Magazine Archives: Rhino’s Vicious Gore Making A Finisher By Sean Ross Sapp (Patreon)

From issue 2 of FightfulMag.com, issues still available

A finishing move in the world of wrestling is crucial. Something that can make or break a pro wrestler, often the coolest looking moves don't click, while something as goofy as "The People's Elbow" becomes iconic. Each wrestler has a different method to their madness when landing on their signature, match ending match up. In this series, "Making A Finisher," Fightfulwill go in-depth with wrestlers as they explain their moves, discuss how they were developed, who took it the best, the worst, why they stopped doing some of them, and the psychology behind them.

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ECW, WWE, TNA, IMPACT and ROH. There aren’t many places Rhino(sometimes stylized as Rhyno) hasn’t been before. His signature Gore has been there along the way. Since the days of him being the “Rookie Monster Rhino” in ECW, straight to his current IMPACT Wrestling work, it’s led him to much success. But how did it happen?

Rhino wasn’t the first to use a spear. Around 1998, it became a signature move of Bill Goldberg during his ascent up the WCW card. It often set up his devastating Jackhammer finisher, but the Spear was capable of being its own – and it has been. Edge, Roman Reigns, Moose, Bobby Lashley, Charlotte Flair, Big Showhave finished matches with the move at some point in their careers.

“I’d obviously seen it, you know? But, Tracy Smothers in ECW, he goes, ‘Hit me with it,’ and I’m like, ‘Alright.’ Paul Heyman gave it the name. So, he would tell Joey Styles, ‘Alright, well, it’s the Gore.’ It just fit, and it made sense because nobody kicked out. So, you had to give it a different name. So, that’s why,” Rhino said.

Rhino once told us the difference between a spear and a Gore is that “if they kicked out, it’s a spear. If they didn’t, it’s a Gore.” There are different variations of the move, though. Some are like a football tackle, while others have more of a ‘clothesline’ impact on the body. Some are violently through a table. Rhino tells us there’s a method to his madness.

“Depends on if I like ‘em or not,” he said. “So, if I like you, you’ll be able to have kids within the week. If I don’t like you, you might have to have surgery done on your spleen. You may have to have a kidney removed or your appendix removed when it wasn’t giving you any problems prior. So, you know, it all depends. Just don’t piss me off.”

There's a method that stands out beyond all others, however. Back in his Extreme Championship Wrestling days, Rhino would often hoist an unlucky prey over his shoulders and run with them, full force through a table. This was much different than the sudden impact strike that many had come to know. This one was even more dangerous and perhaps more visually appealing. He had a simple explanation as to why it was he began doing that.

“I just figured, ‘How could I really mess up the Sandman?’ That’s basically how it happened. I’m like, ‘You know what would be really cool? If I had a table. But, I don’t want to powerbomb him,’ because I really don’t do powerbombs. I’m like, ‘What if I just rip him in half with a Gore and then right through a table?’ I’m like, ‘That’d be sweet.’ That’s how it started.”

Also, it limits a certain amount of risk, Rhino tells us.

“Yeah. When they move out of the way, and I don’t like that. I do not like that.”

Oh, and does that ever happen. Like the time in TNA that Rhino was running about 300 mph straight into Raven, or so he thought. Instead, he found himself inside a shopping cart. The back end of it folded above his head, he was stuck, but it was one of the more impressive scenes in the company’s history.

“You had to bring that up, very gnarly.” an angry Rhino said. How does something like that even get pitched? Rhino couldn’t seem to remember, past that he lucked out. “Yeah. Those things aren’t forgiving, you know? I don’t know how it came about. I think I was just like, ‘Hey, move and let’s hope for the best?’ or I don’t know if he was out of position, Raven. I don’t know, really, how that came about. I know how it ended. It really hurt. I mean, I wasn’t concussed or anything. Definitely, I felt it the next day and then the day after and the day after that. But, for the most part, everything was fine.”

