Suplex

A wrestler performing a suplex on an opponent

A suplex is an offensive move used in professional sport wrestling.

Etymology

In Olympic and amateur wrestling there exists a move called a suplay, a Greco-Roman wrestling term. During his career, pro wrestling commentator Gordon Solie used the soo-play pronunciation (as has the AWA's Rod Trongard and Terry Taylor), but almost all other pro wrestling talent pronounces it sue-plex; this suggests the two names define the same kind of move. The origin of the word suplex is the French word souplesse (flexibility).

Suplex variants

Professional wrestling features many different varieties of suplexes. The following are among the most common, but many more exist, particularly as the signature techniques of individual wrestlers.

Front facelock variants

In these suplexes, the wrestlers begin by facing each other, the attacking wrestler then applies a Front facelock to the opponent before executing a throw. In most cases, the opponent is suspended upside-down during part of the move. The most common front facelock suplex is the vertical suplex.

Swinging fisherman suplex

Also known as swinging fisherman neckbreaker and the Golden Gate Swing. A swinging variation of the normal fisherman suplex, this move sees a wrestler, with their opponent in a front facelock with the near arm draped over their shoulder, hook the opponent's near leg with their free arm and roll over to one side, flipping the opponent over onto their back.

Rolling release suplex

This suplex starts with the attacking wrestler applying a front face lock to his/her opponent and draping the opponent's near arm over his/her shoulder, then lifting him/her up in the vertical position, at this point the face lock is partly released as the attacker falls forward, the momentum of the attacker forces the opponent to roll out of the face lock and drop back-first down to the mat.

Slingshot suplex

The attacker faces a standing opponent with one side of the ring immediately behind the opponent. The attacker applies a front facelock to the opponent, takes hold of the opponent with his/her free hand, then lifts the opponent until he/she is nearly vertical. The attacker then falls forward so that the torso of the opponent bounces off the top ring rope, and uses this momentum to quickly lift the opponent overhead once more and falls backwards, driving the back and shoulders of the opponent into the ground.

Suplex slam

This move is similar to most suplexes and starts with the attacker applying a front face lock to his/her opponent and draping the opponent's near arm over his/her shoulder, then lifting him/her up and holding the opponent in the vertical position. This is where the move differs from most of its counterparts with the attacker not falling with the opponent, but rather shifting themselves slightly and throwing their opponent to the mat. Sometimes this involves the wrestler turning the opponent in midair and slamming the opponent down to the mat in front of him/her onto their back, similar to a high-angled body slam.

Sitout suplex slam

Also called a suplex driver or a falcon arrow, this sees an attacker apply a front facelock to the opponent and drapes the opponent's near arm over their shoulder. The attacker then takes hold of the opponent's torso with their free arm and lifts the opponent to a vertical position. The facelock is loosened so the opponent can be twisted slightly, then the attacker falls to a sitting position and the victim's back and shoulders are driven into the mat. The opponent lands between the attacker's legs with their head toward them.

Another variation sees the wrestler perform a Vertical suplex, but instead of twisting the upside down opponent to face them, the wrestler turns 180° to face the opponent before sitting down and driving them back first between their legs.

Inverted suplex slam

Also called a front suplex or a gourdbuster, this move sees attacker apply a front face lock to the opponent and drape the opponent's near arm over his/her shoulder. The attacker then lifts the opponent into a vertical position, then he falls forward, driving the opponents face into the ground.

Sitout inverted suplex slam

The attacker applies a front face lock to the opponent and drapes the opponent's near arm over his/her shoulder. The attacker then lifts the opponent into a vertical position, and falls into a sit-out position, driving the face of the opponent into the ground. This move is known as a sitout gourdbuster or an inverted falcon arrow. In another variation, the wrestler releases the hold just prior to the sitout position letting his opponents own momentum to force them down head first.

Delayed vertical suplex

This variation of a vertical suplex, also known as the hanging suplex, standing suplex or stalling suplex, sees the attacking wrestler holds an opponent in the upside-down position at the peak of the arc for several seconds before completing the maneuver, thereby (in kayfabe) causing blood to pool into the head of the opponent. This move is a staple of larger and powerful wrestlers as it gives an aura of dominance over their opponents who can do nothing but wait to drop in the suplex.

