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Wrestling holds
Wrestling holds include a number of moves used by competitors to immobilize their opponents or
lead to a submission. Also known as stretches (or submission holds), these techniques are
employed to weaken an opponent or to force him or her to submit, either vocally or by tapping out:
slapping the mat, oor, or opponent with a free hand three times. Moves are listed under general
categories whenever possible. 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 o the oxygen supply to the opponent's brain. A notable exception is Japanese shoot-
style wrestling, in which wrestlers are expected to apply legit submissions to end matches. While
some stretches rely entirely on the acting ability of the opponent to sell them as painful or
debilitating, many are legitimately e ective when fully applied. They should not be attempted
without proper training and supervision, as there is signi cant risk of serious injury.

Head, face, chin and shoulder

Camel clutch
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The wrestler sits on his opponent's back and places both of their arms on his thighs, then reaches
around their head and applies a chinlock. The wrestler then leans back and pulls the opponent's
head and torso. A camel clutch can also refer simply to a rear chinlock while seated on an
opponent's back, without placing the arms on the thighs.

It was invented by Salvador "Gory" Guerrero, who gave the move to his tag team partner, El Santo,
who then popularized its use. It was rst known as the La de a Caballo ('on horseback'). Arabic
wrestler The Sheik used it as a nisher, giving it the name Camel Clutch. In the 1980s Iranian
wrestler The Iron Sheik popularized it as well.

Scott Steiner began using a standing variation of the camel clutch—applying more pressure to the
neck, instead of the torso as with the normal camel clutch—as a nisher during his time with the
nWo it was dubbed the Steiner Recliner.

Camel clutch sleeper hold

In this variation of the camel clutch, a wrestler sits on the back of an opponent while they are
laying face down on the mat. Instead of putting the opponent in a rear chinlock, they put him/her
in a sleeper hold.

Chickenwing camel clutch

A wrestler stands behind an opponent and applies a double chickenwing. The wrestler then forces
the opponent face-down to the mat, sits on his back, and pulls backwards, stretching the
opponent's neck and upper body backwards.

Inverted Facelock camel clutch

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Also known as a Dragon Clutch, an inverted facelock camel clutch sees the wrestler stand behind
their opponent and apply an Inverted facelock. They then force the opponent to the mat face
down, sit on their back, and pull backwards, stretching the opponent's neck and upper body
backwards.

Leg hook camel clutch

Essentially a regular Camel Clutch, but before the wrestler locks in the chinlock, he pulls the
opponent's leg backwards (as in the single leg Boston crab), and tucks it under the wrestler's
underarm, then continues to perform the typical camel clutch, applying more pressure to the lower
back with the leg's new position. The move was popularized by Dru Onyx, he named the move The
Gangbang

Leg-trap camel clutch

The attacking wrestler stands over a face down opponent, facing the same direction. The wrestler
rst hooks each of the opponent's legs underneath his own armpits as if performing a reverse
Boston crab, the wrestler then reaches down and underneath the opponent's chin with both hands
applying a chinlock, nally leaning back to pull up the opponent's head and neck.

Another version of the move is similar to a wheelbarrow facebuster but instead illegally pulls the
hair of the opponent while leaning back to pull up the opponent's head and neck.

Chinlock
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Also known as a rear chinlock this hold sees an attacking wrestler lift his opponent, who is lying on
the mat face up, to a sitting position. The wrestler then places his knee in the opponents back and
grasps the opponent's chin then either pulls straight back on the chin or wrenches it to the side.
However, this hold is dangerous, it could strain, or even snap the tendons in the opponent's neck.

A variation of the hold, called the reverse chinlock, sees the attacker kneel behind a sitting
opponent and wrap around one arm under the opponent's chin and lock their hands. Similar to a
sleeper hold, this can also be done from a standing position.

Another variation of this hold, referred to as a bridging reverse chinlock, sees the attacking wrestler
kneel before the opponent and grasp their neck into a reverse chinlock, before ipping forward to
plant their feet and bridge their back adding additional pressure to the opponent's neck and upper
back.

Chinlocks are commonly used as a rest hold, when two wrestlers wish to save energy or don't know
what to do next.

Clawhold
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Popularly known as the Iron Claw and sometimes known as a head vice or skull clutch, the
clawhold was a nishing hold of Teutonic heels, Fritz Von Erich and his sons David, Kevin, Kerry,
Mike, and Chris as well as Baron Von Raschke. The claw was a squeezing of the skull, by curling
one's nger tips in using primarily the last two knuckles of the nger, thereby applying ve di erent
points of pressure. The focal point is to use gripping power to almost attempt to shove ones ngers
into the opponent's head as oppose to just squeezing with the at of ones ngers. Usually the ref
would declare the opponent incapacitated and call the match. A ruthless user of the hold, such as
Blackjack Mulligan, could draw blood either by breaking the nose or inducing a hemorrhage.

The Undertaker, while wrestling as "Mean" Mark Callous in the late 1980s, used a variation in which
he would claw the opponents jaw rather than head. He dubbed this variation as the Callous Clutch.
Both The Great Khali and Brian Adams have also used a double-claw variation. The wrestler
performing the hold would approach their opponents from behind and grip their heads with both
hands. While in the vise, the wrestler could control their opponent by the temples and bring them
down to a seated position where more pressure could be exerted. An illegal variation of the
clawhold known as alternatively the Testicular claw, or the Crotch Claw, exists. This variation, as
the name implies, sees a wrestler grab the crotch of their opponent and squeeze. Another variation
is known as the Stomach claw, which in form is just like the clawhold, only applied to one's
stomach.

Armpit claw
The armpit claw was a squeezing of the muscle in the front of the armpit with the four ngers dug
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bend at the wrist and elbow, and his ngers would curl into a claw. The hold caused great pain,
causing the opponent to submit or to lose all control of his arm and hand, at which point the
referee would call for the bell.

Shoulder claw

Similar to a clawhold, the attacking wrestler applies a nerve lock onto the opponent's shoulder(s)
using his/her hands and ngers 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 nishing hold of African wrestling Shaun Koen of the African Wrestling
Alliance

Stomach claw

Just like the original clawhold, the attacker applies a painful nerve hold to his\her adversary's
stomach, forcing them to submit or pass out. If held for a certain period of time the opponent may
cough up blood. This hold was used by Freddie Blassie during his career as a wrestler. Killer
Kowalski also used this move during his wrestling career.

Cobra clutch
Popularized by Sgt. Slaughter and also known as a cross-arm lock or cross-arm choke. Later
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uses one arm to place the opponent in a half nelson. The wrestler then uses their free arm to pull
the opponents arm (the same side arm as the one the wrestler is applying the half nelson) and
pulls it across the face of the opponent and locks their hand to the wrist behind the neck to make
the opponent submit.

Bridging cobra clutch

With the opponent lying face down, the wrestler sits beside the opponent, facing the same way,
locks on the cobra clutch, and then arches his legs and back, bending the opponent's torso and
neck upwards. Wrestler Delirious is known for using this move, he calls it the Cobra Stretch.

