An element borrowed from professional wrestling's
catch wrestling origins, stretches (or submission holds) are techniques in which a wrestler holds another in a position that puts stress on the opponent's body. Stretches are usually employed to weaken an opponent or to force them to
submit, either vocally or by
tapping out: slapping the mat, floor, or opponent with a free hand three times. Many of these holds, when applied vigorously, stretch the opponent's muscles or twist their joints uncomfortably, hence the name. Chokes, although not in general stress positions like the other stretches, are usually grouped with stretches as they serve the same tactical purposes. In public performance, for safety's sake, stretches are usually not performed to the point where the opponent must submit or risk injury. Likewise, chokes are usually not applied to the point where they cut off the oxygen supply to the opponent's brain.
Head, face, chin, and shoulder stretches Camel clutch applying a camel clutch to
Rene Bonaparte The wrestler begins the hold by standing over a face-down opponent. The wrestler reaches down to pull the opposing wrestler up slightly, sits on the opponent's back, and places both of the opponent's arms across their thighs, usually locking at least one by placing the arm in the crook of their knee. A camel clutch can also refer simply to a
rear chinlock while seated on the back of an opponent, without placing the arms on the thighs. The move was invented by
Gory Guerrero in Mexico, where it was called
la de a caballo (horse-mounting choke), but got its more common name from
The Sheik who used it as his finisher. Although Foley popularized the move, it was invented by
Sam Sheppard, a physician who, in 1966, took up professional wrestling and was said to have derived the move from his knowledge of human anatomy. Under the advice of
Paul Heyman and with Foley's blessing,
Bray Wyatt also used the hold as part of his "
The Fiend" persona. Bo Dallas also uses the move as part of his "Uncle Howdy" persona as a tribute to Wyatt.
Shoulder claw Similar to a clawhold, the attacking wrestler applies a nerve lock onto the opponent's shoulder(s) using their hands and fingers for a submission attempt. It is also called a
Trapezius Claw due to the muscle group targeted. One variant may see the wrestler instead lock their hands on the opponent's neck. It is the finishing hold of African wrestler
Shaun Koen of the
Africa Wrestling Alliance. This is also known as a
Nerve hold, due to its association with
The Great Khali and was formerly used by
Classy Freddie Blassie.
Stomach claw Also known as a
stomach vise, just like the original clawhold, the attacker applies a painful nerve hold to the adversary's abdomen, forcing them to submit or pass out. The stomach claw was most famously used by
Killer Kowalski, naming it the
Kowalski claw.
Crossface applying the Bank Statement to
Summer Rae in 2016 This
neck crank sees the wrestler wrap both hands around the opponent's face and pull back, which applies pressure to the neck and shoulder area. The move is performed in several ways, usually from a prone position involving the wrestler trapping one of the opponent's arms.
Chris Benoit's
Crippler Crossface was a variation that involved the arm trap.
Bobby Roode used the same move in
TNA, but not in the WWE since 2016.
Edge's variation is where he used a metal bar on the opponent's mouth as the
Glasgow Grin. A variation is performed from the
omoplata position, which also puts pressure on the trapped arm but requires the wrestler to perform it from a seated position. Often referred to as the LeBell Lock, named for
Gene LeBell,
Daniel Bryan began popularizing the move under the name
Yes! Lock when he joined WWE. It was used by
Taiji Ishimori on rare occasions until he joined NJPW in 2018, where he used it frequently as the
Yes Lock, named after Bryan. Another variation is performed in a bridging position where the wrestler wraps both hands around the opponent's neck and pulls back, which applies pressure to the neck and bridges on the opponent's back for added leverage. This variation is used as a submission finisher by
Sasha Banks as the
Bank Statement and by
Taka Michinoku as the
Just Facelock.
Arm-trap crossface applying the Crippler Crossface to
Montel Vontavious Porter in 2007 Used by
Chris Benoit as the
Crippler Crossface; in the adjacent picture, he has pulled so far back that he finished the hold seated, which he did not always do. In
Daniel Bryan's variation of the move as the
LeBell Lock, he takes the opponent's arm and puts it in an
omoplata. From here, the wrestler puts the opponent in a crossface, wrenching the neck and shoulder. This move was also used by
Kenta as the
Game Over. Chickenwing over-the-shoulder crossface The wrestler goes to a fallen opponent and places the opponent's nearest arm over the wrestler's nearest shoulder before applying the crossface, where the attacking wrestler locks their hands around the opponent's chin (or lower face), then pulls back, stretching the opponent's neck and shoulder. Former
NXT wrestler
Johnny Gargano uses this hold as a finishing submission move, calling it the
Garga-No-Escape.
Drew McIntyre briefly used it in TNA as the
Iron Maiden.
Scissored armbar crossface This is a
scissored armbar combined with a crossface. The attacking wrestler traps one of the prone opponent's arms in their legs, wraps the opponent's other arm under the attacker's shoulder, and then applies the crossface.
Yuji Nagata first popularized this move named the
Nagata Lock III as an evolution of his previous hold, the
Nagata Lock II, a crossface submission.
Batista also used this as the
Batista Bite and
PAC uses this as
The Brutalizer (formerly known as the
Rings of Saturn during his time in WWE as Neville).
Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D uses this move with a mandible claw hold named the
Lockjaw. Bryan Danielson recently will sometimes transition into this move while already having applied the
LeBell Lock effectively making this version of the move a
Scissored armbar omoplata crossface.
Giulia also uses this move dubbed
Bianca.
Straight jacket crossface Similar to a crossface, this move sees a wrestler standing above a face-down opponent. The wrestler then crosses their opponent's arms, keeping them in place with the legs before applying the crossface.
Fish hook The wrestler bends one of their fingers into a hook and uses it to stretch the opponent's mouth or nose. An illegal hold under usual rules.
Austin Aries uses a half surfboard variation, called
Fish Hook of Doom, where the opponent is lying face down; they grab one of the opponent's wrists with one hand and fish hooks the opponent's mouth with the other, and then places his knees against the opponent's stretched arm and pulls back with his arms.
Sheamus calls his version of the move the Predator. (As in the movie)
Front chancery Also known as "Neck Wrench", the wrestler faces their opponent, who is bent over. The attacking wrestler tucks their opponent's head underneath their armpit and wraps their arm around the neck so that the forearm is pressed against the chin. The wrestler then grabs their own wrist with their free hand, crossing it underneath the opponent's armpit and chest to lock the hold in, compressing the opponent's neck. The attacking wrestler can then arch backwards, pulling the opponent's head forward and thus applying extra pressure on the neck.
