Undertaker On Protecting His Finisher

WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker joins Chris to discuss advice that he gave to Baron Corbin about why he should protect his finishing move.
Watch the full interview with The Undertaker on my main ‪@ChrisVanVliet‬ channel here: • The Undertaker On Wres...
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#undertaker #tombstonepiledriver #wwe

[@CVVCLIPS]

Watch the full interview with The Undertaker on my main channel here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/q6PbeYqrntt_jck

[@TimLoyalToWifeHaterFreeZoneA]

Love It CVVCLIPS Bro.

[@petepillow8642]

been watching your videos for over 3 yearsnow Chris , you and English James ( story time with Dutch Mantell ) are achieving , thank you for all you do , its a real treat you guys are going to hit it big time and its a pleasure watching the rollercoaster ride, 45 in VAncouver , cheers

[@SSDQ8]

n

[@drillosophy1012]

I can understand kicking out at Wrestlemania. But no one should be kicking out of any finishes on a weekly show. They’ve done that shit to death.

[@Mittens5044]

I remember Brock Lesnar went winning matches for doing one F5 to doing 9 F5 just to beat Roman Reigns at WM34.

[@foxvalleybandvids]

Agreed. The Bucks having a dozen super kicks in a match should kill someone in theory, but it doesn't. If they're truly inspired by Shawn Michaels, they wouldn't ruin his finisher.

[@mattm7798]

True, and it shouldn't be multiple kick outs. And not every PPV/PLE. The drama of the match should be "can he hit him with his finisher", not "how many time can he kick out of his finisher" I'm fine with false finishes when the move is otherwise protected, but now, on a PPV, the crowd is conditioned to expect a kick out on the first finisher...that's terrible...no drama.

[@KDB349]

@@foxvalleybandvidsthe super kick isn't his finisher. It's the sweet chin music

[@KDB349]

Cap. You should be able to kick out of a finisher. Once, maybe twice.

[@kennynakawaki]

When Taker took that Sweet Chin Music + Pedigree combo at Hell in a Cell and kicked out, bro that crowd reaction was CRAZY 🤯🔥

[@jckorn9148]

Punk got the biggest pop with a simple piledriver to Cena. Less is more.

[@SuperSayianWarrior]

​@jckorn9148 that was more so because it was a legit piledrive, the same kind that ruined Steve Austin's neck.

[@Feynman_Fries]

I still believe if the streak had ever to be broken (which it shouldn't have), that was the most legit moment ever. I had jumped off my seat thinking it was over now. If not for that spot, the streak was never meant to be broken.

[@zanethind]

Yeah

[@QualityEJC]

@@SuperSayianWarrior that was not the same piledriver that broke Austin's neck. It was a Sit Out Piledriver but Austin prepared for a Tombstone Piledriver.

[@JONATHANP1619]

HBK kicking out of the Tombstone was one of the best spot you could ever see, the face on taker was telling everything that you needed to know.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

JR on commentary: "I JUST HAD AN OUT OF BODY EXPERIENCE!"

[@derekgraskewicz2104]

OPINION: I dont mind seeing a false finisher, but if you do it, the move better not have been picture perfect. Maybe an off centered spear, a weakly elevated powerbomb, or even just hitting the move and giving too much time to recover, i can see a false finish. But If the move is given/taken cleanly, and it looks good, sell it as so. If I messed up a bit and you know we can do better, we can kick out.

[@CDodger24]

​@@derekgraskewicz2104 If it wasn't done clean then you would predict the kickout right away. These types of false finishers should only be reserved for huge mega matches.

[@QualityEJC]

Yes but Undertaker still protected his finisher because the ref had to run 1/4 mile just to start the count.

[@mattm7798]

Right, and it meant something because the tombstone was protected. Now, when someone kicks out of say, the claymore....ok par for the course. No suspense there.

[@doubles7533]

He's right, though. No one protects their finisher anymore. Everyone kicks out of everything.

[@pdegan2814]

It's like they forgot that the reason HBK kicking out of the Tombstone was such a big moment is BECAUSE it was such a rare thing.

[@GABRIELA-ACEVEDO.]

Crazy that there are some kicking out at 1 count now. Like Drew against Brock at WrestleMania 36. Rollins kicking out now like 4 different times in a match. Wouldn't be a problem if someone took a bit to get to the other wrestler for the cover, but.... not right away after just getting hit with a finishing move. It's over done these days.

[@billybadass3056]

this is a nuanced conversation... is he right TO A POINT.. yes.. BUT there are some wrestlers, LIKE HIM, who are STILL the MOST Protected of everybody and it just needs basic common sense to see that... just ask yourself, how many times have you seen anybody kick out of such and such's move and when you find out the number then you know this person is still on another tier then anybody else...

[@GESSO217]

Agreed. Jake Roberts would give someone a DDT and it was 1,2,3. Now someone like Moxley could take a DDT off the top rope and kick out at 1 or 2.

[@Isamuavanara]

Omega has a finisher that no one ever kicked out of.

[@advogadocannabico]

"instead of risking giving them a bad tombstone" taker always tried to look out for his opponent. He's a class act.

