Professional wrestling throws
Professional wrestling throws are the application of professional wrestling techniques that involve lifting the opponent up and throwing or slamming them down. They are sometimes also called "power" maneuvers, as they are meant to emphasize a wrestler's strength. Many of these moves are used as finishers by various wrestlers, who refer to them by several different names that reflect their gimmick. Moves are listed under general categories whenever possible.Armbreaker
An armbreaker is any move in which the wrestler slams the opponent's arm against a part of the wrestler's body, usually a knee or shoulder.Diving armbreaker
A wrestler dives from the ropes and lands on the opponent's arm.Double knee armbreaker
The wrestler grabs one of the opponent's arms, jumps and connects both their knees against the opponent's stretched arm. As the wrestler falls onto their back, this forces the opponent's arm down into both knees, thus damaging it. A variant where the performing wrestler puts his opponent in a hammerlock before performing a double knee maneuver similar to a double knee backbreaker also exists, simply known as a hammerlock double knee armbreaker.Snap armbreaker
The attacking wrestler grabs the opponent's arm as in a cross armbar attempt, and proceeds to pull the arm in a snap motion towards their own body. Penta uses a variant in which he performs a grounded hammerlock on the opposite arm before performing the snap armbreaker, calling it The Sacrifice.Arm drag
A move in which the wrestler uses their opponent's momentum to the opponent's disadvantage. The wrestler hooks the opponent's arm and flips them over on to the mat. The wrestler may roll on to their side to give the move extra momentum.This move is performed when an opponent runs towards the wrestler facing them. When the opponent is in range, the wrestler hooks the opponent's near arm with both hands and falls backwards, forcing the wrestler's own momentum to cause them to flip forwards over the head of the wrestler and on to their back. Despite its name, it actually originates from Mexican lucha libre, not Japanese puroresu.Over-the-shoulder arm drag
The wrestler grabs their opponent's arm, then turns to face the other direction and pulls the opponent over their shoulder. It is essentially the same as the ippon seoi nage found in judo.Tilt-a-whirl arm drag
An arm drag which sees the wrestler being spun in front of the opponent's body in a tilt-a-whirl, and then ending it with an arm drag.Wheelbarrow arm drag
This arm drag sees the wrestler being held in a wheelbarrow hold by the opponent, and then going for an over the shoulder arm drag as they free their legs off of the opponent's waist. It was used by AJ Lee as a transition move.Arm wringer
An arm wringer or spinning wristlock is a move in which the wrestler grabs the opponent's wrist with both hands and twists it over the wrestler's head to spin the arm around, either with enough force to flip the opponent to the mat or just to hyperrotate the joints while standing. When used as a hold, the wrestler often yanks the arm for added effect. A snap drop variant in which the performing wrestler drives the opponent in a front drop after performing the arm wringer has been popularized by MJF.Atomic drop
A move in which the wrestler goes behind an opponent, then puts their head under the opponent's shoulder. They then lift their opponent up, and drops them tailbone-first on the wrestler's knee. Known in Mexico's lucha libre as silla eléctrica.Inverted atomic drop
Also known as a "Manhattan drop", this is a move in which the wrestler puts their head under the opponent's shoulder and lifts the opponent up and then drops their groin on the wrestler's knee.Better known as a full nelson bomb, this move sees the wrestling apply a full nelson hold to the opponent from behind. The wrestler then lifts the opponent into the air and falls into a seated position, driving the opponent tailbone-first on to the mat. This move is used by Bubba Ray Dudley, who dubbed it the Bubba Bomb/Bully Bomb.Backbreaker
A backbreaker refers to professional wrestling moves in which a wrestler drops an opponent so that the opponent's back impacts or is bent backwards against a part of the wrestler's body, usually the knee.Back body drop
A back body drop or backdrop, is a move in which a wrestler bends forward or crouches in front of their opponent, grabs hold of the opponent, and stands up, lifting the opponent up and over and dropping them behind the back. It is applied frequently against a charging opponent. In Japan, a backdrop is the term for what is called a belly-to-back suplex in America, so in Japan, it is called shoulder throw.Mountain bomb