Crossface

From behind the opponent the wrestler locks his hands together and pulls back on the face of the
opponent, pulling the neck of the opponent backwards. The move requires some leverage to be
applied, and as such it cannot be applied on a freely standing opponent.
The most common variant sees a wrestler lock one arm of a fallen opponent, who is belly down on
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their hands around the opponent's chin or face and pulling back to stretch the opponent's neck
and shoulder. This variation was innovated by Dean Malenko, and made popular by Chris Benoit as
the Crippler Crossface.

A variation where the wrestler just lies on his side on the back of the opponent while applying the
crossface was popularised by TAKA Michinoku, who called it the Just Facelock.

Mitsuharu Misawa innovated a seated variation where he hooks an arm of a seated opponent with
one of his legs and places his other leg against the back of the opponent to trap him before
applying the crossface.

Chris Hero uses an inverted cravate variation as part of his Hangman's Clutch submissions where
after locking the opponent's arm he twists his body so the hand positioning is reversed with the
right hand on the left side of the opponents face and the left hand on the right side.

Another variation of this move, known as a spinning headscissors crossface, sees the attacking
wrestler perform a spinning headscissors before wrapping around the opponent's body and
bringing the opponent's arm between the wrestler's legs, forcing them to the ground and applying
the crossface hold.

In the aftermath of the Benoit family homicide, other WWE wrestlers have begun using the
crossface as a regular move, such as Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

Fish hook

The wrestler bends one of his ngers 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. He grabs one of the opponent's wrists with one hand and sh hooks the opponent's
mouth with the other. He then places his knees against the opponent's stretched arm, and pulls
back with his arms.

Front chancery

The wrestler faces his opponent, and both are in same position (prone or standing). The wrestler
then places his forearm under opponent's chin and armpit on top of it. The wrestler may also
underhook his opponent's arm with his free arm.
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The wrestler places the opponent in a front chancery and rolls backwards, pulling the opponent
over him and onto their back, with the wrestler ending up lying on the opponent. The wrestler then
squeezes the opponent's torso with his legs, similar to a body scissors and arches his spinal cavity
backwards, pulling the opponent's medulla oblongata forward, and thus applying pressure on the
neck and facial region.

Front facelock

The wrestler faces his opponent, who is bent forward. The wrestler tucks the opponent's head in
his armpit and wraps his arm around the head so that the forearm is pressed against the face. The
wrestler then grabs the arm with his free hand to lock in the hold and compress the opponent's
face.

Teioh Lock

From a front facelock in a sprawl position, the attacker grabs the opponent's wrist with his free arm
and steps over his foe, folding his opponent over. Alternatively, you can reach down and grab a
seating opponent in a front facelock and sit (sprawl) down fron there.

Full nelson

From behind his opponent, the wrestler slips both arms underneath the opponent's armpits and
locks his hands behind his neck, pushing the opponent's head forward against his chest. It can be
combined into either a suplex (throwing the opponent backwards) or a slam (lifting the opponent
while in the nelson and then releasing).

A full nelson can also be done as a combination of a half nelson maneuver with one of the
wrestler's hands and arms holding one of the opponent's arms and the other arm being held by the
wrestler's legs (an arm scissors) to complete the nelson.

Another slightly di erent variation best described as a swinging full nelson is used by Chris
Masters dubbed the Master Lock in which he crosses one hand over the other and grip each of his
ngers locking them in place to which he then swings his opponent sideways back and forth,
creating pressure, thus making much more di cult to simply "breakout" (by brute force alone).
Masters garnered attention to his "Master Lock" hold when he was able to bring then-champion
John Cena to unconsciousness after a match. Only Bobby Lashley has been able to o cially break
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uno cially broke the Master Lock with interference from John Bradshaw Lay eld.)

Independent circuit wrestler Ken Patera uses a spinning version of the full nelson which sees him
lift his opponents into the air after applying the hold and spins them around in circles to cause
dizziness making the move di cult to escape.

Sugar Hold

An old catch wrestling move, made somewhat famous by Stu Hart, where you put someone in a
full nelson while sitting on their lower back or apply the full nelson, muscle them down to their
knees and then walk forward until you are sitting on their back.

Half nelson

The wrestler stands behind their opponent and wraps one arm under the opponent's armpit (on the
same side) and places the hand behind the opponent's head. The wrestler then pulls back with that
side of his body while pushing forward with the hand, bending the opponent's shoulder back and
pressing the chin against the chest.

Inverted facelock

The wrestler stands behind his opponent and bends him backwards. The wrestler tucks the
opponent's head face-up under his armpit, and wraps his arm around the head so that his 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.

Bite of the Dragon

Named by Low Ki, this sees a wrestler stand behind an opponent with the ring ropes between
them before grabbing an inverted facelock on the opponent and wrapping his legs around the
opponent's body for a body scissors. As the move uses the ring ropes it's illegal under most match
rules, and the attacking wrestler has to release the hold before the referee reaches a ve count or
be disquali ed.

Melina uses another variation of this maneuver, rather than holding the opponent in an inverted
facelock, she applies a rear chinlock, wrenching her opponent's neck against the top rope.

Stretch Plum
The wrestler applies an Inverted facelock to a seated opponent and places his far leg between the
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pulls the opponent's head backwards with their arms and the opponent's far leg outwards with
their leg. This move is also known as Eastern Stretch. It was named after Japanese women's
wrestler Plum Mariko.

Mandible claw

Main article: Mandible claw

The wrestler darts their middle and ring ngers into the soft tissue under the opponent's tongue
with their thumb under the chin, squeezing the mandible between them. The move is said to attack
a nerve cluster, which both causes intense pain and causes the opponent to re exively gag until
they pass out.
The move was invented by Dr. Sam Sheppard, a doctor who was convicted of his wife's murder,
and became a wrestler following his subsequent acquittal and release from prison. The move was
later popularized by Mick Foley, using it as his nisher for his Mankind persona. He originally wore a
tongue-depressor-like rubber protective covering over the two middle ngers. Later, he would
often place a sock puppet known as Mr. Socko over his hand before applying the move; this variant
is known as the Socko Claw. The move can also be performed barehanded.

Mexican Stretch

A basic wrestling technique, the attacker grabs his standing opponent in a double underhook, their
head tucked underneath an armpit. The attacker then reaches across his opponent's hips with his
same leg (if the opponent's head is tucked underneath the right armpit, he will use his right leg) so
as to trap their opponent's same leg and prevent their escape. The wrestler then wrenches up and
backwards with the applied double underhook.

Neck scissors

Also referred to as a head scissors, this hold sees a wrestler approach a fallen opponent and sit
next to them before turning onto their side towards the opponent and placing their legs on either
side of the opponent's head, crossing the top leg after its gone around the opponent's chin. The
wrestler then tightens the grip to choke an opponent by compressing their throat.

Often, however, an opponent will simply place their hands under the knee of the attacking wrestler
and push it up over their chin so they can escape. Another way to escape the hold will see the
opponent raise themselves to their feet while still in the hold, forcing the attacking wrestler to a
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out.

