If there was a Hall of Fame for overused wrestling moves, the Flatliner would have to be a first-ballot inductee. Other first-ballot entries would be the Spanish Fly and next week’s finisher. At any rate, the Flatliner has taken many names and everyone does it a little differently. Let’s get into why it belongs on the list with other overused wrestling moves.
Origin of the Flatliner or The Complete Shot
Depending on when you saw the move either Kanyon did it first or Gedo. Personally, I saw Kanyon use the move first as Mortis but Gedo could’ve been using it around the same time when he was in FMW. Going even further back, I’m certain you could find a women’s wrestler who was messing opponents up with this move.
That’s the other interesting thing about this move. Someone else probably used it as just another move in their arsenal but Kanyon—who used a ton of moves—made it his finisher for a while. This one was actually the second Flatliner. The original was the Samoan Drop out of the corner.
Into the World of Overused Wrestling Moves
This is a move you saw often on the indies in the 2000s. Sometimes it was a finisher and sometimes it was just a counter or a move in the match. Looking at the execution of the move, it’s doesn’t even appear to be the hardest to pull off so it’s no wonder everyone and their grandmama uses it.
As mentioned above, it has taken on a bunch of names. You might know it best as Shelton Benjamin’s Paydirt but it was also Muhammad Hassan’s Finishing Touch. Of all the wrestlers who have used this move, Shelton’s looks the smoothest. It just comes off as move that could a win match in the heat of battle at any moment.
Again, that’s the kind of move this is. It’s a desperation finisher. You’re not exactly going to pop it as a big match finisher or as an MDK move but in a counter battle, the Flatliner can be done at any time. Not only that, but it also has that “Outta Nowhere!” effect. It all comes down to how smoothly it’s performed and if it actually ends the match.
Wrestling move dissection aside, this one is definitely overused but the reason makes sense. It’s not as if Kanyon and Gedo popularized the most dazzling move ever. This one floats in the realm between a bulldog or the neckbreaker, after all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPUd56De1ns
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