Contributors: Jay Anderson, Bryce Berggren, "Reverend" Ray Duffy, Jerone Alexander Mitchell, and Steve Pillmeier. Research material added from M. David Clarke, Tom Long, and Mark Wold
| This document is a compilation of detailed descriptions of the various maneuvers used in professional-style wrestling today. Though for the purposes of clarity, the maneuver descriptions are written in a step-by-step "instruction" format, this is not meant to encourage readers to actually attempt these maneuvers on real people. Doing so is highly dangerous to both the target of the maneuver and yourself. Real wrestlers get injured every month, and they are only staging these maneuvers ... |
| While every attempt has been made to make this document as accurate and complete as possible, the simple fact is that given the ingenuity of real wrestlers and the number of options one has in contorting the human body, it is virtually impossible to list every wrestling maneuver ever used. If you see a glaring error or omission in this list, feel free to write to the author with your comments/corrections, at voxel@TheRamp.net. |
Sections of a maneuver name in parentheses are optional, and are often dropped by announcers. Bulleted lists after a maneuver indicate variations (i.e. with Flags) of the maneuver in use
Moves are written assuming a "right-handed bias". If a wrestler begins "beside" an opponent, the opponent is assumed to be to the wrestler's right side. If a wrestler performs a scoop or shoulderlift (see below), the opponent's head will be on the wrestler's left side. "Left" and "right" can thus be reversed in almost any maneuver description -- just remember, if you change one term, you have to reverse all of them.
Because the English language is terribly inexact, it is necessary to point out exactly what certain words will mean below. Some of these may seem self-evident to the reader, but they are being defined anyways so as to be as clear as possible later.
Stand beside an opponent, facing the same direction. Hook your right leg around your opponent's left leg. Lean behind him, and weave your left arm in front of his body and behind his head, allowing his right arm to slide behind your head. Straighten as much as you can, hyperextending his lateral abdominal muscles.
Shoulderlift an opponent, spin around rapidly a few times to dizzy him, and let him drop to the mat. One of Mike Rotundo's many finishers.
Grab opponent's arm by the wrist with your left hand, and stretch it out so that it is parallel with your left arm. Wrap your right arm around the opponent's shoulder, and push forward with your left arm, holding him steady with the right.
Stand to the left side of a fallen opponent, so his head is to your right. Pick up his left arm at the wrist with your left hand, place your right forearm under the crook of his elbow, and drop to the ground. Plant your feet on either side of his left shoulder, and simultaneously pull with the right arm while pushing with both feet. Sgt. Craig Pittman's "Code Red".
Stand behind an opponent, and stretch his arm forward, then bend it back at the elbow. Place his open hand against your chest, then reach forward and grab the elbow with both hands, pulling upwards and backwards to wrench the upper arm muscles. This is "Blacktop Bully" Barry Darsow's "Breaker 1-9".
Lay down backfirst on the outstretched arm of a facedown opponent. Lean to the side to grab his arm with both hands at the wrist, then roll towards his body to bend the arm against the elbow and shoulder joints. This is the "whammy bar" of Man Mountain Rock/Maxx Payne.
| This maneuver subtracts the opponent's Lift modifier from attempts to escape. |
Hook an opponent's arm with your right arm, and fall to the left, pivoting on your left foot while throwing the opponent over you. Similiar to a sacrifice Hiptoss.
Grab an opponent's wrist in your left hand. Place his arm in the crook of your right elbow, and reach over his arm with your right hand to grab your left wrist. Apply pressure.
Stand behind and slightly beside opponent, and grab his midsection with your right arm. Hook the opponent's left leg with your left arm, and pick him up to shoulder level, so his back is parallel to the mat. Kneel slightly, and drop the opponent tailfirst onto your extended knee.
| This Maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand facing opponent, and grab midsection with right arm while hooking his right leg with your left arm. Lift opponent vertically, kneel slightly, and drop the opponent tailfirst on the extended knee. Also called a "Manhattan Drop".
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand behind and slightly beside opponent, and grab his midsection with your right arm. Hook the opponent's left leg with your left arm, and pick him up to shoulder level, so his back is parallel to the mat. Lean forward, throwing the opponent off your shoulder to the mat backfirst.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Charge into an opponent standing in the corner, ramming him back into the turnbuckles. Used by Akeem "the African Dream".
Bend in front of a running opponent, and stand up when his midsection contacts your shoulder, so that he his thrown over your head to the mat. Can also be performed defensively against standing head scissors. Also known as a "shoulder throw".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Scoop opponent, kneel, and drop backfirst onto raised knee.
