In his earliest years in the WWE, Haku would make a name for himself beside Tama, as they formed The Islanders to compete in the tag team division. The wrestler then does a spinning toe hold and grasps the other leg, crossing them into a "4" (hence the name) as he does so and falls to the mat, applying pressure to the opponent's crossed legs with his own.

However, the reversal is far from easy when the hold is well applied and it can be reversed back to normal. You keep your opponent's top half of the body is on the ground. Jimmy Superfly Snuka off the top rope didn’t make the list. We want you to look outward and marvel at the world around you. Hell yes, you put that move on your little brother. This leads me to the counters, and to the reasons why the figure four leg lock is so popular and reached the legendary status. Nicknaming himself "The Excellence of Execution," the sharpshooter was only part of this legend's arsenal, which helped him win five WWF Championships.
Why was your favorite wrestler’s signature move left off the list? In this clip from his match against the Great Ruta (a one-match persona of his enemy Yoshikazu Taru) at All Japan Pro Wrestling’s The Unchained World show in 2005, you can see how devastating his use of the leglock was. Gifted with the body of a Greek god, Rick Rude wasn't shy about his good looks and charm. In this clip from his match against the Great Ruta (a one-match persona of his enemy Yoshikazu Taru) at All Japan Pro Wrestling’s The Unchained World show in 2005, you can see how devastating his use of the leglock was. By clicking "Sign Up" you are agreeing to our There is finally one more wrestler who made the move famous in the 1960s, when it was still a novelty. Trained by his father, Stu Hart, Bret Hart proved over the course of his lengthy career that no wrestler could match him when it came to technique. 6 Minute Quiz If the figure-four involves grabbing the wrists with both hands, it is called a double wrist lock; known as kimura in MMA circles.

In this Randy Savage vs. Ric Flair WWF Championship match clip (from a 1992 episode of Prime Time Wrestling), you can see why Flair had so much success with this maneuver. The first match that comes to my mind is the WrestleMania VIII encounter between Ric Flair and Randy Savage.

Overall, I think the Walls of Jericho would hurt more over a period of time but for a quick submission the Figure 4 Leg Lock would be better.

The wrestler stands over the opponent who is lying on the mat face up and grasps a leg of the opponent.

It makes anyone’s legs feel a lot of pain as well as bring pain to the one applying the hold. That's exactly what opponents of Andre the Giant dealt with, as the behemoth was known for launching attacks full force. Perfect" Curt Henning was, well, perfect.

Our hope is our quizzes and articles inspire you to do just that.

When he had his opponent prone in the ring, he dragged him in a corner to get the ring post between the legs; he then went outside the ring and applied the maneuver with the steel post in the middle of the legs for more leverage. This move can conceivably be used in MMA. Do the following while maintaining a hold of his right ankle: Push your opponent's left leg over on top of his right leg. What makes the move so famous is probably because it's mostly used by heel wrestlers, and it can give a great show when the recipient sells the move well. We want you to laugh at past memories that helped shape the person you’ve become. She uses a variation of the figure-four called the “Figure Eight,” in which she increases pressure on her opponent’s leg by pushing up into a bridge after locking on the hold. After nearly 12 minutes of back and forth action, Hogan was finally able to lift Andre from the mat and slam him before delivering the atomic leg drop to secure the win. As such, a wrestling crowd will start shouting "Wooooo!" WATCH NOW: Ronda Rousey Celebrates 1 Million YouTube Subscribers!

6 Min, 7 Minute Quiz You can see her use it to tap out Nikki Bella in the above clip from a 2015 RAW tag team match. A figure-four is a Catch wrestling term for a joint-lock that resembles the number "4". In Japan, the legendary Great Muta added it to his already impressive regular moveset.

A keylock or toe hold can be referred to as a figure-four hold, when it involves a figure-four formation with the legs or arms. Imagine having to lie flat on the ground while a 500-pound man comes flopping down on top of you with his signature move, the sitdown splash. This is only one of many victories she’s scored with this move, with the most win so far perhaps being when she used it to end Asuka’s undefeated streak via submission at WrestleMania 34.

The year after ending Flair’s career, Shawn Michaels used his own modification of it in his WrestleMania 25 match against The Undertaker. There is the "reversal" move in which the recipient rotate to get both wrestlers on their belly, in order to reverse the pressure. No wrestler was immune to the powerful piledriver delivered by Paul Orndorff, not even the superstar Hulk Hogan. However, that wasn't always the case for Beefcake, as he wouldn't take on his calling as "The Barber" until WrestleMania III when he entered the ring to cut the hair of Adrian Adonis. Though Backlund never actually tapped, his manager threw in the towel, knowing his wrestler was too prideful to quit. Wrestling fans from the territory days to the present have likely seen someone tap to a version of the figure-four leglock. When performing the knee cutter pass make sure: Clear your left leg onto the other side so that you can begin getting your opponent's legs into position. A manipulative strategist, Sid would draw allies to his side, only to later betray them for his own benefit.