Front facelock The wrestler faces their opponent, who is bent over. The attacking wrestler tucks the opponent's head underneath their armpit and wraps their arm around the head so that the forearm is pressed against the face. From this point on the wrestler can either grab the opponent's wrist with the free hand and tucks their own head beneath the opponent's armpit and stand upright, locking in the hold, or simply throw the opponent's arm over their own shoulder and grab the opponent's thighs with the free hand. Similar in execution and function to a front chancery, this lock is often used as a setup for a
suplex. performing an inverted facelock on
Sarita Inverted facelock The wrestler stands behind their opponent and bends the opponent backwards. The wrestler tucks the opponent's head face-up under their armpit and wraps their arm around the head, so that their forearm is pressed against the back of the opponent's neck. The wrestler then pulls the opponent's head backwards and up, wrenching the opponent's neck.
Naomichi Marufuji invented a single underhook variation, called
Perfect Facelock. Bite of the dragon Also commonly known as a dragon bite, this move sees the attacking wrestler behind a standing opponent, pulling them backwards into an inverted facelock and wrapping their legs around the opponent's body with a
body scissors. The attacker then arches backwards, putting pressure on the opponent's neck and spine. This move is used on an opponent trapped within the ring ropes, which makes the move illegal under most match rules.
Stretch plum The wrestler applies an inverted facelock to a seated opponent, places their far leg between the opponent's legs, and pushes their near leg's knee against the opponent's back. The wrestler then pulls the opponent's head backwards with their arms and the opponent's far leg outwards with their leg. Invented by and named after
Plum Mariko, who used it during her career in
Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling and
JWP Joshi Puroresu. Variations of the move have been used by
Eddie Kingston,
Chris Hero (
Stretch Plum Alpha), and
Taichi (
Seteii Juhjiro).
Side headlock applies a standing side headlock to
Shawn Michaels In this hold, a wrestler who is facing away from an opponent wraps their arm around the neck of an opponent. This is also called a "reverse chancery". Though this is an often-used rest hold, it is also sometimes the beginning of a standard
bulldog move.
Three-quarter facelock The wrestler stands in front of the opponent while both people are facing the same direction, with some space in between the two. Then, the wrestler moves slightly to the left while still positioned in front of the opponent. The wrestler then uses the near hand to reach back and grab the opponent from behind the head, thus pulling the opponent's head above the wrestler's shoulder. Sometimes the free arm is placed at the top of the opponent's head. The move is also referred to as a "European headlock", due to its prominence in European wrestling. The two-handed version sees the wrestler use both hands and is sometimes referred to as a "¾ chancery", "side head chancery" and, most often, a "cravate". This hold is a staple of European style wrestling and technical wrestling influenced by European wrestling. An inverted version of the cravate is used by
Chris Hero as part of his "Hangman's Clutch" submissions in which the hand positioning is the same as a normal cravate but the facelock is connected around the face of the opponent, not from behind the opponent's head, thus pulling the opponent's head backwards rather than forwards, putting significant pressure on the neck by stretching it backwards and in other directions toward which the neck would not normally bend. This can also be a setup move for the
3/4 Facelock Jawbreaker, also known as the
Stunner, made famous by
Steve Austin.
Headscissors Also referred to as a neckscissors, this hold sees a wrestler approach a supine opponent and sit next to them before turning onto their side towards the opponent and wrapping their legs around either side of the opponent's head, crossing the top leg after it has gone around the opponent's chin. The wrestler then tightens their grip to choke an opponent by compressing their throat.
WWE wrestler
Naomi has a crucifix variation calling it
Feel the Glow (formerly called
Starstruck during her run in
Impact Wrestling as Trinity).
Standing headscissors The wrestler tucks a bent-over opponent's head in between their legs or thighs. In professional wrestling this move is used to set up powerbombs or piledrivers. A couple of variants are often to be seen. In the first, having the opponent's head tuck between the attacker's knees, the latter leaps up and releases the hold while landing, causing a whiplash on the opponent's neck. Wrestlers as
André the Giant or
Junkyard Dog were famed for its using. In the second one and holding the opponent in the same position, the attacker twists the legs from the hip in a "Neck crank" variant. Popularized by
Curt Hennig.
Nelson hold applies the Master Lock (wrenching full nelson) to
René Duprée The nelson hold in professional wrestling usually takes the form of the full nelson, half nelson, or three-quarter nelson. In all three variations, the wrestler slips either one or both arms underneath the opponent's armpits from behind and locks their hands behind their neck, pushing the opponent's head forward against their chest. For a full nelson, the attacker slips both their arms under the opponent's armpits and locks their hands behind their opponent's neck. The half and three-quarter nelsons are usually transition holds, as they are in amateur wrestling. For the half nelson the attacker slips one arm under the opponent's armpit and places it on the neck. The three-quarter nelson is done by performing a half nelson using one hand and passing the other hand underneath the opponent from the same side. The passing hand goes under the opponent's neck and around the far side to the top of the neck, where it is locked with the other hand around the neck. The full nelson, which is illegal in amateur wrestling, is often used as a submission maneuver by certain wrestlers, such as
Chris Masters, as shown in the accompanying picture.
Ken Patera performed a variation he called the
Swinging Neckbreaker (not to be confused with the
neckbreaker variation), where he would lock the hold on and lift the opponent off the ground, then spin them in the air. There is also an inverted version where instead of performing the move from behind the opponent, the wrestler stands in front of the opponent and uses the move in the same way as the normal full nelson. Chris Masters and
Bobby Lashley uses a standing variation called the
Master Lock and the
Hurt Lock respectively, where they lock the nelson in and swing their opponent back and forth alternating pressure between their shoulders. Lashley sometimes locks his opponents into a
body scissors to immobilize them. The normal Full Nelson hold was also used by
Hercules.
Sugar hold An old
catch wrestling hold made somewhat famous by
Stu Hart, this variation of a nelson hold involves the wrestler applying the hold forces the opponent prone on the mat and drives their knees into the opponent's upper back.
STF applying an STF (Then STFU when photo taken) to
Mark Henry STF is short for "Stepover Toehold Facelock". This hold is performed on an opponent who is lying face down on the mat. The wrestler grabs one of the opponent's legs and places the opponent's ankle between their thighs. The wrestler then lies on top of the opponent's back and locks their arms around the opponent's head. The wrestler then pulls back, stretching the opponent's back, neck, and knee. The move was popularised by
Lou Thesz, albeit it is a traditional catch wrestling move pre-dating Lou Thesz by many decades; it was further popularised by
Masahiro Chono and
John Cena, who named it the
STFU before the
PG Era.
Samoa Joe,
Jazz,
Erik Watts and
Nikki Bella have also used this move.
