WWE Fantastic Finishers: WrestleMania 28 to SummerSlam 2012

Here’s my gift to the WWE Universe: an annual award for the finishing move that leads to the most success in the ring.

You’re welcome.

I call it Jeff Gorman’s Fantastic Finishers, and it’s not only a blatant attempt to call attention to my skills as a wrestling announcer, it’s a real honor that wrestlers can add to their resumes.

Scoring is very simple. You hit your finisher, you win the match, you get the points.

Pay-per-view matches are worth five points. Raw and Smackdown wins are worth three points. A victory on WWE Superstars will earn one point. Tag team and multiple-man matches count as well.

The fun part of this contest is that divas and tag teams can compete right along with the main WWE superstars. 

But first, because I’m also an MMA announcer and love a great submission hold, we have an additional award to kick things off called…

Jeff Gorman’s Terrific Tapouts Leader: Alberto Del Rio

Daniel Bryan started out with the lead, but Alberto Del Rio really started racking up submission wins with the Cross Arm Breaker as he campaigned to chase down Sheamus and the World title.

1. ALBERTO DEL RIO – Cross Armbreaker – 27 points

            Raw: Ryder (2), Kofi, Santino (2), Christian

            SD: Khali, Christian, Sin Cara

2. DANIEL BRYAN – Yes/No/LeBell Lock – 17 points

            PPV: Sheamus (Extreme Rules: Fall 2)

            Raw: Kofi, Lawler

            SD: Big Show, Ryder

3. JOHN CENA – STF – 9 points

            Raw: Otunga (2), Big Johnny (handicap)

4. JINDER MAHAL – Camel Clutch – 8 points

            Smackdown:  Unnamed Handicap match opponent

            Superstars: E. Jackson, Tatsu (2), Riley (2)

5. CM PUNK – Anaconda Vise – 5 points

            PPV: WM 28 over Jericho

6. CHRIS JERICHO – Walls of Jericho – 3 points

            Raw: Kofi

7. NATALYA – Sharpshooter – 1 point

            Superstars: A. Fox

9t. Antonio Cesaro: Neutralizer (20 Points)

Antonio Cesaro has been on a hot streak since joining forces with Aksana on the Smackdown roster. His Neutralizer could result in the U.S. title being around the waist of someone "Very European."

            SD: T. Kidd, Riley, Jimmy Uso, Santino (2), Ryder

            Superstars: T. Kidd, Riley

9t. Kane: Chokeslam (20 Points)

Even though Kane has been in and out of the WWE title picture, he consistently picks up wins with the trusty chokeslam.

            PPV: Orton (WM 28), Ryder (Over The Limit)

            Raw: Big Show, Punk

            SD: Bryan

            Superstars: Slater

8. Damien Sandow: Illumination Neckbreaker (25 Points)

Now that the “Intellectual Savior” of the WWE is gaining notoriety on Raw, expect him to start picking up more wins with his double-arm neckbreaker on nights other than Friday.

            Raw: Christian

            SD: Tatsu (2), E. Jackson, T. Kidd, Ryder (2), Gabriel

            Superstars: Gabriel

7. Santino Marella: The Cobra (27 Points)

Many fans think Santino should be positioned more strongly as the U.S. champion, but he has managed to rack up a lot of wins after The Cobra strikes.

            Raw: Swagger (three-way), Otunga, Primo (tag), Swagger, Otunga (8-man)

            SD: Rhodes, Ricardo, Hunico (6-man)

            Superstars: Reks (tag), Mahal, McGillicutty

4t. R-Truth: Little Jimmy (29 Points)

R-Truth has carried his weight with Kofi Kingston as tag team champions, using his version of the Flatliner/Downward Spiral to keep possession of the gladiator belts.

            PPV: Camacho (tag)

            Raw: Rhodes, Titus (tag), Slater

            SD: Camacho (tag), Swagger, D. Young (tag), Swagger (tag)

            Superstars: Slater, Swagger, JTG (tag)

4t. Randy Orton: RKO (29 Points)

Despite a 60-day suspension, the Apex Predator has still managed to score enough points to make the top 10. Don’t be surprised he moves up to challenge for the Fantastic Finisher Award by the time WrestleMania 29 rolls around.

            PPV: Kane (Extreme Rules)

            Raw: Swagger, Slater

            SD: Kane, Henry (6-man), Cody (tag), Bryan

4t. Layla: Layout Neckbreaker (29 Points)

Here’s the Divas champion, right in there with the guys. She hasn’t just dominated the other Divas with rollup finishes; she’s been hitting the Layout consistently, especially on pay-per-view.

