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154-457: An armbreaker is any move in which the wrestler slams the opponent's arm against a part of the wrestler's body, usually a knee or shoulder. A wrestler dives from the ropes and lands on the opponent's arm. The wrestler grabs one of the opponent's arms, jumps and connects both their knees against the opponent's stretched arm. As the wrestler falls onto their back, this forces the opponent's arm down into both knees, thus damaging it. A move in which

308-439: A Michinoku driver II-B . The wrestler stands behind an opponent and applies a cobra clutch on their opponent, placing one of their hands against the opponent's neck after hooking the opponent's arm with it. They then scoop the opponent's near leg with their other arm and lift the opponent up, flip the opponent upside down, and then either kneel or sit down, driving the opponent down to the mat on their neck. Another variation has

462-409: A body scissors to immobilize them. The normal Full Nelson hold was also used by the late WWF superstar Hercules . An old catch wrestling hold made somewhat famous by Stu Hart , this variation of a nelson hold involves the wrestler applying the hold forces the opponent prone on the mat and drives their knees into the opponent's upper back. STF is short for "Stepover Toehold Facelock". This hold

616-526: A luchador and luchadora respectively. In 2000, the all-female promotion company Lucha Libre Femenil (LLF) was founded. Lucha Libre has a division called the "Mini-Estrella" or "Minis" division, which unlike North American midget wrestling , is not just for dwarfs but also for luchadores that are short. The maximum allowable height to participate in the Mini division was originally 5 feet, but in recent years wrestlers such as Pequeño Olímpico have worked

770-453: A luchador code of honor. For instance, a luchador who has lost a wager match would prefer to endure the humiliation of being unmasked or having his head shaved rather than live with the shame that would come from not honoring his bet. Rudos have also been known to make the transition into técnicos after a career-defining moment, as was the case with Blue Demon , who decided to become a técnico after his wrestling partner, Black Shadow ,

924-402: A sleeper hold instead of pulling back on the head of the opponent. Popularised by Masahiro Chono . Essentially a reverse crucifix armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on their stomach with the attacker to their side, grabbing the near arm and pulling the opponent on their side before stepping over their head with the same leg (if the attacker grabbed the right arm, he'll step over with

1078-464: A stomach vise, just like the original clawhold, the attacker applies a painful nerve hold to the adversary's abdomen, forcing them to submit or pass out. The stomach claw was most famously used by Killer Kowalski , naming it the Kowalski claw . This neck crank sees the wrestler wrap both hands around the opponent's face and pull back, which applies pressure to the neck and shoulder area. The move

1232-500: A "European headlock", due to its prominence in European wrestling. The two-handed version sees the wrestler use both hands and is sometimes referred to as a "¾ chancery", "side head chancery" and, most often, a "cravate". This hold is a staple of European style wrestling and technical wrestling influenced by European wrestling. An inverted version of the cravate is used by Chris Hero as part of his "Hangman's Clutch" submissions in which

1386-462: A "Muta lock". The wrestler first takes the opponent's legs then, 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 their feet into the triangle created by the opponent's crossed legs. The wrestler then places the opponent's free ankle under their knee-pit and bridges backwards to reach over their head and locks their arms around

1540-561: A Mexican luchador named El Superbeasto. The Main Antagonist of the animated film Despicable Me 2 , El Macho, sports a costume resembling that of a luchador, consistent with his theme of Mexican culture. Television shows have also been inspired by lucha libre, especially animated series such as ¡Mucha Lucha! Cartoon Network also produced an animated miniseries based on the luchador El Santo. The WB television series Angel episode entitled " The Cautionary Tale of Numero Cinco " told

1694-584: A box, labeled with the date, to be treasured. Female wrestlers or luchadoras also compete in Mexican lucha libre . The CMLL World Women's Championship is the top title for CMLL 's women's division, while the AAA Reina de Reinas Championship is a championship defended in an annual tournament by female wrestlers in AAA. AAA also recognizes a World Mixed Tag Team Championship , contested by tag teams composed of

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1848-467: A crossface, this move sees a wrestler standing above a face-down opponent. The wrestler then crosses their opponent's arms, keeping them in place with the legs before applying the crossface. The wrestler bends one of their fingers 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

2002-404: A crossface. This move can also be known by the underrepresented term coil lock in catch wrestling . This move is notably used by Axiom during his time as A-Kid. Also known as a spinning armlock. The standing attacking wrestler grabs the wrist of a face down opponent, pulling it towards themselves, then steps over the opponent's outstretched arm, placing one leg to either side. From this point,

2156-462: A crucifix variation calling it Feel the Glow . The wrestler tucks a bent-over opponent's head in between their legs or thighs. In professional wrestling this move is used to set up powerbombs or piledrivers. A couple of variants are often to be seen. In the first, having the opponent's head tuck between the attacker's knees, the latter leaps up and releases the hold while landing, causing a whiplash on

2310-415: A face-down opponent. The wrestler reaches down to pull the opposing wrestler up slightly, sits on the opponent's back, and places both of the opponent's arms across their thighs, usually locking at least one by placing the arm in the crook of their knee. The wrestler then reaches forward, cups their hands with their fingers interlocking, grab the opponent's chin in their cupped hands, and lean back, pulling on

2464-551: A fallen opponent and places the opponent's nearest arm over the wrestler's nearest shoulder before applying the crossface, where the attacking wrestler locks their hands around the opponent's chin (or lower face), then pulls back, stretching the opponent's neck and shoulder. Former NXT wrestler Johnny Gargano uses this hold as a finishing submission move, calling it the Garga-No-Escape . Drew McIntyre briefly used it in TNA as

2618-495: A folk hero and a symbol of justice for the common man through his appearances in comic books and movies , while the sport received an unparalleled degree of mainstream attention. Other legendary luchadores who helped popularize the sport include Gory Guerrero , who is credited with developing moves and holds which are now commonplace in professional wrestling; Blue Demon , a contemporary of Santo and possibly his greatest rival; and Mil Máscaras (Man of A Thousand Masks), who

2772-399: A half nelson hold on their opponent with one arm and their opponent's waist with the other, then leaps forward into a sitting position, driving the face of the opponent into the ground. This move is a signature of Edge , who calls it Winning Edge . The attacking wrestler stands side-to-side and slightly behind the opponent, facing in the opposite direction, then leaps in the air and drops to

2926-516: A headlock on the opponent, then runs towards the ropes and bounces off, driving the opponent face-first into mat as they land. WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus popularized this move and dubbed it the Stratusfaction and it was also used by Bo Dallas as the Bo-Dog . The wrestler places both hands behind the opponent's head, then falls into a seated position, slamming the opponent's face into

3080-457: A headlock, driving the opponent's face into the mat. Popularized by Rick Steiner . It is also used by Trevor Murdoch as a finisher. Also known as a Diving Famouser . The wrestler springboards off one of the ropes or jumps from the top turnbuckle, dropping a leg across the nape of a leaning forward opponent . This was popularized by both Billy Gunn and John Cena as one of their signature moves. Carmelo Hayes currently uses this move under

