5 Reasons Why The Stunner Is Kevin Owens' Best Finisher (& 5 Why It's The Pop-Up Powerbomb)

So it seems like Kevin Owens is determined to keep the Stunner as his new finishing move. He's even got merchandise with "Stun, Owens, Stun" plastered over it. Fans can't blame him for using the maneuver. It is one of the most popular finishing moves in wrestling history, and while there have been some variations of the Stunner, the original is still the best.

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However, the Pop-Up Powerbomb is what Michael Cole would call "Vintage Kevin Owens." KO has been using the move since his days as Kevin Steen and has punished several big names with it. So has Owens made the right choice in ditching the Pop-Up Powerbomb for the Stunner?

10 Pop-Up Powerbomb: The Stunner Belongs To Stone Cold

For long-time fans of WWE, it can be hard to watch a wrestler using an iconic superstar's finishing move. People cringed when The Miz performed the Figure Four Leglock and when Dolph Ziggler started tuning up the band. While everyone, including Stone Cold Steve Austin, seems to have given their blessing to Owens to use the Stunner, is it only because it reminds them of the good old days of the Attitude Era, or is the applause for KO's performance? Will the move ever truly belong to Owens, or will it always be the Stone Cold Stunner?

9 Stunner: It's Safer For Opponents

Since it's inception, the powerbomb has caused an injury or two. D-Lo Brown critically injured Darren Drozdov with a running powerbomb, and Seth Rollins injured Finn Balor and Sting with the recently banned Buckle Bomb. While Owens hasn't hurt anyone, the powerbomb he delivers hits the mat with a lot of force. To date, no one has been injured by a Stunner. It's a lot safer to perform on opponents compared to the Pop-Up Powerbomb, even if someone decides to bounce around the ring like The Rock.

8 Pop-Up Powerbomb: No One Else Does It

While there are some variations of the powerbomb, no one on the WWE roster delivers a Pop-Up Powerbomb. It's a move that is unique to Kevin Owens' character, even in the way he performs the finisher. Owens doesn't throw his opponent into the rope like he normally would, he pushes them on their back as if he's throwing his foe out of the ring and then squares up when they return to him. When fans hear Pop-Up Powerbomb, they think of Kevin Owens.

7 Stunner: Very Few People Have Kicked Out Of It

The Stone Cold Stunner has a history of being a finishing move that not many people have kicked out of. Only some of the top superstars in WWE history have got their shoulders up before the count of three like The Rock, The Undertaker, Kurt Angle, Triple H, and Bret Hart.

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Several wrestlers have kicked out of the Pop-Up Powerbomb. Sami Zayn did it multiple times at NXT TakeOver: Rival. With very few finishing moves protected these days, the Stunner is one maneuver that would likely need permission from Vince McMahon to kick out of.

6 Pop-Up Powerbomb: It's A Part Of Kevin Owen's History

The Pop-Up Powerbomb is part of Kevin Owens' DNA. In his early days of Kevin Steen, he would deliver the devastating move in the ring and on the apron, which put dollar signs in the eyes of chiropractors. When he signed with NXT and changed his name to Kevin Owens, fans wondered if he would also change his finishing maneuver. Thankfully, Owens did an interview and promised that the Pop-Up Powerbomb would be coming with him to the black and gold brand. For fans who have followed Owens throughout his career, they only recognize the Pop-Up Powerbomb as his finishing move.

5 Stunner: It Can Be Executed Anywhere

One of the many great aspects of the Stunner is that it doesn't have to be executed in the ring. In the early days of the move, Stone Cold delivered the Stunner on cars, tables, and the top of cages. While the Pop-Up Powerbomb can be performed when an opponent is running at Owens, it looks better when a foe is bouncing off the ropes. The Stunner just needs a good kick to the guts before it's lights out for the person the other end, and that can be performed anywhere in the arena.

4 Pop-Up Powerbomb: It Looks Spectacular On Smaller Opponents

There are many facets of the Pop-Up Powerbomb that are visually spectacular to the home viewer and the fans in attendance. The sound of someone being blasted into the mat sends shockwaves around the arena and sounds fantastic on a home theatre system.

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But it's the height that some of the smaller opponents get when Owens launches them into the air that looks amazing. Opponents like Sami Zayn and AJ Styles have gotten some serious hang time that makes the end of the move look even more painful.

3 Stunner: It Suits His Character

The Stone Cold Stunner became iconic as a symbol of rebellion against Vince McMahon and the various authority figures in the Attitude Era. Kevin Owens is on a similar journey and has even had his share of run-ins with the McMahon family. Recently, Owens has attempted to overthrow RAW's Locker Room Leader, Seth Rollins, and his band of followers. With KO slipping into the role of an anti-authority figure, the Stunner pairs perfectly as a finisher with this new persona.

2 Pop-Up Powerbomb: It Can Come Out Of Nowhere

Some of the best finishing moves in WWE history are the ones that can come out of nowhere. The RKO is spectacular when Orton strikes it without any set-up, as is Jericho's Codebreaker. While Owens does have a set-up to the Pop-Up Powerbomb, all it requires is someone running towards him for KO to deliver it. This leaves opponents second-guessing whether to run at Owens at all as it could lead them to be launched into the air and slammed viciously into the mat.

1 Stunner: It Can Be Delivered To Any Opponent

The key to a good finishing move is that it can be delivered to anyone on the WWE roster. It should be able to be executed on Rey Mysterio and The Big Show and everyone in between. While the Pop-Up Powerbomb looks great when Rey Mysterio gets launched into the air, Owens might struggle to get Big Show off his feet. The Stunner though can be delivered to anyone, including Big Show, who has been stunned plenty of times throughout his career. It's why the Stunner gives Owens a fighting chance against anyone he faces.

NEXT: The 10 Worst Things Kevin Owens Ever Did (In Wrestling)