The Best WCW Finisher Every Year Of The 1990s
Olivia Owen World Championship Wrestling was an impact player throughout the 1990s decade. WCW would challenge WWE for professional wrestling supremacy and at times dominate WWE. The WCW and WWE Monday Night Wars is legendary. WCW would be the home of some of the greatest stars of professional wrestling. During the 1990s, a wrestler's finisher was very important. In WWE, Stone Cold Steve Austin would use the Stunner for his success, while Shawn Michaels would tune up the band for his Sweet Chin Music.
RELATED: The 10 Best WWE Finishers Of The '90s, Ranked
At the same time, WCW stars were using their finishers to pop crowds and stick out on television. Each year of the 1990s gave us looks at some of the very best finishers in the business.
10 1990: Sting's Scorpion Death Lock
Sting's Scorpion Death Lock is one of the most beloved finishers in WCW history. During 1990, Sting was using the move as be would battle the likes of Ric Flair and Sid Vicious in high profile World Championship feuds. Sting would also receive help from RoboCop in 1990, and he would close out the year battling the mysterious Black Scorpion, who turned out to be the aforementioned Ric Flair.
The Scorpion Death Lock was used in North America by Sting and Ronnie Garvin. Bret Hart would use the Scorpion Death Lock in the early 1990s as his finisher, while naming it the Sharpshooter.
9 1991: Lex Luger's Torture Rack
Lex Luger is known for the Torture Rack. The Total Package would lift an opponent on his shoulders and "torture" them to submission. The Torture Rack is a wonderful visual, showing off the impressive physique and power of Luger. In 1991, Luger would win his first World Championship by defeating Barry Windham (albeit with a piledriver). Luger would close out 1991 by being the WCW champion and using his Torture Rack to submit the competition.
8 1992: Scott Steiner's Frankensteiner
Scott Steiner's Frankensteiner is one of most awe-inspiring moves to ever be delivered in a WCW ring. Steiner would tease his first heel turn and win his first singles title in 1992. When brother, Rick went down with a pectoral injury, Scott competed as a singles competitor. Steiner would beat perennial babyface Ricky Steamboat for the Television Title and was seemingly turning heel. The heel turned was stopped (until 1998) as Rick and Scott signed with WWE at the end of 1992. Yet, the Frankensteiner was the most astonishing finisher of the year.
7 1993: Big Van Vader's Powerbomb
In April 1993, Big Van Vader would Powerbomb Cactus Jack on a concrete floor, leaving Cactus concussed. Later on in the summer of 1993, Vader would team with Sid Vicious as the Masters of the Powerbomb to headline the Beach Blast pay-per-view. Those two behemoths were scheduled to main event Starrcade 1993, before Sid Vicious was let go from the company. Instead, the company paired Vader and Ric Flair in the main event. Vader would have three reigns as WCW World Champion in 1993, with the last reign coming to an end at the hands of Flair.
6 1994: Ric Flair's Figure Four
Ric Flair's Figure Four is on the very short list of greatest submission finishers of all time. In 1994, Ric Flair started the year off as World Champion. Flair would feud with long time nemesis, Ricky Steamboat, including main eventing Spring Stampede 1994 together. Flair would also battle WCW's franchise, Sting in the summer of 1994 in a World title unification feud. Once Flair came out on top of his Sting rivalry, he would battle Hulk Hogan as the Hulkster debuted in WCW. In 1994, the Figure Four was a constant reminder of Flair's greatness.
5 1995: Hulk Hogan's Leg Drop
Hulk Hogan's Leg Drop does not get the credit it deserves on the list of professional wrestling finishers. Hogan's finisher has won many championships and feuds. 1995 would be Hogan's first full year in WCW. His run in WCW would change the landscape of professional wrestling. In 1995, Hogan would feud with Big Van Vader during the first half of the year. Then, when WCW Monday Nitro launched on Labor Day 1995, Hogan would be the face of the show. Throughout the fall and winter of 1995, Hogan would feud with the evil giants of the Dungeon of Doom, including the debuting Giant (Big Show/Paul Wight).
4 1996: The Giant's Chokeslam
The Giant would be Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Rookie of the Year and Wrestler of the Year in 1996. The 7 foot monster, took WCW over by force, using the diabolical Chokeslam along the way. The Giant's Chokeslam was a lights out finisher that ended many matches for the Giant in 1996. The Giant was the WCW World Champion during the initial New World Order invasion. Once the Giant lost the World Championship to the nWo, he would join the rebel group. At the end of 1996, the Giant was kicked out of the nWo, but there is no questioning the dominance of the Chokeslam in 1996.
3 1997: Diamond Dallas Page's Diamond Cutter
In 1997, Diamond Dallas Page became the WCW People's Champion. DDP would turn down the New World Order and turn face to battle the nWo. Page would use his Diamond Cutter on Scott Hall and Kevin Nah to decline the New World Order invite.
RELATED: 10 Most Important Moments Of DDP's Wrestling Career, Ranked
Dallas Page would have a career-making feud with Macho Man Randy Savage in 1997. DDP would end 1997 by winning the United States Championship from Curt Hennig at Starrcade. In 1997, the Diamond Cutter and a feud with Randy Savage would turn DDP into a main event star.
2 1998: Bill Goldberg's Jackhammer
Bill Goldberg's meteoric rise to wrestling super stardom and popular culture fame occurred in 1998. The power of the Spear and the Jackhammer launched Goldberg from an unknown rookie to WCW World Heavyweight Champion in less than one year. Goldberg would Jackhammer super large athletes like the Giant and Reese before hitting the move on Hollywood Hulk Hogan in the summer of 1998 to win the WCW World Championship.
RELATED: 10 Things Fans Should Know About Goldberg
Goldberg would go on a long undefeated streak on the dominance of the Jackhammer. Goldberg's streak of 173-0 would last until Starrcade 98! That December, Kevin Nash defeated Goldberg with the help of a taser.
1 1999: Sting's Scorpion Death Drop
Only the WCW franchise, Sting could have two finishers on the list of best WCW finishers. His Scorpion Death Drop became a go to during his initial feud with the New World Order. While 1999 was the beginning of the end for WCW, the Death Drop was still the best finisher in the company. 1999 was such a complex year for both WCW and Sting. Sting would have a 90-minute World Title run that ended with him not getting pinned. Then WCW officials decided to turn Sting heel, which the fans disagreed with. By the end of the year, Sting was defeating long time friend Lex Luger in 5 minutes at Starrcade.