Piledriver (professional wrestling): Difference between revisions
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This variation of a ''belly-to-belly piledriver'' refers to any belly-to-belly piledriver that involves the attacker holding the opponent in a belly-to-belly position, then falling to a kneeling position.It was popularized by [[Mark Calaway|The Undertaker]], who uses it with a powerslam lift and it as his finisher and first called it the '''Tombstone Piledriver'''. There is a variation known as a '''Tilt-a-whirl piledriver''' when the motion used to turn the opponent upside down is similar to a [[Professional wrestling holds#Tilt-a-whirl|Tilt-a-whirl]]. |
This variation of a ''belly-to-belly piledriver'' refers to any belly-to-belly piledriver that involves the attacker holding the opponent in a belly-to-belly position, then falling to a kneeling position.It was popularized by [[Mark Calaway|The Undertaker]], who uses it with a powerslam lift and it as his finisher and first called it the '''Tombstone Piledriver'''. There is a variation known as a '''Tilt-a-whirl piledriver''' when the motion used to turn the opponent upside down is similar to a [[Professional wrestling holds#Tilt-a-whirl|Tilt-a-whirl]]. |
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Other notable users include: [[Glen Jacobs|Kane]], [[Fit Finley]] and [[Peter Polaco|Justin Credible]] ('''That's Incredible''') |
Other notable users include: [[Glen Jacobs|Kane]], [[Fit Finley]] and [[Peter Polaco|Justin Credible]] ('''That's Incredible''') |
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Owen Hart also sometimes used his vartiation of a Tombstone Piledriver in his matches [Most noticable when he broke Austin's neck] where he gets them in the tombstone persission and instead of jumping in a kneeling position he jumps and sits on the mat like a normal pilediver |
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In a variation called '''Cradle tombstone piledriver''', instead of wrapping both of his arms around the waist of the opponent, the wrestler wraps one arm around the waist and places his other arm between the opponent's legs, grabbing hold of his other arm. The wrestler then drops down on his knees, driving the opponent down to the mat head first. Notably a finishing move of [[Jerry Lynn]]. |
In a variation called '''Cradle tombstone piledriver''', instead of wrapping both of his arms around the waist of the opponent, the wrestler wraps one arm around the waist and places his other arm between the opponent's legs, grabbing hold of his other arm. The wrestler then drops down on his knees, driving the opponent down to the mat head first. Notably a finishing move of [[Jerry Lynn]]. |
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Revision as of 13:20, 28 January 2006
A Piledriver is a professional wrestling move in which the wrestler grabs his/her opponent, turns him/her upside-down, and drops into a sitting or kneeling position, driving the victim's head into the mat. Piledrivers that end in a seated position are referred to as sit-out piledrivers.
The most common piledrivers are the basic belly-to-back, or Texas piledriver, and the belly-to-belly tombstone piledriver popularized by The Undertaker, but many more intricate variants are in use.
Piledrivers are generally considered to be one of the more dangerous techniques in wrestling because of the impact on the head and compression of the neck, if even slightly botched the move can cause serious injury, even paralysis. for this reason piledriver's use is considered an automatic disqualification in pro wrestling matches held in Memphis, Tennessee as the move is banned in that city (Ironically, Jerry Lawler, a wrestler and promoter in that city, uses a spike piledriver as his finishing move). In some promotions in the United Kingdom, the move can result in a fine as well as disqualification. In Mexico, the piledriver (called a "Martinete") is an automatic disqualification and wrestlers usually act as if their neck is broken. "Martinete" generally refers to Tombstone Piledrivers but it is used for other variations.
For a time the WWE banned this move, along with the Brainbuster, due to fear of neck related injuries.
Variations
Back to belly piledriver
The wrestler faces the opponent, places his head between the opponent's thighs, and grasps hold of them. He then stands up, lifting the opponent upside down. The wrestler then either sits down or drops on to his knees, driving the opponent's head down to the mat.