PPV: N. Bella (Extreme Rules), Phoenix (Over The Limit and No Way Out)

                Phoenix (6-diva tag at Money in the Bank)

            Raw: Maxine (tag)

            SD: Natalya, Aksana (mixed tag)

3. Brodus Clay: What the Funk Splash (43 Points)

The Funkasaurus hasn’t just been making moves on the dance floor. He has the perfect old-school finisher: a big guy squashing all of his weight onto his opponent. King Kong Bundy would be proud.

            PPV: Ziggler (Extreme Rules), Miz (Over The Limit)

            Raw: Ziggler (tag), JTG, Miz, Miz (6-man), McIntyre, JTG, Swagger

            SD: Hunico (2), Bateman, Slater

2. Sheamus: Brogue Kick (68 Points)

If it weren’t for The Ryback Rampage, Sheamus would have won this award easily, as he’s been kicking opponents’ heads off left and right. Sheamus is the rare big man with a high-impact strike for a finish.

PPV:  Bryan (WM 28, Extreme Rules fall 3), Ziggler (No Way Out),

                  Alberto Del Rio (Money in the Bank)

            Raw: Otunga, Ziggler, Tensai, Kane (tag), Swagger, Jericho (6-man), Bryan

            SD: Bryan (tag), M. Henry, Bryan, Swagger, Ziggler (2), Jericho, Rhodes, Tensai

1. The Ryback: Shell Shocked (99 Points)

“The Ryback,” as Daniel Bryan calls him, has been eating up the competition and asking for more. He gets two bonus points* for every time he hit his version of the Muscle Buster on both opponents at the same time in a handicap match.

            PPV: Aaron Relic & Jay Hatton* (Extreme Rules), Camacho (OTL),

                          Dan Delaney & Rob Grymes* (No Way Out),

                         T. Reks (Money in the Bank handicap match)

            Raw: Arthur Rosenburg & Stan Stansky*, Willard Fillmore & Rutherford Hayes*,

                           Hawkins (handicap), JTG

SD: Barry Stevens, Benny Camer, Danny Lerman, Jacob Kaye, Bateman, Slater,

            Brian Edwards & Kevin Bendol*, Ryan Shelton & Chris Lyons*,

            Tony Andriotis & Kevin Mahoney*, Ari Cohen & Mike Testa*,

            Frank Venanzia & Jared Walker*, Dan Barone & Brendan Burke*,

            Curt Hawkins, Tyler Reks

Others Scoring Points

DOLPH ZIGGLER– Zig Zag – 19 points

            Raw: Kofi, Christian (four-way), Swagger, Jericho (three-way)

            SD: Riley, Santino (tag)

            Superstars: Mason Ryan

KOFI KINGSTON – Trouble in Paradise – 17 points

            PPV: Ziggler (tag-OTL)

            Raw: Rhodes, Epico (tag title win), Hawkins (tag)

            Superstars: Hawkins, McGillicutty, Rob Cabildo

SIN CARA – La Mistica – 17 points

            Raw: Hunico, Hawkins, Slater

            SD: Hunico, Slater

            Superstars: McIntyre (2)

JOHN CENA – Attitude Adjustment – 17 points

            PPV: Lesnar (Extreme Rules)

            Raw: Tensai, M. Cole, Bryan, Bryan (tag)

CHRISTIAN – Frog Splash  - 16 points

            Raw: Mahal, Miz

            SD: Hunico, Ziggler, Swagger

            Superstars: McIntyre

TENSAI – Baldo Bomb – 16 points

            Raw: Riley, Tatsu, Cena, R-Truth, Punk (tag)

            Superstars: Riley

CM PUNK – Go To Sleep – 16 points

            PPV: Jericho (Extreme Rules), Kane (No Way Out three-way)

            Raw: Rhodes (tag), Kane (three-way), Mysterio

THE MIZ – Skull-Crushing Finale – 15 points

            PPV: WM 28 over Ryder (Team Johnny)

            Raw: Ryder, Santino, Christian

            Superstars: Riley

BETH PHOENIX – Glam Slam – 13 points

            Raw: A. Fox , Kelly, Layla (tag)