Shoulder lift opponent, and pull down sharply and repeatedly on his neck and thigh with arms. Lex Luger's trademark submission hold; also used by Hercules Hernandez. Also known as a Human Torture Rack or Argentinian Backbreaker.
| This maneuver can be treated as a shoulderlift for the purposes of chaining to other maneuvers. |
Stand back-to-back with opponent, and hook each arm in one of yours; bend forwards (and kneel if you are very tall), lifting the opponent off the ground and forcing his shoulders to the mat for a pin. Also called an "inverted nelson rollup". At the height of his career, the late Kerry Von Erich once used this maneuver to pin Ric Flair for the NWA World Title.
A simple hold: clasp arms around opponent's midsection from either the front or back and apply pressure.
| All wrestlers possess this maneuver without using Arsenal slots. |
Stand facing a bent opponent, and lean over him, grabbing him around the waist. Lift him up onto your shoulder, and rapidly drop to your knees.
Shoulderlift an opponent, hold his neck and legs tight with your arms, and rapidly drop to your knees.
Leap crosswise at a standing opponent, bowling him over to the ground. Also called a "flying cross bodyblock". This move is called a "plancha" in Mexico.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. |
Scoop opponent, invert, and throw him back to the ground.
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand between a prone opponent's legs, and hook a leg in each arm; clasp your hands together in front of you, then turn around, stepping over his body and crouching to apply pressure. Used as a finisher by Rick Martel, as well as by Stan "The Lariat" Hansen, who called it a "Brazos Valley Backbreaker".
Put opponent in a Front Facelock, throw his right arm behind your neck, and grab his tights with your left hand; lift him straight up so he is inverted vertically above you, then fall straight down, driving him headfirst into the mat. Called the "Ghostbuster" by Koko B. Ware; also used as a finisher by the late "Captain Redneck" Dick Murdoch.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Place opponent in a Headlock, then leap into the air, and fall in a sitting position, dragging him to the mat with you. Named for the rodeo maneuver which it resembles; used by "Wild" Bill Irwin as a finisher. This maneuver is most commonly performed with the "Running" Flag.
Take a short run towards the opponent, and strike him with an outstretched arm, as if to Clothesline him; curl the arm around his neck and jump forward, landing in a sitting position on the mat and dragging him with you to the ground. Also known as a "necktie clothesline".
Stand over a facedown opponent, and grab both arms; sit down on his back, pulling his arms back and hanging them over your knees, then let go of his arms and apply a Reverse Chinlock. Used as a finisher by the Iron Sheik and Sgt. Slaughter (during his "Iraqi" phase).
| This maneuver subtracts the opponent's Lift modifier from escape attempts. |
Grab an opponent around the neck with one or two hands, and apply pressure to cut off the air supply. This is illegal in any sane promotion, usually resulting in disqualification if the maneuver is not removed by the count of five by the referee.
Grab the opponent by the neck with one or two hands, lift into the air as high as possible, then slam him down into the mat, swinging him into a horizontal position before impact. Most associated with ECW's "911", but also a favorite of the Giant, the Undertaker, and "Psycho" Sid.
Grab the opponent's face with one hand and squeeze tightly. Also called a "clawlock" or "clawhold". Used as finishers by Kevin Von Erich, his late brother Kerry, and Baron Von Rashke. The clawhold can also be applied to other parts of the body, such as the stomach, the shoulder, or a limb joint, with an appropriate change of names (abdominal claw, etc.). Fritz Von Erich originally used a stomach claw for a finisher.
Insert your middle and ring fingers into the opponent's mouth, applying pressure to the back of the tongue and soft palate, while pinching the bottom of his jaw with your thumb. Used by Mick Foley (as "Mankind").
Take a short run and strike your opponent across the neck or upper body with your outstretched arm. Developed from common fouling technique in American, Canadian, or rugby football; named because it has the same effect as blindly running into a real clothes line. This is Stan "The Lariat" Hansen's "lariat" and Nikita Koloff's "Russian Sickle".
Stand behind an opponent, and apply a Half Nelson. Reach around his head with your left arm, grab his right arm at the wrist, and pull it back around his own neck, cinching tight. This variant of the Sleeper is Sgt. Slaughter's usual finisher; it is also the "Million Dollar Dream" hold used by Ted Dibiase, Virgil/Vincent, and Steve Austin during his tenure as "the Ringmaster".
Grab the opponent's left arm, move behind him, and jump up to wrap your legs around his right arm -- you should now be parallel to the mat. Rotate to your right side to pull him down to the mat, rolling him over your body for the pin.
Put opponent in Front Facelock, then fall straight down or backwards, driving his head into the mat. This maneuver is used extensively by Tommy Dreamer, Raven, the Fabulous Freebirds, and Arn Anderson; it was named by Jake "The Snake" Roberts.