Do the following while maintaining a hold of his right ankle: If the embedded video does not load, click here to view the video. In the first part of a series of articles exploring some of the most iconic moves in the business, I would like to present you the history of the figure four leglock or simply the figure four. That being said, Ric Flair is not the only one to have adopted the figure four from Buddy Rogers. It was mostly used to hurt his opponents and to generate even more heat. Beware if Brutus Beefcake gets you into his cunning sleeper hold, because that might mean the end of those pretty blonde locks. Rather than trying to reverse the move or make it to the ropes, Ruta escapes the submission by throwing a fireball into Muta’s face. He then maneuvers his opponent’s ankle to just above his right kneecap, making the wrestler’s legs look like a number four (earning the leglock its name).

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Tito Santana was one of the earliest stars in the WWF, joining the company when it was only a regional promotion in the Northeast United States. Can you hear MVP screaming? Since Flair’s retirement, most North American wrestlers who use the figure-four have adopted it as a reference or tribute to him. If unable to use his signature move, the superplex, Bob Orton Jr. didn't shy away from cheap tricks like using his cast as a weapon.
If he is able to get up he will block you from getting into position for this move. Who can possibly forget comic character, Sting, dropping the Stinger Splash on some punk opponent?

But while Flair’s sportsmanship was questionable, his submission game was impeccable. Why are fans drawn to signature moves, anyway? When a wrestling fan hears or reads the words "figure four", the name of Ric Flair usually comes to mind first. Figure four leg lock Nicknamed "The Hammer," Greg Valentine was one of the toughest hitters in the business during the 1980s.

So, what I propose is to explore the wrestlers who used the move to make it so famous. If possible, stuff his right ankle underneath your arm pit to control his legs from going anywhere. The move was used for the first time somewhere in the late '50s or in the early '60s. Samoa Joe to SmackDown. An incredible athlete, the Green Bay Packers drafted him out of college, but he knew his future was in sports entertainment. Reported HIAC main event

Move your opponent's left leg on top of his right leg in the position for the submission. Because it wasn’t good enough.

Push your opponent's left leg over on top of his right leg. Right after this, he falls to the ground, facing upwards. privacy policy If the original "Nature Boy" can be credited as the inventor of the move, the other "Nature Boy" made it famous and viewed by a larger audience. The New Day to Raw. Few wrestlers could time an attack as well as Dusty Rhodes when he unleashed his bionic elbow. Flair, or any wrestler using the figure-four, starts by getting his opponent on the mat. With the American flag thrown over his shoulder and his camel clutch as a weapon, Sgt. The Great Muta also used the figure-four as a signature move of his impressive arsenal.

Both The Miz and Charlotte Flair will undoubtedly continue to use the figure-four and Figure Eight to score Ws in WWE, but season one of the Mixed Match Challenge showed us—without a doubt—who really owns the move in 2018. The sleeper hold might seem simple because any wrestler could use it, no matter their size or skill level. As the company expanded, Santana's wrestling ability did as well, incorporating moves like the flying forearm to win the Intercontinental Championship twice. But the wrestler who has really made this submission her own in present day WWE is none other than the Nature Boy’s daughter, Charlotte Flair. Here are 10 picks that need to happen at this year's draft , Buddy Rogers applying the figure four leg lock. It was not Santana's prime signature move but, as one of the greatest technicians ever, he mastered it to use it as one of his many ways to win his matches. He found early success in the tag team division before landing his biggest client, Yokozuna. Tito Santana also used the move in many matches.

Or what about Ric Flair’s Figure Four? Every wrestler who faced Bam Bam Bigelow knew as soon as he took them above his head that their fates were sealed, as Bigelow prepared to deliver greetings from Ashbury Park. "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan was as recognized for the 2x4 he carried over his shoulder as for his three-point stance clothesline that he often used to finish off those who stood against him. The downward pressure on his ankles will cause pressure in either his knee, ankle or shin for the submission. So, if you want to learn a bit more about leg locks, read on… Notable users: Ric Flair, Greg “The Hammer” Valentine, The Great Muta, The Miz, Charlotte Flair.