Masato Yoshino popluarized another variation of this maneuver in Japan, where he climbs to the
top turnbuckle, and does the neck scissors from the top turnbuckle to a standing opponent. This is
an illegal maneuver, so must be broken before a ve count. WWE Diva Melina is also known for
using this 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 right hand to reach back and grab the
opponent from behind the head, thus pulling the opponent's head above the wrestler's shoulder.
The move is also referred to as the European Headlock, due to its prominence in European
wrestling.

The two-handed version sees the wrestler use both hands, and can be referred to as the three-
quarter chancery, side head chancery or, most often, the Cravate. This hold is a staple of European
style wrestling and technical wrestling in uenced 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 opponents head backwards
rather than forwards putting signi cant pressure on the neck by stretching it backwards and in
other directions toward which the neck would not normally bend.

Three-quarter nelson

A wrestler stands behind their opponent and places one of the opponent's arms in a half nelson
and then places the opponent's other arm in either a hammerlock or chickenwing.

Side headlock

In this hold a wrestler who is facing away from an opponent would wrap his/her 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.
STF
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Invented by Lou Thesz, and popularised by his Japanese
disciple, Masahiro Chono. This hold is performed on an opponent who is lying face down on the
mat. A wrestler grabs one of the opponent's legs, and places the opponent's ankle between his/her
thighs. The wrestler then lays on top of the opponent's back and locks his arms around the
opponent's head. The wrestler then pulls back stretching the opponent's back, neck, and knee.

A slight variation is performed by Chris Hero named the Hangman's Clutch where after locking the
ankle he twists his body so that he can place his left hand around the right side of the opponents
head and vice versa and then lock the hands to form the facelock, making it resemble the hand
position of a cravate. He then pulls down with his arms to stretch the opponent's back, neck, and
knee.

Cross-legged STF

The wrestler takes 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 its ankle
between his thighs. He then lays on top of the opponent's back and locks his arms around the
opponent's face. The wrestler then pulls back stretching the opponent's back, neck, and knees.

In the variation known as the Regal Stretch, as named by William Regal, in addition to crossing the
opponent's legs, the wrestler reaches under one of the opponent's arms to lock his hands around
the opponent's head. This causes the opponent's upper body to twist, causing extra pressure.

Muta Lock

Also known as an Inverted STF or Sickle hold this hold is named after The Great Muta, who
innovated it. The wrestler rst takes the opponent's legs, 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 his feet into the triangle created by the
opponent's crossed legs. The wrestler then places the opponent's free ankle under his knee-pit
and bridges backwards to reach over their head and locks his/her arms around the opponent's
head.

STS

Short for Stepover Toehold Sleeper and innovated by Masahiro Chono, this hold is a modi ed STF
in which the wrestler wraps his arm around the neck of the opponent in a sleeper hold instead of
pulling back on the head of the opponent. It is also used by John Cena, who calls it the STFU and
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A variation exists in which, after applying the STS, the wrestler turns to his side, pulling the
opponent on top of him, face up. This was also innovated and popularized by Masahiro Chono, who
calls it the FTS.

Strangle Hold Alpha

Essentially a reverse cruci x armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on his stomach with
the attacker to his side, grabbing the near arm and pulling the opponent on his side before
stepping over his 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 his
side so that the opponent must support his own body weight on his squeezed neck. The attacker
then uses his free leg to complete the reverse cruci x armbar, trying to hyperextend the elbow.

Strangle Hold Beta

Essentially a scissored armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on his stomach while the
attacker reaches under one of the opponent's arms, locking his hands together. The attacker then
drops to the side opposite that of the arm that they grabbed (if he grabbed the right arm, he will
fall on his 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 his back, creating more pressure on the neck while hyperextending the
opponent's arm across his own chest.

Strangle Hold Gamma

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Strangle Hold Gamma

Essentially a step-over armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on his back, wrestler
standing to his side and reaching down to grab the opponent's far arm, pulling up. Wrapping his
same leg (if he grabbed the left arm, he will use his left leg) around the back of the opponent's
neck (against the back of his knee) and bracing his foot against the front of the other shoulder, he
steps over his opponent with his other leg, squatting down.

Stump Puller

The opponent is seated on the mat with the wrestler standing behind him, straddling the neck with
his legs. The wrestler then reaches down and grabs his opponent's leg, pulling up and stretching
the opponent's hamstring while compressing their neck.

Figure four stump puller

Same as the stump puller, but the wrestler rst bends the opponent's leg over the other knee
before pulling up on the straight leg while pushing down the bent leg.

Wing Tearer

The opponent is face down, the wrestler standing near their head and bracing the opponent's
spine along his shin. The wrestler then reaches down and grabs both wrists, pulling up,
hyperextending both shoulders.

Step-over Reverse Wing Tearer

The opponent is seated with the attacker standing before him. The attacker steps over his
opponent, reaching down and grabing both his opponent's wrists before pulling up, straddling his
opponent's neck.
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Armbar

Also known as an arm wrench. The wrestler takes the opponents arm and twists it, putting
pressure on the shoulder and elbow.

Cruci x armbar

The wrestler holds an opponent's arm with his arms, pulling the arm across his chest. He is situated
perpendicular to and behind the opponent. The wrestler then holds the other arm with his legs,
stretching the shoulders back in a crucifying position and hyperextending the elbow.

This technique is also called a cross armbreaker, or jujigatame, a term borrowed from Judo.

Fujiwara armbar

A grounded armbar with the opponent lying on his belly, the aggressor lies on the opponent's back,
at a 90° angle to him, putting some or all of his weight on the opponent to prevent him from
moving. The opponent's arm is then hooked and pulled back into his 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. The move is named after Yoshiaki Fujiwara. Similar to or the
same as Ude-Hishigi-Waki-Gatame in judo. This can also be used as a transition maneuver into a
Crippler Crossface, etc.

Headscissors armbar
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Justin Gabriel performs Headscissors Armbar on John Cena

The wrestler wraps his legs around the opponent's head, facing the same way as his opponent. He
then grabs one of the opponent's arms and wrenches in backwards, causing pressure on the
shoulder and elbow of the opponent. This can often be performed on a standing wrestler.

Scissored armbar

The wrestler approaches a prone, face down opponent from the side. The wrestler then "scissors"
(clasps) the near arm of the opponent with their legs 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. This move was popularized by Perry Saturn
as the Rings of Saturn.

Yuji Nagata uses a variation as one of his Nagata Lock submissions, where he combines this move
with a crossface.

Seated armbar
Known as Ashigatame in Japan and a pumphandle armbar in America. The wrestler sits facing
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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.

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 besides him and grabing the nearest arm.
The attacker bends his opponent's arm and reaches through with one of his own. The attacker
places one of their legs across the wrist of his opponent, grabbing his own ankle to lock the hold.
The attacker pulls up with their arm while forcing the victim's wrist down with their leg, and
applying pressure to the victim's arm/elbow.

