense
- The Canadian Destroyer
- Russian Leg Sweep
- Mandible Claw
- Exploder
- Slingshot
- Pulling down your elbow/knee pad before a strike
- No instant replay / referees never learn
- Inactive participants in Triple/Quadruple-Threat matches
- Running the ropes.
- Curb Stomp
No one in other matches spends so long on their hands and knees than when they’re waiting for Seth Rollins to get them.
New category:
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
So crisp and devastating.
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
So smooth. I have another one I want to add, but I won’t do 2 in a row.
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
- Steinerline - Scott Steiner
This was best done when he partnered with brother Rick as WCW tag team champions. What made it nice was Jim Ross’s commentary and the way he would stress his voice on the 2nd syllable: “the STEIner line!”
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
- Steinerline - Scott Steiner
- Belly to Back Suplex on Opponent Face Down on the Mat - Chad Gable
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anyone else do it much less against some of the huge guys he’s done that to.
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
- Steinerline - Scott Steiner
- Belly to Back Suplex on Opponent Face Down on the Mat - Chad Gable
- Top rope elbow - Randy Savage
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
- Steinerline - Scott Steiner
- Belly to Back Suplex on Opponent Face Down on the Mat - Chad Gable
- Top rope elbow - Randy Savage
6. Fist Drop - Ted DiBiase
I swear I could hear a ‘whistling bomb’ sound.
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
- Steinerline - Scott Steiner
- Belly to Back Suplex on Opponent Face Down on the Mat - Chad Gable
- Top rope elbow - Randy Savage
- Fist Drop - Ted DiBiase
- Frog Splash - Montel Ford
He arguably gets the best hang-time of all of them, and he has some stiff competition in Eddie Guerrero and Rob Van Dam.
Oops. Misspelled his name.
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
- Steinerline - Scott Steiner
- Belly to Back Suplex on Opponent Face Down on the Mat - Chad Gable
- Top rope elbow - Randy Savage
- Fist Drop - Ted DiBiase
- Frog Splash - Montez Ford
- Drop Kick - Rocky Johnson
The Rock’s dad had the sweetest drop kick in the business. It just looked effortless and it was beautiful.
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
- Steinerline - Scott Steiner
- Belly to Back Suplex on Opponent Face Down on the Mat - Chad Gable
- Top rope elbow - Randy Savage
- Fist Drop - Ted DiBiase
- Frog Splash - Montez Ford
- Drop Kick - Rocky Johnson
- Chest Slap - Big Show
Sometimes you can see the opponent’s flesh ripple after that massive hand slap.
Nobody Does It Better
(Moves perfected by one particular wrestler)
- Spinebuster - Arn Anderson
- Arm Drag - Rick(y) Steamboat
- Steinerline - Scott Steiner
- Belly to Back Suplex on Opponent Face Down on the Mat - Chad Gable
- Top rope elbow - Randy Savage
- Fist Drop - Ted DiBiase
- Frog Splash - Montez Ford
- Drop Kick - Rocky Johnson
- Chest Slap - Big Show
- The Flair Flip - Ric Flair
Sure it’s overselling and there’s a comedic element to seeing Flair flip himself over the turnbuckle and we’ve seen others do it as well but Flair made it a work of art. He could perform the Flair Flip followed by a Flair Flop; he could Flip, then run along the ropes on the skirt of a ring and go for a top rope move; or he could just fall over or land back on his feet.
Next: Underappreciated wrestlers
- Bam Bam Bigelow
He did get a main event a Wrestlemania against a football player but he was otherwise a jobber-to-the-stars in the WWF and never got a title. He was better used in ECW and WCW, I think, but Bigelow was a big man who could really move and could have been pushed as a monster heel in the Federation.
Underappreciated wrestlers
- Bam Bam Bigelow
- Brad Armstrong
‘Bullet’ Bob Armstrong’s second son, he was used almost exclusively as a jobber on the big stage but wrestled all over the south in the NWA territories. An incredible athlete, other wrestlers called him a ‘night off’, the rare description granted to only the very best technical wrestlers who wrestled seamlessly, never hurt their opponents, and were always ready to work.
Underappreciated wrestlers
- Bam Bam Bigelow
- Brad Armstrong
- The One Man Gang
For such a massive individual, he could take sick bumps, get bladed, and work through the pain. Dutch Mantell talked about how resilient he was and how he rarely got injured. He had a fantastic career working in the NWA territories and Japan until WWF turned him into Akeem “The African Dream,” a period of history best forgotten.
Underappreciated wrestlers
- Bam Bam Bigelow
- Brad Armstrong
- The One Man Gang
- Chad Gable
Charismatic, funny, technically gifted, and very, VERY strong, he’s only just now, after all the time he’s been in WWE, getting the kind of push he deserves.
Underappreciated wrestlers
- Bam Bam Bigelow
- Brad Armstrong
- The One Man Gang
- Chad Gable
- Kanyon
Another great worker who was dubbed “The Innovator of Offense” during WCW broadcasts but was never able to break into the top tier of wrestlers. He did get a nice run with WCW tag titles as part of the Jersey Triad and a short US Championship run in the WWE.
Underappreciated wrestlers
- Bam Bam Bigelow
- Brad Armstrong
- The One Man Gang
- Chad Gable
- Kanyon
- Curt Stallion
According to his writeup in Prowrestling Fandom, “Stallion became well known for putting the miles in on top of giving high quality performances in front of any sized crowd.” He only lasted a heartbeat with WWE in the Cruiserweight-themed divisions. I saw him live when he was with EVOLVE. He vaulted off the corner turnbuckle, aiming to smash his opponent who was hanging on the outside railing. The opponent moved and Stallion hit the railing with his face. He didn’t cushion the impact with his hands or anything. He ATE the railing. I couldn’t believe he got up and continued the match after that.
Underappreciated wrestlers
- Bam Bam Bigelow
- Brad Armstrong
- The One Man Gang
- Chad Gable
- Kanyon
- Curt Stallion
- Dean Malenko
Malenko could make anyone and everyone look good in the ring. Unfortunately, he wanted to play in the big leagues, where being one of the very best technically wasn’t as important as having charisma and presence.
I also want to add that I’m pleasantly surprised by this list. I expected to see wrestlers who shot themselves in the foot, rather than being underappreciated, like Nature Boy Buddy Landel or Velveteen Dream.
Underappreciated wrestlers
- Bam Bam Bigelow
- Brad Armstrong
- The One Man Gang
- Chad Gable
- Kanyon
- Curt Stallion
- Dean Malenko
- Curt Hennig
I went back and forth on this a bit because I think Hennig was appreciated in his time as well as now. He was great in the ring, athletic, sold and bumped well, and could work good matches with anyone. He did win the IC belt twice, but he could have been a world champion too. HIs career was curtailed with the back injury and his work in WCW, while not at his peak, was still entertaining.