[@james_ford86]

Well, if you think about it, it makes sense, not just for Undertaker, but all wrestlers. These guys aren't trying to kill each other. Oftentimes, these guys are friends in real life. If not, they're at least colleagues who have enough respect for each other not to want to really injure each other to the point that their livelihoods are threatened. Like when you saw Triple H feuding with Taker, or any other wrestler for that matter, all of that was for show, to entertain. When the cameras weren't on, most of the time, these guys got along just fine, as they're actors. Sure, they're phenomenal athletes, as no one could pull off the stunts they do without getting seriously hurt if they weren't, but they're still acting out a script. Steve Austin never hated many of the wrestlers he wrestled against. Even if he didn't like them, he still had enough respect for the profession to do his best to make sure he didn't hurt them for real. So, let's not act like this is unique to the Undertaker, as if he deserves some kind of special kudos for doing what any other good professional wrestler would do. He deserves the same amount of credit for that as guys like Hulk Hogan, Sting, Kevin Nash, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, X-pac, etc. etc. ad nauseam. Sure, there were/are some bad wrestlers out there who shouldn't be wrestling precisely because they don't do this, but those guys never last long in the business. The only guys who go on to enjoy a long career in pro wrestling are guys who do what Undertaker did and watch out for their opponents' well-being. As fun as wrestling can be to watch, no one, except maybe nutcases who don't realize pro wrestling is staged, tunes in hoping to see someone get hurt for real. That would hurt the business rather than help it.

[@hazardeur]

"opponent" there are no opponents here. this is showbusiness and the other wrestler is your partner so of course you want to protect him as he will do the same.

[@LucianDevine]

@@james_ford86 Except that it takes a big man to realize that he's getting older and needs to change so that he doesn't hurt somebody, case and point the BS match with Goldberg. Ego is a dangerous thing, and in this business, it gets people hurt.

[@nou1364]

Huh? Lmao. How does not breaking a guy’s neck make you a class act? He’s just executing a move correctly. Just because a ton of modern wrestlers work unsafe doesn’t mean you give the other guys plaudits. Working safe is your job.

[@jasjfl]

Except that one time with Hogan 🤣🤣

[@AlekOmega]

Undertaker perspective is to protect the business. When you protect your moves, your finish, your storytelling. You protect the business. And he's 100% right, great example.

[@Faisal44-mg1ng]

I hate how they made Sweet Chin Music or Super Kick a regular move in the modern era, using it more than 5 times in each match.

[@meguminchan4809]

Or more than a dozens(The Usos)

[@TwinOpinion]

I don't like it either, but it's always been true. The Hammer Lock used to be a finisher. It just get's more ridiculous as the moves become more bombastic.

[@SeiryuuX]

TBF to the Super Kick, it was a regular move for the Rockers back in the 80s and early 90's. Also, the Superkick was the setup move for HBK's Teardrop Suplex finisher up until Survivor Series 1994 TBF to the Rockers, they only using it once or twice in a match, unlike the spam done in the indies from early 2000s til now and current main US promotions.

[@Jdark777]

Not worse then canadoiian destroyer so many times it looks pointless

[@KDB349]

The superkicks are not finishers lol. The sweet chin music is.

[@SILK97]

Amen to that, the “false finish” is so overdone that I don’t even pop for finishers anymore. You know it’s getting kicked out of

[@LtJackStone]

Something like that should be reserved for Pay-Per-Views and only once in awhile.

[@SpongeBobRickGrimes]

That's a common episode of AEW Dynamite lol ​@@LtJackStone

[@dangerousdays2052]

Stop being a sheep and learn some critical thinking skills. Pro wrestling has enough bandwagon jumpers. 🙄🙄

[@guillaumejuillard8258]

Taker is a little bit of a hypocrite here. He killed the impact of the chokeslam and the last ride (deteriorating the perception of powerbombs), those 2 moves when done by Taker were ALWAYS leading to a kick-out... It made those 2 moves look like low quality signature moves... Which is dumb because it's many people's finishers...

[@looplst]

​@@guillaumejuillard8258He mentioned the number 2 finisher. Just protect the number 1.

[@tanaka5395]

Remember when I was a kid, kicking out of a finisher was a big deal now it means nothing.

[@StephOMacRules]

Now it means the finishers are just not efficient.

[@burhansowhat5476]

"His leg had a spring in it" 😭😭😭

[@Knicks518]

Lmao so funny, even more when you know undertaker can’t stand Shawn Michaels. Chris new what he was doing mentioning it 😂😂😂😂😂

[@kc4276]

​@@Knicks518 That was in the past. They're both friends now (and they also have religion in common).

[@DanielJohnson-dw3jd]

​@@Knicks518not anymore undertaker said he loves Shawn now but back in the day he didn't care for him at all

[@ryuno2097]

Pls dont cry bhai. 😢

[@Knicks518]

@@DanielJohnson-dw3jd no sorry, in Undertakers own words “ I care very little for Shawn Michaels at this point” when did he say this ? Well he said it 2 days ago on Mavens channel discussing the ladder match between him and Shawn. You can go watch it right now actually. Do that and come back and apologize👍😄

[@stinger5127]

Definitely agree with what he's saying here. I had stopped watching wrestling in 2007 but starting watching again in 2021. And the amount of times guys kick out of finishers now is maddening! I remember watching a Lesnar match and someone kicked out of an f5 and my jaw dropped because in 2002, you ain't kicking out of an f5. Reminds me too much like video game wrestling.

[@guillaumejuillard8258]

Taker is a little bit of a hypocrite here. He killed the impact of the chokeslam and the last ride (deteriorating the perception of powerbombs), those 2 moves when done by Taker were ALWAYS leading to a kick-out... It made those 2 moves look like low quality signature moves... Which is dumb because it's many people's finishers...