Tiger feint cruci x 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
cruci x armbar.

Barely Legal

From behind a seated opponent, the wrestler grabs one of the opponent's elbows and pulls it up
and backward toward himself. He then bends the wrist and forces the open palm of the opponent's
hand into his chest, putting pressure on the wrist. Named by Barry Darsow.

Chickenwing

The wrestler stands behind the opponent and hooks one of his arms so that both wrestlers' elbow
joints are snug together and their arms are wrapped around one another. The wrestler then pulls
the arm upward against the back of his opponent.

Chickenwing arm lock

In Mixed martial arts this move is known as the Kimura, after Masahiko Kimura. The wrestler lays on
top of the opponent's torso, in a 90° angle. He or she then grabs hold of the opponent's wrist with
his or her far hand and pushes it behind the opponent's back. He or she then puts his other arm
over the opponent's shoulder, reaches under the opponent's arm and grabs hold of his or her other
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unnatural position, causing pressure. The pressure can cause the other wrestler to gu loud and
hard.

Key lock

This hold is very similar to the Chickenwing arm lock, the di erence being that the opponent's arm
is bent the other way. The wrestler lays on top of the opponent's torso, in a 90° angle. He then
grabs hold of the opponent's wrist with his near hand, so that the opponent's hand is palm up and
folded fully, and holds it down. He then reaches under the opponent's arm with his other arm and
grabs hold of his other arm's wrist. He then forces the opponent's elbow upwards, bending the arm
to an unnatural position.

Crossface chickenwing

A chickenwing variation where the wrestler applies the chickenwing to one of the opponent's arms.
The wrestler then uses his free arm to either push the arm, and particularly its radius bone, against
the face of the opponent to cause pain, or wrap the arm around the neck of the opponent in a
sleeper hold. The wrestler may also grasp his hands together in either variation. This hold is closely
associated with Bob Backlund who popularized the move in America.

Elevated double chickenwing

This maneuver sees the attacking wrestler hook both of the opponent's arms and then pushes
upward on the opponent's back (lower Scapula), lifting them in the air in a torturous manner
followed by the opponent being slammed to the mat. Notable users include Jazz, who dubbed it
the Bitch Clamp, and Beth Phoenix who follows it with the Glam Slam.

Seated double chickenwing

The wrestler locks both of the opponent's arms into chickenwings, forces him to a seated position,
and pushes his chest forward against the opponent's shoulders while pulling the opponent's arms
upwards. Also known as the WAR special, from the WAR promotion of Japan where it is a
commonly used hold.

Bridging grounded double chickenwing

When an opponent is lying face down on the mat the wrestler locks a double chickenwing on their
arms and then performs a forward roll into a bridging position further stressing the hold. This hold
is popularly associated with Bryan Danielson, who uses it as a nisher named the Cattle Mutilation,
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Hammerlock

The wrestler grabs his/her 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/debilitating hold, and is commonly used by police o cers in the United States to
subdue uncooperative persons for arrest.

La Rosa

A type of suspended hammerlock found in lucha libre as a nishing hold. The attacker puts his
opponent in a hammerlock and steps face to face with him, tucking their head underneath his free
arm and lifting his foe sitting up on his thighs.

Wrist lock

The wrestler grasps the opponent's hand and twists backwards, placing pressure on the wrist.
While this can in ict 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 gure four wristlock 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 wristlock.

Chokes
Anaconda vise

A Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Judo compression choke popularized by Hiroyoshi Tenzan and CM Punk,
the anaconda vise is done from a position in which the wrestler and the opponent are seated on
the mat facing each other. The wrestler sits on one side of the opponent and using his near arm
encircles the opponent in a headlock position and grabs the opponent's near wrist, bending the
arm upwards. Then, the wrestler maneuvers his or her other arm through the "hole" created by the
opponent's bent wrist, locks his or her hand upon his or her own wrist, and then pulls the opponent
forward, causing pressure on the opponent's arm and neck.
In a variation called the Anaconda Cross, the opponent's other arm is also trapped as it is wrapped
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Hiroyoshi Tenzan.

Arm triangle choke

The wrestler wraps his arms around the head and one arm of the opponent and squeezes, choking
the opponent. It is considered legal in wrestling, although it is a chokehold.

Corner foot choke

The wrestler pushes their opponent into the turnbuckle and extends their leg, choking their
opponent while using the top two ropes for support. This attack is illegal and results in a wrestler's
disquali cation, should the move not be broken by a count of ve.

Double choke

The wrestler grabs his opponent's throat with both hands and throttles him.

Figure four necklock

This neck lock sees a wrestler sit above a fallen opponent and wrap his/her legs around the
opponent in the form of the gure 4, with one leg crossing under the opponent's chin and under
the wrestler's other leg the wrestler squeezes and chokes the opponent.

In an illegal version of the hold, best described as a hanging gure four necklock, the wrestler
stands on top of the turnbuckle, wraps his/her legs around the head of the opponent, who has
their back turned against the turnbuckle, in the gure 4 and falls backwards, choking the opponent.
In most matches the hold would have to be released before a ve count. This version is most
commonly used by Candice Michelle and sometimes by Ric Flair.

Gogoplata

The gogoplata is executed from a guard. Speci cally, it is usually executed from a "rubber guard,"
where the legs are held very high, against the opponent's upper back. The ghter then slips one
foot in front of the opponent's head and under his chin, locks his hands behind the opponent's
head, and chokes the opponent by pressing his shin or instep against the opponent's trachea.
Wrestlers use a modi ed version, where they just push the shin into the throat in exactly the same
manner, instead of grabbing your toes and pulling towards yourself and than causes the wrestlers
to bleed from their mouths. This submission hold has been most recently used by The Undertaker,
calling it Hell's Gate, which often left his opponents bleeding from their mouths from supposed
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from his World Heavyweight title for his use of this hold. It was later understood that this particular
hold is in fact a sleeper choke hold used in jujitsu, therefore was regulated as a legal-used
submission hold.

Guillotine choke

Main article: Guillotine choke

The wrestler applies a front sleeper and proceeds to take the opponent downward and applies a
body scissors with the legs.This move is a favorite of many mixed martial arts ghters. Jun
Akiyama uses a modi ed version which he calls the King Crab Lock.
Half nelson choke

The wrestler puts his opponent in a half nelson with one arm and grabs the opponent's neck with
the other. This hold is the judo choke hold known as a katahajime with an added body scissors. This
choke was popularized in wrestling by Taz as his nisher the Tazmission.

Koji Clutch
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Justin Gabriel performs Koji Clutch on Alex Riley

The opponent lays face down on the mat. The wrestler lies face up and slightly to the side of the
opponent. The wrestler then hooks their far leg across the neck of the opponent. The wrestler then
hooks his hands behind the opponent's head, having one arm pass over their own leg and the
other under. The wrestler then pulls backwards with his arms and pushes forward with his leg,
causing pressure. The name comes from the man who innovated the move, Koji Kanemoto. This
move is commonly transitioned from the Reverse STO. This version was adapted from Christopher
Daniels.
Leg choke

With the opponent hung over the second rope, facing the outside of the ring, the attacking wrestler
hooks their left or right leg over the back of the opponent's neck. The attacking wrestler then pulls
the second rope upwards, compressing the opponent's throat between the rope and attacking
wrestler's leg, choking them. This move is illegal due to usage of the ring ropes, and results in a
disquali cation for the wrestler should they not release the hold before a count of ve.