Notable users include: Takao Omori (Axe Guillotine Driver), Genki Horiguchi (Beach Break), Jose Maximo ( Maximo Explosion), Teddy Hart
Kryptonite Krunch
The Kryptonite Krunch is an over the shoulder back to belly piledriver in which the attacker shoulders the victim by clutching him/her around the knees and lifting him/her onto his/her shoulder so that the victim's head is dangling by the waist of the attacker. The attacker then holds the attacker in place by holding his/her leg with one arm and applies a headlock to the victim with his/her other arm. The victim is now bent into a circle. The attacker then drops to a seated position, driving the head of the victim into the ground. The
The move was named Kryptonite Krunch by Nova, although it has been done for years under many other names like the Reality Check and the Schwein. Another method is lifting the opponent across the attacker's back, which is best known as Mariko Yoshida's Air Raid Crash, a name which is often wrongly used when referring to the Kryptonite Krunch.
Other notable users include: CIMA (Schwein), Elix Skipper (Sudden Death)
Cradle piledriver
Similar to a Texas piledriver but with an added leg lock. From a position in which the victim is bent forward against the wrestler's midsection, the wrestler grabs around his/her opponent's midsection and lifts so that the victim is held upside down facing in the same direction as the wrestler, the wrestler then hooks his/her arms around one leg of the victim, and drops to a sitting or kneeling position with the victim's head falling between the wrestler's thighs down to the mat.
The move was popularized by the legendary wrestler Karl Gotch. Jerry Lynn and Minoru Suzuki use this as a finisher. Masahiro Chono and Keiji Mutoh also often use it, but it is not one of their signature moves.
Double underhook piledriver
In this move a wrestler will bend his/her opponent forward, placing the victim's head between the attacker's legs (a standing head scissors), and hooks each of the opponent's arms behind the opponent's back. He/she then pulls back on the opponent's arms lifting him/her up so that the victim is held upside down facing in the same direction as the wrestler, the wrestler then drops to a sitting or kneeling position dropping the victim's head into the mat.
The version of falling to a sitting position is a popular move of Kid Kash, which he calls the Money Maker, as well as Jay Briscoe who calls it the J-Driller.
Flip piledriver
Similar to a Texas Piledriver, except in this case the wrestler begins by latching onto the opponent's back, with his/her head to one side of his/her opponent's hips, and his/her legs around his/her opponent's head. The wrestler then flips over into a sit-down piledriver. Petey Williams of TNA fame uses this as his finisher, calling it the Canadian Destroyer.
Package piledriver
In this variation, the setup is almost the same as a Texas piledriver, but instead of grabbing the waist of the opponent, the wrestler puts their arms underneath the opponent's arms and grabs their legs by the knees. The wrestler then stands up, lifting the opponent until they are upside down, and drops to a sitting position with the opponent's head between their thighs.
This variation has been popularized lately by independent wrestler Kevin Steen. However Japanese female wrestler Aja Kong can be seen using it at least a decade ago, notably in her classic match with Manami Toyota on March 26, 1995 in All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (Zenjo). The move was also used by Carl Ouellet while in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, who called it the Xecution.
Reverse piledriver
It is also called a belly-to-belly piledriver. The attacker faces their opponent. They then grab the opponent's waist and turn them upside-down, holding them against their torso. The attacker then jumps up and drops down to a seated position, driving the opponent's head down to the mat between the attacker's thighs. Owen Hart accidentally broke Stone Cold Steve Austin's neck with the move.
The wrestler may also place the opponent on over his shoulder and fall to a seated position, driving the victim's head to the mat between his legs. Notable users of this variation include Bam Bam Bigelow (Greetings from Asbury Park) and Rikishi (Rikishi Driver).
Another variation used by Samoa Joe sees him hold the opponent and their head to his side, not between his legs, similar to a scoop side piledriver without the scoop. This move is a variation of his Island Driver.
Tombstone piledriver
This variation of a belly-to-belly piledriver refers to any belly-to-belly piledriver that involves the attacker holding the opponent in a belly-to-belly position, then falling to a kneeling position.It was popularized by The Undertaker, who uses it with a powerslam lift and it as his finisher and first called it the Tombstone Piledriver. There is a variation known as a Tilt-a-whirl piledriver when the motion used to turn the opponent upside down is similar to a Tilt-a-whirl. Other notable users include: Kane, Fit Finley and Justin Credible (That's Incredible)
Owen Hart also sometimes used his vartiation of a Tombstone Piledriver in his matches [Most noticable when he broke Austin's neck] where he gets them in the tombstone persission and instead of jumping in a kneeling position he jumps and sits on the mat like a normal pilediver
In a variation called Cradle tombstone piledriver, instead of wrapping both of his arms around the waist of the opponent, the wrestler wraps one arm around the waist and places his other arm between the opponent's legs, grabbing hold of his other arm. The wrestler then drops down on his knees, driving the opponent down to the mat head first. Notably a finishing move of Jerry Lynn.