Another one of the more famous instances of the Gore actually may have killed off a part of your nostalgia. On August 9, 2001, WWF bid farewell to their familiar Smackdown set. They weren’t going to do it the standard way, however, they had to go out with a bang. That bang was eventual world champion, Chris Jericho, getting sent through the backdrop by an eager Rhino. After a suplex on the steel platform, Rhino charged Jericho, Goring him through the video screen. The clip would be replayed constantly and made it onto several of WWE’s “best of” videos.

“I know that was the last time they used that set. So, I think it was just, ‘Hey. We have a new set,’ ‘cause it’s not like you could build one in a week, and I’m like, ‘Hey, you know what would be cool?’ Or maybe someone was like, ‘Hey, know what would be cool?’ So, yeah, that one was pretty gnarly. That one also hurt, too.”

There are several instances of the move that will live in fame or infamy. Once on Heath Slaterthat saw Rhino kick off his latest WWE run or sending Abyssoff the bleachers at TNA Against All Odds 2006. One on AJ Stylesatop of the Elevation X structure or when he tore Jeff Jarrett in half to become NWA Worlds Champion. The best one may have been one that you never actually saw.

“This is where I tell everybody if you’re on the fence about going to a show—go. ‘Cause you might miss something awesome. One of my top five best matches, and Booker Twill say the same thing it was with Booker T in Liverpool. It was sold out; it was for IMPACT Wrestling. We did two shows there, back to back, and the second night I wrestled Booker, and everything just clicked. We’re up third, the crowd was insane for the whole card, but for our match, they were just so insane.

Getting to your question, I was wrestling in Cadillac, Michigan. I wrestled there before for WWE; we did live events there. IMPACT Wrestling, we’d wrestle in Plymouth. So, we didn’t venture that far north in Michigan. So, I was wrestling for an independent group. Great crowd. I was wrestling this guy, I forget the guy’s name, but it was like a handicap match and his manager tagged in. I Gored him, and it was so gnarly that I’ll look back at it, and the fans just jump out of their seats. I mean, it was just so gnarly. I’m just like, ‘Wow.’ I liked him, too. But I think he had to have his appendix taken out. His spleen wasn’t quite the same. He still can’t have children. So, yeah, it was all of the above. I’m like, ‘Sorry, bro.’

Still, some high-profile ones stand above the rest. The Rock flipping backwards when taking one made Rhino look pretty good, right?

“The Rock didn’t have a choice. I brought it. He’s always doing, ‘Bring it.’ I brought it. I don’t think he liked it. No, the Rock all around is a very professional guy. The Rock is really cool, ‘cause he’ll put over—it doesn’t matter—if he sees something cool on IMPACT, he’ll put it over. He’ll tweet it out. If he sees something cool a guy’s doing outside, he’ll put it over. So, the Rock really loves the wrestling business, and it’s great to see his success outside the wrestling business. So, he’s always professional with everybody and everybody’s move and to give props to the younger guys or help other guys get over. He’s always been great with that. James Storm is another one that’s really taken; I give credit because he’s the same way. He’s going to go out there and do the best,” Rhino admitted.

Sometimes, Rhino switches it up and uses a piledriver – often off the second rope through a table. He clarifies the mindset between the two.

“Just to let you know, I’m an equal opportunity employer. I believe whether it’s a man or a woman, you get in my way, I’ll take you out. Whether it’s a piledriver, which is a wrestling move. I’m not out there doing anything other than a wrestling move. So, I feel I’m an equal opportunity employer, you know? Even though I’m not employing them, other than with a good, old-fashioned piledriver or beatin’ or ripping ‘em in half with a Gore. JazzI’ve ripped in half with a Gore and a piledriver, and I’m glad she didn’t take it personal. ‘Cause Jazz is one tough individual. Get on my bad side, and if you’re in the wrestling ring, I’m gonna piledrive you and then rip you in half with a Gore or vice versa.

Gore. Gore. Gore.

Sean Ross Sapp has been the Managing Editor of Fightful.com since its launch in 2016. He runs the day-to-day operations of Fightful, in addition to appearing onscreen and breaking pro wrestling news daily.

Twitter: @SeanRossSapp