Pentagram choke
In this variation of the triangle choke, the wrestler sits behind a seated opponent. The wrestler
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holds their ankle with their opposite arm and pulls their leg up. The wrestler then places their free
leg on the instep of the leg which is already being used to choke the opponent. The wrestler nally
takes their free arm, hooks the opponent's arm which is in the vice, and holds their opposite leg
from the knee. The pressure is applied once the wrestler squeezes their knees together. The
pentagram choke creates a complete vice around the opponent's neck, and it's name comes from
using ve sides, whereas the triangle choke only uses three.

Rear naked choke

A grounded version of a sleeper hold with an added body scissors that is derived from Martial arts
and more recently MMA. This hold was popularized in wrestling by TNA wrestler Samoa Joe who
calls it the Clutch or the Coquina Clutch.

Single arm choke

The wrestler grabs his opponent's throat with one hand and squeezes tightly. A "goozle" is a single
arm choke held brie y before performing a chokeslam.

A wrestler may use his or her free hand to grab the wrist of the choking hand to further apply
pressure. The Undertaker and Kane usually do so before a choke slam or piledriver.

Sleeper hold

A sleeper hold is generally applied in the following manner:

The wrestler applying the hold positions himself behind his opponent.
The wrestler then wraps his/her right arm around the opponent's neck, pressing the biceps
against one side of the neck and the inner bone of the forearm against the other side (it also
works just as well reversed, with the left arm).
The neck is squeezed inside the arm extremely tightly. Additional pressure can be applied by
grabbing the left shoulder with the right hand, or grabbing the biceps of the left arm near the
elbow, then using the left hand to push the opponent's head towards the crook of the right
elbow.
It is usually taught that at this point (or during the process) the opponent should be brought to
the ground if not already there. This is said to help avoid the opponent countering the hold as
well as allowing the wrestler to have a leverage to apply more pressure.
 The opponent will typically go limp after a time in the hold, at which point a referee would raise
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row the opponent is considered unconscious and the wrestler would gain a submission victory.
Arm-hook sleeper

Also known as the Bu alo Sleeper. The wrestler is kneeling behind a seated opponent. He grabs
hold of one of the opponent's arms, bends it backwards overhead, and locks its wrist into his
armpit. The wrestler then wraps his free arm under the opponent's chin, like in a Sleeper hold, puts
his other arm through the arch created by the opponent's trapped arm, and locks his hands. He
then squeezes the opponent's neck, causing pressure. The move was innovated by Hiroyoshi
Tenzan.

Dragon sleeper

The wrestler stands behind the opponent who is either sitting or lying down, places the opponent
in an inverted facelock, and hooks the opponent's near arm with his free arm. The wrestler then
pulls backwards and up, wrenching the opponent's neck. If the opponent is sitting, the wrestler can
place their knee under the opponent's back, adding more pressure. This move was made famous
from Último Dragón.

A dragon sleeper with body scissors is sometimes referred to as a Beast Choker as named by Dan
"The Beast" Severn.

Sol Naciente

Sol Naciente.wmv

The opponent is on his back with the attacker standing near their head, reaching down and
crossing their arms before them. The attacker then steps over the arm that's crossing the other
and bringing both of his feet on the same side of his opponent (opposite that of the arm that he
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Sol Naciente Kai

As the Sol Naciente, but instead of scissoring the neck, the free leg hooks the opponent's near leg
behind the knee.

Spider Twist

The opponent is sitting while the wrestler is behind the opponentholding the opponent's wrist. The
wrestler will apply an armscissor with one leg and a headscissors. then the wrestler clasps his
hand, one arm passes through the leg applying the headscissors and the other goes under. The
wrestler pulls upwards while his leg goes downwards, appling pressure to the shoulders, head and
back. Innovated by Mariko Yoshida.

Straight jacket

Also known as the Japanese stranglehold (Goku-Raku Gatame), Criss-cross Stranglehold, or a

Cross armed choke. The wrestler sits on the back of an opponent who is lying face down on the
mat. The wrestler then grabs hold of the opponent's wrists and crosses their arms under their chin.
The wrestler then pulls back on the arms, causing pressure.

Thumb choke hold

The attacking wrestler stands behind an opponent and reaches around the opponent's neck with
one arm. The wrestler then extends a thumb and thrusts it into the windpipe of the opponent,
cutting o their air supply. This hold was popularized and was dubbed the Oriental Spike by Terry
"Bamm Bamm" Gordy of the Fabulous Freebirds in the 1980s. Prior to this, it was known (and to
this day still popularly referred to) as the Asiatic Spike and was used by Don Muraco, wrestling as
the masked "Magni cent M" in Florida Championship Wrestling.

Tonga death grip

The wrestler darts his/her hand under an opponent's chin and grabs a hold of a pressure point
above the throat, squeezing the nerve. This cuts o the air supply and the opponent fades out, yet
this is not considered an air choke as it is not squeezing the windpipe. This hold is unique in that it
can be used as a sleeper like submission or, should the "unconscious" opponent end up lying on his
back, a pinfall. The move was popularised by wrestler Tonga 'Uli'uli Fi ta who went by the name of
Haku in the WWF and later Meng in the WCW.
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and arm in a gure four and squeezes. Di erent promotions have di erent rules regarding the
legality of this maneuver. The justi cation for its legality is that, like a head scissors, it uses the legs
instead of the hands to perform the "choke". The justi cation for its illegality is that regardless of
how its performed, it is still a choke. Commonly used in Japanese wrestling promotions and MMA.

Two-handed chokelift

Also known as a Neck-Hanging Tree a wrestler grasps an opponent's neck with both hands then
lifts them up and then slams them. This is a transition hold for moves such as the two-handed
chokeslam and the chokebomb.

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Body locks
Bear hug

A wrestler stands in front of an opponent and locks his hands around the opponent, sometimes
with one or both arms of opponent pinned to his sides as a result, squeezing him. Often he will
shake his body from side to side, in order to generate more pain around the ribs and spine.
Frequently used by powerhouse style wrestlers, this rather simple to apply hold was used by heels
and faces alike. Originally innovated in pro wrestling by Georg Hackenschmidt, and popularized by
Bruno Sammartino.

Side bear hug

A wrestler stands to one side of an opponent, facing them, and locks their arms around the
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then brings their arms closer together, compressing the torso of the opponent.

Body scissors

A wrestler approaches a sitting opponent from in front, behind, or either sides. 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 choke the wrestler by compressing their torso. This hold is often used in conjunction with a hold
applied to the head or the arms in order to restrain the opponent and makes them want to tap out.