[@thrilla72]

​@@guillaumejuillard8258 Even if they kicked out if the chokeslam it was always the major damage dealer before the tombstone. It would often change the match

[@guillaumejuillard8258]

@@thrilla72 yes, a signature move...

[@kalla1180]

Him going through all of his finishes is making me realise The Undertaker possibly has the best names in his move set in WWE history. Tombstone Piledriver. Last Ride. Hell's Gate. Old School. Snake Eyes. The list goes on. 🔥🔥🔥

[@Ajithkumar-hs2sk]

There's a video of him doing moves he has something near 30 signature

[@liudxdx]

He’s the WWE Michael Jordan

[@guillaumejuillard8258]

@@Ajithkumar-hs2sk Taker is a little bit of a hypocrite here. He killed the impact of the chokeslam and the last ride (deteriorating the perception of powerbombs), those 2 moves when done by Taker were ALWAYS leading to a kick-out... It made those 2 moves look like low quality signature moves... Which is dumb because it's many people's finishers...

[@Entertainment-is6ex]

@@guillaumejuillard8258Chokeslam yes (he made some people’s finisher into his secondary move, or set up for the finisher). But Last Ride was a pretty well protected finisher in the American Badass era, not a lot of kick outs…

[@harshbharti-zv3ts]

@@Entertainment-is6ex It also depends on how you execute chokeslam like when Damien Priest does it feels like finisher. Meanwhile, Taker's chokeslam doesn't feels like a finisher. So, I don't think he ever ruined chokeslam.

[@MichaelBullins]

Finishers, to me, are an important part of the story telling!

[@yengvang8737]

"F5, here's the cover, hook of the leg, and ROMAN REIGNS KICKED OUT! OMG" Imagine saying that 5 times in a match lmao

[@CoBeMuaDong4100]

@@yengvang8737try 9 😂

[@GameBreaker1055]

Getting to the finisher should be a journey! Attempts should fail and when it finally clicks it should be big! And I don't mean just make it so the finisher is "hitting it multiple times"...

[@GTACJGrove]

Taker vs HBK Wrestlemania matches definitely influenced the modern generation with the kickouts of finishers but that was a formula created by Austin/Rock Wrestlemania trilogy.

[@jasontodd1896]

Agreed

[@AGThatsagenius]

Well said

[@ashishpratik2122]

That's the key thing though, kick out was used by Rock and Austin only during WrestleMania. Now if two mid carders are having a match even then they'll kick out of finishers at least 2 times.

[@jonathanheywood5482]

Nah you're missing or misunderstanding the context of the matches

[@theboombody]

That WrestleMania 25 match was phenomenal. There was a lot more to it than just finishers. Michaels missing the moonsault to the outside and then Taker landing badly after the dive over the top were insane, and there was a lot more match after that.

[@easter_sunday]

My biggest complaint with a lot of matches is that they don’t feel like fights so much as exhibitions.

[@chubbycatfish4573]

Matches are glorified cirque du soleil performances much of the time nowadays.

[@fscorpion678]

So?

[@easter_sunday]

@@fscorpion678 it’s a poor imitation of Chinese acrobatics. Why not just watch that?

[@guillaumejuillard8258]

@@chubbycatfish4573 Taker is a little bit of a hypocrite here. He killed the impact of the chokeslam and the last ride (deteriorating the perception of powerbombs), those 2 moves when done by Taker were ALWAYS leading to a kick-out... It made those 2 moves look like low quality signature moves... Which is dumb because it's many people's finishers...

[@gk2370]

​@@chubbycatfish4573 Especially when a wrestler dives outside the ring, and 4 to 6 people stand on the ringside to catch them. It becomes repetitive

[@PatricksCrazyPlace]

Its like almost every flipping match has to have those dramatic 1-2-ALMOST kick outs and when you do them all the time, they are no longer all that dramatic, but rather expected. This was over a decade ago, but I was at WrestleMania 29 for Rock and Cena II and the crowd didn't even react to the first finish and kickout because by that point, we had already been conditioned to expect at least five more.

[@carljohnson8997]

The Cena/Punk series is when multiple finisher kick outs really became the new norm. Then the second Rock/Cena went even further but to a flat crowd. Cena is one of the biggest offenders of devaluing his finisher in the last decade. I recall his US Title challenge where any random jobber would answer his challenge and kick out of the AA. But I think the most egregious might be Reigns/Brock at WM from 2018 (is that 34? not really keeping up anymore) when Brock hit his first F5 while on a split screen replay and the crowd had NO reaction at all. The match just went on to become finisher exchanges until Brock finally won after, like, ten F5s.

[@PBLightning145]

​@@carljohnson8997No

[@MrRabiddogg]

Growing up 4-5 wrestlers kicked out of finishes. Taker, Kane and Warrior were supernatural so it made sense. Andre was too big and Hulk fed off the crowd so they could claim adrenaline.

[@jpmasters3827]

Knockout to finisher always been great when done right if it's not being over used and it will add to the story then let it happen because it always adds a lot to the match

[@yengvang8737]

Back then, 1 finisher and a kickout creates an omg moment. Today, 5 finishers and 5 kickouts creates an omg moment lol

[@undertakerfanz628]

I met The Undertaker he's a very nice guy

[@raymondtipton7243]

Where did you meet him at sir?

