Top 5: Clever Moments Of 2017

2017 was a both a history making and a memory making year in professional wrestling, full of “spots” that we will never forget. While some spots are glorifying and death-defying, others should be remembered for the cerebral nature of the spot.

Thus, I present to you 2017’s move clever spots, WWE edition!

5. Charlotte Hits Natural Selection On The Ring Apron

Natural Selection, a reverse blockbuster to a kneeling opponent if you will, was Charlotte’s finisher before the Figure Eight Leglock came into prominence. At the 2017 Royal Rumble (you’ll see this PPV name again), Charlotte used a former finisher in a whole new way. Charlotte hit Natural Selection on the ring apron, which for decades has been referred to by commentary as “the hardest part of the ring” (and this is true), and immediately scored the pin.

The immediacy of the pin was my favorite part–no need to use this as a transition. It sells the brutality of the once-finisher when used on the ring apron. That should, and was, enough to win this particular match.

4. AJ Styles Avoids An RKO

Randy Orton has made a career on one move–the RKO. Once a Vine sensation (RIP), Orton will forever be known for the move that both carries his initials and can be hit…well, you know where he can hit it from.

OUTTA NOWHERE!

So leave it up to AJ Styles, the man most consider to be the very best in the world, to use the most clever of methods to avoid the RKO when facing Randy Orton for his WrestleMania title shot. AJ went for the Phenomenal Forearm, but dropped back down to the apron (again, the hardest part of the ring!) and tricked Randy Orton into slamming his own back against the canvas.

It still wasn’t meant to be for Styles, who eats a Pop-Up-RKO moments later and loses the match. But this isn’t about winners and losers, it’s about cleverness. And AJ was a big winner in that category.

3. Roman Reigns Enters The Royal Rumble At #30

I mean, this was just awesome. The vaunted number 30 spot in the WWE Royal Rumble, and it was occupied by yhe man the internet loves to hate, a man who had already wrestled earlier in the show, and a man who would go on to likely retire The Undertaker.

That man was Roman Reigns.

In the video above you see suggestions of Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, and more. But nope–it was Roman Reigns!

The fan reaction for this was priceless, and it all culminated at the RawAfterMania, where the crowd tore into Roman Reigns for an eternity, only to be met with a reply of “It’s my yard now!” by The Big Dog himself.

2. The List of KO

The breakup of Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens was an example of good predictability in wrestling. We all knew it was going to happen, but it happened earlier than we expected (likely due to Jericho’s schedule), and in a way that we won’t ever forget.

And it led to a WrestleMania match that gave us #1…

1. The One Finger Rope Break

Kevin Owens had a banner year, including the headbutt to Vince McMahon, a once-in-a-lifetime showdown with Goldberg, and a match against his idol Chris Jericho at WrestleMania.

And each moment added to his legacy, which is obviously in the early stages of a Hall Of Fame career.

But he also added one of my favorite moments of the year, The One Finger Rope Break.