On this bonus “Moves of Doom Mondays,” we’re taking it easy breezy with a guy with three-and-a-half moves of doom. I guess he would be a guilty favorite of mine since I started watching in the early 90s. It’s Sid Vicious!
Big Boot
To be honest, the Big Boot is my favorite Sid Vicious move. The guy was billed as 6’9 and on seeing him on TV only—alright, believable. His Big Boot was kind of like Test’s where it was all leg. Like, this guy extended his leg into this thing.
I’d say he probably needed to animate or sell it more himself in his career. It was hit cleanly but it always looked like someone who just unlocked the Big Boot. That could also come from Sid not selling that much in general.
He had amazing facial expressions but as far as the damage and fatigue of the match, sometimes he’d end match looking as if he could do a double of the same length.
I just feel this Big Boot could’ve held that spot of B-show finisher, A-show signature easily if it didn’t come off in same way as dropkicks for the junior heavyweights. It was a very nice big man Big Boot. Excepted for his last one in WCW, obviously.
DOOM Scale: 2.75 out of 5
Chokeslam
While I’ve definitely seen Sid do the Chokeslam to finish matches, I never really associated it as his finisher. It was more like something he’d dust opponent with on Nitro or Thunder because he was saving the Powerbomb for PPV.
However, it looked as though it had some destruction to it. If he’d been booked in more situations or opportunities where the Chokeslam could look even more dangerous, that would’ve helped.
Actually, I’d suggest the same situations that WWE put Sid and his Powerbomb in during the feud with Shawn Michaels! The Powerbomb was used onto a table. Note I said “onto” and not “through”.
This was one of those WCW stiff tables that popped up in Nasty Boys matches on PPV. We’re talking about a Sabu trying to break a table on Nitro but failing table, folks.
Anyway, the Chokeslam was done in a way that he could end a big PPV match with it but he could definite shut something down in the undercard. It didn’t have the most flash and theatrics once it was in motion—think Big Show walking around the ring with someone in Chokeslam before slamming them—but it was a very effective, practical tall man finisher.
DOOM Scale: 3 out of 5
Leg Drop
This was one of those moves that he did at times. It seemed random because there was a period in the 90s when he’d use it often in lengthier matches. Later in the 90s and 2000s, you might see it here and there and it’d be like “Oh! Sid used a leg drop!” When he always used it but you can’t remember the last time you saw it.
If you haven’t figured it out, this is the 0.5 I mentioned at the beginning. The reason I have his Leg Drop here is because it was well-done big man leg drop. This wasn’t something that he botched often—I mean, it’s a Leg Drop.
Even surprisingly nimble Yokozuna—who could sometimes pick up the pace a little too much—didn’t land on opponents’ throats with all thigh on his leg drops.
I wouldn’t say that his Leg Drop was the most devastating one you’ll ever see but it was one of those moves you’d notice that worked with the rest of his Moves of Doom well.
DOOM Scale: 2 out 5
Sid Vicious and the Powerbomb
Sid’s Powerbomb was the perfect fan participation finisher. It was like pre-Stone Cold Stunner and post-Atomic Leg Drop. The fan participation finisher is the one where the superstar check’s the fan’s reaction before doing it—often to cheers. It’s often that finisher that actually gets ridiculous pops from the crowd.
You have Hogan going to each side of the ring to see if fans really wanted him to do the Atomic Leg Drop. Spoiler: the answer was always “Yes! Do the damn Leg Drop, Hulkster. C’mon now!”
Sid Vicious would set the opponent up for the Powerbomb and look out to the crowd psychotically. I don’t know wanted the crowd to join in as enablers and encourage to powerbomb folks after the match or if he was let us know “Oh, it’s happening!” I was one of those fans who wanted the Powerbomb and was encouraging Sid to do it.
When I really began appreciating his Powerbomb was during his last WCW run and in going back and watching his brief ECW run. This was how you sold me on a finishing move! Show me the move a few times then show how dangerous it can be in different situations. If it looks like a one-trick finisher, it’s not going to shiver me timbers.
His finisher is also closer to Austin’s and even Brock Lesnar’s F-5 in that it doesn’t matter if he’s a good guy or a bad guy, the fans are going to cheer for him when he does that finisher. In those instances, the fans only want this particular move from this particular wrestler.
As far as the actual destructiveness of Sid’s Powerbomb, I’d put it a bit below Kevin Nash’s Jackknife Powerbomb. It doesn’t have the same amount of stank as Nash’s powerbomb but it definitely gets the job done most of the time.
DOOM Scale: 3.5 out of 5
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