Rotating vertical suplex

This variation of a vertical suplex, is also sometimes known as the rotation suplex, twisting suplex, rotary suplex, and (very rarely) drop suplex, sees the attacking wrestler lift the opponent as in a normal vertical suplex, but turn around as he or she falls back to twist the opponent into the mat.

Drop suplex

This variation of a vertical suplex sees the attacking wrestler lift the opponent as in a normal vertical suplex, but then simply drop them flat to the mat instead of falling backwards with them. The move was first popularized in WCW by Kevin Nash, who began to use it instead of a standard suplex to avoid aggravating a back injury.

Underhook suplex

Also known as a half-hatch suplex. The wrestler applies a Front facelock with one arm and underhooks one of the opponent's arms with his other, placing his hand palm down on the back of the opponent. The wrestler then lifts the opponent up while bridging backwards and slightly twisting, bringing the opponent over him and onto their back. The wrestler bridges their back and legs to hold the opponent's shoulders against the mat.

Belly-to-back variants

In these variants, the attacker stands behind his opponent and applies a hold before falling backwards, dropping the opponent on his or her upper back. The most common belly-to-back variants are the German suplex and the back suplex.

Belly-to-back suplex

Shawn Spears performing a belly-to-back suplex.

Sometimes shortened to back suplex, the wrestler stands behind his opponent and puts his head under the arm of the opponent. He then lifts the opponent up using both of his arms wrapped around the torso of the opponent. The wrestler finally falls backwards and drops the opponent flat on his back. This move is referred to as a backdrop in Japan. The backdrop name is also used in the western world, usually by people who follow Japanese wrestling, although they sometimes use the name Greco-Roman backdrop. This is not to be confused with a back body drop.

Many wrestlers perform the back suplex into a bridging position, simultaneously arching their own back and legs to elevate themselves, gaining leverage and pinning their opponent. In Mexico, this bridging version is known as a "Puente Griego" or Greek Bridge in English.

Like the piledriver, it is one of the most dangerous moves to perform due to the hard landing of the spinal area. Mitsuharu Misawa died after receiving a belly-to-back suplex.

High angle belly-to-back suplex

Better known as a backdrop driver and lesser known as a belly-to-back brainbuster. The attacker stands behind his opponent and puts his head under the arm of the opponent. He then lifts the opponent up using both of his arms wrapped around the torso of the opponent. The attacker finally falls backwards to drive the opponent to the mat on their neck and shoulders.

Leg hook belly-to-back suplex

Sometimes referred to as a leg lift back suplex or leg lift backdrop, it is applied just as a back suplex would be, except that the wrestler wraps only the near arm or no arm around the torso of their opponent. With the free arm(s), the wrestler then hoists their opponent's knees or thighs and throws them backwards in that manner.

Bridging leg hook belly-to-back suplex

The attacking wrestler begins this move by standing to one side of, and slightly behind, a standing opponent. The wrestler then puts his head under the arm of the opponent and uses their own near arm to encircle the waist of the opponent. The attacker then reaches under one of the opponents legs with their free arm, and lifts, forcing the opponent to bend into a right angle. Finally, the attacker falls backwards, driving the neck and shoulders of the opponent into the ground, simultaneously arching their own back and legs to elevate themselves, gaining leverage and placing the opponent in a pinning predicament.

Swinging leg hook belly-to-back suplex

The attacker stands behind his opponent and puts his head under the arm of the opponent. He then lifts the opponent up using one arm around the waist of the opponent and another under one of his legs. The attacker then turns 180 degrees while falling backwards, slamming the opponent flat on his back.

Cobra clutch suplex

The attacker places the opponent in a cobra clutch hold. They then proceed to lift the opponent up and fall backwards, driving the opponent to the mat on their head.

Crossface chickenwing suplex

Also known as a Millennium Suplex, the wrestler stands behind the opponent. He locks one of the opponent's arms in a chickenwing, and wraps his other arm around the opponent's head. He then lifts the opponent up and falls backwards, driving the opponent on to the top of their head, down to the mat.

