LogFAQs > #956333408

#59: Playmaker
Nominator: @Lopen (2/3 remaining)
Character: Montel Vontavious Porter
Source Material: WWE

Scores:
Aesthetics: 3
Dominance: 5
Damn: 2
Total Score: 10/30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9gHS94WBcY

Finishing moves in pro wrestling are always trickier than they would be in most media. Unlike digital media, they need to be done in real life; unlike in film, there's no editing to rely on. This is done in front of a live audience (pre-covd) after all. Again, I don't grade on a curve, but as someone with a modicum of stunt and stage combat training, I can appreciate how tough the job is to make something memorable without any means of touching up or getting multiple takes.

With all of this said -- I must be missing something here, right? The guy just flips the opponent halfway around. The only thing that looks like it might get hurt by this move is the opponent's arm getting slammed into the mat, but only in the way that losing an arm wrestling match would. The opponent's head isn't getting hurt at all; MVP's leg is cushioning the blow. Now, this isn't uncommon in stage combat. For example, if you watch the Undertaker's signature Tombstone Piledriver very closely, you'll notice that the Undertaker's knees hit the surface just before his opponent's head does, so Taker is the one who takes the brunt of the hit. However, Taker is good enough that his big move looks like it's going all on the enemy's head. I can't fathom what MVP's half-leg-lock over his jobber's head is supposed to convey, though, and that's a glaring flaw.

I'm honestly not sure why I gave this slop a 5 on Dominance. If I were rerating, I'd put it down to 3 and cast it into the bottom 5 abyss like it deserves. I don't know MVP much, but I hope he came up with a better signature than this.

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