3234-608: A heel champion in the WWF. Jinder Mahal also uses this move called the Punjabi Clutch . Miro performs a variation he calls Game Over , where he stomps on his opponent's back before applying the hold, this move was previously called The Accolade when Miro was Rusev in the WWE. A standing variation of the camel clutch is also used, with this variation popularized by Scott Steiner in the late 1990s as he used it as his finisher, dubbed

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3388-421: A large number of them will be unmasked. Sometimes, a wrestler slated for retirement will be unmasked in his final bout or at the beginning of a final tour, signifying a loss of identity as that character. Sometimes, losing the mask signifies the end of a gimmick with the wrestler moving on to a new gimmick and mask. The mask is considered sacred to a degree, so much so that fully removing an opponent's mask during

3542-494: A match is grounds for disqualification. During their careers, masked luchadores will often be seen in public wearing their masks and keeping up the culture of lucha libre, while other masked wrestlers will interact with the public and press normally. However, they will still go to great lengths to conceal their true identities; in effect, the mask is synonymous with the luchador . El Santo continued wearing his mask after retirement, revealing his face only briefly in old age, and

3696-521: A modified version in which he dropped the opponent to one side , naming it the Dream Street . Jinder Mahal currently uses the kneeling side slam version of this move, calling it the Khallas . The DDT is a move innovated by Jake "The Snake" Roberts , performed by putting the opponent's head underneath the attacker's arm in a front facelock and then falling back, driving the opponent's head into

3850-582: A national pop-culture phenomenon. In 1942, lucha libre would be forever changed when a silver-masked wrestler, known simply as El Santo ( The Saint ), first stepped into the ring. He made his debut in Mexico City by winning an 8-man battle royal . The public became in love with the mystique and secrecy of Santo's personality, and he quickly became the most popular luchador in Mexico. His wrestling career spanned nearly five decades, during which he became

4004-511: A number of set moves and pins used by performers to immobilize their opponents or lead to a submission . This article covers the various pins, stretches and transition holds used in the ring. Some wrestlers use these holds as their finishing maneuvers, often nicknaming them to reflect their character or persona. Moves are listed under general categories whenever possible. An element borrowed from professional wrestling's catch wrestling origins, stretches (or submission holds) are techniques in which

4158-416: A part of the wrestler's body, usually the knee. A back body drop or backdrop (also sometimes called a shoulder back toss), is a move in which a wrestler bends forward or crouches in front of their opponent, grabs hold of the opponent, and stands up, lifting the opponent up and over and dropping them behind the back. It is applied frequently against a charging opponent. In Japan, a backdrop is the term for what

4312-399: A physician who, in 1966, took up professional wrestling and was said to have derived the move from his knowledge of human anatomy. Under the advice of Paul Heyman and with Foley's blessing, Bray Wyatt also used the hold as part of his " The Fiend " persona. Similar to a clawhold, the attacking wrestler applies a nerve lock onto the opponent's shoulder(s) using their hands and fingers for

4466-502: A priest-turned-luchador was inspired by the story of Father Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez, a real-life Catholic priest who wrestled as Fray Tormenta to make money for his church. The documentary feature Lucha Mexico (2016) captured the lives of some of Mexico's well known wrestlers. The stars were Shocker , Blue Demon Jr. , El Hijo del Perro Aguayo and Último Guerrero . Directed by Alex Hammond and Ian Markiewicz. Rob Zombie 's animated film The Haunted World of El Superbeasto stars

4620-522: A real-life vampire invasion of New York. The Fox Kids live-action series Los Luchadores (2001) starred a trio of masked wrestlers consisting of Lobo Fuerte, Maria Valentine, and Turbine who not only participate in wrestling tournaments but also fight to protect their home of Union City from numerous threats (both natural and supernatural). Lucha libre is a recurring motif in nearly every game directed by Suda51 , starting from his directorial debut Super Fire Pro Wrestling 3 Final Bout . Most prominently,

4774-432: A result, the tag team formula and pacing which has developed in U.S. tag matches is different from lucha libre because the race to tag is not a priority. There are also two-man tag matches ( parejas ) and "four on four" matches ( atomicos ). Masks ( máscaras ) have been used dating back to the beginnings of lucha libre in the early part of the 20th century, and have a historical significance to Mexico in general, dating to

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4928-475: A retired luchador character called Angel de la Plata (The Silver Angel), played by Joaquin Cosio . In the storyline, Angel de la Plata (probably based on El Santo ) was a major masked wrestling star in Mexico, appearing both in the ring and in a series of movies in which his character battled all manner of foes including vampires. A knee injury ended his career but he is called upon to use his fighting skills against

5082-405: A seated position, driving the opponent neck- and back-first to the mat. In another variation, the attacker runs to the opponent and executes the move. This is usually referred to as a lariat takedown . A version that involves the wrestler placing one knee against the base of a bent over opponent's neck, then dropping to force the opponent down to the mat, landing on the opponent's upper body. There

5236-441: A sitout scoop slam piledriver. Facing their opponent, the wrestler reaches between their opponent's legs with their right arm and reaches around the opponent's neck from the same side with their left arm. They then lift the opponent up and turn them around so that they are held upside down, as in a scoop slam , before dropping down into a sitout position, driving the opponent down to the mat neck and shoulder first. Many people call it

5390-424: A sitting opponent and wrap around one arm under the opponent's chin and lock their hands. As with a sleeper hold, this move can also be performed from a standing position. Another variation of this hold, referred to as a bridging reverse chinlock, sees the attacking wrestler crouch before a face-down opponent and wrap around one arm under the opponent's chin and lock their hands before applying a bridge. Also known as

5544-497: 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 finishing hold of African wrestler Shaun Koen of the Africa Wrestling Alliance . This is also known as a Nerve hold , due to its association with The Great Khali and was formerly used by Classy Freddie Blassie . Also known as

5698-449: A wrestler holds another in a position that puts stress on the opponent's body. Stretches are usually employed to weaken an opponent or to force them to submit , either vocally or by tapping out : slapping the mat, floor, or opponent with a free hand three times. Many of these holds, when applied vigorously, stretch the opponent's muscles or twist their joints uncomfortably, hence the name. Chokes, although not in general stress positions like

5852-465: A wrestler places the opponent in a Cobra Clutch and then lifts the opponent into the air by his/her neck before jumping backwards to drive the opponent back-first down to the mat while remaining standing, falling forward, or dropping into a seated or kneeling position. The fall-forward version of the move were both used by Billy Gunn as the One & Only and later popularized by Ted DiBiase Jr. , who used

6006-458: A wrestler puts their opponent in a front facelock , hooks their tights, and lifts them up as if they were performing a vertical suplex . The wrestler then either jumps up or quickly falls onto their back so that the opponent lands on their head while remaining vertical. A bulldog, originally known as bulldogging or a bulldogging headlock or the headlock jawbreaker, is any move in which the wrestler grabs an opponent's head and jumps forward, so that