Place opponent in an Inverted Facelock, then drop straight down to wrench his neck. This is the Godwinn Brothers' "Slop Drop" and Sting's new "Scorpion Death Drop".
Apply an ARMBAR while facing an opponent. Using his arm as a lever, fall backwards, driving him facedown into the mat and wrenching his shoulder. This is the "Divorce Court" used by the Lane/Eaton Midnight Express; Shane Douglas used this maneuver to put Pitbull #2 out of wrestling.
Stand facing a bent opponent; hook each of his arms with one of yours, and clasp your hands. Fall straight down or backwards into a sitting position to drive his head into the mat, lifting him slightly off the ground before impact. This maneuver has been used as a finisher by "Cactus" Jack Manson.
Shoulderlift an opponent, cinch your left arm tight around his neck, then fall to the left, driving him headfirst into the mat. Louie Spicolli's finisher.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Fall onto a fallen opponent with an outstretched elbow.
Fall onto an opponent with a closed fist.
Fall onto a fallen opponent headfirst.
Fall onto a fallen opponent knees-first.
Jump into the air slightly and land on an opponent with an outstretched leg. The perennial finisher of Hulk Hogan. Also called a "guillotine drop".
Jump into the air and kick horizontally with both legs, then fall back to the mat. The Rock & Roll Express and the Smokin' Gunns both used a tandem Drop Kick.
Drop to the ground in front of a running opponent; as he passes, place one foot in front of his ankle and the other behind the crook of his knee, then roll after him. As he falls to the ground, you will fold his leg around the foot at his knee.
| Basic Dice remain as the "hold" portion of this manuever. |
Clasp your hands together, raise your arms over your head, and swing them downwards into an opponent, striking him with the flat of the fists and the blades of your forearms. Name comes from the resemblance of the motion to a man chopping wood with an axe.
A rising blow to the chin with the back of the wrist or upper portion of the forearm. Used extensively by Alex Wright and Owen Hart, among others; also called a forearm uppercut.
Start from standing head scissors, and drop to your knees, driving opponent's face into the mat. Used by Colonel DeBeers.
Place opponent in standing head scissors, then hook each of his arms with one of yours. Drop straight down onto your knees. This is Hunter Hearst Helmsley's "Pedigree" finisher.
Stand beside bent opponent, place near leg across his neck, and drop to a sitting position, forcing him facefirst into the mat.
A mishap with this maneuver performed by Marty Janetty resulted in Chuck Austin breaking his neck, for which he later won a lawsuit against the WWF.
Shoulderlift opponent; fall backwards so opponent lands between you and the mat. This is Chris "Tatanka" Chavis's "Papoose", and the "Samoan Drop" used by the original Samoan Swat Team. Also called a "crucifix slam", because the position of the two wrestlers prior to the slam resembles a cross.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. It adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Scoop up an opponent, hold him crosswise against your chest, and fall forward to the mat. Often used as a followup to a successful "Catch" defense.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. It adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Straddle and lift a prone opponent's right leg, facing the foot; turn 90 degrees to the left, and pick up his left leg, crossing his right leg over it. Complete your turn so you are facing the opponent's head. Drop to the mat in a sitting position, and throw your right leg over his right ankle, locking the crook of your right ankle beneath your left ankle. This submission hold was developed by the late "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, and is still used by "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, and "Double J" Jeff Jarrett.
While kneeling in front of an opponent, shoulderlift him and then let him slide down your back to the mat.
Stand beside the opponent, and leap into the air, catching his head between your shins, and cross your ankles; as you fall, pull him down to the ground. Also called "flying headscissors".
Face a bent opponent, and grab around the neck with your right arm, pulling him beneath your right armpit. A common setup position for many maneuvers, most especially suplexes and DDTs, but also a valid hold in its own right.
Stand beside an opponent, and grab him around the chest with your right arm; bend him backwards until he is nearly lateral, shifting so that your arm is holding him under his right armpit with his neck in your right armpit. Also called a "dragon sleeper".
Apply a Half Nelson, then repeat with the free hand; clasp both hands behind the opponent's head before applying pressure. Used as a finisher by the Warlord and Billy Jack Haynes.
Stand between a fallen opponent's legs. Hitch an arm around each of his legs, and clasp your hands together, then spin around in a circle, trying to build up as much speed as quickly as possible. Release after one or two swings to let the opponent fly off from centrifugal force.
While standing or kneeling behind your opponent, grab him around the waist and fall backwards, pulling him to the mat while leaning to one side.
Scoop opponent, kneel, and drop abdomen-first on raised knee.
Stand beside a bent opponent and lean over him to grab his midsection; lift to pull him to a vertical position while falling backwards.
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
As the name implies, an abbreviated version of the Boston Crab: stand beside a prone opponent near his legs, facing towards his head. Lean down and hook your right arm around his right leg, then spin to the right, turning him over into a facedown position, using your right knee for leverage to keep him arched.