Scoop side piledriver
Facing his opponent, the attacker 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 on their chest so that they are facing downwards. The attacker then moves their left arm from around the opponent's neck to around the opponent's torso. They then turn the opponent so that they are upside down on one side of the attacker. The attacker then jumps up and falls down to a sitting position, driving the opponent down to the mat neck and shoulder first.
Notable users include: Hayabusa (H Thunder)
Scoop slam piledriver
Facing their opponent, the attacker reaches between his 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. The attacker then drops down to their knees, driving the opponent down to the mat neck and shoulder first.
Notable users include: Hiroyoshi Tenzan (TTD (Tenzan Tombstone Driver))
Steve Corino uses a slight variation of this move. First he lifts the opponent up to a Fireman's carry. From there he swings them to his front with the move continuing like a regular Scoop slam piledriver.
Spike piledriver
Also known as a stuff piledriver or a jumping piledriver. From a position in which the victim is bent forward against the wrestler's midsection, the wrestler grabs around their opponent's midsection and lifts so that the victim is held upside down facing in the same direction as the wrestler, the wrestler then jumps in the air and drops to a sitting position.
See also aided piledriver, which also sometimes referred to as a spike piledriver.
Notable users include: Rhino, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Nobuhiko Oshima (Salmonella), Lance Storm (Deep Impact)
Texas piledriver
Also called a belly-to-back piledriver, this is the classic piledriver technique. From a position in which the victim is bent forward against the wrestler's midsection, the wrestler grabs around his/her opponent's midsection and lifts so that the victim is held upside down facing in the same direction as the wrestler, the wrestler then drops to a sitting position with the victim's head falling between the wrestler's thighs down to the mat.
Although this piledriver is common, wrestlers who often were identified with it (based on frequency of use as a finisher) are Harley Race, Jerry Lawler, and Paul Orndorff.
A slight variation sees the wrestler not lift the wrestler upside down, but rather pull the bent opponent forward while the wrestler sits back, pulling the bent opponent's head down to the mat between the wrestler's thighs. Notable users of this variation include: Mick Foley.
Reverse tombstone piledriver
Variation of the Texas piledriver. Instead of dropping to a seated position the wrestler drops to a kneeling position. This move is sometimes referred as Spike piledriver.
Notable users include: Dory Funk, Jr., Hiromichi Fuyuki, Chris Jericho
Vertebreaker
From a position in which the victim is standing behind the attacker, the attacker underhooks his/her arms under the victim's arms. Then the attacker twists his/her body around so that the attacker is facing the ground and the victim is standing with his/her back resting against the attacker's back. Then the attacker stands while the victim is in an upside down position while both the victim and the attacker's arms are still hooked and then the attacker then drops to a sitting position.
This technique is particularly dangerous, as the receiver's arms are restrained and his/her head is not placed between the attacker's legs, giving him/her little to post against. The wrestler receiving the technique is almost entirely dependent on the attacker's strength and coordination to avoid serious neck injury.
Also called a reverse gory special piledriver, back to back double underhook piledriver, or a Kudo driver a name in reference to its original inventor, Japanese female wrestler, Megumi Kudo, who actually called it The Kudome Valentine.
Other notable users include: Gregory Helms (Vertebreaker; where the move gets its current name), Homicide (Da Cop Killa / Kudo Driver)
Vertical suplex piledriver
Better known as the Steiner Screw Driver or PilePlex. The attacker applies a front facelock to the opponent and hooks the victim's near arm over their shoulder and lifts them into a Vertical Suplex position. They then turns the victim 180°, forcing the opponent into the Tombstone piledriver position, then drops to a sitting position, dropping the victim on their head. Scott Steiner popularized this move, after he learned it in Japan. Akitoshi Saito also uses it as one of his finishers, calling it the Death Brand.