6160-442: Is Dos Caras Jr. Lucha Libre has crossed over into popular culture, especially in Mexico, where it is the second most popular sport after soccer . Outside of Mexico, lucha libre has also crossed over into popular culture, especially in movies and television. Depictions of luchadors are often used as symbols of Mexico and Mexican culture in non-Spanish-speaking cultures. The motion picture Nacho Libre , starring Jack Black as

6314-527: Is also a diving version . The wrestler jumps in the air and uses one leg to push down on the head of an opponent who is leaning forward, which drives the opponent face-first into the mat. The move was innovated by Johnny Ace , calling it the Ace Crusher II , popularized by Billy Gunn , who called it the Famouser (or the fame-ass-er when he was wrestling as ‘Mr.Ass.) Nic Nemeth/Dolph Ziggler used

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6468-462: Is also known for its tag team wrestling matches. The teams are often made up of three members, instead of two as is common in the United States. These three-man teams participate in what are called trios matches, for tag team championship belts. Of these three members, one member is designated the captain. A successful fall in a trios match can be achieved by either pinning the captain of

6622-474: Is an illegal move in wrestling and grounds for immediate disqualification, although some variants are legal in certain promotions; or when he hits his opponent in the groin (foul); when he uses outside interference; when he attacks the referee; or when he completely rips off his opponent's mask. Most matches are two out of three falls, which had been abandoned for title matches in North America and Japan in

6776-422: Is bent over. The attacking wrestler tucks the opponent's head underneath their armpit and wraps their arm around the head so that the forearm is pressed against the face. From this point on the wrestler can either grab the opponent's wrist with the free hand and tucks their own head beneath the opponent's armpit and stand upright, locking in the hold, or simply throw the opponent's arm over their own shoulder and grab

6930-544: Is called a belly-to-back suplex in America, so in Japan, it is called shoulder throw. Innovated by Hiroyoshi Tenzan . This move sees the opponent runs towards the wrestler. The wrestler ducks, hooks one of the opponent's legs with one of their arms, stands up and falls backwards, flipping the opponent and driving them back first down to the mat, with the wrestler landing on top of the opponent. The wrestler stands slightly to

7084-480: Is credited with introducing the high flying moves of lucha libre to audiences around the world. He achieved international fame as one of the first high-flyers, something he was not considered in Mexico, where he fell under the mat-power category. Luchadores are traditionally more agile and perform more aerial maneuvers than professional wrestlers in the United States , who more often rely on power and hard strikes to subdue their opponents. The difference in styles

7238-505: Is due to the independent evolution of the sport in Mexico beginning in the 1930s and the fact that luchadores in the cruiserweight division ( peso semicompleto ) are often the most popular wrestlers in Mexican lucha libre. Luchadores execute characteristic high-flying attacks by using the wrestling ring 's ropes to catapult themselves towards their opponents, using intricate combinations in rapid-fire succession, and applying complex submission holds. Rings used in lucha libre generally lack

7392-513: Is illegal in amateur wrestling, is often used as a submission maneuver by certain wrestlers, such as Chris Masters , as shown in the accompanying picture. Ken Patera performed a variation he called the Swinging Neckbreaker (not to be confused with the neckbreaker variation), where he would lock the hold on and lift the opponent off the ground, then spin them in the air. There is also an inverted version where instead of performing

7546-467: Is known as "Catch". Lucha libre wrestlers are known as luchadores (singular luchador ) and often come from extended wrestling families who form their own stables. One such line integrated to the United States professional wrestling scene is Los Guerreros . In 2018, Mexican lucha libre was declared an intangible cultural heritage of Mexico City . The rules of lucha libre are similar to American singles matches. Matches can be won by pinning

7700-592: Is performed in a bridging position where the wrestler wraps both hands around the opponent's neck and pulls back, which applies pressure to the neck and bridges on the opponent's back for added leverage. This variation is used as a submission finisher by Sasha Banks as the Bank Statement and by Taka Michinoku as the Just Facelock . Used by Chris Benoit as the Crippler Crossface ; in

7854-508: Is performed in several ways, usually from a prone position involving the wrestler trapping one of the opponent's arms. Chris Benoit 's Crippler Crossface was a variation that involved the arm trap. Bobby Roode used the same move in TNA , but not in the WWE since 2016. Edge 's variation is where he used a metal bar on the opponent's mouth as the Glasgow Grin . A variation is performed from

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8008-473: Is performed on an opponent who is lying face down on the mat. The wrestler grabs one of the opponent's legs and places the opponent's ankle between their thighs. The wrestler then lies on top of the opponent's back and locks their arms around the opponent's head. The wrestler then pulls back, stretching the opponent's back, neck, and knee. The move was popularised by Lou Thesz , albeit it is a traditional catch wrestling move pre-dating Lou Thesz by many decades; it

8162-417: Is purported to cause intense, legitimate pain. The hold is applied when the aggressor places their middle and ring fingers into the opponent's mouth, sliding them under the tongue and jabbing into the soft tissue found at the bottom of the mouth. The thumb (and sometimes palm) of the same hand is placed under the jaw, and pressure is applied downward by the middle and ring fingers while the thumb/palm forces

8316-657: The Batista Bite and PAC uses this as The Brutalizer (formerly known as the Rings of Saturn during his time in WWE as Neville). Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D uses this move with a mandible claw hold named the Lockjaw . Bryan Danielson recently will sometimes transition into this move while already having applied the LeBell Lock effectively making this version of the move a Scissored armbar omoplata crossface . Similar to

8470-645: The CMLL World Mini-Estrella Championship in 1992, making it the oldest Minis championship still in existence today. Minis are often patterned after "regular-sized" wrestlers and are sometimes called "mascotas" ("mascots") if they team with the regular-sized version. In 1994, AAA promoted the When Worlds Collide pay-per-view in conjunction with the U.S. promotion company World Championship Wrestling (WCW). When Worlds Collide introduced U.S. audiences to many of

8624-519: The Danger Zone . It was previously known as the Zig Zag during his tenure in WWE as Dolph Ziggler. Similar to a hangman , where the wrestler catches the opponent in a side headlock , running towards any set of ropes. The wrestler then jumps over them and bulldogs the opponent, driving the chin/face of the opponent into the top rope. The wrestler would eventually either land standing or seated on

8778-551: The French Intervention in Mexico , when Enrique Ugartechea, the first Mexican wrestler, developed and invented Mexican lucha libre from Greco-Roman wrestling . In the early 20th century, professional wrestling was mostly a regional phenomenon in Mexico until Salvador Lutteroth founded the Empresa Mexicana de Lucha Libre ( Mexican Wrestling Enterprise ) in 1933, giving the sport a national foothold for

8932-615: The Iron Maiden . This is a scissored armbar combined with a crossface. The attacking wrestler traps one of the prone opponent's arms in their legs, wraps the opponent's other arm under the attacker's shoulder, and then applies the crossface. Yuji Nagata first popularized this move named the Nagata Lock III as an evolution of his previous hold, the Nagata Lock II , a crossface submission. Batista also used this as

