The in-ring performance of a wrestler is the main aspect one should strive for in order to achieve excellence in his career. The professional wrestling industry is nuanced in wrestlers’ fighting styles and finishing moves. The finishing moves are designed to appear deadly on the part of the fighter, most of the time guaranteeing a win. While a wrestler tends to kick a deadly finisher on a big stage, he does his best to counter it, thus preventing his opponent from gaining the upper hand.
There are times when the superstars counter their opponents’ finishing moves and execute their own special move, leading them to win the contest. This also happens mainly when the stakes are high and it is an important match. The counters are extremely unexpected and give the contest an extra touch. To reverse a move, both wrestlers must put in equal effort to get the spot crisp and clean. The list below mentions some amazing counters that occurred in WWE story, which led to the superstar’s victory.
10 Asuka and Sasha Banks
Sasha Banks and Asuka’s rivalry in 2020 was a treat for wrestling fans. The chemistry of both fighters was so good and captivating that one could watch them fight continuously for hours. While all of their matches that year were amazing, the ending of their Extreme Rules match was considered silly.
While Asuka lost at the event, it was at SummerSlam that year, she defeated Sasha Banks to win the RAW Women’s Championship. Asuka fought Bayley the same night, but prevailed only against Banks. Both of her performances that night were top-notch, but it was her spot with Banks that got everyone’s attention. The Empress of Tomorrow invested the Bank Statement in the Asuka Lock, prompting Banks to file. Asuka’s reign lasted 231 days until she lost to Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 37.
9 Undertaker and Rey Mysterio
The 2010 Royal Rumble match between The Undertaker and Rey Mysterio was memorable. While the two had faced each other before, this was the first time that both had competed on a large stage in a singles match. Both wrestlers of different styles had a competitive spirit, with Mysterio nearly winning in the end.
The end of the match was loved by all as Undertaker reversed 619 into a Last Ride Powerbomb to clinch the win. When Taker caught Mysterio for the last ride, Mysterio knew he couldn’t escape, and his behavior proved it. The ad was done very well, and the storytelling involved was spot on.
8 melina and beth phoenix
While the Divas Era is remembered for glamor and entertainment, there were some rivalries that stand out as the best in WWE history. One of them is that of Melina and Beth Phoenix. While the two have clashed several times, their meeting at the One Night Stand PPV is a memorable one.
However, his match at the 2009 Royal Rumble is considered underrated. The match consisted of some rough moments, and both women were entertaining in the short span they had. Melina, being quick and flexible in her movements, countered the grand slam at the end into a rolling pin to win the match. The ending was quite unexpected, as no one had thought of Melina sneakily winning.
7 Shawn Michaels and Shelton Benjamin
Shelton Benjamin is one of the most underrated performers in professional wrestling history. Benjamin’s athleticism has always wowed viewers, and he along with Shawn Michaels did the same on an edition of RAW in 2005. WWE legend Shawn Michaels perfectly paired his Sweet Chin Music with Benjamin’s Springboard Jump.
Michaels perfectly countered the jump thanks to his presence of mind, thus earning a victory. The whole thing was well paced, with some fantastic moments and a conclusion that is still talked about today. The match has also been a consistent feature on RAW’s Top Ten Matches of that decade list.
6 Bray Wyatt and AJ Styles
Since repackaging himself in 2012, Bray Wyatt hasn’t looked back. Wyatt rose to the top card, eventually winning the WWE Championship at Elimination Chamber 2017. The Chamber match is considered one of the best in recent years, with the action building to its peak for the duration of the match.
Wyatt’s status as a wrestler was elevated that night after he cleanly defeated John Cena and AJ Styles to win the match. The end of the match saw Wyatt invest a phenomenal forearm into Sister Abigail to win the match. Both wrestlers performed the feat expertly, and the crowd responded enthusiastically to Wyatt’s victory and the fact that it was unexpected.
5 Roman Reigns and AJ Styles
Roman Reigns’ babyface run in 2016 was highly despised by the crowd, and he even earned the “Overrated Wrestler of the Year” tag by the Wrestling Newsletter Observer that year. While Reigns was hated for his character, his in-ring prowess was highly appreciated by the WWE Universe. Reigns’ rivalry with AJ Styles in 2016 was vital for Styles as it was his first major rivalry in the company.
While they had two matches at Payback and Extreme Rules, their meeting at Extreme Rules stands out among them. The game was outstanding, with its very high intensity over time. The best spot came in the finale, in which Reigns countered the phenomenal forearm strike by slamming a spear out of the air to win the match.
4 The Undertaker and Batista
It’s always been intriguing to see how well matched Undertaker and Batista are. Because of how unexpected the contests were, fans always enjoyed when the two went head to head. The 2008 edition of No Way Out saw the Undertaker win his first and only Elimination Chamber match.
While the House match isn’t considered the best, the crowd, as usual, loved Deadman’s performance at the event. However, his meeting with Batista in the match was the icing on the cake. The end of the match was completely unexpected, as The Undertaker reversed a Powerslam with the help of the ropes and delivered a Tombstone to Batista, thus winning the match. The venue was so amazing that the crowd made noise and stood up at the end.
3 Eddie Guerrero and Brock Lesnar
2004 was one of the best years for WWE, with the company having some of the best matches in its entire history. One of the matches is that of Eddie Guerrero and Brock Lesnar. The match was phenomenal, with Guerrero deserving every inch of that Gold. Guerrero and Lesnar delivered a classic David vs. Goliath rendition, with David showing the strength within him to succeed.
The end of the match proved why Eddie is considered one of the best competitors in the ring. F-5’s investment in a DDT is something only Eddie could pull off. The reversal would forever rank among the best in wrestling history due to the skill with which it was executed.
2 Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels
The Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels rivalry in 1996 is well known even to not-so-hardcore wrestling fans. However, their feud in 1992 is not much talked about. Michaels, being an Intercontinental Heel Champion, faced Hart for the WWE Championship at Survivor Series in 1992.
The match was classic, with great storytelling and an indication of just how captivating it is when these two are up against each other. The end of the match shows why Hart is considered one of the greatest in-ring technicians of all time. Hart countered Michaels’ dropkick and reversed it into his sniper, thus winning the match. It was one of his early and underrated matches in the course of their rivalry.
1 Randy Orton and Roman Reigns
The 2017 Royal Rumble was unpredictable and one of the best of the decade. It was a festival of Legends with some amazing matchups that added to the quality of the match. Randy Orton’s victory was well deserved as he was one of the best performers of the night.
The highlight of Orton’s performance came when he reversed Roman Reigns’ spear into an RKO and eliminated Reigns to win the Rumble match for the second time in his career. The RKO was so smooth and crisp that it definitely stands out as one of the best RKOs of his career. Orton’s victory drew a raucous response, and Reigns’ elimination deserves a spot on the list of greatest eliminations in Rumble history.