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John Cena’s Attitude Adjustment is iconic, becoming an important part of his character since he introduced it as his finishing move. Earlier, it was called FU, giving it non-PG undertones in the Ruthless Aggression Era. Once he changed his character to a beloved babyface, he began calling it AA, aka Attitude Adjustment.
In wrestling terms, Attitude Adjustment is a version of Fireman’s Carry Slam, popularized by John Cena. There are different variations of Fireman’s carry Slam that are used by other wrestlers under different names. Here are some wrestling moves that have notable parallels with the famous John Cena wrestling move.
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6) Wasteland ( Wade Barrett)
Wade Barrett was a promising star in the early 2010s, emerging from the Nexus, whose first major feud was with John Cena. The British star stood at an astonishing 6 feet and 7 inches and weighed 240 pounds, making him perfectly capable of doing a variation of Fireman’s carry Slam.
His finisher was called Wasteland. He would pick up his nemesis in a similar way to John Cena would on his shoulders. Then he would crush his opponent’s back by slamming hard on the mat. His adaptation of the move was a forward Fisherman’s carry Slam.
5) Kiss Of Death ( Bianca Belair)
When Bianca Belair performs KOD, aka Kiss Of Death, her iconic finishing move, it bears a strong resemblance to John Cena’s Attitude Adjustment. Technically, it is not a Fireman’s Carry Slam, but the body position requires it to be in the same style for both maneuvers, thus drawing a comparison with Cena’s move.
Bianca projects her overwhelming power as the EST, picking her opponent on her shoulder and pauses pretty much like the Leader of Cenation. Once she perfectly positions herself, she would throw her rival over the shoulders face first on the map. It is a modernized version of the Death Valley driver, but the resemblance with Attitude Adjustment is uncanny.
4) Go To Sleep ( CM Punk)
Go To Sleep, famously known as GTS, is the finishing move of CM Punk, becoming a signature part of his character. It is a Fireman’s carry Slam, as he needs to pick up the opponent on his shoulders. When they land from his shoulders, Punk delivers a kick, making it look devastating.
Punk doesn’t have a well-built physique or strength like John Cena. He still finds a way to pick up his opponents on his shoulders, showing his strength and willpower.
3) Angle Slam (Kurt Angle)
Angle Slam is the primary move of WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle, using it as his finisher for years in WWE and other promotions like TNA. The Angle Slam is named after the man himself, but its origin is distinct. It evolved from amateur wrestling, where the sitting version of the Fireman’s Carry Slam is frequently used by wrestlers while hoisting rivals in the air.
To execute Angle Slam, the former WWE Champion would lift the opponent to the back of his shoulders, similar to John Cena’s Attitude Adjustment, and drop the receiving wrestler on his back, creating a powerful impact. He lent this finishing move from his extensive background in amateur wrestling background, taking into account he is a former Olympic gold medalist.
2) Rack Bomb ( AJ Styles)
AJ Styles is considered one of the most gifted wrestlers of recent years, often drawing comparisons with Shawn Michaels. As a former accomplished TNA wrestler, he was one of the brightest prospects outside WWE, and the Stamford-based promotion finally brought the Phenomenal One in 2016, and the rest is history.
He is a two-time WWE Champion. Styles has several incredible moves in his arsenal. One notable move that he used, particularly during his TNA days, was Rack Bomb. He has used it in WWE but not as regularly as back in his heyday. He would pick up his opponent on his shoulders, giving a Torture Rack on his shoulders, which looks similar to Cena’s positioning of AA. Then Styles would throw the opponent on the mat as a powerbomb, resembling it to the well-known John Cena’s wrestling move.
1) F5 ( Brock Lesnar)
Brock Lesnar’s F5, the finishing move, holds comparable popularity to the John’s AA move. Debuting in the same year in 2002, Cena and Lesnar both used different variations of Fireman’s Carry Slam, giving striking different names. Given Lesnar’s size, strength, and power as one of the elite athletes in professional wrestling, picking up opponents on his shoulders has been a piece of cake for him, drawing comparison with John who demonstrates commendable stamina.
Akin to Cena, Lesnar would lift his rivals onto his shoulders, but instead of throwing his opponent regularly on the map, Lesnar would spin the receiving man in the air to finally Slam on the mat. The move required tremendous strength and force, and he performed it against heavyweight opponents like Big Show and Mark Henry.
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Avik Das is an English Literature graduate with an experience of over six years as a professional writer. He has written for renowned publications such as The Sportster, Sportskeeda, Pinkvilla, and The Things