9086-535: The Steiner Recliner . His nephew Bron Breakker has also used the standing version as well. Another version of this move sees the wrestler standing over the opponent who's face-down reaches for and places the opponent's nearest arm around the wrestler's far waist before applying the hold. WWE wrestler Veer Mahaan uses this move as a finisher calling it the Cervical Clutch . A rolling variation of

9240-512: The Stunner , made famous by Steve Austin . Also referred to as a neckscissors, this hold sees a wrestler approach a supine opponent and sit next to them before turning onto their side towards the opponent and wrapping their legs around either side of the opponent's head, crossing the top leg after it has gone around the opponent's chin. The wrestler then tightens their grip to choke an opponent by compressing their throat. WWE wrestler Naomi has

9394-402: The luchador is uncommon: months can pass without it happening, because fans are the toughest of critics, booing the luchador if they are not pleased with their performance. Booing may happen regardless of the perceived virtuousness of the luchador's persona. The luchador , after receiving such an act of honor, will pick up the money and save it as a symbolic trophy, putting it in a vase or

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9548-564: The omoplata position, which also puts pressure on the trapped arm but requires the wrestler to perform it from a seated position. Often referred to as the LeBell Lock, named for Gene LeBell , Daniel Bryan began popularizing the move under the name Yes! Lock when he joined WWE. It was used by Taiji Ishimori on rare occasions until he joined NJPW in 2018, where he used it frequently as the Yes Lock , named after Bryan. Another variation

9702-483: The " iron claw ", the claw involves the attacker gripping the top of the head of the opponent with one hand and squeezing the tips of their fingers into the opponent's skull, thereby applying five different points of pressure. This can be transitioned into a clawhold STO or iron claw slam . There is also double-handed version sometimes known as a head vise. The wrestler performing the hold approaches their opponent from behind and grips their head with both hands. While in

9856-750: The "Comisión de Box y Lucha Libre Mexico D.F." (the Mexico City Boxing and Wrestling Commission), the main regulatory body in Mexico: Luchadores are traditionally divided into two categories, rudos (lit. "tough guys", who are "bad guys", or " heels "), who bend or break the rules, and técnicos (the "good guys", or " faces ", literally "technicians"), who play by the rules and their moves are much more complex and spectacular. Técnicos tend to have very formal combat styles, close to Greco-Roman wrestling and martial arts techniques, whereas rudos tend to be brawlers. Técnicos playing

10010-415: The "good guy" role, and rudos playing the "bad guy" role is very characteristic of Mexican lucha libre, which differs from U.S. professional wrestling, where many technical wrestlers play the role of heels (e.g., Kurt Angle ), and many brawlers play as "faces" (e.g., Stone Cold Steve Austin & The Rock ). Although rudos often resort to using underhanded tactics, they are still expected to live up to

10164-517: The 1970s. A unique rule in lucha libre applies during team matches (i.e., when a team's legal wrestler touches the ground outside the ring, a teammate may enter the ring to take his place as a legal competitor). Since the legal wrestler can step on the floor willingly, it is not necessary to tag a teammate to enter the match. This often allows for much more frantic action to take place in the ring than would be possible under standard tag rules. The antecedents of Mexican wrestling date back to 1863, during

10318-787: The Arizona Diamondbacks Major League Baseball team started doing promotions involving lucha libre. A luchador mask in Diamondback colors was a popular giveaway at one game. In 2013 a Diamondbacks Luchador was made an official mascot, joining D. Baxter Bobcat. The first 20,000 fans at the July 27 game against the San Diego Padres were to receive a luchador mask. In Spain , professional wrestling has commonly been called catch (from catch-as-catch-can wrestling ) and pressing catch . In Peru ,

10472-586: The Latin American version such as more weight classes than professional wrestling in North America post World War II. Like "old school" European (especially British) wrestling, some Japanese wrestling and early 20th-century American wrestling, Lucha libre has a detailed weight class system patterned after boxing . Each weight class has an official upper limit, but examples of wrestlers who are technically too heavy to hold their title can be found. The following weight classes exist in lucha libre, as defined by

10626-605: The Michinoku Driver because it is used more often than the original Michinoku Driver . This variation of the move was also used by Vampiro under the name Nail in the Coffin . A variation of the Michinoku Driver II in which the wrestler stands behind the opponent, applies an inverted facelock , lifts them upside down, and then drops down to a sitting position, driving the opponent down to the mat between

10780-473: The Minis division despite being 1.69 m (5 ft 6 + 1 ⁄ 2  in) tall. The Minis division was first popularized in the 1970s with wrestlers like Pequeño Luke and Arturito (a wrestler with an R2-D2 gimmick) becoming noticed for their high flying abilities. In the late 1980s/early 1990s CMLL created the first actual "Minis" division, the brainchild of then-CMLL booker Antonio Peña . CMLL created

10934-897: The U.S. on the Spanish-language cable networks Galavisión and LA TV. Lucha Underground is a television series produced by the United Artists Media Group which airs in English on the El Rey Network and in Spanish on UniMás . It features wrestlers from the American independent circuit and AAA. AAA also owns a percentage of Lucha Underground. The series, which is taped live in Boyle Heights, California, finished season 4 finale. In 2012,

11088-456: The adjacent picture, he has pulled so far back that he finished the hold seated, which he did not always do. In Daniel Bryan 's variation of the move as the LeBell Lock , he takes the opponent's arm and puts it in an omoplata . From here, the wrestler puts the opponent in a crossface, wrenching the neck and shoulder. This move was also used by Kenta as the Game Over. The wrestler goes to

11242-399: The apron or the outside of the ring. The same maneuver can be used on a cornered opponent (who is facing away from the ring) to drive their face into the top turnbuckle . The wrestler stands to the side of the opponent and applies a side headlock. The wrestler then spins around in a circle and drops into a seated position, driving the opponent face-first into the mat. The wrestler applies

11396-414: The attacking wrestler apply a pumphandle prior to executing this technique and is used by wrestlers like Jinder Mahal . Also known as a Joker Driver. In this variation of a driver, the wrestler lifts the opponent on their shoulders in an electric chair sitting position and then takes hold of the opponent and pulls them over their shoulder and down to the mat while falling to a sit out position so that

11550-413: The attacking wrestler crouches down behind a sitting opponent and places their knee into the opponent's upper back, then reaches forward and grasps the opponent's chin with both hands. The attacker then either pulls straight back on the chin or wrenches it to the side. A maneuver similar to a neck wrench where the wrestler faces a bent-over opponent. The attacking wrestler tucks the opponent's top/back of

11704-416: The bottom rope, if the opponent is lying against it. The omoplata (AKA ashi-sankaku-garami in judo) is an armlock that targets the shoulder. The locking mechanism is similar to the kimura lock, but instead of using a figure-four, it is applied using a leg. The omoplata can be applied from the guard, by placing one leg under the opponent's armpit and turning 180 degrees in the direction of that leg, so that

11858-493: The camel clutch is also used, with this variation popularized by Maryse Ouellet , dubbed French Pain . Big Show uses a kneeling variation of this move called the Colossal Clutch . The attacking wrestler stands over a face-down opponent, facing the same direction. The wrestler first hooks each of the opponent's legs underneath their own armpits as if performing a reverse Boston crab , then reaches down and underneath