[@undertakerfanz628]

@@raymondtipton7243 Hmv record store in Manhattan he was signing autographs for the WWF cassette tape Full Metal containing the wrestlers entrance music

[@thomasdaddio741]

@@raymondtipton7243 right here on KZbin

[@KSL708]

Cody Vs Aj at Backlash is a good example of not needing a finisher spam fest to make a match good.

[@PBLightning145]

The match sucked

[@Tumorcoach]

@@PBLightning145not at all hence why you had to like your own comment cause nobody agreed 😂

[@PPP-dr8ng]

​@@PBLightning145 you must love superkick spams

[@Wolf-fighter]

its because people like roman reigns suck and have no real moves they only have like 5 moves and thats it and spam only their finisher ebcause they suck in wrestling simply. you know back in time cena was the only one like that guess why he was so strongly disliked with his shitty superhero gimmick

[@thelonewolf70x7]

​@@Wolf-fighterThe comment is not even about him, and your statement is pure bs whining. He really does live rent free in your snowflake head.

[@BobbyG716]

This is true and a shame. There use to be a time when a wrestler would hit their finisher and that would be the end of the match. I understand when Undertaker talks about him and Michaels because of that story at the time. But now a days like I said its a shame that now a days wrestlers are expected to kickout of finishing moves.

[@coreymallard6650]

Key point he says here that a lot of people miss when constructing their move set is having a second. You can protect your number 1, but having a wide range of moves that you can do that aren’t finishers but still get a reaction is vital. Old School, Last Ride, Chokeslam, Hells Gate, Deadmans Dive, Guillotine Leg Drop, big boot. A bunch of moves Taker had to play with to still make the match entertaining to watch. There’s also a psychology to it. If your finisher is easy to set up and always wins the match, there’s gonna be alot of points where you should’ve gone for your finisher. Getting someone into the tombstone position isn’t easy, and there aren’t a lot of situations during a match (that isn’t the finish) where he should’ve gone for it. A move set is your tool set for creating your matches, construct it with care

[@Wolf-fighter]

the main point about taker was also that he beat the shit out of people always.

[@zanethind]

The most protected move in all of wrestling now is the roll up

[@guillaumejuillard8258]

Taker is a little bit of a hypocrite here. He killed the impact of the chokeslam and the last ride (deteriorating the perception of powerbombs), those 2 moves when done by Taker were ALWAYS leading to a kick-out... It made those 2 moves look like low quality signature moves... Which is dumb because it's many people's finishers...

[@taariqware1922]

@@guillaumejuillard8258even still, those kickouts happened in high-quality matches and against main eventers. It wasn’t like Cowboy Bob Orton was kicking out of a Chokeslam, or Undertaker wrestling the first hr of the show and he gotta triple Last Ride someone to win

[@guillaumejuillard8258]

@@taariqware1922 He used it against midcarders who woke up immediately to take the tombstone, like MVP, finlay etc. It was sometimes a no sell to take the tombstone and I was always disturbed by that. Your opinion is valide though.

[@GGDAWG7]

@@guillaumejuillard8258you also gotta think that the Chokeslam or Last Ride was a legit a “false finish” moment. I don’t think I can remember any time where it didn’t end in a 2-1/2 count kickout, or it was a set up in an amazing match to the Tombstone or heck for someone time to run to the ring and cause an interference. It’s almost always for story telling purposes. You almost never see fillers like Funaki, Spike Dudley, or even popular tag teams like the Hardy Boys to kick out of a chokeslam. Anytime you see a chokeslam, tombstone, last ride, F5, FU/AA, Pedigree, Stunner, Sweet Chin Music etc kicked out is when it’s during an epic match like PPV or title match. Key thing is these are signature moves, not the overused wannabe stunner and super kicks or even swanton bombs you see today kicked out fast.

[@taariqware1922]

@@GGDAWG7 shoot, you gotta super kick someone 3 times for them to fall down. Not even ‘98 Kane had that privilege

[@NBATESdgm]

Not every move can be a finisher unfortunately. But guys like Roman, Orton, hell even Omega do protect their finisher. Cody had to invent the triple Crossroads, I mean there are ways.

[@SuperSaiyanBroku]

Yeah this is the problem with LA night in my opinion His finisher is trash

[@thatBoneHead]

It always makes me laugh when Orton fails an RKO just for him to get pushed to the ropes.

[@josewmeldondo]

Not necessarily, but it is missing something to give it that "oomph!" factor. It just can't put my finger on it​@SuperSaiyanBroku.

[@suspensionkid2544]

​@@SuperSaiyanBroku it's a Dirty Deeds knockoff.

[@colebacca1369]

@@suspensionkid2544it’s a lot better than dirty deeds lol

[@ultimatesportstalk]

Love the call back here to CVV's interview with Lance Storm when they talked about superkicks and Sweet Chin Music. Nice!

[@michaelburke7978]

We're now conditioned to expect a finisher to be near useless to the point unless it's hit multiple times. It feels like a boring checklist sidequest: "Hit 4 finishers - 0/4" They need to make finishers one and done again, so then when that odd kickout happens, it will be a much bigger deal. Like who was expecting HBK or Edge to kick out of Taker's tombstone in their respective WM matches? It was such a mind blowing thing.

