The elbow is perhaps one of the most potent parts of the body when it comes to wrestling.  The elbow provides multiple variations of attacks for wrestlers to lay out their opposition, and has been used as everything from a finisher, to a setup move to a basic attack. 

Whether it is delivered off the top ropes or in the middle of the ring, this is one of the most time-honored maneuvers in sports entertainment.  Elbow-based attacks date back before the territory era and are still being innovated and updated to this day. 

Many WWE legends, current and future Hall-of-Famers have included an elbow of some fashion in their arsenal, and this list is dedicated to them. 

Please keep in mind that those who made this list must regularly use elbow attacks as opposed to participating in an isolated spot featuring an equally devastating elbow like this one. 

10. Kevin Nash Corner Elbow Strikes

It's a basic move, but one that has come to define the limited, yet underrated attack of Kevin Nash. 

Through the multitude of gimmicks that Nash was saddled with, he was almost always sure to include the corner elbow strikes as the seven-foot star pummeled opponents with a back elbow. 

9. Steve Austin's Pointed Elbow Drop

Stone Cold Steve Austin seemed to have added impact to every move, and his patented pointed elbow drop is not an exception. 

Austin's particular twist on an otherwise commonplace maneuver saw the rattlesnake hit the ropes before leaning forward and dropping a pointed elbow directly on his opponent's forehead.  This move would often be accompanied by Austin's similarly patented middle fingers. 

8. CM Punk's Flying Elbow Drop

Since the untimely death of the legendary Macho Man Randy Savage, CM Punk has added the flying elbow drop to his move set in tribute to one of his favorite wrestlers. 

Punk's elbow pales in comparison to Savage's graceful finisher, as Punk's form tends to fall apart toward the landing. 

However, the move always pops a crowd, as the WWE universe is reminded of Randy Savage's incomparable legacy.

7. Bret Hart's Pointed Elbow Drop

Bret Hart is arguably the greatest in-ring technician in wrestling history. One of his many spot-on wrestling moves came from the second rope, as Hart would deliver a flying elbow to opponents to set them up for his iconic Sharpshooter finisher.

6. Dusty Rhodes' Bionic Elbow

It's hard to say who exactly was the father of the elbow, but Dusty Rhodes is one of its many godfathers. 

Rhodes' Hall-of-Fame career has seen him deliver countess bionic elbows, as the American Dream lays claim to one of the more charismatic and crowd-pleasing versions of this move. 

5. Chris Hero's Discus Elbow Smash

If given the chance to take any of these elbows in real life, Chris Hero's (now Kassius Ohno in WWE) discus elbow smash ranks high on this list in the "stay away" category. 

Hero made this finisher famous in ROH, as he would deliver a stiff spinning elbow to his opposition, knocking them out just as his WWE moniker implies. 

4. The Rock's People's Elbow

Sure, this may be ranked a bit low in terms of greatness and popularity, but was it really that devastating? 

The Rock's People's Elbow will go down as one of the greatest finishers of all time, but it was always a move that was more about spectacle and sizzle than steak. 

Fans heavily anticipated the legendary elbow throughout the Rock's match, as Rocky would set it up first with a body slam, then later on in his career with a back-breaking spinebuster. 

3. Shane McMahon's Flying Elbow

They may not have always been delivered in a technically sound matter, but what made Shane McMahon's signature flying elbows so dangerous is the risks he would take in delivering them. 

Through his gritty in-ring career, fans have seen McMahon leap everywhere from the top rope to a scaffold prior to crashing down on opposing wrestlers. 

2. Shawn Michaels' Flying Elbow

When it comes to form, few  wrestlers hit the flying elbow drop better than Shawn Michaels.  HBK seemed to be on point with every elbow drop no matter what point of his career he was in.

Michaels' most devastating elbow drop came at WrestleMania 22, on an incapacitated Vince McMahon while the chairman was strewn over a table with a trash can over his head. 

1. The Macho Man Randy Savage's Flying Elbow Drop

Randy Savage may not have been the creator of the flying elbow drop, but his was the most famous. Savage's signature athleticism, pageantry and showmanship were all rolled into one at takeoff as Savage would land a crisp flying elbow drop. 

Savage used the move as his finisher for his entire career, and like Savage, it was always a spectacle unto itself.

Watch Big Nasty and Justin LaBar debate who should step up in Randy Orton's absence, and follow Big Nasty on Twitter @ThisIsNasty!