Cross-legged STF Starting in the same position as a regular STF, the attacker takes both the opponent's legs, bends them at the knees, and crosses them, placing one ankle in the other leg's knee-pit. The wrestler then grabs the free ankle and places that ankle between their thighs. They then lie on top of the opponent's back and lock their arms around the opponent's face. The wrestler then pulls back, stretching the opponent's back, neck, and knees.
Jack Perry uses this as the
Snare Trap, while
Kazuchika Okada uses a kneeling version called the
Red Ink. An arm-trap variation of this move was invented by WWE wrestler
William Regal and is currently known as a
Regal Stretch.
Muta lock performing the
Emma Lock (Muta lock) on
Summer Rae The inverted Indian deathlock facelock, or a "Muta lock". The wrestler first takes the opponent's legs then, bends them at the knees, and crosses them, placing one ankle in the other leg's knee-pit before then turning around so that they are facing away from the opponent and places one of their feet into the triangle created by the opponent's crossed legs. The wrestler then places the opponent's free ankle under their knee-pit and bridges backwards to reach over their head and locks their arms around the opponent's head. Invented by
The Great Muta, this move has been adapted and performed by various wrestlers such as
Melina Perez (
California Dream) and
Emma (
Emma Lock) as finishing moves, signature moves, and setups to finishers.
STS Short for "stepover toehold sleeper", this hold is a modified version of an
STF in which the wrestler wraps their arm around the neck of the opponent in a
sleeper hold instead of pulling back on the head of the opponent. Popularised by
Masahiro Chono.
Strangle Hold Alpha Essentially a reverse crucifix armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on their stomach with the attacker to their side, grabbing the near arm and pulling the opponent on their side before stepping over their head with the same leg (if the attacker grabbed the right arm, he'll step over with the right leg). Using that leg as leverage, he'll push the opponent's head downwards and drop to their side so that the opponent must support their own body weight on their squeezed neck. The attacker then uses their free leg to complete the reverse crucifix armbar, trying to
hyperextend the elbow.
Strangle Hold Beta Essentially a scissored armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on their stomach while the attacker reaches under one of the opponent's arms, locking their hands together. The attacker then drops to the side opposite that of the arm that they grabbed (if they grabbed the right arm, they will fall on their left side). The opponent will thus be on their back, with one of the attacker's legs under the victim's upper back and hooking their free arm. The attacker throws their other leg over the opponent's trapped arm and then behind the opponent's neck, pushing it forward. The attacker can now roll towards their back, creating more pressure on the neck while hyperextending the opponent's arm across their own chest.
Strangle Hold Gamma Essentially a step-over armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on their back, wrestler standing to their side and reaching down to grab the opponent's far arm, pulling up. Wrapping their same leg (if they grabbed the left arm, they will use their left leg) around the back of the opponent's neck (against the back of their knee) and bracing their foot against the front of the other shoulder, they steps over their opponent with their other leg, squatting down.
Armlocks Figure-four armlock Also known as a
keylock,
Top shoulder lock,
Americana, and
ude-garami, (a term borrowed from
judo). This armlock sees the wrestler grappling the opponent's wrist with the similar hand (for example, if they use the right arm, they would grab the opponent's right wrist), and with the opponent's wrist still clutched, the wrestler bends the opponent's arm (of the grappled wrist) towards or behind the opponent's head. Then, the wrestler passes their other free arm through the "hole" formed by the opponent's bent arm under the biceps, and then catches the opponent's grappled wrist. This would result in the opponent's arm being shaped into a
4. As the opponent's wrist is grabbed by both opponent's hands, along with the bent arm, this applies effective pressure into the opponent. The maneuver can be executed on a standing or a downed (facing upwards) opponent. This move has been used by many wrestlers for many years.
Rope-hung figure-four armlock The wrestler approaches an opponent lying against any set of ropes and grabs one of the opponent's wrists with their similar arm. The wrestler then pins the arm with the grappled wrist against the second or top rope to the outside of the ring, passes their other arm from under the opponent's biceps, and grapples the opponent's wrist. The whole maneuver would force the opponent's arm to be bent in the number "4" shape, applying more pressure as the arm is trapped between the second or top rope. The rope-hung figure-four armlock can be also grappled through the bottom rope, if the opponent is lying against it.
Omoplata The
omoplata (AKA
ashi-sankaku-garami in judo) is an armlock that targets the shoulder. The locking mechanism is similar to the kimura lock, but instead of using a figure-four, it is applied using a leg. The omoplata can be applied from the guard, by placing one leg under the opponent's armpit and turning 180 degrees in the direction of that leg, so that the leg moves over the back of the opponent and entangles the opponent's arm. By controlling the opponent's body and pushing the arm perpendicularly away from the opponent's back, pressure can be put on the opponent's shoulder. It is also possible to put pressure on the elbow joint by bending the leg entangling the arm and twisting it in a specific manner. It is usually done to set up the opponent for a crossface. This move can also be known by the underrepresented term
coil lock in
catch wrestling. This move is notably used by
Axiom during his time as A-Kid.
Stepover armlock Also known as a spinning armlock. The standing attacking wrestler grabs the wrist of a face down opponent, pulling it towards themselves, then steps over the opponent's outstretched arm, placing one leg to either side. From this point, the wrestler turns 360 degrees, simultaneously bending the arm of the opponent around the attacker's own leg. The wrestler can over-rotate or turn again to apply more pressure on the arm. The stepover armlock is similar in execution to the
spinning toe hold, except that the wrist is held instead of the foot.
Armbar The wrestler takes hold of the opponent's arm and twists it, putting pressure on the shoulder and elbow. This may sometimes be preceded by an
arm wrench. The armbar's innovation was reportedly 200 years ago, but its true origins remain unknown.
Cross armbar applies a cross armbreaker on
LuFisto Also known as a cross armbreaker or straight armbar. The wrestler sits on either side of an opponent who is lying either prone or supine on the mat, with the wrestler's legs scissoring one of the opponent's arms. The wrestler then grabs hold of the wrist of that arm and pulls it upwards, causing hyper extension of the shoulder and elbow. Wrestlers
Alberto Del Rio (often the flying variant, see below) and
Ronda Rousey perform this move a finisher.
Bryan Danielson popularized and invented a variation, dubbed the
Danielson Special, where he would flip his opponent with a
butterfly suplex before locking in the cross armbar.
Flying cross armbar This variation begins with the wrestler standing on either side of the bent-over opponent. The wrestler then steps over one of the opponent's arms while holding that arm's wrist, and then rolls or twists their body in mid-air while holding the wrist, forcing the opponent down to their back and ending in a
cross armbar. This variant has been used by
Alberto Del Rio,
A.J. Styles and
Asuka.