[@colmecolwag]

Yeah, but how do you put the toothpaste back in the tube? A finisher taking someone out in just one of them makes a character look Weak now ...that's why you gotta make new Super Finishers to replace the old ones I guess

[@BrokutheSonofSparda]

The last ride is my fav finisher so cool how high he powerbombs people

[@guillaumejuillard8258]

Taker is a little bit of a hypocrite here. He killed the impact of the chokeslam and the last ride (deteriorating the perception of powerbombs), those 2 moves when done by Taker were ALWAYS leading to a kick-out... It made those 2 moves look like low quality signature moves... Which is dumb because it's many people's finishers...

[@TarnishedtheGOAT]

Finishers don’t mean shit today. It really grinds my gears. What’s the point of a finished if they just kick out of them?

[@anuragd948_2]

Totally agree. A finisher by its very name is supposed to finish a match. Now they don't mean anything. Earlier when a finisher was hit its game over.

[@shawnsmith2241]

I feel like a better way to do it is countering the finisher before it connects, not just kicking out of it. That way if someone doesn't counter it, he's out and then if someone does kick out, it's a big pop. So that way it keeps its power, it's just a matter of trying to counter it.

[@Tomn8er]

Good point. Leaves more room for creativity too.

[@draggy76]

You mean.... Like they used to do? before people just spammed finishing moves that connected? Old days, 20 years ago lol, they'd actually counter and even come back with their own finishers. Made for a hell of a lot better wrestling, and depending on the story, funny moments too.

[@shawnsmith2241]

@@draggy76 There's a million examples but the one off the top of my head with Eddie Guerrero and Lesnar. The one time the f5 hit it took knocking out the referee and Goldberg spearing Lesnar for him to even have a chance to get out of it. Then he reverses it at the end to win.

[@clarencegutsy7309]

I remember if Undertaker used the Tombstone during his Biker days it meant you were done. Also random fact but I think Kane's Tombstone is one of the most protected finishers ever.

[@romero9274]

Has anyone even kicked out of Kane's tombstone other than Undertaker himself? It's a special case where they trade chokeslams and tombstones with each other. I don't think anyone else has ever kicked out of Kane's tombstone.

[@theboombody]

When Razor hit the Razor's edge, nobody was kicking out.

[@romero9274]

@@theboombody Crush kicked out of Razor's edge. So it's about as protected as Kane's tombstone.

[@seabicuit7247]

That is a tough one because HBK kicking out of the tombstone at WM 25 and seeing Taker’s face is a moment I’ll never forget. However have it become a norm today is too much. When it happens at Wrestlemania, it’s no longer shocking. It’s almost expected to be part of a random tv episode or b tier ppv this point.

[@jvstice56]

I agree that finishers should be protected and only save the kick out of for very special events. To kick out of them on free TV is just doing a disservice to the move as it makes it look weak. I still remember Mick legitimately kicking out of Triple H's pedigree so he could go out on the thumbtacks. The pop that erupted and the legitimate shock on Paul's face was a sight to see live. Same is said for the Sweet Chin Music into Pedigree in the End of the Era match being a testament to how you can pull off the false finish to perfection. It was, at least at the time, the one point we all believed the Streak was going to end. The subsequent pop after the kick out and JR shouting on TV "The Streak lives!" echoes throughout history.

[@bear-gj7oq]

Takers the best wrestler

[@JTG-wt8eb]

Your the best commenter.

[@rabidcujocrazy7462]

​@@JTG-wt8eb you're the best replier

[@danieldanby6237]

This is the best thread

[@JohnRock14]

Im the best

[@endtimesdarknessdescending5634]

All of you all are delusional ... I'm the best ... period!!!

[@breadiusloafus5068]

KO has like five finishers for transition moves. The guy is like a custom character from 2K.

[@clashzero6093]

Today few people take the finishiers the right way, I'm with The Undertaker

[@mirzarizwanbaig9449]

Still remember “Edge of Days” of Corbin being protected for more than half a decade!! That thing was & always will be the best finisher! Till now almost 10 years of Corbin & only once kickout happened that was at WM against Drew

[@TheRealKenF]

UNDERTAKER IS THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME! Always been my favorite, no one can touch what he’s contributed to the business, and no….not hogan.

[@SiddharthSinghFiery69]

He's absolutely right. Finishers don't mean anything anymore. It all started when WWE was trying to push Roman Reigns at the initial stages. He would regularly kick out of finishers and to keep others in the competition, they started letting others kick out of finishers as well. Eventually, finishers lost their value.

[@vileink4733]

So fascinating to hear the perspectives and stories from Taker knowing he comes from that era we'll never witness again

[@PBLightning145]

Ok

[@M9AX]

I agree with protecting your finisher (Taker protected the tombstone by also having the chokeslam and last ride if he wanted a near-fall) but I'd like to counter with: Gunther Gunther doesn't really have a finisher. He often closes a match with a powerbomb but he's also used a lariat and recently a sleeper-hold. These are all very common moves - Gunther doesn't even give these a unique name. And he doesn't need to, because it's not always about the finisher but the moment when you use it. Gunther is just so aware of the storytelling of wrestling, the pace and momentum, the crowds excitement and fatigue, that it doesn't matter if he calls his powerbomb 'The Schnitzel' or some shit. It's a high impact move delivered at the climax. In the end, that's all a finisher is regardless of how iconic or 'protected' it is

[@EditDeath]

This is one reason I appreciate Kenny Omega's work, he's protected the One-Winged Angel finisher to the point that the one time I know of it was ever kicked out of was the one time narratively that it could make sense to happen.