Gutwrench

Similar to a bear hug from a behind, a gutwrench hold starts with the opponent doubled over and
the attacking wrestler pushing the opponent's head to one side of his legs, he then locks his arms
around the opponents waist and lifts the opponent up as though going for a powerbomb so the
victims back is drapped over the attacking wrestlers shoulder. This hold is often transitioned into a
submission, powerbomb, backbreaker, or suplex.

Back and torso stretches

Abdominal stretch

Also known as a Cobra Twist, this hold begins with a wrestler facing his opponent's side. The
wrestler rst 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, the attacker
exes the opponent's back and stretches their abdomen.

From there, the attacker then has a few options on what they can do. They can lock their arms
around the victim's neck and pull them upwards. They can use both their arms to push the victim's
head and neck down so they are stretched across the attacker's knee. Or they can hook the
victim's head or arm with one arm and grind their knuckle or elbow into the victim's oating ribs.
The attacker can also use their free hand to grab the victim's side/stomach and apply pressure in
an abdominal claw hold.
Often done by heel wrestlers who attempt to grab unto the ropes with their free hand for extra
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Grounded Abdominal stretch

A wrestler can execute an Abdominal stretch before sitting down to increase the pressure (keeping
one leg hooked around the opponent's same leg and one leg to brace himself against the mat). He
can also start by approaching a seated opponent from behind and reach over the opponent's near
arm with the arm closest to the opponent's back, locking it with his other hand before body
scissoring his opponent with his legs.

Manji Hold

Also known as the Swastika in lucha libre, it is a variation of the abdominal stretch where the free
hand grabs the opponent's near ankle, pulling up.

Backbreaker

See Backbreaker

Boston crab

Main article: Boston crab

This typically starts with the opponent on his back, and the wrestler standing and facing him. The
wrestler hooks each of the opponent's legs in one of his arms, and then turns the opponent face-
down, stepping over him in the process. The nal position has the wrestler in a semi-sitting
position and facing away from his opponent, with the opponent's back and legs bent back toward
his face. Chris Jericho's version is a High-angle Boston Crab more commonly known as the Walls of
Jericho.
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Boston Crab

Bow and arrow hold

The wrestler kneels on his opponent's back with both knees, hooking the head with one arm and
the legs with the other. He then rolls back so that his opponent is suspended on his knees above
him, facing up. The wrestler pulls down with both arms while pushing up with the knees to bend
the opponent's back. Cherry uses this variation quite often.

Racked bow and arrow hold

A variation used by Awesome Kong in which she places her opponent over her shoulders in a
torture rack position, pulling forward on the opponent's head with one arm and pulling both legs
with the other arm, exing the back. This variation is known as the Accordion Rack, or La
Atlandida in Lucha Libre

Reverse bow and arrow hold

The opponent is laying on his side, with the attacker facing their front. The attacker grabs one of
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the opponents's head with their other arm and squeezes his opponent backwards, attempting to
reach both of his arms as close as possible.

Gory special

This hold, also known as the Gory lock and innovated by Salvador "Gory" Guerrero, sees a wrestler
lift their opponent over their shoulder so that the opponent's upper back is across the wrestler's
shoulder. Thus, the wrestler and opponent are back to back, facing opposite directions. The
opponent's legs are tucked around the wrestler's hips. The wrestler can now apply pressure by
applying a chinlock and pressing down. One or both of the opponent's arms can also be hooked for
extra pressure. Salvador Guerrero's grandson, Chavo Guerrero, Jr., uses a variation of this move
called the Gory Bomb. There is also a variation of the move by starting back to back.

Octopus hold

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
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Octopus hold or Japanese Twist

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.
Popularized by Antonio Inoki in New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Japanese name for the move is the
manji-gatame (inverted swastika hold).

Surfboard

Also known as a surfboard stretch. The opponent is face down with the attacker above him, facing
their head. The attacker grabs both arms and stands with his foot in the middle of the opponent's
shoulder blades, the attacker then pulls back on his opponent's arms. Alternatively, the attacker
can be standing behind his kneeling opponent, still pressing his foot down the middle of the
shoulder blades and pulling both arms back (a standing surfboard stretch). There is also a seated
variation where the opponent is seated and the attacker presses his knee against their back, shin
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Elevated Surboard

The opponent is face down with the attacker placing his feet just above each of the opponent's
knees. The attacker then proceeds to bend his opponent's legs up, hooking them around his or her
own knees. At this point the wrestler reaches down and grasps both of his opponent's wrists
(usually slapping the opponent's kidneys in an attempt to bring the arms in reach), and falls
backwards while compressing the opponent's shoulder-blades and lifting him or her o the ground.
This can see the wrestler fall to a seated position or go onto his or her own back, lifting the
opponent skyward, which will increase pressure on the opponent but put the wrestler in risk of
pinning his or her own shoulders to the mat. This last surfboard (where the attacker is lying on his
back) is also called La Tapatía or the Romero Special, named after the inventor Rito Romero.

There are also variations of this elevated surfboard where instead of grabbing the wrists, the
attacker will perform a chinlock or an inverted facelock instead.

Suspended Surfboard

Known as la Campana in Mexico. The opponent is face down with the attacker standing over them.
The attacker tucks the opponent's legs against their waist and grabs both the opponent's arms
pulling them up and suspending the victim in the air. An easier way of doing this is from a victory
roll, where instead of sitting down for the pin the attack will roll through to his feet, hoping past his
opponent's waist (still holding onto their feet) and turning them over. This makes it easier to reach
down, grab their arms and lift the opponent up into the suspended surfboard.

Sometimes done facing the turnbuckle, forcing the opponent's head to hit against the bottom
turnbuckle with each swing.

The Rocking Chair

Known as La Mecedora in Mexico. The opponent is face down on the mat, with the attacker
bending both of their legs up and tucking their ankles against his armpits. He then reaches down
and grabs both of the opponent's arms before sitting down, "rocking" back and forth and stretching
the back.

Entanglement holds
La Nieblina
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Lock). While it is employed by these men as a means to gain a victory via tapout, others utilize the
hold simply to trap the opponent in a ball and keep them from maneuvering, allowing the man on
the o ensive to either recapture his breath or pour on a more sinister o ensive maneuver. The
move is executed as follows:

The attacker approaches a prone opponent, lying back- rst on the mat. He folds the opponent's
left arm into their crotch, their left leg over their left arm, their right arm over their left leg (with the
wrist and the ankle in alignment), 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 attacker rolls the opponent face- rst
onto the mat, with their legs and arms tied together, sandwiched between the mat and their own
body weight. From this point, the attacker may choose to apply pressure by sitting atop the
opponent and cranking back on the right leg.

Leg locks
Ankle lock

A wrestler will grab the opponent's foot and lift their leg o the ground. Then with one hand grab
the opponent's toes or outside of foot, and with the other wrap around the ankle and through the
"hole" created and grab his own wrist, essentially putting the opponent's ankle in a Key Lock. Then
they will bend the opponent's ankle. This move was popularized originally by Ken Shamrock and
later Kurt Angle.