Kushida uses a variation, where goes on the top rope and places his opponent on the turnbuckle and delivers the move.
Crucifix armbar The wrestler, situated perpendicular to and behind the opponent, holds the opponent's arm with both arms, pulling the arm across their chest. The wrestler then holds the other arm with their legs, stretching the shoulders back in a crucifying position and hyperextending the arm.
Fujiwara armbar applying his Bridging Fujiwara armbar on Tarik Invented by
Yoshiaki Fujiwara, it is also known as a short "armbar". With the opponent lying prone, the wrestler lies on the opponent's back, at a 90° angle to them, putting some or all of their weight on the opponent to prevent them from moving. The opponent's arm is then hooked and pulled back into their body, stretching the forearms, biceps, and pectoral muscles. Variations of this can include clasping the opponent's hand instead of hooking the upper arm, for extra leverage and bridging out, while performing the move to increase leverage and immobilize the opponent. A kneeling variation also exists.
Becky Lynch uses it as the
Dis-arm-her, where the attacking wrestler takes a face-down opponent's arm in a kneeling position, adding pressure by pulling back on the arm. A reverse version also exists, with the opponent lying on their back, the wrestler lies on the mat, putting some or all of their weight on the opponent to prevent them from moving. The opponent's arm is then hooked and pulled back into their body, stretching the forearms, biceps, and pectoral muscles. The regular hold is used by
Deonna Purrazzo,
Timothy Thatcher, and
MJF, the latter calling the move the
Salt of the Earth. while the bridging version was used by
Mark Haskins as the
Star Armbar while
Tommaso Ciampa briefly uses it as his submission finisher. Mexican luchador
Místico innovated a variation in which he performs a tilt-a-whirl on the opponent them slams face first with a single-arm takedown and uses the submission hold called the
La Mistica. A double arm variation is used by Deonna Purrazzo in addition to her regular variation; she calls the double arm variation
Venus de Milo.
Hammerlock The wrestler grabs the wrist of the opponent so that the arm is held bent against their back, and their hand is forced upwards towards the neck, thereby applying pressure to the shoulder joint. It is used by many wrestlers in the beginning of the match. It was used by
Ed Lewis and
Bruno Sammartino.
George Steele used an elevated version of the Hammerlock.
Headscissors armbar The wrestler wraps their legs around the opponent's head in a
headscissors, facing towards the opponent, then grabs one of the opponent's arms and wrenches it backwards, causing pressure on the shoulder and elbow of the opponent. This can often be performed on a standing wrestler when preceded by a
tilt-a-whirl, which was popularized by
Gail Kim, who dubbed it the
Flying Dragon.
Scissored armbar Nicknamed the
Stu-Lock, in honor of
Stu Hart who used the move, the wrestler approaches a prone opponent from the side. The wrestler then "scissors" (clasps) the near arm of the opponent with one or both legs from a standing position and takes hold of the far arm of the opponent with both hands, forcing the opponent onto their side and placing stress on both shoulder joints, as well as making it harder for the opponent to breathe. It can cause serious injury to the opponent if held for long. Often confused with the
octopus hold, it was popularized by
Perry Saturn as the
Rings of Saturn.
Seated armbar applying a seated armbar on
Mr. Kennedy Known as
Ashi-gatame in Japan and a
pumphandle armbar in America. The wrestler sits facing away on either side of an opponent who is lying prone on the mat, with the wrestler's legs scissoring one of the opponent's arms. The wrestler then grabs hold of the wrist of that arm, pulling it upwards, causing hyperextension of the shoulder and elbow.
Yuji Nagata has used the move while rolling his eyes backwards called the
Shirome (white eyes).
Satoshi Kojima uses a slight variation where both of his legs are on the same side of the opponent's arm. He calls it the
Koji MAX hold.
Short arm scissors The opponent is on their back with the attacker sitting beside them and grabbing the nearest arm. The attacker bends the opponent's arm and reaches through with one of their own. The attacker places one of their legs across the wrist of the opponent and grabs their own ankle to lock the hold. The attacker pulls up with their arm while forcing the victim's wrist down with their leg and applies pressure to the victim's elbow. Known in
combat sport as the "
bicep slicer".
Tiger feint crucifix armbar The opponent begins supine, lying with their back on the bottom or second rope and facing into the ring. The wrestler runs towards the opponent and jumps through the second and top rope while holding on to the ropes, then swings around and grapevines the opponent's arms, applying a crucifix armbar.
Barely legal From behind a seated opponent, the wrestler grabs one of the opponent's elbows and pulls it up and backward. The wrestler then bends the wrist and forces the open palm of the opponent's hand into their chest, putting pressure on the wrist. The maneuver's invention is credited to
Barry Darsow, who was the person who gave it its name.
Chickenwing The wrestler grabs their opponent's arm, pulling it around behind the opponent's back. This stretches the
pectorals and shoulder joint and immobilizes the arm. This is a legitimate controlling or debilitating hold and is commonly used by police officers in the United States to subdue uncooperative persons for arrest. This hold is used by
Frankie Kazarian.
Bridging chickenwing Also known as a bridging wrist lock. The wrestler approaches a prone opponent, lying down on their stomach. The wrestler grabs either of the opponent's arms and pulls it to their back (resulting the arm being bent behind the opponent's back). The wrestler then rolls or flips forward into a bridge, applying pressure on the wrist and elbow.
Crossface chickenwing traps
Daniel Bryan in a crossface chickenwing In this variation, the wrestler first performs the chickenwing to one of the opponent's arms, then takes their other arm, wraps it around the opponent's neck, and then either pulls the opponent's head to the side, which puts pressure on the neck and shoulders, or leaves the arm tucked under the chin as in a one-armed sleeper hold. Depending on the wrestler's preference, they may clasp their hands together to secure the hold, as
Triple H shows in the adjacent picture. In many cases, the wrestler will drop to the mat and lock the opponent in a
bodyscissor lock to make escape even more difficult. The crossface chickenwing is mostly identified with
Bob Backlund, who used the hold as a finishing maneuver following his comeback to the WWF in the mid-1990s and won his second world championship using the hold. Backlund's version of the hold incorporates the bodyscissors portion. former NXT Rookie and WWE superstar
Darren Young used this move right before he was released from the WWE after being trained by Bob Backlund. Bryan Danielson used the move early in his career.
Marty Scurll uses it as finishing move.
Asuka also uses the bodyscissors variation as a finisher dubbed the
Asuka Lock.
