How do you defeat the big bully in school who has always been the reason for you refraining from going? You put a submission hold on him and no matter how big and bullish he is, he will take at least ten minutes to contemplate crossing paths with you again.
Similarly, in entertainment wrestling submission maneuvers have played a crucial role in defining the fortunes of superstars who have come a long way, exploiting the submission holds to the fullest that gave them a sharp edge over their opposition irrespective of their size or shape.
Over the glittering antiquity of WWE, we will take a quick look at the five most vicious submission maneuvers that left the WWE universe rattled at its menacing stature and the damage it could inflict.
#5 Anaconda Vise
This was CM Punk’s secondary finishing move alongside the GTS. It is ideally a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu compression chokehold, which is also known as an arm trap triangle choke in technical terms.
Ideally, as a part of the submission, Punk used to wrap his arms around his opponent’s head and one bent arm, eventually suffocating him with the hold.
Despite GTS being his primary maneuver, he used this choke very effectively, causing severe pain and damage to the likes of his remarkable opponents.
#4 Mandible Claw
Despite this move being associated as a part of a few comic clips, it is one of the most painful submission maneuvers if executed properly. This was popularized by Mick Foley’s Mankind.
During this move, the middle and the ring fingers are placed under the tongue, attacking the soft tissue at the bottom of the mouth.
It was Mr. Socko’s glimpse that added a comical content to the move, but when the same maneuver got laced with the image of a barbed wire, it isn’t your in-house comedy show anymore.
#3 Sharpshooter
The sharpshooter is one of the best submission maneuvers ever and has been used and reused over the shining span of WWE by countless wrestlers.
Used by Bret Hart, it is a variation on the standing reverse figure four lock that was popularized by the likes of the Rock, Owen Hart, Edge, and Chris Benoit.
It was also known by the name of the Scorpion Deathlock, and it was introduced by the famous Sting, who left the WWE universe in awe and terror with his brutal brand of wrestling.
#2 Crippler Crossface
This move is my particular favorite given the fact that I used to idolize Rabid Wolverine a lot. Despite a tragic end to his wrestling career, Chris Benoit was one of the deftest wrestlers of his time.
His finisher Crippler Crossface was a more menacing version of the LeBell Lock where a torque on the neck of the opposition would start, and this choke will eventually put pressure on the opposition’s neck and nose, forcing the opponent to submit or risk a fracture.
It was with this move that he went on to submit Triple H to win the World Heavyweight Championship post which the scene of Eddie Guerrero coming out to hug him will be etched onto the memories of the WWE universe forever.
#1 Hell’s Gate
The Hell’s Gate also known by the name of Gogoplata made Edge bleed from the mouth when Taker reeled him in to apply this choke in WrestleMania.
In fact, this move was banned until 2009, and Taker was stripped of his title too, but that didn’t deter the Dead Man from using this move again after kayfabe wrestling reconsidered its decision of uplifting the ban.
This is usually a jiu-jitsu choke that resembles the like of a triangle submission, with the opponent’s neck strangled between the Taker’s bent legs. Not only was Edge a sufferer to this deadly maneuver but even Triple H gave in to this vicious choke-hold. More impressively, this entire transition happened with The Game in an advantageous position all set to swing his sledgehammer against Undertaker.