Move behind an opponent and weave your right arm under his right armpit and then behind his head; apply pressure.
Move behind opponent, grab an arm by the wrist, and bend it behind his back, pushing upwards. Also called a "chickenwing".
Stand at a prone opponent's legs, facing towards his head; pick up one of his legs with one hand, and leap into a forward flip, pulling the leg with you as far as it will go. Also called a "thigh stretch".
Stand beside an opponent, and hook your right arm around his neck. Possibly the most basic of wrestling holds, along with the Bear Hug, Front Facelock, and Wristlock.
Grab the opponent's head between both hands and apply pressure. This was Crush's "Kona Crush".
Grab the opponent behind the head, and swing your arm into a target (such as a turnbuckle, the mat, or the head of another wrestler) without letting go. The classic "double noggin knocker" would be a multi-attack Head Smash.
Stand beside an opponent, hook one of his arms with your right arm, and lean to the left, extending your right foot outward slightly. Leverage opponent over your extended hip.
| This maneuver adds half the opponent's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Face a standing opponent, and leap straight into the air; lock your legs over his shoulders and around his head, then flex backwards as you fall, throwing him over and behind you. Often called just a "rana"; famous as Scott Steiner's "Frankensteiner" (though he did not invent the maneuver).
Grab both feet of a fallen opponent, and cross them beneath each other (as if sitting "Indian style"). Place your shins on his knees, and lean forward to apply pressure. This was a finisher of Wahoo McDaniels.
Grab both feet of a facedown opponent, cross his left ankle into the crook of his right knee, and then bend the right leg at the knee to apply pressure (using either your hand or your right knee).
Face a bent opponent, lean over, and grab midsection; stand while lifting opponent onto shoulder. Spin around in a circle while moving forward, throwing opponent off your shoulder as you finish your circle. This is Al Perez's "Allycopter" and Kevin Nash's "Twister Slam" (as "Oz").
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Face a bent opponent, lean over, and grab midsection; stand while lifting opponent onto shoulder, and pull down repeatedly. Also called a "Canadian backbreaker".
Grab an opponent's arm and swing him towards a target, such as the ropes, a turnbuckle, or the ringside railing. Also called a "hammer throw", since (performed 2-handed) it resembles the motion used in the track & field event of the same name.
Perform a Hiptoss on an opponent; as the opponent reaches the peak of his arc of motion, fall forward to your right side, so that you land on top of him.
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand in front of opponent, facing either direction. Reach behind you with both arms to grab the back of his head, while squatting slightly to place your head beneath his chin; fall down into a sitting position, driving the top of your head into his jaw. A common counter to the Sleeper.
Stand in front of opponent, facing the same direction. Reach behind you, grabbing the opponent around the head with both arms and pulling his neck and jaw across your shoulder; then make a slight jump, falling to the mat in either a sitting or prone position while carrying the opponent with you. This is "Diamond" Dallas Page's "Diamond Cutter", Johnny Ace's "Ace Crusher", and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin's "Stone Cold Stunner".
Stand behind an opponent, and wrap your left arm around the opponent's neck, pressing the forearm blade against the front of the throat. Thread your right arm underneath your opponent's right armpit and grab your left wrist. Fall backwards, pulling the opponent to the mat and hooking both his legs with yours to prevent him from escaping. Yes, this is a chokehold, and yes, it is illegal (release in 5 seconds). Used by ECW's Taz.
A forward swinging kick, as if punting the opponent; the point of contact is the toe or top of the foot. Weak, but relatively easy.
Standing near a fallen opponent, swing one leg forwards and upwards so it is outstretched over your opponent, then bring it down heelfirst into your opponent.
Stand near an opponent, and jump into the air while tilting laterally; when you cross the horizontal plane, kick forward to strike the back of the opponent's head. Also called a "Cranium Kick" or just "Head Kick", as well as an "Enziguiri kick" when both legs are kept together. This is the maneuver Owen Hart used to (ostensibly) jeopardize Shawn Michaels's career on an infamous Monday Night RAW broadcast.
The Back Brain Kick could be considered a Jumping High Roundhouse.
Kick your opponent with the heel of your right foot while pivoting 270 degrees clockwise on your left foot.
Kick your opponent with the right foot while pivoting 90 degrees counterclockwise on your left leg. Often done with a slight hop.
Pivot to the left, and kick outwards with the sole of the right foot.
Kick straight forward at your opponent with the sole of the foot.
Grab an opponent's arm at the wrist with both hands, and put your knee in the crook of his elbow; pull sharply on his arm with your hands while pushing down with your knee.
A rising blow to the abdomen with the knee, usually performed with one or both wrestlers running; the attacker often pulls down on the back of the opponent's head to add force. Used by Brutus Beefcake before his "barber" days.
Stand behind opponent, and grab around waist with right arm; grab opponent's left foot in your left arm, and bend it at the knee. Lift opponent vertically, kneel, and drop the bent knee on your raised knee. Used by "Nature Boy" Ric Flair, Jeff Jarrett, and pretty much anyone else aiming for a Figure Four.
Not really a maneuver, actually: it's what announcers call a straightforward "lie on top of him" pinfall attempt from time to time when they feel the need to be verbose. Just so you're not confused.
Stand over facedown opponent, facing away from his head. Grapevine his near leg with your near leg, and fall backwards to apply pressure. Randy Rose's (of Paul E. Dangerously's "Original Midnight Express") "Indian Deathlock".
Kick the opponent in the back of the legs with one of your own, pushing his feet out from under him and toppling him to the ground.
Stand beside opponent, grab him at the waist, and step your right leg in front of him. Still holding him, turn left at the waist, leveraging him over your leg onto his back.
Run at an opponent and leap into the air, striking him across the upper body with your lower body and bowling him down to the mat. In essence, a vertical Bodypress. As one would expect, this was invented by the Lou Thesz; it has also been used by "Wildfire" Tommy Rich.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. |
Face a standing opponent, and jump onto him, resting your feet on his hips and grabbing the back of his head with both hands; then lean backwards, falling to the mat and carrying him with you to throw him over and behind you. Often performed after an Irish Whip to the corner.
Put opponent in a Front Facelock , and stretch out his right arm with your left arm. With a swinging motion, twist to the right, so that both you and your opponent are facing up, and at the same time fall to the mat, pulling him down with you. This maneuver is also called the "spinning" or "swinging neckbreaker"; it is the Honky Tonk Man's "Shake, Rattle, & Roll" (eventually).
Put opponent in a Front Facelock , then turn 180 degrees to the left while maintaining the hold, so that the opponent ends up standing with the back of his neck bent across your right shoulder, held by your arm. Fall straight down into a sitting position, pulling him down with you. Used by Rick Rude as his "Rude Awakening"; also used occasionally as a finisher by Road Warrior Hawk.
Stand beside an opponent, facing the same direction. Grab him around the waist with your right arm, lean to the right, and hitch your left arm underneath his right armpit and around the arm. Straighten up, leaning the opponent to the left as far as you can, and throw your left leg around his right armpit and over his neck, pulling down to apply pressure. Also just called an "octo".
Place opponent in standing head scissors, then grab midsection and lift him into a vertical position; fall straight down into a sitting position, driving him headfirst into the mat. Used as a finisher by "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff and Lex Luger (who called it the "Attitude Adjustment"), among others. Named by longtime Chicagoland sportscaster Jack Brickhouse.
A variant of this maneuver used by Terry Funk involves falling backwards instead of straight down, more like a suplex than a piledriver. It uses the same game statistics, but targets the neck, not the head.
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Place opponent in standing head scissors, then grab midsection and lift him into a vertical position; drop straight down onto your knees, driving the opponent's head into the mat. Used by Don Muraco.
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Place opponent in standing head scissors, then drop forward to drive him into the mat. This is Ron "Farooq" Simmons's "Dominator".
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Scoop opponent, invert, then drop to your knees, while driving his head into the mat. The Undertaker's main finish.
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Face a bent opponent, lean over, and grab midsection; stand while lifting opponent onto shoulder, then throw him forcefully back down to the ground. Opponent can be held down for the pin. A popular finisher, used by "Psycho" Sid, Vader, Chris Benoit, and Kevin "Diesel" Nash (who called it "the Jackknife").
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Lean over a bent opponent (or one in standing head scissors) and grab midsection with both arms; stand up, lifting opponent behind and over one's head as high as possible, so that he appears to be "crucified" on your outstretched arms. Fall forward, driving him backfirst into the mat. This is Scott "Razor Ramon" Hall's "Razor's Edge".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB x1.5 to its Slam Dice. |
Stand between a facedown opponent's legs, and hitch your arms either around the waist or around each thigh. Quickly swing the opponent up into the air, then reverse direction and slam him back down to the mat. Used by both Vader and Henry Godwinn.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand facing a bent opponent; hook each of his arms in one of yours, clasp your hands. Pull opponent into the air while swinging him around so his back faces the mat, then fall to the mat in a sitting position, driving him downwards. Also called a "tigerbomb"; this is Ahmed Johnson's "Pearl River Plunge".
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Scoop an opponent, pivot on one foot and fall forwards to the mat on top of the opponent. Optionally, one can invert the opponent and hang him on the shoulder before the slam. Used as a finisher by the "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith, Road Warrior Animal, and Farooq (nee Ron Simmons).
