
Fans craved novelty wrestlers sought to stand out. It was only a matter of time before these kinds of power moves overlapped. In a move now known as " the jackhammer" and more associated with Goldberg, Yokota began with a vertical suplex and quickly flipped it into a powerslam. Jaguar Yokota married the suplex to the powerslam. Not surprisingly, this is known as the "chokebomb." Several contemporary grapplers have taken to beginning what looks to be a chokeslam and incorporating a powerbomb-like impact. In come cases, the powerbomb and the suplex have merged into it. The evolution of the slam has crossed over into that of other moves. That hasn't stopped wrestlers from adding to it. It is still perceived as enough of a high-impact move to be a finisher, not just a precursor. It's clearly the cousin of the sidewalk slam and the chokeslam.īig men began to grab their opponents by the throat and send them flying with a chokeslam. Giants like Kane, Undertaker and Big Show all utilized this method of dishing out pain, beginning in the '90s. The Rock's famous move isn't even all that unique. It gets increasingly difficult to come up with new moves as the wrestling toolbox swells every year.
#Common wwe moves full#
"You're Welcome" began with a full nelson and ended with what looked a lot like a Rock Bottom. In 2013, Damien Sandow was in search of a trademark move of his own. The Rock implemented a sideslam where the attacker falls forward, dubbing it "Rock Bottom." Other simpler yet more devastating slams emerged. It has since become standard fare, something that wrestlers like Kane dish out in between more attention-grabbing power moves. He began his career in the early '90s and had many a foe experience the sidewalk slam firsthand. Kevin Nash became synonymous with the move. The attacker only lifted the opponent to waist level, holding him to his side before plunging him down.

Grapplers also slammed their foes down with the sidewalk slam. Wrestlers from Ryback to Triple H still use it today, but no one has captured the crispness that Anderson's version achieved. The move begins with the attacker facing the opponent then lifting him up with his arms around his waist before slamming him to the canvas. The recipient's body shifted position as new versions were born.Īrn Anderson made the spinebuster famous in the '80s. That led to wrestlers tweaking and experimenting with the simple slam. Randy Orton is one of the best at this scoop version of the powerslam.Īs wrestling fans got accustomed to seeing men flung about the ring, it took new moves to excite them. Today, the powerslam is often done faster, the victim forced to rotate more before being snapped to the canvas. Paying homage to his home state and alma mater, he dubbed it the "Oklahoma Stampede." Death Steve Williams' version of the running powerslam involved knocking the opponent into the turnbuckle. The British Bulldog would prop a man onto his shoulder and run forward before slamming him down.ĭr. What became known as the gorilla (or military) press slam was one of The Ultimate Warrior's favorite moves.ĭavey Boy Smith popularized a version of the bodyslam that added momentum to the equation. After showing off his strength, he'd dump them on the mat. Gorilla Monsoon would lift his opponents high above his head as if they were barbells and he a weightlifter. Josef Smejkal was eventually not exciting enough. He did, of course.Ī move that would have shocked the fans watching Gustav Fristensky vs. Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III centered on whether the hero could lift up the behemoth and slam him down. Its significance only rose when the man receiving the move was a Goliath. The bodyslam became more customary as time went on.


That move is among the highlights of the action, with the two foes taking big swings looking to end the bout. They built toward the climax of their match in Chicago by trading bodyslams. Wilbur Snyder and Angelo Poffo (Randy Savage's father) clashed often in the '50s. In the past, though, it was a thrilling item in one's arsenal. The bodyslam is not a move that will earn one an "ooh" today. To scoop a man up and send him crashing onto his back is now commonplace.
#Common wwe moves pro#
The bodyslam is one of the key ways wrestlers began to move pro wrestling away from its Greco-Roman roots, implementing a weapon that would be illegal in an amateur setting. The trip downward isn't as central to the sport as it is now. The action centers on the competitors' battling for control either while standing or doing the same while on the mat. One will not see a single piledriver or superplex. Watch Gustav Fristensky clash with Josef Smejkal in front of a large crowd:
