Ex-WWE Star Stevie Richards Names Finishing Moves That Need To Be 'Made Special Again'

A wrestler's finishing move is integral not only to their own identity, but also to the wrestling matches they compete in themselves. A good finisher can add extra excitement to the match environment while also making the executioner look more credible. Over time however, even the best of finishers can become devalued by overuse. On a recent episode of "The Stevie Richards Show," former WWE star Stevie Richards pointed to three common finishers that he believes are in desperate need of an uplifting.

"The DDT, the spear, and the superkick are the three that really need to be paired down and made special again," Richards said.

WWE Hall of Famer Jake "The Snake" Roberts is widely credited for popularizing the DDT, which has now become the closing maneuver for the likes of Jon Moxley, Christian Cage, Alexa Bliss, and Drew McIntyre in different variations. Richards himself utilized a Double underhook DDT during his in-ring career. How could one re-elevate it, though?

"... Much like the superkick, the way you can bring [the DDT] back as a finish, number one to have Jake train somebody to do it as a finish," Richards said. "That's how you get the rub. That's how he passes the torch, but Jake, I'm sure is like it has to be somebody that can match my psychology move set."

Regarding the superkick, Richards believes performers can put their own spin on it, but no one will have a better version than former NWA American Heavyweight Champion Chris Adams. Overall, though, Richards says superkicks will be compared to those of WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, who captivated the WWE Universe with his kick called the Sweet Chin Music. When it comes to the spear, Richards believes its effectiveness depends on the legitimacy of the talent behind it, with Adam "Edge" Copeland, Roman Reigns, and Goldberg being listed as "legitimate" examples.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Stevie Richards Show" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.