12012-465: The canvas. Another variation sees the wrestler placing one hand behind the opponent's head and the other behind the back, then falling backwards into a bulldog. WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley used this move as one of his signature moves. The move was also used by Scotty 2 Hotty as a signature move. This bulldog sees the opponent clutching the wrestler in a wheelbarrow bodyscissors. The wrestler then falls downwards, while still scissoring their legs around

12166-731: The character Mask de Smith from killer7 is a playable lucha libre wrestler, featuring a mask and cape. The popular video game franchise Pokémon introduced the Fighting/Flying-type Pokémon Hawlucha, which is a hawk-like humanoid creature with elements of a lucha libre wrestler. The masked Luchador fighter and chef El Fuerte was introduced to the Street Fighter franchise in Street Fighter IV . Professional wrestling holds#Front facelock Professional wrestling holds include

12320-412: The contract: Octavio Gaona would have to put his hair on the line. Octavio Gaona won the match and Murciélago unmasked, giving birth to the tradition. The following match types are variants of Luchas de Apuestas matches with different types of wagers. Since lucha libre has its roots more in Latin American professional wrestling than North American professional wrestling, it retains some of the basics of

12474-461: The days of the Aztecs . Early masks were very simple with basic colors to distinguish the wrestler. In modern lucha libre, masks are colorfully designed to evoke the images of animals , gods , ancient heroes and other archetypes , whose identity the luchador takes on during a performance. Virtually all wrestlers in Mexico will start their careers wearing masks, but over the span of their careers,

12628-418: The first time. The promotion flourished and quickly became the premier spot for wrestlers. As television surfaced as a viable entertainment medium during the 1950s, Lutteroth was then able to broadcast his wrestling across the nation, subsequently yielding a popularity explosion for the sport. Moreover, it was the emergence of television that allowed Lutteroth to promote lucha libre's first breakout superstar into

12782-571: The flying variant, see below) and Ronda Rousey perform this move a finisher. Bryan Danielson popularized and invented a variation, dubbed the Danielson Special , where he would flip his opponent with a butterfly suplex before locking in the cross armbar. This variation begins with the wrestler standing on either side of the bent-over opponent. The wrestler then steps over one of the opponent's arms while holding that arm's wrist, and then rolls or twists their body in mid-air while holding

12936-508: The gimmick has recently attained a more flamboyant outlook. Luchadores , like their foreign counterparts, seek to obtain a campeonato (championship) through winning key wrestling matches. Since many feuds and shows are built around luchas de apuestas (matches with wagers), title matches play a less prominent role in Mexico than in the U.S. Titles can be defended as few as one time per year. The two biggest lucha libre promotions in Mexico are Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL), which

13090-419: The half nelson the attacker slips one arm under the opponent's armpit and places it on the neck. The three-quarter nelson is done by performing a half nelson using one hand and passing the other hand underneath the opponent from the same side. The passing hand goes under the opponent's neck and around the far side to the top of the neck, where it is locked with the other hand around the neck. The full nelson, which

13244-435: 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 opponent's head backwards rather than forwards, putting significant pressure on the neck by stretching it backwards and in other directions toward which the neck would not normally bend. This can also be a setup move for the 3/4 Facelock Jawbreaker , also known as

13398-415: The head into their own chest and wraps an arm around the opponent's neck so that their forearm is pressed against the opponent's throat. The wrestler then places their own spare arm under the other hand and over the opponent's back to lock in the hold, compressing the opponent's neck. The attacking wrestler can then arch backwards, pulling the opponent's head downward. This move sees the attacker kneel behind

13552-403: The importance placed on masks in lucha libre, losing the mask to an opponent is seen as the ultimate insult, and can at times seriously hurt the career of the unmasked wrestler. Putting one's mask on the line against a hated opponent is a tradition in lucha libre as a means to settle a heated feud between two or more wrestlers. In these battles, called luchas de apuestas ("matches with wagers"),

13706-410: The jaw upwards, which is purported to compress the nerves in the jaw and thus render the opponent's jaw paralyzed; this, therefore, prevents the opponent from breaking the hold by biting the wrestler's fingers, as Mick Foley explained to Vince McMahon when questioned about it during his interviews prior to joining the WWF in 1996. Although Foley popularized the move, it was invented by Sam Sheppard ,

13860-401: The left arm, they will use their left leg) around the back of the opponent's neck (against the back of their knee) and bracing their foot against the front of the other shoulder, they steps over their opponent with their other leg, squatting down. Also known as a keylock , Top shoulder lock , Americana , and ude-garami , (a term borrowed from judo ). This armlock sees the wrestler grappling

14014-404: The leg moves over the back of the opponent and entangles the opponent's arm. By controlling the opponent's body and pushing the arm perpendicularly away from the opponent's back, pressure can be put on the opponent's shoulder. It is also possible to put pressure on the elbow joint by bending the leg entangling the arm and twisting it in a specific manner. It is usually done to set up the opponent for

14168-766: The loser must permanently remove his mask, which is a wager with a high degree of weight attached. Tag team wrestling is especially prevalent in lucha libre , particularly matches with three-member teams, called trios . Although in English the term specifically refers to the Mexican style of theatrical professional wrestling, in Spanish it can refer to other kinds of wrestling, including competitive freestyle wrestling ( es:lucha libre olímpica ) and professional wrestling in general ( es:lucha libre profesional ) in addition to Mexican professional wrestling in particular ( es:lucha libre mexicana ). However, in Spain (as with other non-Anglophone European countries) professional wrestling

14322-514: The mat while holding the opponent's head, forcing them to fall face first into a bulldog position. This variation was used and popularized by TNA wrestler James Storm , who dubbed it the Eight Second Ride . This variation begins with the wrestler holding the opponent in a full nelson . The wrestler then leaps forward into a sitting position, driving the opponent face-first. The move was popularized by Jillian Hall . The wrestler hooks

14476-406: The mat. A driver is a move in which the wrestler clutches the opponent's body in some form before falling into a sitout position while dropping the opponent on their back, neck, and/or shoulders. Used as a finisher by Rey Fenix , this move starts with the wrestler having their opponent up on their shoulders as if they are going to perform a muscle buster , but then spin their opponent around into

14630-549: The move as well. Marty Jannetty performed a version of the move where he applied a wristlock to the opponent first, which became known as the Rocker Dropper . Kelly Kelly later adopted the same variation as her finishing maneuver, calling it K2 . An inverted version of this sees the attacking wrestler drop the opponent on the back of their head, as done in a reverse bulldog . This can be achieved by first holding an opponent in an inverted facelock or by simply grabbing

14784-537: The move called the Flamingo Driver . This move was innovated by Shiro Koshinaka and it was called a Samurai Driver '94 as a finisher. The wrestler places the opponent in a front facelock and hooks one of the opponent's legs with their free arm. The wrestler then lifts the opponent upside down or on to their shoulders, and then sits down, driving the opponent between their legs, head and shoulder first. A wrist-clutch variation of this driver exists which sees