A grapevined variation sees the wrestler applying the ankle lock hold and then falling to the mat
and scissoring the leg of the opponent. This stops the opponent from rolling out of the move and
makes it harder for him/her to crawl to the ropes but lessens the pressure that can be applied.

Double ankle lock

With the opponent on all fours, the wrestler kneels over their right leg and crosses his feet so as to
immobilize the leg. The wrestler then slips under his opponent from the right side, grabbing the
opponent's opposite leg. Rolling out, he applies an ankle lock on the left leg while stretching out his
opponent. This is known in lucha libre as the Guadalajara Crab

Argentine leglock
Technically known as an Over the shoulder single leg Boston crab and commonly known as a
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Stretch Mu er. The
Get itwrestler stands over a face-down opponent lying on the ground. He lifts
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leg of the opponent and drapes it over his neck. He then uses his arms to force the shin and thigh
of the opponent down, thereby placing pressure on the opponent's knee. For a short time, Brock
Lesnar used the Boston crab version of this maneuver and called it the Brock Lock.

Tony Mamaluke introduced a variation where he steps over the downed opponent and sits on their
lower back as in a half Boston crab, calling it the Sicilian Crab. Último Guerrero uses a variation
where he grabs his opponent's corresponding leg and wraps his feet around their neck called the
Guerrero Special ll. Shuji Kondo uses his own variation where both his opponent's legs are crossed
over the neck called Cat's Cradle.

Cloverleaf

Also popularly known as a Texas cloverleaf, the wrestler stands at the feet of his 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 his opponent, turning the opponent over as in a
sharpshooter and proceeds to squat and lean back. The hold compresses the legs, exes the
spine, and stretches the abdomen.

The move was pioneered by Dory Funk, Jr., but is most closely associated with Dean Malenko, who
used it as his regular nisher. Christian Cage and Nick Dinsmore are other popular users of this
hold. Another version of this hold, considered to be an Elevated cloverleaf / Elevated Texas
cloverleaf, was used by Eddie Guerrero, which saw Guerrero turn the body of the opponent and
place a knee over the opponent's neck, pulling back for more pressure. Guerrero dubbed this the
Lasso From El Paso.

Cloverleaf with armlock

An armlock variation of the cloverleaf that is similar to a single leg Boston crab with armlock. This
hold begins with a supine opponent lying face up on the mat. The attacking wrestler then seizes
one of the arms and proceeds to walk over the opponent while continuing to hold the arm, forcing
them to turn over onto their stomach. The wrestler then kneels down on the opponents back,
locking the opponent's arm behind his 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
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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. This hold is a nisher of Shuji Kondo, who named it the
Gorilla Clutch. Kondo also uses a variation where he falls back and applies a body scissors the
abdomen of his opponent. Cheerleader Melissa adds an attack to the hold by stretching the
opponent's legs so far that she is able to kick the opponent's head with their own feet.

Leglock cloverleaf

This variation of the cloverleaf sees the wrestler, after crossing one of the opponents legs over the
other in a gure 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 hold was popularized by T.J. Perkins, who refers to it as the Figure Four
Deathlock.

Rivera Cloverleaf

A variation of the cloverleaf. The wrestler hooks the legs like a cloverleaf but weaves his hands
through to clasp his other hand. When the wrestler applies this modi ed cloverleaf he also hooks
the sticking out ankle with his leg [which ever one it is] into his kneepit. Now the wrestler wrenches
back like a normal cloverleaf. Innovated by Chris Hero.

Cross kneelock

With the opponent lying face down on the mat, the wrestler grabs hold of shin of one of the
opponent's legs and wraps his legs around the leg. The wrestler then twists the leg,
hyperextending the knee. Very similar to the grapevine ankle lock, with the only di erence that the
wrestler wraps his arms around the shin, and not his hands around the ankle of the opponent.

Commonly used as a counter to an attack from behind. The wrestler ips forward down on to his
back, placing his legs around one of the legs of the opponent on the way down, and thus using his
momentum to drop the opponent forward down to the mat. The move can be also applied by
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Damascus head-leglock

The wrestler forces the opponent to the ground and opens up the legs of the opponent, stepping in
with both legs. The wrestler then wraps his legs around the head of the opponent and crosses the
opponent's legs, applying pressure on them with his hands. The wrestler next turns 180 degrees
and leans back, compressing the spine. This hold applies pressure on the temples, the calves, and
compresses the spine. Also known as the D-lock for the capital D formed.

Figure four leglock

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) as he does so and falls to the mat, applying pressure to the opponent's
crossed legs with his own.

This move was made popular as the nishing move of "Nature Boy" Buddy Rogers, Jack Brisco,
Carlos Colon, Greg Valentine and Ric Flair, who sometimes adds to it by twisting his opponents
ankle as it is locked in, Ric Flair often uses his hands to elevate himself, causing more pressure on
the legs. Also, if the referee is distracted, he will hold the ropes to apply more pain, and at least
once when he was part of The Four Horsemen he held onto their hands and they pulled to help him
gain leverage.

A wrestler may counter the gure four by rolling over on to their stomach, which applies the
pressure on the original applier's legs. This counter to the gure four is often called a modi ed
indian deathlock or sometimes referred to as a sharpshooter variant.

Angled gure four leglock

With the opponent on his back, the wrestler grabs both legs and bends the left leg so that the calf
crosses over the right leg's knee, much like a standing gure four. The wrestler then wraps his right
leg across their left foot, holding the bent knee in place with his hands before kneeling down.
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Angled gure four leglock

Crooked gure four leglock

The wrestler using this move stands over the opponent with the opponent face up and grasps a leg
of the opponent. The wrestler then turns 90 degrees and grasps the other leg, crossing them as he
does so and stepping over the straight leg. He then falls to the mat, applying pressure to the
opponent's crossed legs with his own. It is most closely associated with Japanese wrestler Yuji
Nagata, who calls it the Nagata Lock. Nagata would salute to signal the maneuver to the crowd
before dropping to the mat. There are also standing and spinning versions.

Elevated gure four leglock

Also known as the Nudo Lagunero. The opponent is on his back with the attacker grabbing both of
his foe's legs, crossing one of them over the straight leg's knee. The attacker steps over the victim's
bent ankle and rests the victim's straight leg on their thigh. The attacker grabs the victim's arm
which is on the same side as their straight leg and pulls it across the victim's body and through the
"4" in their legs (that is under the victim's bent leg). The attacker grabs the victim's other arm over
and crosses it over their body, but over the leg lock. The attacker leans back and pulls the victim up
o the mat while keeping their legs locked in the gure four and holding their arms.