Innovated by Hiroyoshi Tenzan. This move sees the opponent runs towards the wrestler. The wrestler ducks, hooks one of the opponent's legs with one of their arms, stands up and falls backwards, flipping the opponent and driving them back first down to the mat, with the wrestler landing on top of the opponent.Biel throw
The wrestler stands slightly to the side of their opponent, grabs the opponent by the nape in a single or double collar tie, and throws them forward, causing the opponent to flip over onto their back. It is considered a very basic technique, so basic that a forward rolling fall is commonly called a biel bump and is mainly used by very large wrestlers to emphasize power and strength over finesse.Brainbuster
A brainbuster is a move in which a wrestler puts their opponent in a front facelock, hooks their tights, and lifts them up as if they were performing a vertical suplex. The wrestler then either jumps up or quickly falls onto their back so that the opponent lands on their head while remaining vertical.Bulldog
A bulldog, originally known as bulldogging or a bulldogging headlock or the headlock jawbreaker, is any move in which the wrestler grabs an opponent's head and jumps forward, so that the wrestler lands, often in a sitting position, and drives the opponent's face into the mat. This move plus some other variations are sometimes referred to as facebusters.The wrestler applies a Cobra Clutch and then leaps forward, falling into a sitting position and driving the face of the opponent into the ground.Diving bulldog
The wrestler jumps from the turnbuckle behind the opponent, then applies a headlock, driving the opponent's face into the mat. Popularized by Rick Steiner. It is also used by Trevor Murdoch as a finisher.Also known as a Diving Famouser. The wrestler [|springboards] off one of the ropes or jumps from the top turnbuckle, dropping a leg across the nape of a leaning forward opponent. This was popularized by both Billy Gunn and John Cena as one of their signature moves. Carmelo Hayes currently uses this move under the name ''Nothing But Net.''The attacking wrestler picks up the opponent in a fireman's carry. The wrestler then proceeds by holding their opponent's legs with one arm and applying a headlock with their other arm in a similar fashion to an Air Raid Crash. From here, the attacking wrestler twists the opposite way and quickly switches back, throwing the opponent's legs out backwards and drops down to the mat while holding the opponent's head, forcing them to fall face first into a bulldog position. This variation was used and popularized by TNA wrestler James Storm, who dubbed it the Eight Second Ride.This variation begins with the wrestler holding the opponent in a full nelson. The wrestler then leaps forward into a sitting position, driving the opponent face-first. The move was popularized by Jillian Hall.Half nelson bulldog
The wrestler hooks a half nelson hold on their opponent with one arm and their opponent's waist with the other, then leaps forward into a sitting position, driving the face of the opponent into the ground. This move is a signature of Edge, who calls it Winning Edge.Inverted bulldog
The attacking wrestler stands side-to-side and slightly behind the opponent, facing in the opposite direction, then leaps in the air and drops to a seated position, driving the opponent neck- and back-first to the mat. In another variation, the attacker runs to the opponent and executes the move. This is usually referred to as a lariat takedown.A version that involves the wrestler placing one knee against the base of a bent over opponent's neck, then dropping to force the opponent down to the mat, landing on the opponent's upper body. There is also a [|diving version].Leg drop bulldog
The wrestler jumps in the air and uses one leg to push down on the head of an opponent who is leaning forward, which drives the opponent face-first into the mat. The move was innovated by Johnny Ace, calling it the Ace Crusher II, popularized by Billy Gunn, who called it the Famouser Nic Nemeth/Dolph Ziggler used the move as well. Marty Jannetty performed a version of the move where he applied a wristlock to the opponent first, which became known as the Rocker Dropper. Kelly Kelly later adopted the same variation as her finishing maneuver, calling it K2.Inverted leg drop bulldog
An inverted version of this sees the attacking wrestler drop the opponent on the back of their head, as done in a reverse bulldog. This can be achieved by first holding an opponent in an inverted facelock or by simply grabbing the opponent and forcibly leaning them back before lifting their far leg, rotating so the leg is over the opponent's head, and dropping to a sitting position, kneeling, or a split-legged position and maintained into a pin. WWE wrestler Melina popularized this move.