Pinfall (professional wrestling)

File:Lateralpresspin.jpg

Christopher Daniels covers Jerrelle Clark with a lateral press while hooking the leg for a three count during an episode of TNA iMPACT!

A pinfall, also known just as a pin or a fall, is a victory condition in professional wrestling that is met by holding an opponent's shoulder blades to the wrestling mat for a prescribed period of time (normally a three-count).

The purpose of a pinning maneuver is to hold the opponents shoulders against the mat for a count of three. The count is broken (a near-fall) if the opponent manages to raise one or both of his shoulders off of the mat, usually by kicking out -- throwing their legs up to cause their shoulders to rise from the mat.

Sometimes, an attacking wrestler may (illegally) hook the opponents tights for extra leverage. Another popular illegal tactic of heel wrestlers is to attempt a pin close to the ring ropes so they can prop their legs up on the ropes to either gain additional leverage or put more weight on the opponent.

In some positions, a wrestler may bridge, arching their back so that only their feet and the top of their head are touching the ground, to put more of their weight on the pinned opponent or to prop them up.

Types of Pins

Back slide

The attacking wrestler stands back-to-back with their opponent and hooks both of the opponent's arms. They then lean forward and drops to their knees, sliding the opponent down their back so that their shoulders are against the mat and their chin is against their chest. The attacker holds the opponents arms down with their own arms for the pin.

Cover

Also known as a lateral press, cross press or simply as the basic pin. With an opponent lying face-up on the mat, the attacking wrestler lies face-down across the opponent's chest to hold them down. Sometimes, when both wrestlers are (kayfabe) exhausted or badly hurt the attacking wrestler will cover with just an arm or lie down face up rather than face down.

The term floatover (when in reference to a pin) refers to an attacking wrestler using the momentum of a throw or slam they are performing to propel themselves over the opponent into the lateral press position.

Cradle

The attacking wrestler lies across the opponents chest and hooks a leg with the arm on the opposite side (left leg with right arm or right leg with left arm). Holding the leg gives the attacker greater leverage and makes it harder for the opponent to kick out. This was derived from the inside cradle and outside cradle in amateur wrestling.

Crucifix

An attacking wrestler hooks the arms of an opponent, one by grapevining their legs around it, and the other using their arms. This positions the attacking wrestler horizontally across the back of the opponent and forced the opponent's arms out like a crucifixion. The attacking wrestler then lowers their bodyweight so that the opponent is brought drown to the mat backwards and is forced on to his own shoulders in a pinning position with his legs in the air.

A variation on the standard crucifix, the Crucifix bomb sees an attacking wrestler violently force their bodyweight downwards to throw the opponent into the mat with greater impact.

These moves are not to be confused with the Crucifix hold or its powerbomb counterpart

Delfin Clutch

The Delfin Clutch, named by Super Delfin, has an attacking wrestler crossing the arms of the opponent across their own chest while they're laying on their back on the mat. The attacking wrestler then kneels down on one knee on the opponents arms, pinning the opponents shoulders down to the mat. The attacking wrestler then grabs the opponents legs, crosses them, and places them under one of their armpits, bending the opponent to a pinning predicament.

Gedo clutch

The Gedo clutch, named by Gedo who popularized it and sometimes referred to as a double leg nelson has an attacking wrestler sit kneeling on the back of an opponent who is laying face down and facing the same way. The attacking wrestler then grabs the opponents arms and lifts them over their thighs, similar to a camel clutch. The attacker then grabs hold of the opponents head and pushes it down and forward between his legs, while leaning himself forward onto his stomach, flipping the opponent over onto their shoulders, with the attackers legs pinning the opponent down to the mat.

Jackknife hold

The hold has the opponent wrestler laying on their back. The attacking wrestler then lifts the opponents legs and places their head between them while holding them with their arms. The attacking wrestler then flips forward over the opponent planting their feet on the mat and bridging back to add leverage.

La casita / La magistral

With the opponent on their hands and knees, the attacking wrestler stands next to the opponents hip, grabs one arm and applies an armbar. The attacking wrestler then steps over the arm with his inside leg so that he is facing away from the opponent. The attacking wrestler continues his turning motion and dives forward over the opponent, rolling onto their side. The barred arm acts as a lever, flipping the opponent over the attacker and onto their back. The attacker hooks a leg as the opponent goes over and holds for the pin.

Oklahoma roll

The attacking wrestler stands to the side of his opponent, who is on their hands and knees. The attacker hooks one arm around the opponents neck and one between the legs, and rolls over the opponent. The attacker lands on his back or side, and the opponent is flipped so that their shoulders are pressed against the mat.

Prawn hold

Similar to a rana, except that the attacking wrestler is standing, bent over the opponent with both legs hooked pressing his weight down. This pin is typically the result of a powerbomb. Toshiaki Kawada has innovated a variation where he slides forward and lifts his legs off the mat, putting his full body weight on top of the wrestler and thus pinning their shoulders more firmly against the mat.

Roll-up

The attacking wrestler rolls their opponent back so that the opponents legs are above their head. The attacker wraps his/her arms around the legs and presses down to pin the shoulders.

The most common type of roll up is the Schoolboy where the attacking wrestler drops down behind the opponent and puts one arm up between the opponent's legs to pull the opponent over the attacking wrestler so that they fall flat on their back. At this point, the attacking wrestler would stack the fallen opponent on their shoulders for the pin. Often when female wrestlers use this move, commentators will refer to it as a Schoolgirl.

The roll-up is often used to pick up sneaky wins due to it being performed from behind an opponent at anytime. The roll-up is also a popular pinfall move for heel wrestlers, who often secure the hold by using the ropes, or pull on the opponent's tights, for leverage.

Sitout pin

The attacking wrestler sits down with the legs of the opponent hooked over their shoulders so that the legs and lower body of the opponent are elevated while their shoulders and upper back are in contact with the mat. The arms of the opponent are sometimes pinned beneath the legs of the attacker. This hold results from numerous throws, including the sitout powerbomb, the spin-out powerbomb, and the sunset flip.

Small package

The Small package is a pinning maneuver where the attacking wrestler applies a front facelock on the opponent, falls backwards while turning, hooking the opponents far leg with their legs and the opponents other leg with their free arm, ending up on top of the opponent, pinning their shoulders against the mat.

Rana

The technical term for the pinning position which results from a sunset flip or a hurricanrana.

In the Sunset flip version the opponent is laying shoulders down on the mat, almost completely flat on their back, with the attacking wrestler applying the pin sits below the legs of the opponent and uses their own legs to cover the opponents shoulders or arms, and hooks both legs around the thighs to force their weight down to the mat.

The other variation which usually results from a hurricanrana sees the one performing the hurricanrana sit on the opponents chest and hook the opponents legs behind them whilst hooking their arms with their legs. This variation is the same hold just with the attacking wrestler on top.

This interchangeability often sees a spot where the wrestlers change their weight distribution to move from one pinning hold to the other for a succession of near falls.

Victory roll

Also known as the Mexican Rolling Clutch Pin. The attacking wrestler jumps onto their opponents shoulders from behind and rolls forward. As the attacker flips over, they hook the opponents shoulders with their legs, flipping the opponent over onto their shoulders. The attacker hooks both of the opponents legs to hold them in place for the pin.

See also

• Pin (wrestling)
• Near-fall

References

• The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide - Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, Les Thatcher, and Alex Marvez pg. 76