[@zanethind]

It's crazy to think that Baron Corbin's finish is the most protected finishing move there is still today despite it having some kickouts like 3

[@Makron5]

Khalas from Jinder was protected last I remember but I haven't watched in years.

[@zanethind]

@@Makron5 it was kicked out

[@KingsNerdCave]

End of Days and the One Winged Angel are the only moves that I can think of protected, they both have only ever been kicked out of once over the course of a decade+. Black Arrow is protected somewhat too I suppose.

[@zanethind]

@@KingsNerdCave yeah

[@romero9274]

@@KingsNerdCave Kane's tombstone has only been kicked out by the Undertaker.

[@loonanite]

Hell's Gate got me into training BJJ all those years ago lol

[@SurvivingComics]

Jey Uso should watch this. Superkick, Superkick, Superkick, Spear, Spear, Splash. YAWN

[@ItaAndyOfficial]

Now they call him main event, when all he does is main event raw lol the dude is trash and cringe as fuck

[@jacobkuhn4017]

The dragon sleeper!!! I thought that was so awesome and different when you were doing that. Thank you Taker!

[@marcjugmohan]

Man was an artist, i swear he will remain the best for a long time

[@kalebphillips9281]

One of the many things that have devolved in wrestling. When someone kicked out of a finisher, it was not only rare, it meant something. Now people take 15 "finishers".

[@KDB349]

Listen never have i saw a super kick and thought it was the finish. When you saw the Sweet Chin Music you knew that it was over for the most part lol. If anything, a superkick is a signature lol.

[@emeraldaly7646]

Yeah, the "tuning up the band" part makes it a finisher, and uniquely HBK.

[@theboombody]

Michaels used a backdrop suplex as a finisher after leaving the rockers, and the superkick as the setup to it, but people popped A LOT more for the superkick, so it made sense for him to switch.

[@user-ef1qm2gy1t]

I don't watch wrestling for 20 years...but I can't imagine wrestling without finisher...This is such a big part of wrestling.

[@OnlyUknow2]

Best power bomb ever was the Last ride! 2nd best the jack knife

[@akshaymate954]

there have been so many variations of powerbombs and suplexes in pro wrestling, but Last Ride was probably the most explosive of all all-time. Taker's variation of the powerbomb included him lifting his opponent off his shoulder before slamming them on their back. It was so crazy! The opponent's waist would be 9 feet in the air and his head 3 feet higher!

[@straitjacket1930]

One of the very few, 1 in a million pro wrestlers who can adapt and keep both himself and his opponents protected in terms of characterization and physical injury and cares about both.

[@IAMD1353L]

This 3 min part of the interview shows exactly why wrestling will never be the same like it used to when i was growing up and I'm only 30. The 2000's and maybe even the early 2010's was the last great days of wrestling.

[@KingAdam25]

I get what he means, and the spots with him and Shawn that got the pops were partly because of that, the finishers had been protected for years, and so the person that could kick out of it was incredible, plus it's at Wrestlemania

[@Yawnz2]

I like how he doesnt knock the modern era but he says thats how its evolved over time. I think thats the best way to put it

[@cheesesauce1560]

Now there are super finishers. Like the triple Cross Rhodes, double AA, Spear Superman punch combo etc.

[@timborski1210]

Interviews with these guys is awesome. Taker is one of the greats

[@tiemann55]

I totally agree ! A finisher is a FINISHER! Now you see them left and right !

[@Bownzinho]

I like the point he made about the crazy bumps in Japan. The likes of Misawa turned Japan into a head drop circus and every big new move was “what silly way can I drop you on your head next” so you can kick out

[@InsertC01nP1]

He's absolutely right, as usual I might add. Back at Wrestlemania 18 when it was Taker vs Flair (American Bad Ass times), in the end he brought him in position for the last ride just to change it into the tombstone piledriver. This gave the term "finisher" so much meaning, especially in the context of the feud back then and the whole match between them.

[@Aaronschinaguide]

I remember that's what happened to Jake the Snakes DDT. By the end of the 90s and early 2000s the DDT just became a regular move.

[@ItaAndyOfficial]

Nowadays matches are a kickout fest, and people call them 5 star matches.

[@Cremig]

Each their own

[@ben6993]

Baron Corbins finisher the End of Days was protected for such a long time it was insane

[@acehotgram1618]

The hells gate was so impressive when I saw it I was doing it 😂😂😂

[@CommanderTavos99]

My main focus on looking for when the match could be over isn't even a finisher anymore. First the winner does a finisher, kick out, then the looser does a finisher, kick out, THEN SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT INVOLVES ILLEGAL STUFF FOR THE MATCH and then either a finisher or a roll up, so lame

[@jamesibz]

It’s the way it goes. Look at old wrestling matches from 1985 in the NWA. 25 minutes of 2 guys taking turns in shoulder barging each other for 10 minutes before a suplex , the crowd would be going mental after it.. kids now have shorter attention spans and are less impressed by a leg drop

[@Speedyreedy1218]

I'd rather watch 1985 nwa over this big budget horseshit.

[@kennethvega7242]

That's what Austin was saying when Cena started using that springboard stunner

[@KaitouKaiju]

Personally, I think that springboard stunner is different enough from the stone cold stunner that they register as two different moves.