Sean Waltman and
Norman Smiley used both the standing and bodyscissors versions of this move as finishers dubbed the
Buzzkiller and ''Norman's Conquest'' respectively. A version of this move has also been performed to a seated opponent.
Double chickenwing applying his cattle mutilation finishing hold, a bridging grounded double chickenwing This hold sees the wrestler standing behind the opponent facing the same direction, and then hooking both the opponent's arms under their armpits. The move is known for being used for the
tiger suplex.
Bridging double chickenwing Also referred to as a "bridging grounded double chickenwing" or
Cattle Mutilation. The wrestler stands over a prone opponent's back and tucks the opponent's arms under their armpits. From this point, the wrestler then rolls or flips into a bridge, pulling the opponent's arms and applying pressure on them. The move origin is unknown, as many wrestlers used between the 80s and in the early 1990s. A version where the opponent sits in a seated position (with older origins) was first called
Cattle Mutilation by
Poison Sawada Julie, a name that has also been applied to the grounded version made famous by
Bryan Danielson.
Asuka also uses this variation.
Elevated double chickenwing This variation of the double chickenwing sees the wrestler wrenching the opponent up while still holding them in the double chickenwing. The hold is usually transitioned into a
chickenwing facebuster. The Elevated double chickenwing was famously used by
Ricky Steamboat in his best 2 out of 3 falls match with
Ric Flair. Its facebuster version was later made popular by
Beth Phoenix, calling the move the Glam Slam. Former
Impact wrestler
Jazz also used this move dubbed the
Bitch Clamp.
Scorpion cross lock Also known as an inverted sharpshooter combined with a double chickenwing, this hold sets up the same as the sharpshooter, with the opponent supine on the mat with the applying wrestler stepping between the opponent's legs with their right leg and wrapping the opponent's legs at shin level around that leg. However, instead of stepping over the opponent to flip them, the applying wrestler flips the opponent over from left-to-right, keeping the opponent in front of them. The applying wrestler then leans over the opponent and grabs their arms, applying a double chicken wing to the opponent. The applying wrestler then squats back, lifting the opponent's torso into the air. The move was used by
Bull Nakano and formerly used by the former
SmackDown general manager
Paige as the
PTO.
Kimura lock This technique is also known as a single chickenwing hammerlock or a double wrist lock. A judo submission named the reverse (
gyaku)
ude-garami, and popularly named and innovated by
Masahiko Kimura, after he broke
Hélio Gracie's arm with it. It is a commonly used
submission in
judo,
BJJ and
MMA. The move is performed when a wrestler grasps the opponent's left wrist with their right hand. The wrestler then places their left arm over and around the opponent's arm while grasping their own wrist. This move is ambidextrous and can be performed either from a standing position, or a grounded position where the attacker applies a variation of body scissors. This move was popularized in WWE by
Brock Lesnar, where he would use it often to (
kayfabe) break his opponent's arm.
Kushida also uses the hold as the
Hoverboard Lock. immobilizes
Cody Rhodes with a standing wrist lock
Wrist lock Sometimes preceded by an
arm wrench, the wrestler grasps the opponent's hand and twists backwards, placing pressure on the wrist. While this can inflict pain on its own, it is most often used as a transition hold, leading into either a hammer lock, an elbow to the held arm, or kicks to the opponent's abdominal area. Another form of wrist lock, sometimes known as a figure four wrist lock, involves the wrestler (after applying the initial wrist lock with the left hand) threading their right arm through the gap the two arms provide, forming a
4, and providing leverage on the wrist lock.
Body locks Bear hug applying a bear hug on
Shawn Michaels A wrestler stands in front of an opponent and locks their hands around the opponent, squeezing them. Often the wrestler will shake their body from side to side in order to generate more pain around the ribs and spine. The move can be done while the opponent is standing upright or lifted off the ground, usually with their legs wrapped around the attacking wrestler's waist. Frequently used by powerhouse style wrestlers, this rather simple to apply hold is used by heels and faces alike. An inverted variation is also possible, which was commonly used by
Big John Studd. In both versions, one or both of the opponent's arms can be pinned to their sides.
George Hackenschmidt is known for innovating the move. This was also used as a finisher by
Hulk Hogan early in his career called the
Golden Squeeze in his
WWF debut match against
Ted DiBiase in 1979 and
Bruno Sammartino who also used it as a finisher to win his first
WWE Championship.
Side bear hug The attacker stands to the side of an opponent and locks their hands around their torso. One or both of the arms can be pinned.
Waist lock A wrestler stands behind the opponent and then wraps both of their arms around them in a reverse bear hug, sometimes clutching their hands together by the wrist for added pressure. This usually sets up a German suplex or a waistlock takedown.
Body scissors A wrestler approaches a sitting opponent from in front, behind, or either side. The attacking wrestler then sits next to the opponent and wraps their legs around the opponent, crossing their ankles and then tightening their grip by squeezing together their thighs or straightening their legs to compress the opponent's torso. This hold is often used in conjunction with a hold applied to the head or the arms in order to restrain the opponent.
Body triangle Body triangle or Figure-four body lock is achieved by first crossing the ankles, grasping the heel of one foot and pulling that foot into the opposite knee, this creates the signature “4”. The attacker can apply different submissions. It is usually done from back
mount or
closed guard. Some common submissions from this position are the
triangle choke,
armbar, and other types of
armlocks and
chokeholds.
Back and torso stretches Abdominal stretch performing an abdominal stretch on
John Cena in 2003 Also known as a "cobra twist", this hold begins with a wrestler facing their opponent's side. The wrestler first straddles one of the opponent's legs, then reaches over the opponent's near arm with the arm close to the opponent's back and locks it. Squatting and twisting to the side flexes the opponent's back and stretches their abdomen, which also means leaving their abs exposed and open to further holds, such as a claw to the victim's abs, or simply punching them. This move can also be applied to a seated opponent or rolling sideways while standing to ground them keeping the hold in place as well as possibly trying to score a
pinfall if both the opponent's shoulders are touching the mat. The amateur wrestling analogue is the
guillotine, also known as a "
twister". Another version of this move sees the wrestler, straddles one of the opponent's legs, then reaches over the opponent's near arm with the arm close to the opponent's back and places both hands against the opponent's neck and pushes against it applying additional pressure. This version is called the
Abdominal neck wrench.
Boston crab This typically starts with the opponent on their back, and the wrestler standing and facing them. The wrestler hooks each of the opponent's legs in one of their arms and then turns the opponent face-down, stepping over them in the process. The final position has the wrestler in a semi-sitting position and facing away from the opponent, with the opponent's back and legs bent back toward their face.
Chris Jericho uses this move in a high angle version, calling it the
Walls of Jericho.