Electric chair suplex

Also known as an electric chair slam. The wrestler lifts the opponent on his/her shoulders in an electric chair sitting position and then bridges his back, slamming the opponent down to the mat shoulder and upper back first. When done with a straight jacket hold applied at the same time, it is known as a Japanese Ocean Cyclone Suplex.

Full nelson suplex

Also known as a dragon suplex, this belly-to-back suplex variation sees the wrestler apply a full nelson and then bridges his back, lifting the opponent over him and onto their shoulders down to the mat. The wrestler keeps his back arched and the hold applied, pinning the opponent's shoulders down to the mat.

The wrestler may also release the opponent mid-arch, throwing them down to the mat shoulders and neck first, in a variation known as release full nelson suplex.

Karelin Lift

A gutwrench suplex which begins with the opponent lying on the mat. The wrestler locks his arms around the opponent's waist and stands up, lifting the opponent. He then throws the opponent to his side, dropping them to the mat face up on to their shoulders or face down on their chest.

This move was borrowed from Greco-Roman wrestling, where it was most famously the signature move of Russian Alexander Karelin.

X-Plex

A variation of the German suplex where the opponent's arms are crossed across their chest and held by the attacker. The wrestler uses the crossed arms as leverage to aid in lifting the opponent up while falling backwards, throwing the opponent like a German suplex. The move is commonly referred to as a straitjacket suplex, a cross-arm suplex, or an Aztec suplex.

Tiger suplex

Tsukushi performing a Tiger suplex on Sendai Sachiko.

Innovated by Alfonso Dantés then move became popular by the original Tiger Mask (Satoru Sayama). Standing behind his opponent, the wrestler hooks both of his opponent's arms from the sides, and places his hands palm down flat against the opponent's upper back. He then lifts the opponent up and falls backwards, arching his back and legs, slamming the opponent down to the mat shoulder and neck first. The regular pinning variation is referred to as the Tiger suplex pin. The wrestler can also release the opponent in mid arch, which is referred to as a release tiger suplex.

Half nelson suplex

This is a version of a German suplex where the attacker stands behind the opponent, facing the same direction. The attacker reaches under one of the opponent's arms with his/her corresponding arm and places the palm of his/her hand on the neck of the opponent, thereby forcing the arm of the opponent up into the air (the Half nelson). The attacker wraps his free arm on the waist of the opponent. The attacker then lifts the opponent up and falls backwards slamming the opponent down on his/her neck and shoulders or head.

Pumphandle suplex

The wrestler stands behind the opponent and bends him forward. One of the opponent's arms is pulled back between his legs and held, while the opponent's other arm is hooked by the attacker maneuvering his arm around in front of the opponent's shoulder (as in a pumphandle) and securing it behind the head (a quarter-nelson). The attacker then lifts his opponent up over his head and falls backwards to slam the opponent against the mat back-first.

There are many variations of the pumphandle suplex, including the maintaining of the grip in order to land the opponent on the mat face-first, or inverting the opponent's body position and securing the opponent's free arm using a half-nelson grip instead of the normal quarter-nelson.

Sleeper suplex

The attacker places the opponent in a sleeper hold and then hooks one of the opponents arms with his free arm. The attacker then lifts the opponent up and falls backwards, driving the opponent on their head. A slight variation sees the attacker apply a half nelson choke instead of the sleeper hold before performing the suplex.

Three-quarter nelson suplex

While behind the opponent the attacker places the opponent in a three-quarter nelson, one arm in a half nelson and the other in a chickenwing, and proceeds to fall backwards while lifting the opponent overhead in the hold and driving them into the mat behind them. This move is sometimes referred to as Tiger Suplex '85 or a half and half suplex as it is a combination of a half nelson suplex and a tiger suplex.

Belly-to-belly variants

In these suplexes, the wrestlers begin by facing each other. The attacker then applies a bodylock before falling backwards and flipping the opponent onto his back and down on the mat.

Super belly-to-belly suplex

This version of a superplex is an overhead belly-to-belly suplex executed on an opponent sitting or standing on the top rope, facing inward.