Figure Four Leg Slicer

With the opponent on their back, the wrestler grabs both legs and bends the right leg so that the
calf crosses over the left leg's knee, much like a standing gure four. However, you lock the bent leg
in place with the back of your left leg, reaching over and linking hands through the hole formed by
the gure four. Then you fall on your back, pulling up with your bent legs while pressing down with
your leg. The e ects of this move are similar to that of a calf slicer.
Inverted gure four leglock
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opponent's legs with his left foot before bending the opponent's right leg underneath the left,
behind the knee. The wrestler then drops down, scissoring the outstretched (left) leg with his free
leg before grabbing the right foot with both hands so as to apply pressure. Despite the name, this
move takes more after the Indian deathlock than it does the gure four (it does not target the
rotula by applying pressure using the opponent's other leg in a gure four manner).

Spinning inverted gure four leglock

Known as El Pozo in Mexico where it is the nisher of Charlie Manson and brought to America by
Alex Shelley as the spinning/rolling inverted gure four. The opponent in on his back with the
wrestling standing by his side, facing away. Grabbing the near leg, he wraps his own leg around so
that their shin is tucked behind the wrestler's knee and their hip pressed against his/her shin. The
wrestler then grabs the far leg and wraps it in front of the captured leg and through his/her legs so
that the foot comes out in front. The wrestler then spins out, turning his opponent on their
stomach and locking the spinning inverted gure four.

Alex Shelley's Spinning Inverted gure 4

Kneeling gure four leglock

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. It is commonly known
as the Prison Lock or Jailhouse Lock and is sometimes confused with the Indian Deathlock.

Reverse gure four leglock

Also known as the Cruceta Invertido in Mexico where it is more common than the regular gure
four. The opponent is lying on his back with the aggressor stepping in between their legs, facing
away from their opponent. The aggressor then grabs the far leg of their opponent and bends it in
front of the near leg's knee (the one they are straddling over), locking it in place by stepping over it
with their free leg. Then the aggressor rolls on his back, pulling down on the opponent's straight leg
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Inverted three quarter gure four leglock

The opponent is lying face down on the ground. The wrestler kneels over the opponent's thighs
with his left leg between the opponent's leg, then bends his opponent's left leg around his left
thigh. After that he places the opponent's right leg over the opponent's left ankle and puts his own
right leg under the opponent's left ankle. Finally, he puts both of his feet over the opponent's right
foot and presses on it.

This hold was once used as the nisher of Japanese wrestler Oji Sakaharo, and was the rst of two
leg locks referred to as the Oji-kiru.

Ringpost gure four leglock

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 ringpost, so that the post is
between the opponent's legs (similar to when somebody 'crotches' their opponent with the
ringpost). The executor then stands on the ring apron, on the outside of the turnbuckle/ropes and
applies the gure four leglock with the ringpost between the opponent's legs. The performer of the
hold then falls back while grabbing the opponent's legs/feet, hanging upside down from the ring
apron. The ringpost assists the move, creating more damage and leverage to the opponent's knee.
This move was invented and popularized by Bret Hart.

Because the performer is out of the ring while he/she has this hold locked in, this move doesn't last
long as it usually results in a count-out. This move also uses the ring-post, which is illegal in
wrestling, and a 5 count is used which leads to a disquali cation.

Standing gure 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 his foot in the knee of the opponents other leg
and then bends that leg at the knee over the top of the rst leg forming the gure four. The
wrestler then bridges back.
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Haas of Pain

A submission invented and named by the Haas brothers Charlie and Russ Haas, this modi ed
inverted reverse gure-four leglock variation sees the wrestler cross one leg of an opponent over
the other and stand on the crossed leg, then take hold of the free leg and lay down on his back,
raising the opponent's legs up into the air and causing pain to their legs and lower back

Indian deathlock

Also known as the British Figure Four Leglock. The opponent is on their back, the attacker is facing
away from his opponent and has his foot between their legs (often using a legdrop to the knee to
initiate the move). The attacker then crosses the opponent's legs as if they were sitting "indian
style", far leg crossed over near leg. The attacker will then tuck the shin of the far leg behind his
own leg before standing up and turning to face his opponent, locking the maneuver. From there,
the attacker can either fall back to apply pressure or reach forwards and perform many upper body
submissions instead.

This move can also be initiated from a spinning toe hold, where the attacker then grabs the
straight leg and passes it over the bent leg and tucks the shin against his own.

Beware: Wikipedia has confused the Indian Deathlock for the inverted Indian Deathlock and vice-
versa! If the opponent is on his back: Indian Deathlock. If on his stomach: Inverted Indian
Deathlock.

Inverted Indian deathlock

The opponent is face down on the mat, the attacker crosses the opponent's ankle into the crook of
the other knee. The attacker uses the back of their leg to apply pressure to the opponent's leg that
is up, putting their leg in between the opponent's entangled legs. The attacker can now fall back to
apply pressure on the move, often standing right back up to repeat the attack.
Super Dragon innovated a move known as the Curb Stomp in which he applies a standing inverted
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of the opponent. He then releases the surfboard and stomps the leg down to drive the opponent's
head face rst into the mat. Dragon also innovated another variation of this move where he applies
the standing inverted Indian deathlock, but rather than using the traditional surfboard he pulls his
opponent's hair, face, or mask before stomping the opponent's head face rst into the mat. In
another variation the wrestler just grabs a hold of the opponent's wrists without putting him/her in
a Standing reverse Indian deathlock before stomping his/her head.

Trailer Hitch

Popularized by Jamie Noble, the opponent starts on his stomach with the attacker crossing one leg
over the knee-pit of the other and holding that bent leg down by dropping to his side and placing
their leg over it (passing that leg through the hole of the "4". The wrestler uses his foot to push the
opponent's straight leg backwards and over the bent leg's ankle.

Kneebar

Also called a straight legbar, the basic kneebar is performed similarly to an armbar by holding the
opponents leg in between the legs and arms so the opponent's kneecap points towards the body.
The wrestler pushing the hips forward, the opponent's leg is straightened, and further leveraging
hyperextends the knee.

Sharpshooter

Main article: Sharpshooter

Probably invented by Riki Chōshū.

Made popular by Bret Hart and is arguably the most famous wrestling move in Canada. The
opponent starts supine. The wrestler steps between his opponent's legs with one leg and wraps
the opponent's legs around that leg. Holding the opponent's legs in place, the wrestler then steps
over the opponent, ipping him over into a prone position. Finally, the wrestler leans back to
compress the legs. Hart's niece Natalya has recently taken the Sharpshooter as a nisher in
reference to her father Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart and uncle Bret Hart in the Hart Foundation.

Wrestler Sting uses his own variation of the move calling it the Scorpion Deathlock. While Bret Hart
is credited to popularizing the maneuver, Sting has used the move as his submission nisher
throughout his career, particularly during the late 1980s long before Bret Hart was using the
sharpshooter. At this time, Hart was part of the Hart Foundation as a tag team wrestler and wasn't
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Spinning toe hold

The wrestler using this move stands over the opponent who is lying on the mat, face up and grasps
a leg of the opponent. The wrestler then turns 360 degrees over the leg twisting it inward. A
wrestler will repeatedly step over the leg and round again to twist the knee, and ankle joint even
more. Popularized by the Funk brothers, Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk, who were taught the hold
by their father, Dory Funk Sr..

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