14938-533: The move from behind the opponent, the wrestler stands in front of the opponent and uses the move in the same way as the normal full nelson. Chris Masters and Bobby Lashley uses a standing variation called the Master Lock and the Hurt Lock respectively, where they lock the nelson in and swing their opponent back and forth alternating pressure between their shoulders. Lashley sometimes locks his opponents into

15092-407: The name Nothing But Net. The attacking wrestler picks up the opponent in a fireman's carry . The wrestler then proceeds by holding their opponent's legs with one arm and applying a headlock with their other arm in a similar fashion to an Air Raid Crash . From here, the attacking wrestler twists the opposite way and quickly switches back, throwing the opponent's legs out backwards and drops down to

15246-400: The neck so that the forearm is pressed against the chin. The wrestler then grabs their own wrist with their free hand, crossing it underneath the opponent's armpit and chest to lock the hold in, compressing the opponent's neck. The attacking wrestler can then arch backwards, pulling the opponent's head forward and thus applying extra pressure on the neck. The wrestler faces their opponent, who

15400-445: The opponent and forcibly leaning them back before lifting their far (or sometimes inside) leg, rotating so the leg is over the opponent's head, and dropping to a sitting position, kneeling, or a split-legged position and maintained into a pin. WWE wrestler Melina popularized this move. The one-handed bulldog is in fact more of a facebuster than an actual bulldog and generally sees a wrestler run up from behind their opponent, grab

15554-474: The opponent from behind. The wrestler then lifts the opponent into the air and falls into a seated position, driving the opponent tailbone-first on to the mat. This move is used by Bubba Ray Dudley , who dubbed it the Bubba Bomb/Bully Bomb . A backbreaker refers to professional wrestling moves in which a wrestler drops an opponent so that the opponent's back impacts or is bent backwards against

15708-416: The opponent is lying face down; they grab one of the opponent's wrists with one hand and fish hooks the opponent's mouth with the other, and then places his knees against the opponent's stretched arm and pulls back with his arms. Also known as "Neck Wrench", the wrestler faces their opponent, who is bent over. The attacking wrestler tucks their opponent's head underneath their armpit and wraps their arm around

15862-535: The opponent is standing in front of him/her, lift the opponent upside down and then fall to the sitout position. This move was made popular by wrestler Low Ki who calls it the Ki Krusher . A cross legged version is used by CIMA , who calls it the Perfect Driver . This variation involves grabbing and pulling by the opponent's wrist, then lifting them up into the air, before falling to their back, driving

16016-597: The opponent lands on their upper back and neck between the legs of the wrestler, facing towards them, usually resulting in a pin. A one-handed variation is used by Kenny Omega , known as the One-Winged Angel and by Big Damo known as the Ulster Plantation . Chris Hero has also used this move as well, calling it the Rubik's Cube , as well as "Speedball" Mike Bailey , who uses a cross-legged version of

16170-459: The opponent to the ground on the back of their head/neck. This was popularized by Shingo Takagi as The Last Falconry , now known as The Last of the Dragon . This was invented by Kensuke Sasaki . The wrestler stands behind an opponent and applies a half nelson hold on their opponent, placing one of their hands against the opponent's neck after hooking the opponent's arm with it. They then scoop

16324-422: The opponent to the mat for the count of three, making him submit, knocking him out of the ring for a predetermined count (generally twenty), or by disqualification. Using the ropes for leverage is illegal, and once a luchador is on the ropes, his opponent must release any holds and he will not be able to pin him. Disqualifications occur when an opponent uses an illegal grab or move, such as the piledriver , which

16478-413: The opponent's arms in a stepover armlock , turning 360° so the opponent's arm is bent around the leg of the attacking wrestler. The wrestler will then sandwich the arm between their own leg and the side of the opponent's body. The wrestler then reaches forwards and applies a chinlock as in a standard camel clutch, leaning backwards to apply pressure to the upper back and arm. Also known as a rear chinlock,

16632-412: The opponent's arms, locking their hands together. The attacker then drops to the side opposite that of the arm that they grabbed (if they grabbed the right arm, they will fall on their 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

16786-542: The opponent's back and lock their arms around the opponent's face. The wrestler then pulls back, stretching the opponent's back, neck, and knees. Jungle Boy uses this as the Snare Trap , while Kazuchika Okada uses a kneeling version called the Red Ink . An arm-trap variation of this move was invented by WWE wrestler William Regal and is currently known as a Regal Stretch . The inverted Indian deathlock facelock, or

16940-434: The opponent's chin and applying pressure to their back. A camel clutch can also refer simply to a rear chinlock while seated on the back of an opponent, without placing the arms on the thighs. The move was invented by Gory Guerrero in Mexico, where it was called la de a caballo (horse-mounting choke), but got its more common name from The Sheik who used it as his finisher. The Iron Sheik also used this version while

17094-423: The opponent's chin with both hands, applying a chinlock, and finally 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. The attacking wrestler stands over a face-down opponent, facing the same direction. The wrestler then grabs one of

17248-419: The opponent's far leg outwards with their leg. Used by Taichi as Seteii Juhjiro. In this hold, a wrestler who is facing away from an opponent wraps their 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. The wrestler stands in front of the opponent while both people are facing

17402-458: The opponent's grappled wrist. This would result in the opponent's arm being shaped into a 4 . As the opponent's wrist is grabbed by both opponent's hands, along with the bent arm, this applies effective pressure into the opponent. The maneuver can be executed on a standing or a downed (facing upwards) opponent. This move has been used by many wrestlers for many years. The wrestler approaches an opponent lying against any set of ropes and grabs one of

17556-440: The opponent's head backwards and up, wrenching the opponent's neck. Naomichi Marufuji invented a single underhook variation, called Perfect Facelock. Also commonly known as a dragon bite, this move sees the attacking wrestler behind a standing opponent, pulling them backwards into an inverted facelock and wrapping their legs around the opponent's body with a body scissors . The attacker then arches backwards, putting pressure on

17710-565: The opponent's head with one hand, and leap forward. Kenny Omega has used a variation, called the Kotaro Krusher, where he performed a jump from the canvas over the opponent, usually jumping upwards of 6 feet before hitting the bulldog. Standing next to or diagonally behind an opponent, the attacking wrestler leaps up, grabs the opponent's head and pulls backwards, resulting in both individuals landing supine . Current TNA wrestler Nic Nemeth uses and popularized this move, which he calls

17864-402: The opponent's head. Invented by The Great Muta , this move has been adapted and performed by various wrestlers such as Melina Perez ( California Dream ) and Emma ( Emma Lock ) as finishing moves, signature moves, and setups to finishers. Short for "stepover toehold sleeper", this hold is a modified version of an STF in which the wrestler wraps their arm around the neck of the opponent in

18018-442: The opponent's legs in one of their arms, then falls backwards to slingshot the opponent into a turnbuckle, ladder, rope, mat, etc. This can also be held for a backbreaker . A chokeslam is any body slam in which the wrestler grasps their opponent's neck, lifts them up, and slams them to the mat, causing them to land on their back. The move is used by numerous wrestlers, often larger ones who portray "monster" characters. In this slam