Capture suplex

The attacker stands facing a standing opponent. The attacker then catches one leg of the opponent and pulls the opponent towards them so that they are face-to-face, with the attacker reaching under the opponent's leg and hooking it. The attacker then uses their free arm to reach behind the neck of the opponent and take hold of them. The attacker then quickly bridges backwards and releases the opponent, throwing them overhead, or turns 180° while slamming the opponent down to the mat. This move can be used to counter a kick. The move is also known as the head and leg suplex, and can be seen as a variation of the head and arm suplex. It also goes by the name Capchude, an Engrish term for "captured".

Double underhook suplex

Also known as a double arm suplex, reverse nelson suplex, double axe handle suplex, and a butterfly suplex, the wrestler and opponent face each other, the opponent bent forward. The wrestler hooks the opponent's arms back in a reverse nelson, placing his forearms in the crooks of the opponent's elbows, with his hands on top of the opponent's back in a butcher's grip. The wrestler then lifts the opponent into an upside-down vertical position and falls back, shifting the opponent to one side as the opponent flips over. The wrestler executing the suplex may release the reverse nelson hold during the throw, or can maintain the grip and attempt a bridging pin or submission hold transition upon impact.

Head-and-arm suplex

Also called a gargoyle suplex, the move is a variation of the traditional overhead belly-to-belly suplex in which the wrestler, standing face-to-face with his opponent, clutches his hands together having firmly encircled the opponent's head and one arm. This grip, as opposed to the waistlock of a normal belly-to-belly, is then used to hoist the opponent in the overhead arching throw.

A modification of this move is the machine gun suplex, in which the attacking wrestler holds the head-and-arm grip using just one of his own arms, and with his other grabs the opponent's free wrist and forces it behind his back to secure a hammerlock. This double grip is then used to hoist the opponent overhead in the belly-to-belly throw.

Table top suplex

See Fallaway slam

Trapping suplex

This is when a wrestler holds both the opponent's arms under his own (known as overhooks in mixed martial arts and amateur wrestling, as the arms loop under the opponent's arms from above) with the hands connected below the opponent's triceps, from here the opponent is left secure and unable to counter or move away from the attacker while he/she delivers a belly-to-belly throw flipping the opponent overhead in the normal belly-to-belly motion. In amateur wrestling and other contact-sports, the trapping suplex is called the suicide throw. It is done slightly differently, usually the opponent is tossed to the side and lands on their back.

This move consists of one wrestler picking up his or her opponent off the ground (or mat) and then using a large portion of his or her own body weight to drive the opponent down on the mat. He or she begins face-to-face, then the attacker forces the opponent's head down and locks the opponent's arm around it.

Side variants

In the side variants the attacker stands to the side of his or her opponent and applies a hold before falling backwards to slam the opponent to the mat. The most common is the side suplex.

Saito suplex

The attacker stands either facing directly one of his/her opponent's sides or slightly behind in an angle. He places the opponent's near arm over his shoulder, grabs a waistlock, and then lifts the opponent up while falling backwards, causing the opponent to land on his/her neck and shoulders. Its name is derived from and innovated by Masa Saito.

Leg hook Saito suplex

The attacker stands behind and to one side of the opponent. The attacker wraps one arm around the waist of the opponent and grabs the back of the opponent's near leg with his/her other arm. The attacker then lifts the opponent on to his/her shoulder and then falls backwards, driving the opponent into the mat at a high angle.

Side suplex

See Ura-nage or Russian legsweep.

Inverted facelock variants

In these suplexes, an attacker begins by facing the back of an opponent and applying an inverted facelock before executing a throw. In most, the opponent is suspended upside-down during part of the move.

Inverted suplex

Also known as a reverse suplex, this move sees the attacker stands behind an opponent and applies an inverted facelock with one arm, and uses the other arm to aid in elevating the opponent so that he/she is lifted and held upside-down before the attacker falls to his back driving the opponent down to the mat face first, behind the attacker.

See also

• Professional wrestling throws

References

• The Professional Wrestlers' Workout & Instructional Guide - Harley Race, Ricky Steamboat, Les Thatcher, and Alex Marvez pg. 80-84