Lance Storm also performs this move with both versions, including the regular Boston crab and single-leg Boston crab. He usually sets it up from a
single-leg takedown or a roll-through called the
Calgary Crab. Samoa Joe also uses an inverted powerbomb as a setup into the Boston crab.
Charlotte Flair uses this move to set up for the
Figure Eight Leglock. An inverted variation is also possible, commonly used by
Colt Cabana as the ''Billy Goat's Curse''.
Bow and arrow hold The wrestler kneels on the opponent's back with both knees, hooking the head with one arm and the legs with the other. They then roll back so that the opponent is suspended on their knees above them, facing up. The wrestler pulls down with both arms while pushing up with the knees to bend the opponent's back.
Gory Special The Gory Special is a back-to-back
backbreaker submission hold. The wrestler, while behind the opponent, facing in the opposing direction, hooks their arms under the opponent's. From this position, the wrestler lifts the opponent up, usually by bending. This move can be used as a submission hold or can be used for a
neckbreaker slam, or a
facebuster takedown.
La Nieblina Also known as an
over-rotated Delfin Clutch, the wrestler approaches face-up opponent then grabs and folds the opponent's left arm over their lower torso, their left leg over their left arm, their right arm over their left leg, and the right leg over the right arm and left leg at the point where the ankle and wrist are placed together. From here, the wrestler rolls the opponent face first onto the mat, with their legs and arms tied together, sandwiched between the mat. The wrestler then sits on top of their opponent using their own body weight to apply pressure with the option to grab and crank back on the right leg. This hold was innovated by
Mr. Niebla and is best associated with
Miliano Collection A.T. known as the
Paradise Lock. An inverted version of this move is possible with the opponent on their stomach, the wrestler grabs the opponent's right arm and places it on top of their back, grabs and stacks the right arm with their right leg, then puts the left arm on top of the right leg, and then finally immobilizes the other limbs by placing the left leg on top of the rest. Next, the wrestler turns their opponent over so that they are on their knees with all four of their limbs trapped underneath. The wrestler then sits on top of the opponent forcing them into a bridge and pressing down on their body.
Lotus lock The wrestler grabs the opponent's arms and wraps their legs on the outside of them, so the wrestler's feet meet at the back of the neck of the opponent and exert a downward pressure, akin to applying a
full nelson but by using the legs.
Octopus hold performing the
Black Widow on
Paige Also known as an "Octopus stretch" and
Manji-gatame (Japanese version), the wrestler stands behind the opponent and hooks a leg over the opponent's opposite leg. The wrestler then forces the opponent to one side, traps one of the opponent's arms with their own arm and drapes their free leg over the neck of the opponent, forcing it downward. This elevates the wrestler and places all the weight of the wrestler on the opponent. The wrestler has one arm free, which can be used for balance. It was invented by
Antonio Inoki.
AJ Lee and
Katsuyori Shibata used this move as their finisher, with the former calling it the
Black Widow. English professional wrestler
Zack Sabre Jr. uses a modified version as a finisher called
Orienteering With Napalm Death in which
he places the opponent near leg behind his head on cranks it inward, creating more pressure and often transitions into this move from a
Calf Slicer. Unlike most leg locks that target a single joint (like a heel hook on the ankle or a kneebar on the knee), this move targets the soft tissues of the groin, hips, and lower back by forcing an extreme split. Less flexible opponents will tap much faster, while highly flexible opponents may be able to withstand it longer, sometimes forcing the attacker to transition to another submission like the
Twister or Calf Slicer, which are also available from the Truck. While legal and occasionally seen in MMA (when
Zabit Magomedsharipov or
Aljamain Sterling have executed it), it is less common than chokeholds or arm locks. It is, however, more popular in submission grappling and is often associated with the grappling system of 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu, which was created by
Eddie Bravo. Bravo is credited with popularizing and systematizing the move (which is essentially a groin stretch) within the context of No-Gi Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and MMA, often using it as a gateway submission from his signature "Electric Chair" position, which itself is often entered from the "Lockdown" half guard position. However, moves similar to the Banana Split, particularly the one used in amateur/folkstyle wrestling, are also often referred to as a "crotch ripper" or are closely related to the "Spladle" or a variation of a leg ride/pin. These types of painful leg and hip stretches have likely been utilized in various forms of grappling and catch wrestling for many years, so definitively naming a single original inventor is difficult outside of the context of
10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu. In the modern context of submission grappling, Bravo is the most widely recognized figure for coining the name and incorporating the Banana Split into a structured system.
Heel hook A
heel hook is a leg lock affecting multiple
joints, and is applied by transversely twisting the
foot either
medially or
laterally. There are several variations of heel hooks, with the most typical being performed by placing the legs around a leg of an opponent and holding the opponent's foot in the armpit on the same side. The legs are used to control the movement of the opponent's body while the opponent's foot is twisted by holding the
heel with the
forearm and using the whole body to generate a twisting motion, hence creating severe medial torque on the
ankle. A similar heel hook can be performed by holding the opponent's foot in the opposite armpit and twisting it laterally; a move which is referred to as an
inverted,
reverse or
inside heel hook. This was
Michelle McCool's submission finisher.
Cloverleaf Also popularly known as a "Texas Cloverleaf", the wrestler stands at the feet of the supine opponent, grabs the opponent's legs, and lifts them up. The wrestler then bends one leg so that the shin is behind the knee of the straight leg and places the ankle of the straight leg in their armpit. With the same arm, they reach around the ankle and through the opening formed by the legs and lock their hands together. The wrestler then steps over their opponent, turning the opponent over as in a
sharpshooter and
Boston crab and proceeds to squat and lean back. The hold compresses the legs, flexes the spine, and stretches the abdomen. The move was invented by
Dory Funk, Jr. A variation of the cloverleaf performed by
Eddie Guerrero saw the wrestler perform the maneuver from a standing position, which enabled him to pull the opponent's legs up high enough to where he could add pressure to the hold by sticking one of his knees into the other wrestler's back. Guerrero referred to the move as the
Lasso from El Paso, making reference to his hometown of
El Paso, TX.
Sheamus and
JD McDonagh also use this move.
Cloverleaf with armlock An armlock variation of the
cloverleaf that is similar to a
single leg Boston crab with armlock. This hold begins with an opponent lying face up on the mat. The attacking wrestler then seizes one of their arms and proceeds to walk over the opponent while continuing to hold the arm, forcing the opponent to turn over onto their stomach. The wrestler then kneels down on the opponent's back, locking the opponent's arm behind their knee in the process. The wrestler then reaches over and bends one leg so that the shin is behind the knee of the straight leg and places the ankle of the straight leg in their armpit. With the same arm, the wrestler reaches around the ankle and through the opening formed by the legs and locks their hands together as in a cloverleaf. The wrestler then pulls back so as to stretch the legs, back, and neck of the opponent while keeping the arm trapped.
