Dropkick

For other uses, see Drop kick (disambiguation).

Jeff Hardy performing a botched dropkick on Umaga during a live show

Lance Cade leaps high to deliver a dropkick to Shelton Benjamin.

A dropkick is an attacking maneuver in professional wrestling. It is defined as an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with the soles of both feet, this sees the wrestler twist as they jump so that when the feet connect with the opponent one foot is raised higher than the other (depending on which way they twist) and the wrestler falls back to the mat on their side, or front. This is commonly employed by light and nimble wrestlers who can take advantage of their agility, and is often executed on a charging opponent, or while charging at an opponent.

The most basic form of a dropkick, but potentially the hardest to pull off, is a standing dropkick where the wrestler catches a standing or running opponent with a standard dropkick from a standing position. In order to be pulled off effectively, it requires great leg strength in order to gain elevation.

Variations

Baseball slide

The wrestler runs and slides feet first at the opponent, kicking them with both feet, like a baseball player sliding into a base. It is usually performed by a wrestler in the ring or on the ring apron against the head or upper torso of a wrestler standing outside of the ring. A baseball slide can also be used to counter an Irish whip, as the whipped wrestler slides before they can hit the ropes, and it can be used to slide under an opponent, by going between his/her legs.

Corner dropkick

The wrestler sets up the opponent, usually seated at a corner turnbuckle and hits him with a dropkick. The most common variation of this is a rope aided version, where the wrestler uses the ring ropes to elevate his body, connecting with a dropkick to the opponent's chest upon landing. The two-man version of this dropkick is best known as Poetry in Motion.

Front dropkick

A front dropkick is an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks forward so that they hit the opponent with the soles of both feet, without twisting like a normal dropkick, this enables the wrestler to fall backwards to the mat, landing on their upper back and shoulder area. This is often used to attack lower parts of the opponent than the normal dropkick. A low version of this move can also be known as a Basement Dropkick. This move is also used when charging at an opponent is sitting or kneeling on the ground so that the feet will connect with the opponent's head.

Missile dropkick

Also known as a diving dropkick, a missile dropkick is an attack where the wrestler jumps off the top turnbuckle and executes the dropkick on a standing opponent.

Corner-to-corner missile dropkick

In the variant, the attacking wrestler first places an opponent so they are sat on the mat in one of the corners of ring before then ascending to the top rope/second rope of the corner at the opposite end of the ring ropes. From here the wrestler leaps the length or width of the ring, and performs a front dropkick to the opponent. Often this will see a weapon, or foreign object, placed in front of the opponent's head usually wedged between the bottom and middle rope of the ring.

Dropsault

Also known as a standing moonsault, a dropsault is an attack where the wrestler jumps up and kicks the opponent with both feet and then executes a backflip, landing on the mat chest-first. Sometimes this move can see the wrestler land chest-first on another opponent. Many wrestlers perform this move with great care, as any slight twist in their body can injure them.

Single leg running dropkick

In this dropkick an attacking wrestler runs towards an opponent and jumps up sideways striking an opponent's head or chin with the sole of their highest foot.

Springboard dropkick

This is a springboard version of the missile dropkick. The most common springboard dropkick involves the attacker springing off the adjacent ropes before connecting with the dropkick.

See also

• Double-team dropkicks
• Professional wrestling attacks
• Professional wrestling aerial techniques

References

• The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide - Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, Les Thatcher, and Alex Marvez pg. 66