18172-543: The opponent's near leg with their other arm and lift the opponent up, flip the opponent upside down, and then either kneel or sit down, driving the opponent down to the mat on their neck. Another variation has the attacking wrestler apply a pumphandle prior to executing this technique. This variation has been used by Jordynne Grace ( Juggernaut Driver ), Pénta El Zero M ( Pénta Driver ), Yoshi-Hashi ( Karma) , Shingo Takagi ( Made in Japan ) and several other wrestlers. Innovated by Taka Michinoku , and technically known as

18326-399: The opponent's neck and spine. This move is used on an opponent trapped within the ring ropes, which makes the move illegal under most match rules. The wrestler applies an inverted facelock to a seated opponent, places their far leg between the opponent's legs, and pushes their near leg's knee against the opponent's back. The wrestler then pulls the opponent's head backwards with their arms and

18480-406: The opponent's neck, pushing it forward. The attacker can now roll towards their back, creating more pressure on the neck while hyperextending the opponent's arm across their own chest. Essentially a step-over armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on their back, wrestler standing to their side and reaching down to grab the opponent's far arm, pulling up. Wrapping their same leg (if they grabbed

18634-463: The opponent's neck. Wrestlers as André the Giant or Junkyard Dog were famed for its using. In the second one and holding the opponent in the same position, the attacker twists the legs from the hip in a "Neck crank" variant. Popularized by Curt Hennig . The nelson hold in professional wrestling usually takes the form of the full nelson, half nelson, or three-quarter nelson. In all three variations,

18788-426: The opponent's thighs with the free hand. Similar in execution and function to a front chancery, this lock is often used as a setup for a suplex . The wrestler stands behind their opponent and bends the opponent backwards. The wrestler tucks the opponent's head face-up under their armpit and wraps their arm around the head, so that their forearm is pressed against the back of the opponent's neck. The wrestler then pulls

18942-439: The opponent's waist, and pushes against the canvas. As they rebound back to the opponent, the attacker releases their legs, quickly places their hand behind the opponent's head, and goes for a bulldog. The bulldog is usually one-handed rather than a headlock bulldog. A catapult or slingshot catapult is a throw that typically starts with the opponent on their back, and the wrestler standing and facing them. The wrestler hooks each of

19096-410: The opponent's wrist with the similar hand (for example, if they use the right arm, they would grab the opponent's right wrist), and with the opponent's wrist still clutched, the wrestler bends the opponent's arm (of the grappled wrist) towards or behind the opponent's head. Then, the wrestler passes their other free arm through the "hole" formed by the opponent's bent arm under the biceps, and then catches

19250-477: The opponent's wrists with their similar arm. The wrestler then pins the arm with the grappled wrist against the second or top rope to the outside of the ring, passes their other arm from under the opponent's biceps, and grapples the opponent's wrist. The whole maneuver would force the opponent's arm to be bent in the number "4" shape, applying more pressure as the arm is trapped between the second or top rope. The rope-hung figure-four armlock can be also grappled through

19404-439: The opposing team or by pinning both of the other members. A referee can also stop the match because of "excessive punishment". He can then award the match to the aggressors. Falls often occur simultaneously, which adds to the extremely stylized nature of the action. In addition, a wrestler can opt to roll out of the ring in lieu of tagging a partner or simply be knocked out of the ring, at which point one of his partners may enter. As

19558-399: 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 off the oxygen supply to the opponent's brain. The wrestler begins the hold by standing over

19712-429: The right leg). Using that leg as leverage, he'll push the opponent's head downwards and drop to their side so that the opponent must support their own body weight on their squeezed neck. The attacker then uses their free leg to complete the reverse crucifix armbar, trying to hyperextend the elbow. Essentially a scissored armbar with neck submission. The opponent is on their stomach while the attacker reaches under one of

19866-409: 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 near hand to reach back and grab the opponent from behind the head, thus pulling the opponent's head above the wrestler's shoulder. Sometimes the free arm is placed at the top of the opponent's head. The move is also referred to as

20020-407: The side of their opponent, grabs the opponent by the nape in a single or double collar tie , and throws them forward, causing the opponent to flip over onto their back. It is considered a very basic technique, so basic that a forward rolling fall is commonly called a biel bump and is mainly used by very large wrestlers to emphasize power and strength over finesse. A brainbuster is a move in which

20174-1017: The spring supports added to U.S. and Japanese rings; as a result, lucha libre does not emphasize the "flat back" bumping style of other professional wrestling styles. For this same reason, aerial maneuvers are almost always performed on opponents outside the ring, allowing the luchador to break his fall with an acrobatic tumble. Lucha libre has several different weight classes, many catered to smaller agile fighters, who often make their debuts in their mid-teens. This system enables dynamic high-flying luchadores such as Rey Mysterio, Jr. , Juventud Guerrera , Super Crazy and Místico , to develop years of experience by their mid-twenties. A number of prominent Japanese wrestlers also started their careers training in Mexican lucha libre before becoming stars in Japan . These include Gran Hamada , Satoru Sayama , Jushin Thunder Liger , and Último Dragón . Lucha libre

20328-766: The story of a family of luchadores called "Los Hermanos Números" who also fought evil. Angel must help the remaining brother, Numero Cinco, defeat the Aztec warrior-demon that killed his four brothers. In the British TV show Justin Lee Collins : The Wrestler , Colins competes as the rudo El Glorioso , or The Glorious One, against the exótico Cassandro in The Roundhouse , London, ultimately losing and being unmasked. The book and television series The Strain by Guillermo del Toro and Chuck Hogan , features

20482-454: The style of professional wrestling originating in Mexico. Since its introduction to Mexico in the early 20th century, it has developed into a unique form of the genre, characterized by colorful masks , rapid sequences of holds and maneuvers, and "high-flying" maneuvers , some of which have been adopted in the United States, Japan, and elsewhere. The wearing of masks has developed special significance, and matches are sometimes contested in which

20636-403: The term cachascán (from "catch as can") is used and the wrestlers are called cachascanistas . In Bolivia , wrestling Cholitas – female wrestlers dressed up as indigenous Aymara – are popular and have inspired comic books . Some lucha libre wrestlers had careers in various mixed martial arts promotions, promoting lucha libre and wearing signature masks and attire. One of the most famous

20790-590: The top luchadores in Mexico at the time. In recent years, several luchadores have found success in the United States. Notable luchadores who achieved success in the U.S. are Eddie Guerrero , Chavo Guerrero , Rey Mysterio, Jr. , Juventud Guerrera , L. A. Park , Super Crazy , Alberto Del Rio , Psicosis , Místico , Kalisto , Aero Star , Drago , Andrade El Idolo , Pentagon Jr. , Fenix , El Hijo del Fantasma , Bandido , Flamita , Puma King , Rush , Soberano Jr. , Dragon Lee , Guerrero Maya Jr. and Stuka Jr. CMLL lucha libre shows are broadcast weekly in