            SD: A. Fox

            Superstars: A. Fox

BIG SHOW – Chokeslam – 12 points

            Raw: Epico (tag), Rhodes (tag), Kane

            SD: Slater

DARREN YOUNG – Gutbuster– 12 points

            PPV: Primo (4-way tag at No Way Out)

            SD: Primo (8-man), R-Truth

            Superstars: Epico

ZACK RYDER– Ruff Ryder – 9 points

            SD: Slater

            Superstars: McGillicutty (3), Slater, McIntyre, Swagger

BIG SHOW – WMD Knockout Punch – 8 points

            PPV: WM 28 over Rhodes

            SD: Khali

CODY RHODES – Cross Rhodes – 8 points

            SD: T. Kidd, Christian

            Superstars: Riley, Gabriel

THE GREAT KHALI – Punjabi Plunge – 7 points

            Raw: Primo (tag), Rhodes

            Superstars: Mahal

PRIME TIME PLAYERS – Ghetto Blaster (Demolition Drop) – 7 points

            SD: Santino & Ryder, Usos

            Superstars: Usos

TENSAI – Running Senton – 7 points

            Raw: T. Kidd (tag)                            

            SD: Gabriel

            Superstars: Ryder

AJ – Shining Wizard – 6 points

            Raw: V. Guerrero (mixed tag)

            SD: Kaitlyn

CHRIS JERICHO – Codebreaker – 6 points

            Raw: Sheamus (tag), Miz (tag)

USOS – Superfly Splash – 6 points

            SD: Slater/T. Kidd

            Superstars: Hawkins & Reks, Curtis & Bateman, Curtis & McGillicutty

UNDERTAKER – Tombstone Piledriver – 5 points

            PPV: WM 28 over HHH

CHRISTIAN – Killswitch – 5 points

            PPV: Cody (OTL)

THE ROCK – Rock Bottom – 5 points

            PPV: WM 28 over Cena

CHRISTIAN – Spear – 3 points

            Smackdown: Cesaro

EPICO – Backstabber – 3 points

            Raw: D. Young (tag)

KELLY KELLY – Huracanrana – 3 points

            Raw: Eve

TYSON KIDD – Blockbuster– 3 points

            SD: Swagger

REY MYSTERIO – Top Rope Splash – 3 points

            SD: Rhodes

TITUS O’NEIL – Clash of the Titus Spinebuster – 3 points

            SD: Jimmy Uso

ALICIA FOX – Northern Lights Suplex – 3 points

            SD: B. Bella (6-person tag)

CURT HAWKINS/TYLER REKS – Powerslam/Neckbreaker combo - 3 points

            SD: Unnamed opponents

EVE – Moss-Covered, Three-Handled Family Credenza – 3 points

            SD: Kaitlyn

HUNICO – Swanton Bomb – 2 points

            Superstars: Tatsu, E. Jackson

HUNICO – Olympic Slam – 2 points

            Superstars: Tyson Kidd (2)

TYSON KIDD – Code Blue blockbuster– 2 points

            Superstars: Reks (tag), Slater

KELLY KELLY – K2 famouser– 1 point

            Superstars: Maxine     

DREW McINTYRE– Future Shock DDT – 1 point

            Superstars: E. Jackson

HEATH SLATER – Back Suplex into Facebuster – 1 point

            Superstars: Riley

TENSAI – Claw-Assisted STO – 1 point                             

            Superstars: T. Kidd

JACK SWAGGER – Doctor Bomb – 1 point

            Superstars: Ryder

TYSON KIDD & JUSTIN GABRIEL – Block/Spine Buster - 1 point

            Superstars: Hawkins & Reks

TYSON KIDD & JUSTIN GABRIEL – Springboard Elbow - 1 point

            Superstars: Hawkins & Reks

LAYLA – Nasty Kick – 1 point

            Superstars – Natalya

ALEX RILEY – Final Score – 1 point

            Superstars: McIntyre

Final Notes

Note that CM Punk and John Cena didn’t make the top 10. That’s because they are facing the very best competition and their matches sometimes end in DQ or no-contest finishes.

Also, you’ll find some wrestlers like Christian and Tyson Kidd who experimented with different finishers. If they establish which is clearly their finisher, the others will drop off the list.

We will check in on the standings again at the end of 2012 before announcing the winners after WrestleMania 29. Season 2 will begin on the Raw episode after WM 29.

(Jeff Gorman is the only announcer to work for one of the Big 3 wrestling companies and to call a live, global MMA pay-per-view. Follow him on Twitter or e-mail him at [e-mail]).