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Well, thank god college basketball is over because I honestly had about as good a chance of picking a winning bracket as Michael Richards does of giving this year's commencement speech at Morehouse. But now with amateur hoops out of the way it's the perfect time to switch focus to a "professional" sport. A sport that features almost as many half naked oily men as 300. A sport where grown men can openly call each other "brother" and "slapnuts" without fear of persecution. A sport where kissing the boss' bare ass and giving birth to a hand are common place. That's right, we're talking about the sport of "professional" wrestling.
Since this year's Wrestlemania featured one of the worst lineups in pro wrestling history we thought now would be the perfect time to remember some of wrestling's finer points by coming up with our top 50 list of the most interesting moves in wrestling history. Some wrestling moves are more devasting than Drago in Rocky 4, while others seem to involve a complicated ritual of crossing the ring several times, doing some type of outdated dance move, and then attacking the opponent with a blow that couldn't damage Orval Reddenbocker decomposing corpse. So we've broken this list into several categories. Gay-Ass Holds (GAH), Danger Will Robinson (DWR), Dance Fever (TERRIO), Classic Grappling (CG)& More Useless Than Xtra Foreskin(X). Enjoy these clips and feel free to add any of your favorite moves that we omitted in the comments section.
Oh, and if you hate wrestling then be sure to thank Josh Perincheril for requesting that we make this April's Top 50 list. And if you want to know how get as much useless knowledge about wrestling as me start reading the sheets at PWInsider.com.
50. Body Slam (CG) This is considered a pretty basic move these days unless you are performing it against the star of the Princess Bride. No not Billy Crystal. He destroys himself everytime he tries to open his mouth to do comedy. I was talking about the 500 lbs, Andre The Giant.
49. Vicious Boot (DWR) Giving your opponent the big boot to the chest is usually just a way to set up your finisher like the pedigree or the stunner. But without a good finisher to follow it, Sid Vicious thought that he would turn the big boot into his finishing move. Good luck with that Sid or should I say, "break a leg".
48. The Bonzai Drop (X) This move is typically performed by a big man like Rikishi, Bam Bam Bigelow, Tugboat, Earthquake or Avalanche, wait those last two are the same guy and both are dead. Anyway the move rarely ever connects because it involves a really fat guy climbing to the second turnbuckle and then sitting on him. No wrestler was quite as imposing with this move as the late great Yokozuna.
47. Five Knuckle Shuffle (TERRIO) Yo kid, you got fresh ass spinners all up in yo title belt an' shit. Plus you go an' brush yo shoulders off right befo you tell a fool "you can't see me" and den you be droppin' down the fist like you is throwin' dice out on the block an' shit. Throw in that modified cubscout/marine salute and that fact that someone forgot to tell him that he is white and John Cena is almost "over" as a babyface. And by "over" I mean over like those acid washed denim and fleece jackets from the Gap.
46. Cobra Clutch (GAH) If you ever wonder where lame bits like the Masterlock Challenge come from? Well look no further than that square jawed Gomer, Sgt. Slaughter who defends his hold in this clip of the Cobra Clutch Challenge. Does this mean the WWE is a green company since they love to recycle old bits?
Bonus Trivia question In the 80's only 2 real life people were ever made into GI Joe dolls (or action figures for homophobes that are afraid to call a boys Barbie what it is) and both wrestled in what was then called the WWF. Sgt. Slaughter was obviously one of them but can you name the other. Hint: He has the last verse in one of the worst yet most popular music videos of the 80's.
45. Muscle Buster (X) This has got to be the gayest name for a finisher out there. The move is pretty week too. Samoa Joe looks like a bonafied shootfighter for the duration of his matches until he grabs his opponent in this baby cradle and drops him on his back like he is having a pillow fight with a group of girlscouts.
44. Boston Crab (GAH) This move involves turning your opponent over and sitting on their legs while you pull them backwards. Not only is it a decent wrestling move, its also apparently a great way to get those jerks in the pool hall to pay up after you run the table.
43. The People's Elbow (TERRIO) Dwayne "Rocky, The Rock, Mahavia" Johnson may be one of the greatest entertainers to ever step foot in the padded square circle, but I will never forgive this third generation star for Doom or for introducing the wrestling world to pointless finishing moves that cause absolutely no damage and just plain old look silly.
42. The Sleeper (GAH) Most likely given that name because it is the best time during a wrestling match to catch a few winks, unless of course the Hot Rod is on the receiving end of it and the Macho Man is grunting his way through the commentary like the "put the fucking lotion in the basket" guy.
41. Thesz Press (CG) When you are just too lazy to actually wrestle how about whipping your opponent into the turnbuckle and then just falling on top of them in a gay ass front mount. Be sure to hit your own hand repeatedly as you pretend to rain down blows on your opponent afterwards. Originally used by the only guy to create more wrestling moves than Chris Kanyon, Lou Thesz, but popularized in modern wrestling by lazy wrestlers with blown out knees like Stone Cold Steve Austin. Thesz botches the move in this clip but for christ's sakes the guy was 72 in this match. You try wrestling for six decades without blowing a spot.
I can't believe Eddie Guerrero's Frog Splash or 3 Amigos didn't make the list. You only have him getting decapitated by JBL's clothesline. WTFuck!?!
Also, I loved the inclusion of my hero Sgt. Slaughter and the subsequent Superbowl Shuffle clip, but the Sarge's clip you posted got pulled down, so here's the Sarge versus Flair in AWA for the NWA title with a Boris Zukov run in to break up the Cobra Clutch.
BTW, Awesome list!!! Some of these had to be harder to find than a Catholic Mexican with no siblings.
Posts: 37 Rank: 111 Joined:
1/29/2007
Location:
Pittsburgh, PA
Posted: 4/9/2007 7:46:53 PM
I know this isn't technically a move, but the fuckin Flair chop is the greatest crowd pleaser I've ever seen. I've never seen an arena get into the action like when Flair goes on a chopping and WOOHing spree.
Also, remember how terrible Luger was when he came into the WWF? His finishing move was a flying forearm off the rope! A fuckin forearm! "There's gotta be something in that forearm!..." Bullshit.
Posts: 368 Rank: 26 Joined:
2/21/2007
Location:
Philadelphia, PA
Posted: 4/9/2007 10:05:27 PM
When I used to watch wrestling, nothing made me happier than the Frankensteiner. Too bad that dude got hurt so quickly so often.
That clip of Sid Vicous breaking his leg was great. I would've liked to have seen more scary injuries. Still, good research, awesome article. I think this is the first top 50 list I've gotten all the way through.
Posts: 1391 Rank: 16 Joined:
12/7/2006
Location:
savannah, GA
Posted: 4/10/2007 12:19:25 PM
a catholic mexican with no siblings!? let's be honest, does anyone on this site even know of a Mexican period, that has no siblings? mexicans are a very friendly people, and because the world needs more of them for labor and futbol, they happily make more...
THE MORE YOU KNOW! -----------*
Marines in wrestling- Sgt. Slaughter Brian James and i've heard that steve borden served but i'm not sure... can anyone add to the list?
Posts: 1391 Rank: 16 Joined:
12/7/2006
Location:
savannah, GA
Posted: 4/10/2007 2:36:56 PM
i just want to beat you with that guy knuckleface's fat fucking head for mentioning john cena and the Marine Corps in the same sentence. Even jokingly.