Inverted cloverleaf In this variation of a
cloverleaf instead of turning around when turning the opponent over, the wrestler faces the same direction as the opponent to squat and lean forward to apply more pressure to the legs, spine, and abdomen. Also known as the Gorilla Clutch, named for
Shuji Kondo's King Kong-themed signature move names. A body scissors version exists as well.
Rhea Ripley uses a standing version of this maneuver called the
Prism Lock.
Leglock cloverleaf This variation of the
cloverleaf sees the wrestler, after crossing one of the opponent's legs over the other in a figure four shape, lock the over leg behind their near knee before placing the straight leg under their armpit and turning over. The wrestler proceeds to lean back, pulling on the leg under the armpit. This keeps the over leg, now under, locked while putting pressure on the leg and stretching the legs and back. This variation is also used by
Tyler Breeze as the
Figure Four Sharpshooter, and by
T. J. Perkins, who calls it the
Figure Four Deathlock.
Rivera cloverleaf places her opponent
Wheeler Yuta in a Rivera cloverleaf during a match in 2019 , this variation of the cloverleaf sees the wrestler hook the legs like a
cloverleaf, but then weaves their hands through to clasp their other hand and also hooks the ankle sticking out with one leg (left or right) into their kneepit.
Cross kneelock Also called a straight legbar or kneebar, it is performed similarly to an armbar by holding the opponent's leg in between the legs and arms so the opponent's kneecap points towards the body. The wrestler pushes the hips forward, the opponent's leg is straightened, and further leveraging hyper-extends the opponent's knee. Commonly used as a counter to an attack from behind. The wrestler flips forward down on to their back, placing their legs around one of the legs of the opponent on the way down, and thus using their momentum to drop the opponent forward down to the mat. The move can be also applied by running towards the opponent and then performing the flip when next to them. This move is currently being used by NXT superstar
Noam Dar calling it the
Superkneebar 11, which was formerly known as the
Champagne Superkneebar.
Calf crusher Also known as a calf slicer or leg slicer, the calf crusher is a
Compression lock that involves pressing the calf and/or thigh muscle into one of the bones in the leg. Similarly to the biceps slicer, a calf crusher can be applied by inserting an arm or leg in the backside of the knee and flexing the opponent's leg to apply pressure to the muscles surrounding the
fulcrum. Generally, the direction of the shin in the leg acting as a fulcrum will determine where the larger part of the pressure will go. Such calf crushers can be used as effective leglocks to the knee through a separating and elongating motion. Similarly to the
Bicep slicer, the calf slicer is listed as a banned technique in the lower levels of some major
Brazilian jiu-jitsu competitions. Wrestler
AJ Styles uses this as a submission finisher move, calling it the
Calf Killer in
New Japan Pro-Wrestling and
Impact Wrestling and the
Calf Crusher in
WWE.
Damascus head and leglock The wrestler forces the opponent to the ground and opens up the opponent's legs, stepping in with both legs. The wrestler then wraps their legs around the head of the opponent and crosses the opponent's legs, applying pressure on them with their hands. The wrestler next turns 180 degrees and leans back. This hold applies pressure on the opponent's temples and calves and compresses the spine.
Figure-four leglock applying a figure-four leglock on
Cesaro The wrestler stands over the opponent who is lying on the mat face up and grasps a leg of the opponent. The wrestler then does a
spinning toe hold and grasps the other leg, crossing them into a
4 (hence the name), and falls to the mat, applying pressure to the opponent's crossed legs with their own. While the hold applies pressure to the knee, it actually can be very painful to the shin of the victim. While the move is primarily a submission move, if the opponent has their shoulders on the mat, the referee can make a three count for a pinfall. If the referee is distracted, heel wrestlers may grab onto the ropes while executing the move to gain leverage and inflict more pain. This variation is the most famous version, invented by
Buddy Rogers and popularized by
Ric Flair, and is also the finisher of choice for several wrestlers like
Greg "The Hammer" Valentine,
"The American Dream" Dusty Rhodes,
The Miz,
AJ Styles,
Jeff Jarrett,
Tito Santana,
Jack Brisco,
Gerald Brisco, and
The Silent Warrior. A modified variation exists more recently used by
Shawn Michaels where the wrestler takes one of the opponent's legs, turns 90 degrees, then grabs the opponent's other leg and crosses it with the other, puts one foot in between and the other on the other leg, and then bridges over. With enough strength and willpower, the wrestler on defense can flip over onto their belly (and also their opponent), which is said to reverse the pressure onto the one who initially had the hold locked in. This counter to the figure-four is often called a "modified
Indian deathlock" or sometimes referred to as a "
sharpshooter variant".
Charlotte Flair uses a bridging variation of the move referred to as a Figure Eight. For a figure eight, the wrestler will then push up into a bridge. This move can be compared to the
Heel Hook in
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. On the Steve Austin Show Unleashed Podcast,
George Scott was credited by
Ric Flair as the person who came up with the idea that to reverse the figure-four leglock, the opponent would simply turn over onto their stomach.
Haas of Pain This modified inverted reverse figure-four leglock variation sees the wrestler cross one leg of an opponent over them and stand on the crossed leg, then take hold of the free leg and lay down on their back, raising the opponent's legs up into the air and causing pain to their legs and lower back. The name is derived from
Charlie and
Russ,
the Haas Brothers, who invented this move. This move is the finisher of Charlie Haas.
Inverted figure-four ankle lock This submission hold involves a combination of the figure-four leglock and the ankle lock. However, instead of locking the opponent's legs in a "4" shape, the attacking wrestler crosses one of the opponent's legs over to the other leg. Then the attacking wrestler grapevines the other leg, turns their body in the direction of the crossed leg forcing the opponent onto their side to immobilize the leg at the foot on the mat to create pressure and performs an
ankle lock submission hold. Eddie Guerrero used this move, sometimes transitioning from a
headscissors takedown which sees him rolling backwards from the momentum over the supine opponent to end up at their legs to then apply the hold. He called this move the
Lasso from El Paso and used the move until adopting an
elevated cloverleaf as a finisher referring to it as the same name.
Kneeling figure-four leglock Named
Kangokugatame, translated as
Prison Hold or Prison Lock in English, the opponent is down on their back with the wrestler standing over one of their legs. The wrestler applies a spinning toehold, crosses the opponent's legs and kneels on them. This move was innovated by the late Japanese wrestler
Masa Saito.