[@lancethefilmguy9392]

Not a fan of KO using the Stone Cold Stunner myself

[@kennethvega7242]

@@KaitouKaiju well that's the point it look more devastating

[@kennethvega7242]

@@lancethefilmguy9392 KO had some kind of a piledriver as his finisher in ROH but he couldn't use it in WWE for obvious reasons

[@undertakernumberone1]

​@@kennethvega7242Package Piledriver

[@SlySpectre96]

What seperates a regular move from a finisher is the special flair ppl put on a move before they execute it. A ddt is a ddt unless its delivered like Jake where he raises the fist up and goes in for that sudden drop. Bobby Roode had the Glorious DDT, He would do the Glorious arm pose before he hit an impaler style ddt. Same with superkicks, HBK would tune up the band with his stomping wake up taunt or he could hit it outta nowhere like the RKO. If you use a spear as a finish you almost have to make it unique, every former football player in pro wrestling uses a spear as a finish these days.

[@brainthebrian3690]

No

[@kjdee140]

Finishers need to be protected so that when someone does kick out, it’s a huge deal.

[@tjstraw1]

Less is more, and more is less 👍

[@redrick8900]

No. That's lame story telling. Seeing a finisher and knowing the match is over is boring.

[@carlosr6462]

@@redrick8900 I'm happy you don't work in a wrestling company

[@redrick8900]

@@carlosr6462 I'm happy that wrestling isn't hack and formulaic like it used to be.

[@Squadron_Bodron]

What about the people of Israel? Where is their protection?

[@amodernphoenix]

He's absolutely right.

[@youngzeus87]

Everybody is Wolverine and Deadpool now with how they heal instantly. The scrawniest dudes be popping up like Goldberg from a signature move

[@JimmyStevens]

0:42 Shawn kicked out.... But, the second WrestleMania match... When Shawn kicked out, then the then the Undertaker actually jumped up to perform another tombstone... Awesome It added emphasis to the move And you knew nobody was getting out of that

[@colmecolwag]

Brother spent half a bar to EX that move

[@KyleJWest-vn9kn]

Kicking out of finishers at Wrestlemania is one thing. But you got guys taking eight huge spots with five “kick out of the other guys finishers” spots on the second match on Velocity (or whatever the C-Shows are now) and it doesn’t mean anything.

[@DeionBradley]

Truer words have never been spoken about pro wrestling. It's not too late to fix it 💯

[@zacwoods]

The next wrestler to really pop will have to have a completely unique moveset. All his moves will have to be uniquely made and then uniquely executed. THAT i feel is what will push the next young star to the absolute top and keep him there. Like Undertaker.

[@esquire232]

First time I saw someone kick out of a finisher was the career ending match at Wrestlemania 7. Savage vs Warrior. They both kicked out of each other’s finisher. Mind you, that match had high stakes but it was a big deal when I saw them both kick out. Now it’s not even a shock when someone kicks out.

[@alvina69]

The last ride and tombstone piledriver were good finisher that could be performed on the smaller guys, the chokeslam was a good finishers for some of the bigger guys as they could help Taker deliver it.

[@boombro4705]

The part most people may have missed is that Taker built a career with no one kicking out to it. Even all the other guys. If someone’s gonna kick out then it’s gotta be in a select time not all the time

[@bryanmack4054]

One question I’d love to ask Taker is, what is the etiquette in using someone else’s signiture finish? Owen did the tombstone to Bret at WM 10 (knees first just like Taker) and Bret kicked out. Except Taker was taking time off then and probably wasn’t even there at the event. Owen would do the sit down tombstone on Austin and severely injure him…just curious to hear his take on all that.

[@ageishyena3035]

late to the party but yeah, this. There ain't no way Taker didn't somehow find the time to tear into Owen after that screw up with Steve.

[@badass6300]

I think that it's a shame that finishers aren't finishers anymore and that they don't sell and hit as hard as they used to. Matches from the 90s and 2000s looks so visceral.

[@ClaytonHouseholder-ou9lg]

One of my favorite finishers is from a Superstar who is unfortunately not wrestling anymore,Luther Reigns.His finisher the “Reign Of Terror” is Awesome.

[@christiansamaroo]

Taker is the most glazed superstar of all time

[@Deathadder1994]

I definitely agree with Undertaker, But I also like when people kick out because if everyone done their finisher once than we know it’s over but with using it 2-3 times in big matches than it makes it exciting

[@MLaak86]

On the one hand I really like that you aren’t always sure if a finisher will be the end of a match, but on the other hand they need some protection so kicking out of one carries some weight.

[@theguardian3431]

Nobody has ever kicked out of the sharpshooter! 😁

[@master-of-mind5881]

The main issue is distinguishing between a signature move and a finisher. You never kick out of a finisher unless it’s an exception i.e. mania but a signature move you can exploit more because it’s more of a setup move. For instance Goldberg had a signature move - spear and a finishing move - jackhammer. Where applicable it makes sense for his opponent to kick out of the spear but they should never kick out of a jackhammer unless the story requires it.

[@ThePointBlank87]

Interesting convo, always had this thought at the back iof my mind when I was watching wrrestling as a teen. I always felt that it wont be surprising for finishers like the people's elbow to get a kick out but something heavy impact like last ride would be ridiculous for the opponent to kick out. Nice to hear from a legend's perspective.

[@user-ef1qm2gy1t]

When Taker give you a chokeslam...You were in deep trouble ! When he gived you the tombstone...You were dead, over & gone. That's the way it was...And it was perfect !

[@TooOldToCare-kl3co]

Just realised how old I am, my first son was born, when taker started. He is in his thirties.😢

[@mageside]

I always state that wrestlers can be the master of a move. Undertaker with the Tomb Stone, HBK and the Sweet Chin Music, Stone Cold, and the Stone Cold Stunner. But i agree, some wrestlers need to have their finishers protected!

[@tahmidchowdhury3706]

Shawn is the real reason for this evolution. Simply goat.

[@cltmck]

It's not just kicking out of finishers, it's matches never ending from anything other than finishers too. They don't need to go full King's Road or anything, but the top guys should only be needing their main finisher in big matches. Doesn't mean they can't use it ever. Then even an attempt at it is great drama and when someone finally kicks out of it like Shawn kicking out of the tombstone, everyone will remember it.

[@Dmobley9901]

Your finales needs to mean something in ANY form of story telling, it's the same reason why if you're writing a story, and a lot of characters keep having fake out deaths or near death experiences, audiences won't believe the ONE time that you actually DO kill a character. Scarcity matters, the Streak is the prime example of that. The more you preserve something, the bigger the pay off when you DO finally break that rule, the key is though, you can't have JUST one thing. Taker's legacy is filled with so much mystique because it has so many beginnings and ends with long stretches in between- Like the first ever casket match, the first hell in a cell, the first buried alive match, the first inferno match, the first time someone ever fell OFF the hell in a cell- The first Wrestlemania win, all the way to the first Wrestlemania loss- The Undertaker character was an accidental/intentional master class in both what makes wrestling great AND what makes a good character and story. I'm not even sure Mark himself knows just how savvy he was in everything- Even in the ways in which he sacrificed the sanctity of certain spots like Old School. "I've been doing this for thirty years, you'd think SOME BODY would have the scouting report by now-" Was his response to when he got some push back towards letting some of the guys occasionally counter his signature moves- I think one of the greatest things Taker did was he realized that he needed VERSATILITY in his signatures/finishers. Last Ride, Old School, the Apron leg drop, Hell's Gate, the chokeslam, the Tombstone, the outside dive, the flying clothesline- He had a move for EVERY occasion, and each of them had varying levels of protection- Which allowed for more variety in story telling as well.

[@DarkHeart515]

Finishers don't mean anything anymore though. I can understand Rock kicking out the Stunner, because him, and Austin was on a Mega level, and was meant to be the best in the ring, and the business. So I can understand them kicking out each other's finishers with a crazy rivalry they had. I can understand Kane kicking out of a finisher, because of how hungry he was for a title even if he still lost the match. The build up to those were perfect. It was perfect, because kicking out of finishers were very rare, and unexpected. When they did it you got a "OMG HE KICKED OUT!!! I DON'T BELIEVE IT!! IT'S NOT OVER!" Now though everything is so normal when it comes to kicking out today's wrestler's finish that there is no shock to it. The finisher move is supposed to be your special. Now it's just a regular move, that's predictable about getting kick outs. Same as matches you know that's going to be interfered. Take last night for example. A match Sheamus interrupted with Bron Breakker, Ludwig Kaiser, and the week before that his match was interrupted by Ludwig Kaiser. I get that they trying to build up superstars of the future, but it's ok to let one lose to each other, instead of always having someone interfere to protect them. No one even announces a winner because of the DQ anymore, because it's so normal to do now. Hell people would actually attack one of the wrestlers when the referee is about to slam his hand for the three count just so they wouldn't win. If DQ still meant anything that wouldn't keep happening, but now it's just a way to continue the feud with no consciences (spell check)

[@robdabanks]

Hell's Gate was my absolute favourite. When that came out, it was like Taker had unlocked Ultra Instinct or another sort of power up. They told that story well.

[@timianalytics7150]

You should've edited the video by showing us some of the moves he was referring to. It makes it more relatable

[@wweisnumberone1]

What taker is saying is still valid because when drew kicked out of the end of days, that pop was insane

[@Mr.Ditkovich.]

Nobody kicked out of his tombstones until Kane did that in 1998!

[@sreegk106]

Hogan did before Kane.

[@Speedyreedy1218]

No one kicked out the pedigree until Cactus Jack at the Rumble.

[@jamalwalker04]

​@@Speedyreedy1218 didn't the ultimate warrior no sell the pedigree lol

[@Speedyreedy1218]

@@jamalwalker04 Yes, but that's a different scenario. We saw a pin and a kickout by Foley. We saw no pin and a direct sit up by Warrior. Surprised he and Undertaker didn't have words in the back. Maybe they did and it went unreported.

[@circeciernova1712]

First, the macro level: it's cyclical. A move is shown as strong, so showing you can withstand it becomes a symbol of toughness. More and more people resist the move, and it becomes just a strong move, and a new move appears as the finisher. Then the move becomes a standard thing, and eventually becomes forgotten... and then maybe gets revived as a new finisher, once it's forgotten and nobody is seen kicking out of it. Second, the micro level: of course you get a massive pop when you kick out of someone's unbeatable finisher. But that pop is precisely _because_ it's a rare sight. The more people do it, the less pop they get with each kick-out. If you want to get that HUGE pop, then that kick-out has to only happen once every few years. More than that, and you see diminishing returns. Taker was smart! It pays to have one (or ideally several) moves the opponent can kick-out on, in addition to a true finisher that means business. For best results, end the occasional lower-importance match with one of those lesser 'finishers' - that way, it looks more serious for you, and anyone kicking out is gonna look like that much more of a badass for it. Of course, it shouldn't be any surprise that he knows his business!