Author: 1- Big Show / Paul Wight
When you picture Paul Wight (AKA The Big Show), chokeslams, chest slaps, and his knockout punch come to mind. But he was also able to surprise his opponents with a massive spear.
Despite being a giant wrestler, Big Show’s spears looked great for someone his size, and later, when he lost weight, they looked even better.
While they didn’t always look flashy, he relied on his size and raw power to drive opponents to the floor.
Big Show didn’t use the spear as often as others on this list, but when he did, it signaled that a match would soon be coming to an explosive end.
2- Kairi Sane
Kaori Housako, better known as Kairi Sane or just KAIRI when wrestling in World Wonder Ring Stardom and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, is usually considered one of the best female wrestlers of her generation.
While she is mainly known for her iconic top-rope elbow drop, which she executes exceptionally, her spear, which she calls “The Interceptor,” is one of the best in wrestling.
Despite her smaller size, it is so well executed, and she uses the Interceptor with precision and grace while also going hard on her opponent.
3- Charlotte Flair
Charlotte Flair has lived up to her father, Ric Flair’s legacy.
While she is best known for her Figure 8 Leglock, the big boot, and the Natural Selection, she also uses the spear.
She performs the move well and tends to unleash it when her opponents least expect it.
Although she does not use it regularly or as a finisher, she’ll pick her spots, pop a crowd, and take down an opponent with the powerful maneuver.
One of her most remembered and destructive spears is against Ronda Rousey at 2022’s WrestleMania 38.
4- Ricky Starks
Ricky Starks’ rise in the latter half of 2022 is why many people love to watch his matches.
He is a total package who can do it all; the spear is one of his smoothest and best moves.
Starks runs at full speed to set up his spears because the run is as dramatically crucial as the impact itself.
Fans react strongly to them because he times them for maximum surprise and effect.
5- Christian Cage
Christian Cage incorporated the spear into his wrestling repertoire as a nod to his friend and former tag partner Edge’s retirement. Christian had previously used the move frequently in TNA and reintroduced it after returning to WWE.
He is skilled at setting up the maneuver, making it look forceful and visually appealing.
While he primarily uses the Unprettier as his finishing move in AEW, Christian also utilizes the spear as a secondary finishing move when necessary.
6- Batista
Dave Bautista, AKA “The Animal” Batista, at the peak of his powers, was considered one of the best and most dominant wrestlers in the WWE in the ’00s.
While his finisher, the Batista Bomb, won most of his matches, the spear was also an essential move in his arsenal.
Batista used a combination of speed and strength to annihilate his opponents with them.
One of his best-remembered spears is the one he gave to The Undertaker at Backlash 2007, where he sent Taker and himself off the stage onto a production panel.
The match resulted in a memorable draw.
7- Bobby Lashley
The powerful Bobby Lashley used the spear in his first WWE run as his signature move. Meanwhile, the inverted front powerslam called the “Dominator” would become his finisher.
Lashley would later change this and made his spear his finishing move, along with the Full Nelson (AKA “Hurt Lock”) as his submission.
Owner of a particularly painful-looking and crowd-pleasing spear, Lashley has defeated wrestlers like Randy Orton, Keith Lee, The Miz, and Braun Strowman.
8- Edge
Edge will always be among the first wrestlers to come to everybody’s mind when people talk about the spear.
The Canadian legend is the wrestler who made the move popular in WWE in the ’00s, and he won so many matches thanks to it.
The spear is one of the main reasons why Edge was able to capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship a record seven times.
His spear against Mick Foley onto a burning table at 2006’s WrestleMania 22 and against Jeff Hardy from the top of the ladder at 2001’s WrestleMania 17 are celebrated examples of his noted maneuver.
9- Rhyno
Rhyno, who made his name in the violent ECW (Extreme Championship Wrestling), has one of the most brutal spears ever.
The ECW original Rhyno called his favorite move “Gore,” which has helped him annihilate his opponents for over twenty years.
Rhyno’s barbaric spear relies on the strike’s momentum.
He has worked for multiple wrestling promotions throughout his career, such as Impact Wrestling, DDT Pro-Wrestling, and WWE, and the “Gore” has been his finisher maneuver in them all.
Rarely has a more dramatic version of the move been initiated in the squared circle!
10- Roman Reigns
As part of the Anoa’i family lineage, which includes among the biggest names in wrestling history, such as The Rock, Rikishi, Yokozuna, and Umaga, Roman Reigns was destined for greatness.
Although his push was severely criticized in the mid-’10s, his technique and wrestling ability have always been top-notch.
A gridiron football player who knew how to tackle properly, his spear is widely considered one of the best ever performed in wrestling.
What makes it more impressive is his “Ooh Ahh” war cry before the execution.
Reigns has used his spear to defeat such major names as Brock Lesnar, Drew McIntyre, John Cena, and The Undertaker.
11- Big E
Although Big E never used the spear as a finishing move, he performed it uniquely. He would launch himself through the middle and top rope to drive his opponent to the floor—an impressive feat with high risks for a man of his size.
Big E may never use his signature move again after breaking his neck, but if he returns to the ring, he will likely have to avoid using the spear.
12- Mil Muertes
Ricky Banderas, also known as El Mesias, played the role of Mil Muertes in Lucha Underground.
A tall, broad, undead luchador similar to The Undertaker, Mil Muertes became the eventual Lucha Underground Champion and wrestled with the intention of destroying his opponents.
His violent nature was evident when he used his signature weapon, the “Reaper’s Trident,” which was a vicious-looking spear. It appeared even more dangerous when used on smaller opponents, such as the various cruiserweight-style luchadors featured on the show.
13- Goldberg
Bill Goldberg is known for having one of the best spears in the business.
The WWE Hall of Famer was the person who innovated the technique and the one who popularized it in World Championship Wrestling in the ’90s.
Although he used it as a setup for his popular Jackhammer, his spears always looked extremely devastating and painful. Witnessing a wrestler receiving a spear courtesy of Goldberg was like seeing someone cut in half.
His two spears against Brock Lesnar at 2004’s WrestleMania XX are proof of that.
Goldberg doesn’t have a lot of moves; he just needed a spear and Jackhammer to finish the job.
Masters of The Spear
The spear has become an iconic move in professional wrestling that has left the crowd in awe.
From its beginnings as a simple tackle to its evolution into a lethal high-impact finisher, it has been performed by some of the best wrestlers to lace up a pair of boots.
Each wrestler brought both personality and a unique style to the move.
As long as there are wrestling rings and passionate fans, the spear will remain a symbol of power and excitement, creating unforgettable moments and professional wrestling history.
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Read: Superkick: The History of Wrestling’s Most Loved/Hated Move
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