Inverted figure-four leglock This version is a variant which sees the opponent face up with the wrestler grabbing the opponent's legs, putting their own leg through, and twisting them as if doing a
sharpshooter, but instead putting their other leg on the opponent's nearest foot, dropping down to the mat and applying pressure.
Shawn Michaels popularized this move during his wrestling career.
Ringpost figure-four leglock Sometimes called a "flying figure-four", the opponent is either downed or standing next to one of the ring corner posts. The wrestler exits the ring to the outside and drags the opponent by the legs towards the ring post, so that the post is between the opponent's legs (similar to when somebody 'crotches' their opponent with the ringpost). The executor then stands next to the ring apron, on the outside of the turnbuckle or ropes and applies the figure four leglock with the ring post between the opponent's legs. The performer of the hold then falls back while grabbing the opponent's legs or feet, hanging upside down from the ring apron. The ring post assists the move, creating more damage and leverage to the opponent's knee. This is an illegal hold as it both involves the attacker performing the move whilst outside the ring as well as using part of the ring (the ringpost) to execute the move. The move was invented by
Bret Hart and was used by
Diamond Dallas Page and
Gail Kim.
Standing figure-four leglock The opponent is down on their back with the wrestler standing over one of their legs with one foot placed on either side of the leg. The wrestler plants their foot in the knee of the opponent's other leg and then bends that leg at the knee over the top of the first leg, forming the figure four. The wrestler then bridges back.
Steve Austin used this move during his WCW career while under his "Hollywood" gimmick, dubbing it "Hollywood & Vine".
Trailer hitch Popularized by
Jamie Noble, the opponent starts on their stomach with the attacker crossing one leg over the knee-pit of the other and holding that bent leg down by dropping to their side and placing their leg over it (passing that leg through the hole of the "4". The wrestler uses their foot to push the opponent's straight leg backwards and over the bent leg's ankle.
Heel hook This hold is performed by placing the legs around a leg of an opponent and holding the opponent's foot in the armpit on the same side. The legs are used to control the movement of the opponent's body while the opponent's foot is twisted by holding the
heel with the
forearm and using the whole body to generate a twisting motion, hence creating severe medial torque on the
ankle. This move can also be compared to the
Figure-four leglock. This move has been used by
Daniel Bryan and
Bobby Fish as the
Fish Hook Deluxe Edition. This move has been used in several other
martial arts and is banned in most competitions due to the high risk of injury from this move.
Indian deathlock demonstrating his Indian deathlock, Sydney, Australia, 1937. Innovated by
Chief Little Wolf, the wrestler lifts up a leg of a face-up opponent and wraps one of their legs around the other leg before dropping to a kneeling position, thus locking the opponent's leg behind the wrestler's knee. The wrestler then reaches over and grabs the opponent's far leg and places it on top of the trapped foot of the opponent. The wrestler then performs a forward roll while maintaining the hold. This forces the opponent onto their chest while the wrestler ends in a sitting position facing the same direction as their opponent. From here the wrestler can reach forward and perform many upper body submissions as well. A lot of superstars who used Native American gimmicks also used this as a finisher, such as
Chief Jay Strongbow,
Billy White Wolf,
Wahoo McDaniel, and
Jules Strongbow. A standing version can also be applied, which sees a standing wrestler place one of their legs between the legs of a face-down opponent and then bend one leg behind the leg of the wrestler, placing it on top of the knee pit of the opponent's other leg. The wrestler then picks up the straight leg of the opponent, bends it backwards to lock the other leg in the knee pit and places the foot in front of the shin of the standing leg in the knee pit, thus locking the leg.
Inverted Indian deathlock With the opponent on their back, the wrestler, standing beside them, sits with their leg over and between the opponent's legs (often using a legdrop to the knee). The wrestler then places the opponent's far leg in the knee-pit of the near leg, finishing the submission by putting the opponent's ankle on top of their own ankle, rolling both onto their bellies, and pushing back with the wrestler's knees. This move has been famously used by
Triple H in
WCW. It is used by
Cody Rhodes as the
American Nightmare.
Sharpshooter Also (and originally) known as a "scorpion hold". This move is usually executed on a wrestler lying flat on their back. The wrestler executing the move will step between the opponent's legs, grab both of them, and twist them into a knot around their leg. Holding the opponent's legs in place, the wrestler then steps over the opponent and turns them over, applying pressure the whole way to cause pain to the knee and legs. While applying the pressure to the legs, the wrestler executing the move has a variety of positions they can be in; however, the two most common involve the wrestler standing and leaning back while applying the move or sitting on their opponent's back. The move was invented by
Riki Choshu but was made famous in the United States by
Bret "Hitman" Hart, who gave it the name
Sharpshooter to suit his stage name. The move was first popularized in the States by
Sting, who called the hold the
Scorpion Death Lock and applied the hold from a seated position. The only difference between Sting's "Scorpion Death Lock" and the "Sharpshooter" is upon which leg the pressure is applied, as Sting's targets the right leg and the "Sharpshooter" targets the left leg.
Evil uses a variation called
Darkness Scorpion, where the move is preceded by a stomp into the
groin area. It is currently used by current
WWE wrestler
Natalya Neidhart as a finisher. Famous Luchador
Blue Demon Jr. also uses a modified variant of this move as well, in which he does an inverted sharpshooter and then uses his free arm to pull back his opponent's arm.
Inverted Sharpshooter For this variation, the wrestler steps between the opponent's legs with one of their own and crosses the opponent's legs so that their near leg's ankle is in the far leg's knee pit. The wrestler then does not mount the opponent, but instead remains to the side of the opponent and pushes to cause pain. The Rated R Superstar,
Edge used this variation, calling it the
Edgecator.
Spinning toe hold Used by
Terry Funk and
Dory Funk Jr., the wrestler using this move stands over the opponent who is lying face up on the mat and grasps a leg of the opponent. The wrestler then turns 360 degrees over the leg, twisting it inward. A wrestler can repeatedly step over the leg and around again to twist the knee and ankle joints even more. This can also be used as a setup move for leg locks such as the
Figure 4 Leglock and the
Indian Deathlock.
Wishbone The wrestler stands at the feet of a supine opponent. They grab and lift either one of the opponent's leg with both hands, while placing their foot onto opponent's free foot still on the mat to anchor it in place. The wrestler's while standing up on their own leg begins to push the opponent's grabbed leg away from them to apply pressure, stretching groin of the opponent. The wrestler may also twist the opponent's leg at the foot for additional pressure. The move is named after
the tradition of pulling on a wishbone. This move shares the same name but is not to be confused with the
double-team move. ==Chokes==