WWE’s 25 Most Devastating Submission Holds
25. Gory Special
Invented by Gory Guerrero, this hold is a modified backbreaker where the opponent is draped backward across the wrestler’s shoulders, applying intense pressure to the spine. Guerrero used it to wear down wrestling legends like Lou Thesz and passed it down to his grandson Chavo Guerrero in tribute.
24. Colossal Clutch
This variation of the Camel Clutch was introduced by The Big Show during his 2009 feud with John Cena. The giant places his full 485-pound body weight onto his opponent’s spine while using his legs for leverage and pulls back forcefully on the chin, making escape nearly impossible.
23. Vise Grip
The Great Khali’s signature hold utilizes his enormous hands to clamp down on the opponent’s head with tremendous crushing force. The pressure applied is so great that many opponents have been rendered unconscious or severely incapacitated. One of the early holds showcased a serious on-screen injury to Rey Mysterio, highlighting its impact.
22. Regal Stretch
William Regal’s finishing submission combines precise leg-twisting knots with a powerful head pull, learned from his carnival wrestling days. This hold has consistently debilitated opponents larger than himself by applying acute pressure on multiple body parts.
21. Tarantula
Tajiri’s unorthodox submission maneuver involves wrapping his body around an opponent’s arms and legs while hanging upside down from the ropes outside the ring. Though technically illegal in official WWE matches, the hold demonstrates innovative leverage and visual theatrics.
20. Dragon Sleeper
Ultimo Dragon’s signature submission traps the opponent in an inverted facelock, bending the neck backward. Some wrestlers enhance this hold by driving their knee into the opponent’s spine, maximizing discomfort and control.
19. Texas Cloverleaf
Created by Dory Funk Jr. and perfected by Dean Malenko, this submission squeezes the opponent’s legs and back simultaneously by crossing and locking the legs while applying downward pressure, historically effective on many opponents.
18. Brock Lock
Brock Lesnar’s modified Boston Crab involves cranking one of the opponent’s legs over his shoulder then applying powerful downward force. The former 10-time WWE champion's sheer strength and technique make this hold both painful and effective.
17. The Claw
Adopted by Killer Kowalski and the Von Erich family, this hold involves squeezing an opponent’s head or shoulder with large hands to cause extreme pain and potential unconsciousness, showcasing a raw physical dominance.
16. Sleeper Hold
Roddy Piper and Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake used this basic but effective chokehold that cuts off blood flow to the brain by wrapping arms around the opponent’s neck, causing drowsiness and unconsciousness regardless of size. Over the years, the hold has become a staple for multiple wrestlers.
15. Torture Rack
Lex Luger used this hold by hoisting opponents onto his shoulders and pulling their head and opposing leg in different directions, placing severe stress on the spine and ribs, demonstrating his remarkable strength.
14. Tazzmission
This move, executed by Tazz, is a judo-based chokehold applied from standing or ground position, effectively cutting off oxygen flow and often finishing matches against larger competitors in ECW.
13. Anaconda Vise
CM Punk applies this submission inspired by martial arts such as judo and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, wrapping one arm around the opponent’s neck and cinching the other behind their head, cutting off their air and immobilizing them.
12. Mandible Claw
Mankind’s unusual submission targets the nerve below the opponent’s tongue by inserting fingers into the mouth and applying downward pressure. His use of “Mr. Socko,” a sock puppet worn over his hand, added theatricality to this painful hold.
11. Full Nelson
This hold wraps both arms around an opponent’s neck and forces their head forward while cranking down, widely used by muscular wrestlers like The Warlord and Chris Masters, who dubbed his version the “Master Lock” in the early 2000s.
10. Camel Clutch
Created by Gory Guerrero, this hold involves sitting on the opponent’s back and pulling backward on the chin, exerting spinal pressure. It was made infamous by The Iron Sheik, who used it to win the WWE Championship.
9. The “Yes!” Lock
Daniel Bryan’s signature submission is a modified LeBell Lock that targets the neck, shoulder, elbow, and nose simultaneously. Through this quadruple attack, Bryan forces opponents to tap out or endure excruciating pain. A similiar version of the crossface was also used by Chris Benoit during his career.
8. Figure-Four Leglock
Buddy Rogers originally invented this hold, which was made famous by Ric Flair. It involves twisting the opponent’s legs into a figure-four shape, applying pressure on knees and calves to incapacitate the opponent.
7. Crossface Chicken Wing
Bob Backlund’s signature submission involved locking the opponent’s arms and wrenching their chin, applying intense neck and shoulder pain. In one famous instance, Bret Hart’s mother threw in the towel to stop the agony in their iconic rivalry for the WWE title.
6. Walls of Jericho
Chris Jericho’s submission is an elevated Boston Crab where he drives a knee into the opponent’s spine and applies severe back pressure. Jericho pairs the physical agony with verbal taunts, amplifying the psychological effect.
5. Million Dollar Dream
Ted DiBiase’s take on Sgt. Slaughter’s Cobra Clutch targets the carotid artery to cut off blood supply to the brain. DiBiase added a theatrical element by stuffing money into the defeated opponent’s mouth after the hold.
4. Ankle Lock
Ken Shamrock first popularized the ankle lock, a brutal hold targeting the ankle joint by twisting and locking it. Kurt Angle further refined and used it to great effect, leveraging his Olympic wrestling skills to increase its pain and effectiveness.
3. STF
John Cena popularized this move, which combines a facelock with a stepover toehold to stretch an opponent’s back, knees, and neck simultaneously. It was originally invented by Lou Thesz and extensively used by Cena for victories.
2. Hell’s Gate
A submission popularized by The Undertaker, it is a gogoplata chokehold that forces the opponent’s throat against the shinbone on the mat. This move caused many injuries and was temporarily banned in WWE.
1. The Sharpshooter
Bret Hart’s signature move, the Sharpshooter locks the opponent’s legs in a figure-four on the mat and turns them over, applying wrenching pressure on the lower back. Hart used this hold to win multiple titles and define his legacy as a technical wrestling master.