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. It adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Scoop opponent, inverting him to hang on one shoulder as you lift him, and fall forward (sometimes while pivoting on one foot) to the mat. Used by "British Bulldog" Davey Boy Smith.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. It adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Pick up an opponent with both hands and press above your head like a barbell, then let him drop to the ground. Also called a "gorilla slam" or "gorilla press slam". The Ultimate Warrior used this a set-up for his finisher.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB x1.5 to its Slam Dice. |
Stand with an opponent on your right side, and pivot backwards on your right foot 180 degrees, snapping your arm outwards with fist closed near the end of your spin. Also called a "spinning back fist".
Stand in front of an opponent (usually running) and spin around counterclockwise in a complete circle or two (mimicking a discus thrower, natch), throwing a punch at the end of the spin. Used by the late Kerry Von Erich as the "Texas Tornado".
Stand near your opponent, and grab his right wrist with your left hand. Bend his arm back behind his head, turning him to face you, then punch him as hard as you can directly in the sternum. A wicked maneuver used by Stan Stasiak, Ox Baker, Marc Callas (prior to his "Undertaker" identity), and Brian "Crush" Adams.
Get behind an opponent (preferably a facedown or kneeling one) and wrap your arms around his head, clasping your hands together beneath his chin. Apply pressure, keeping your elbows over his shoulderblades for leverage. Possibly the official resthold of heels everywhere.
Stand behind an opponent, grab his waist, and push him towards the ropes; let him bounce and do a backwards somersault while still holding him. When you return to a standing position, you should be sitting in the crook of his knees, holding him in a pinning position.
Shoulderlift an opponent, then leap into a forward somersault, landing with him between you and the mat. This is Lord Steven Regal's "Regal Roll"; also used by Scott Steiner.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. |
Jump up and stomp onto a prone opponent's chest with both feet. Used as a finisher as well as a setup maneuver by Kevin Sullivan.
Wrap one leg around a prone opponent's neck, and lock with the other leg; roll along the ground while applying pressure. The inner sides of the calf and thigh should press against the carotid arteries, inducing unconsciousness.
Grab the opponent's head, and push his face into one of the ringside ropes; pull it sharply to one side, dragging his face across the ropes. A cruel maneuver (especially when done at eye level), illegal in any sane league.
Stand beside opponent, facing the same direction. Wrap one arm across the front of his neck, and step across his near leg and hook your foot behind his other leg. Fall backwards to wrench his neck. This maneuver is commonly used by Bret "The Hitman" Hart as a set-up.
Kneel behind a standing opponent, reach through his legs with one arm, then lean to the opposite direction, pulling him across you to land on the mat backfirst in a pinfall predicament.
Wrap legs around your opponent, cross the ankles, and apply pressure. Often referred to as "body scissors" or "head scissors".
Actually, has very little to do with the "Short-Arm" Flag. Grab a fallen opponent's arm at the wrist with both arms, and set your feet on each side of the base of his shoulder; push with your legs while pulling with your arms.
Stand between the legs of a prone opponent, facing his head; pick up both legs, step your right leg across his left leg, and cross right leg over the left on your right knee. Hook your right arm around the crossed legs, and turn to the right, stepping over his body and crouching to apply pressure. Used by Steve "Sting" Borden, Bret "The Hitman" Hart and his brother Owen (both call it "the Sharpshooter"), and Ron Garvin (for whom announcers dubbed it an "inverted figure four").
A literal "back drop": fall backfirst onto a prone opponent. More common in Mexican lucha libre than American wrestling. Sometimes called a "shoulder roll".
Grip an opponent tightly in standing head scissors, then jump into the air a short distance and land back on your feet to jar your opponent.
Run into an opponent while tilted slightly to one side, driving your shoulder into his body. Also known as a "body check" or "shoulder tackle".
Scoop opponent, invert, and kneel, dropping his shoulder onto the raised knee. Rocky Maiva uses a Dashing Shoulderbreaker.
Push the opponent with both hands, as in a schoolyard fight.
Place an opponent in a Headlock, then fall to the left while pivoting counterclockwise, throwing your opponent over you to land under your body. Also called a "headlock takedown".
| Basic Dice are retained as "hold" damage, if desired. |
Face an opponent running towards you, and catch around the upper body just under the arms with one arm; allow his momentum to swing him horizontal, then fall forward to the mat, throwing him to the ground. Perennial finisher for Bubba "Big Bossman" Rogers.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. It adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Face opponent, lean forward, and grab a leg; pull up on leg to put opponent off balance and drop him to the mat.
