Which Wrestling Finishers Still Feel Protected?

[ArVeeDee]

A good finisher should make the crowd believe the match is probably over. Modern wrestling has made near falls more dramatic, but it has also made some finishing moves feel weaker because people kick out too often. The best protected finishers still create a reaction the moment they land, because fans know the wrestler has a real chance of winning right there

[Coder22]

Protected finishers matter because they train the audience to react. If everyone kicks out, the move loses its power

[Sequence87]

I do not mind one big kick-out in a major match, but weekly television should protect the finish more carefully

[Megan34]

Submission finishers can still feel strong if the company lets people tap quickly instead of always needing a long struggle

[NightCrawler33]

A finisher does not need to look deadly if the booking treats it like it is deadly. Consistency is what makes it work

[Shazam]

Man, you are spot on about booking being the secret sauce. Look at Orange Cassidy's Orange Punch - it is literally just a backfist, but because they treat it like a nuclear option, people actually bite on the near falls. On the flip side, look at how many guys use a superkick nowadays. You could hit someone with three in a row and they still kick out at two and a half. It drives me nuts! We need a moratorium on secondary finishers just being regular moves everybody does on weekly tv.