20944-420: The true identity of a person losing his mask is previously unknown, it is customary for that person to reveal his real name, hometown and years as a professional upon unmasking. The first lucha de apuestas was presented on July 14, 1940, at Arena México. The defending champion Murciélago (Velázquez) was so much lighter than his challenger ( Octavio Gaona ), he requested a further condition before he would sign

21098-554: The vise, the wrestler can control their opponent by squeezing the temples and bring them down to a seated position where more pressure can be exerted. It was invented and used by Baron von Raschke , as well as many members of the Von Erich family , and Blackjack Mulligan . The double-handed version was a signature submission of The Great Khali , dubbed the Vice Grip . A maneuver which, when applied correctly against an individual,

21252-405: The wrestler being spun in front of the opponent's body in a tilt-a-whirl , and then ending it with an arm drag. This arm drag sees the wrestler being held in a wheelbarrow hold by the opponent, and then going for an over the shoulder arm drag as they free their legs off of the opponent's waist. It was used by AJ Lee as a transition move. An arm wringer or spinning wristlock is a move in which

21406-472: The wrestler grabs the opponent's wrist with both hands and twists it over the wrestler's head to spin the arm around, either with enough force to flip the opponent to the mat or just to hyperrotate the joints while standing. When used as a hold, the wrestler often yanks the arm for added effect. A move in which the wrestler goes behind an opponent, then puts their head under the opponent's shoulder. They then lift their opponent up, and drops them tailbone-first on

21560-399: The wrestler lands, often in a sitting position, and drives the opponent's face into the mat. This move plus some other variations are sometimes referred to as facebusters . The wrestler applies a Cobra Clutch and then leaps forward, falling into a sitting position and driving the face of the opponent into the ground. The wrestler jumps from the turnbuckle behind the opponent, then applies

21714-408: The wrestler lift the opponent on to their shoulders, and while the opponent is on their shoulders, he/she uses the hand hooking the opponent's leg to reach upwards and clutch the wrist of the arm opposite the hooked leg. While maintaining the wrist-clutch, they then perform the driver. There is a further variation that does not include the shoulder lift that sees the wrestler hook the leg and wrist while

21868-424: The wrestler slips either one or both arms underneath the opponent's armpits from behind and locks their hands behind their neck, pushing the opponent's head forward against their chest. For a full nelson, the attacker slips both their arms under the opponent's armpits and locks their hands behind their opponent's neck. The half and three-quarter nelsons are usually transition holds, as they are in amateur wrestling. For

22022-495: The wrestler turns 360 degrees, simultaneously bending the arm of the opponent around the attacker's own leg. The wrestler can over-rotate or turn again to apply more pressure on the arm. The stepover armlock is similar in execution to the spinning toe hold , except that the wrist is held instead of the foot. The wrestler takes hold of the opponent's arm and twists it, putting pressure on the shoulder and elbow. This may sometimes be preceded by an arm wrench . The armbar's innovation

22176-420: The wrestler uses their opponent's momentum to the opponent's disadvantage. The wrestler hooks the opponent's arm and flips them over on to the mat. The wrestler may roll on to their side to give the move extra momentum. This move is performed when an opponent runs towards the wrestler facing them. When the opponent is in range, the wrestler hooks the opponent's near arm with both hands and falls backwards, forcing

22330-400: The wrestler's knee. Known in Mexico's lucha libre as silla eléctrica (Spanish for electric chair ). Also known as a "Manhattan Drop", this is a move in which the wrestler puts their head under the opponent's shoulder and lifts the opponent up and then drops their groin on the wrestler's knee. Better known as a full nelson bomb, this move sees the wrestling apply a full nelson hold to

22484-405: The wrestler's legs upper back first. AEW wrestler Ricochet uses a spinning version of the move called Vertigo . Lucha libre Mid 20th Century 1970s and 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s and 2020s Lucha libre ( Spanish pronunciation: [ˈlutʃa ˈliβɾe] , meaning " freestyle wrestling " or literally translated as "free fight") is the term for

22638-430: The wrestler's own momentum to cause them to flip forwards over the head of the wrestler and on to their back. Despite its name, it actually originates from Mexican lucha libre , not Japanese puroresu . The wrestler grabs their opponent's arm, then turns to face the other direction and pulls the opponent over their shoulder. It is essentially the same as the ippon seoi nage found in judo . An arm drag which sees

22792-399: The wrestlers "wager" either their mask or their hair. In a lucha de apuesta (betting match), wrestlers make a public bet on the outcome of the match. The most common forms are the mask-against-mask, hair-against-hair, or mask-against-hair matches. A wrestler who loses his or her mask has to remove the mask after the match. A wrestler who loses their hair is shaved immediately afterward. If

22946-446: The wrist, forcing the opponent down to their back and ending in a cross armbar . This variant has been used by Alberto Del Rio , A.J. Styles and Asuka . Kushida uses a variation, where goes on the top rope and places his opponent on the turnbuckle and delivers the move. The wrestler, situated perpendicular to and behind the opponent, holds the opponent's arm with both arms, pulling the arm across their chest. The wrestler then holds

23100-673: Was eventually buried wearing his silver mask. More recently, the masks luchadores wear have become iconic symbols of Mexican culture. Contemporary artists like Francisco Delgado and Xavier Garza incorporate wrestler masks in their paintings. Although masks are a feature of lucha libre, it is a misconception that every Mexican wrestler uses one. There have been several maskless wrestlers who have been successful, particularly Tarzán López , Gory Guerrero , Perro Aguayo and Negro Casas . Formerly masked wrestlers who lost their masks, such as Satánico , Cien Caras , Cibernético and others, have had continued success despite losing their masks. With

23254-498: Was founded in 1933, and Lucha Libre AAA World Wide (AAA). One characteristic practiced in Mexico is with fans honoring wrestlers by throwing money into the wrestling ring after witnessing a high-quality match. With this act fans honor the luchador in a symbolic way, thanking the luchador for a spectacular match demonstrating they are pleased with their performance, showing the match is worth their money and worth more than what they paid to witness such an event. This act of honoring

23408-505: Was further popularised by Masahiro Chono and John Cena , who named it the STFU . Samoa Joe , Jazz , Erik Watts and Nikki Bella have also used this move. Starting in the same position as a regular STF, the attacker takes both 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 that ankle between their thighs. They then lie on top of

23562-443: Was reportedly 200 years ago, but its true origins remain unknown. Also known as a cross armbreaker or straight armbar. The wrestler sits on either side of an opponent who is lying either prone or supine on the mat, with the wrestler's legs scissoring one of the opponent's arms. The wrestler then grabs hold of the wrist of that arm and pulls it upwards, causing hyper extension of the shoulder and elbow. Wrestlers Alberto Del Rio (often

23716-400: Was unmasked by the legendary Santo . Tag teams are sometimes composed of both rudos and técnicos in what are called parejas increibles (incredible pairings). Parejas increibles highlight the conflict between a luchador ' s desire to win and his contempt for his partner. A staple gimmick present in lucha libre since the 1950s is exótico , a character in drag. It is argued that

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