Move behind opponent, wrap one arm around the front of his neck, and secure by wrapping the other arm around the top of his head with the hand on the temple. The inner sides of the first arm should compress the carotid arteries, inducing unconsciousness. Brutus "the Barber" Beefcake used a sleeper for a finisher. Also called simply "sleephold".
Apply a Half Nelson to your opponent. Wrap your left arm around his neck, and grab your right elbow to apply pressure. This is Tommy Zenk's "Z-Lock".
Stand behind your opponent and grab him with a hand at the base of the neck on each side; squeeze to apply pressure to the carotid arteries, blocking the flow of blood to the brain and causing the opponent to pass out. Used by Del Wilkes (as the Trooper).
Unrelated to either the Slingshot or Catapult Flags. Stand near a prone opponent's legs; grab one leg in each arm, around the knees, lift slightly to tilt opponent, then fall backwards to the mat, levering him over you (usually to hit a turnbuckle or ringside railing).
Stand in front of opponent, facing the same direction; reach behind you to grab opponent behind the head, and pull forward while bending slightly, leveraging the opponent over your shoulder to hit the mat backfirst.
Stand in front of an opponent (often running towards you) and hook a leg in each arm, lifting him up, then spin around and fall forwards, driving him backfirst into the mat. Used by Arn Anderson.
Jump onto a prone opponent, landing bellyfirst on top of him, usually with a running start. Used by Tugboat/Typhoon, Vader, and the Ultimate Warrior.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. |
Position an opponent so his chest and arms are hanging on ither the first or second ropes. Run to the opposite side of the ring, bounce off the ropes, and leap into a VERTICAL SPLASH on the return. Used by Bubba Rogers.
Jump onto a prone opponent to land in a sitting position on top of them. Used by John Tenta (aka "Earthquake", "Avalanche", and "Shark") and Matt Borne (as "Big Josh").
Put opponent in a Front Facelock , throw his near arm behind your neck, and grab his tights with your free hand; lift him over your head so he is vertically inverted above you, then drop into a sitting position while letting him drop to the mat, landing between your legs. Used by both Steiner brothers; also called a "suplex driver" or "screw driver".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand beside an opponent, facing the same direction. Hook your right leg around your opponent's left leg. Lean behind him, and weave your left arm in front of his body and around his neck in front. Bend him backwards while straigtening your body to apply pressure.
Stand behind an opponent, and pull his right arm through his legs with your right arm. Hook his neck with your left arm, pick him up and hold him crosswise, then slam them down to the mat as hard as you can. Also called a "pumphandle slam"; this is Jesse James Armstrong's "Chartbuster".
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand behind a sitting opponent, and step each of your legs in sequence over his corresponding shoulder, so your feet are between his legs while his head is still in front of you. Lean down and pick up one of his legs, and pull it as close to vertical as you can while sitting slightly to apply pressure. Used by "Big Bully" Busick and Doink the Clown.
Perform a STUMP PULLER, except that at the moment you lift the opponent's leg, fall backwards to stretch the leg and compress the neck.
Face opponent while standing near the ropes and grab him around the waist. Lift him off the ground and fall directly backwards, so that the opponent lands neck (ideally) or chest first on the ropes behind you. Used by Steve Austin prior to his entrance into the WWF; also used by the late "Hot Stuff" Eddie Gilbert, who called it a "Hot Shot".
When facing a bent opponent, do a forward somersault over his back; when your back is parallel to the floor, grab his thighs and pull him forward and down into a pinning position.
Stand behind an opponent, grab midsection with both arms, and flex backwards to carry him in a vertical arc over your head and backfirst into the mat; also called a "back drop".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand facing opponent, and grab midsection with both arms; in a fluid motion, lift opponent up into the air while pivoting to one side and falling to the mat; opponent should land beneath you, mostly perpendicular to your body. Used by Magnum TA, Rick Steiner, and John "Earthquake" Tenta.
| This maneuver does not require any Action Points to follow with a pin cover. |
Put opponent in a Front Facelock, throw his near arm behind your neck, and gather one leg at the knee with your free hand; flex backwards to throw him over and behind you in a smooth vertical arc to land backfirst.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Put opponent in a Front Facelock, throw his near arm behind your neck, and gather one leg at the knee with your free hand. Lift the opponent over your head, inverting him vertically, then fall straight down to drive his head, neck, and back into the mat.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Put opponent in a Front Facelock, throw his near arm behind your neck, and grab his tights with your free hand; lift him over your head so he is vertically inverted above you, then fall forward to throw him back to the mat. This is Ole Anderson's "Gourdbuster".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Put opponent in Inverted Facelock; lift him into the air, inverting him vertically above you, then fall forwards to the mat. This is Goldust's "Final Curtain".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Apply a FULL NELSON hold to an opponent, then flex backwards to throw him over your head and behind you in a smooth vertical arc. Used by Chris Benoit.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand in front of an opponent and grab around the upper body, pinning his arms to his sides; flex backwards in a smooth vertical arc, so that he moves over one shoulder to land between you and the mat. This move is usually bridged into a pinfall. Is sometimes called a "northern right suplex".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Put opponent in Inverted Facelock; lift him into the air, inverting him vertically above you, then fall backwards to the mat. Used by El Samurai.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand behind and to one side of opponent, grab midsection with right arm, and hook the left leg with your left arm. Lift opponent horizontally onto your shoulder, then fall backwards to the mat. This is Shawn Michael's "Tear Drop Suplex". Also called a "leg-grab back drop".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Lean down behind a standing opponent, and sit him on your shoulders; stand up, then fall backwards. Also called a "shoulder slam (suplex)".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB x1.5 to its Slam Dice. |
Stand beside opponent, facing the same direction; grab midsection around front with near arm, while gathering up his legs with your other arm. Stand fully, lifting him perpendicular to you, then drop straight down to drive him backfirst to the mat. Used by Dino Bravo.
| This maneuver adds half the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Grab an opponent around the waist with your left hand, hitch your right arm between his legs, and lift him up to shoulder level so he is parallel to the mat; flex backwards while continuing to lift him, falling to the mat with him under you.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand behind an opponent, and put a HAMMERLOCK on each arm with one of yours. Flex backwards, throwing him over and behind you in a smooth vertical arc.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand facing a bent opponent; gather one of his arms in each of yours at the elbow, clasp your hands, and flex backwards, throwing him over and behind you in a smooth vertical arc. Also called a "double chickenwing suplex".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Put opponent in a Front Facelock , throw his near arm behind your neck, and grab his tights with your free hand; lift him over your head so he is vertically inverted above you, then fall backwards to the mat. Probably the most common suplex. Often called a "snap suplex" if performed in a smooth motion; sometimes called a "brain buster".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Stand between the legs of a facedown opponent, facing towards his head. Hitch your arms around each leg, and lift him up while falling backwards, throwing him over and behind you in a smooth vertical arc. This is Al Snow's "Snow-Plex".
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Put opponent in a Front Facelock, throw his near arm behind your neck, and grab his tights with your free hand; lift him over your head so he is vertically inverted above you, then fall forward while keeping him vertical, driving his head into the mat.
| This maneuver adds the attacker's HDB to its Slam Dice. |
Surfboard
Kneel between a facedown opponent's legs, facing his head, and hook each of his legs with one of yours. Hook each of his arms in one of yours, and roll to one side onto your back, hoisting him over you to apply pressure. Paul Romero uses a variation of this maneuver involving a REVERSE CHINLOCK instead of hooking the arms.
Stand between a prone opponent's legs, and pick up one in each hand. Cross his right leg over his left knee; cinch his left foot under your right armpit, thread your left arm beneath his left thigh, and slide your right arm over his right foot to grab your left wrist. Turn clockwise 180 degrees and sit down to apply pressure. This is, in essence, a Figure Four Leglock performed with the arms, and then flipped upside down.
Stand over a fallen opponent, and grab one leg in your right hand. Place your left foot in the crook of the knee, and your right leg in the crook of the ankle, then rotate yourself counterclockwise to apply pressure.
Stand over a fallen opponent, and grab one leg in your right hand. Place your right foot in the crook of the knee, and your left leg in the crook of the ankle, then twist yourself clockwise to apply pressure.
Grab the leg of a facedown opponent, weaving your arm around the ankle and through the crook of the knee, so that his ankle rests in your armpit; apply pressure.
Grab an opponent behind the head with one hand, and throw him into a target, such as the ringside railing or through the ropes. Not to be confused with the Head Smash; the wrestler doing that move follows through, still holding the opponent, while in a Toss the wrestler throws his opponent while remaining (relatively) motionless himself.
Each hand pinches one of the trapezius muscles (running along the collarbone above each shoulder next to the neck), while pressing down for added pressure. Also called a "nervelock".
Stand behind an opponent and jump up into a sitting position on his shoulders; do a forward somersault to throw him to the ground. Both the Rock & Roll Express and the Rockers used this maneuver extensively.
Stand near a facedown opponent, and bend his arm at the elbow so the forearm is vertical, the fist on the mat. Stomp on the back of his elbow, compressing the forearm and wrist.
Grab the opponent at the wrist with both hands, and twist it.
Lie down across facedown opponent, and grab his arm with your left hand at the wrist, twisting to the right. Loop your right arm under the crook of his elbow and pull up sharply to apply pressure.
Stand in front of opponent and Wristlock his left arm. Lift it above your head, and turn to the right, wrenching the arm. Also called an "armwringer".