Most Effective Submission Finishers

Wrestling has been a beloved combat sport for centuries, and submission holds have always been an essential aspect of the game. Wrestlers strive to lock their opponents in debilitating maneuvers, forcing them to submit in defeat. While some submission finishers are more effective than others, many of the greatest wrestling stars of all time have at least one major submission move.

Major holds have caused countless wrestlers to tap out, scream in agony, and beg for mercy. Like most wrestling moves, some submission moves are in class on their own, while others are as common as the WWE Hall of Famer’s Flair Chop. This list will rank the most devastating submission finishers in the history of wrestling.

UPDATE: 2024/04/25 11:30 EST BY BENJAMIN VIEIRA

Submission wrestling is an art all its own in professional wrestling. It requires a lot of skill to make a submission move look painful. While some of the best moves were employed by technical wrestlers, submissions have been used by virtually everyone in the business. Bret Hart, Bryan Danielson, Dean Malenko, and more were all able to lock-in moves with ease. However, not every submission is able to bring on the pain. But, when executed just right, a fantastic submission hold is one of the most powerful moves in anyone’s arsenal. They can help end rivalries, win title matches, and put on some of the best professional wrestling matches of all time.

10 Many Wrestlers Have Executed Great Full Nelsons

It’s An Unbreakable Submission

• The Full Nelson is a hold where wrestlers secure their arms under and opponents arms.
• They lock their fingers at the opponent’s neck.
• Bobby Lashley and Chris Masters helped to popularize it.

A popular hold used as a finisher is the Full Nelson, which involves a wrestler’s arms passing under their opponent’s arms, while their hands meet at the opponent’s neck.

Throughout the years, WWE wrestlers have creatively named their Full Nelson finishers, adding to the hold’s prestige and allure. Bobby Lashley and Chris Masters helped the move become known as one of the most unbreakable submission moves in the history of WWE and wrestling.

9 Dean Malenko’s Texas Cloverleaf Was One Of His 1,000 Holds

It Has Been Adopted By Sheamus

• Malenko was a highly decorated wrestler throughout his career.
• It was effective in both WCW and WWE.
• It is a spin on a Sharpshooter.

Ranked among the top submissions in WCW and WWE history, the Texas Cloverleaf, one of Malenko’s infamous 1,000 holds, was a punishing maneuver akin to Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter. It contorts the legs of the opponent and applies pressure while in a seated position.

The hold has proven effective as both Malenko and Sheamus have defeated countless foes with their excruciating grip. It’s also one of the most respected submission moves in the history of wrestling thanks to the Iceman.

8 The Walls of Jericho Were Utilized By Y2J For Years

It Was One Of His Original Finishers

• Jericho has been using this move for decades.
• He is known for utilizing a plethora of different finishers.
• He often uses the Judas Effect in AEW instead of the Walls of Jericho.

Chris Jericho is more known for his usage of the Judas Effect in AEW today. However, this does not diminish the effectiveness of his signature submission move, The Walls Of Jericho, which remains one of the most powerful finishers in professional wrestling.

The move involves an intense application of pressure on the human body, with Jericho’s 245-pound weight and knee positioning making it particularly devastating. Despite his penchant for inventing new finishers, Jericho’s original move continues to be his most impressive.

7 Brock Lesnar’s Kimura Lock Was Brought In From The UFC

It Looked Legit

• Lesnar competed in the UFC from 2008-2011 and 2016-2018.
• He is a former UFC Heavyweight Champion.
• Lesnar broke both Triple H and Shawn Michaels’ arms with the Kimura Lock.

Upon his return in 2012, Brock Lesnar unleashed a limb-mangling spree in the WWE, using his inspired techniques from his days in the UFC to apply the famed Kimura Lock on some of the biggest stars in the business. With his legit athlete credibility and general aggression, Lesnar can lock an opponent’s arm before pulling their torso in a move that looks fatal.

He regained some heat after losing his comeback match by breaking Triple H’s arm on RAW and later crippled Shawn Michaels with the same hold before submitting and rebreaking Triple H’s bad arm at SummerSlam 2012. Though Lesnar’s submission-based offense has been overshadowed by the ‘Suplex City’ meme, his favorite torture hold still receives a big pop and was a well-established credibility booster that is virtually unbreakable.

6 The Camel Clutch Ended A Legendary WWE Title Reign

The Iron Sheik Made The Move Popular

• The Iron Sheik used the Camel Clutch to become WWE Champion.
• It has become a very popular submission hold.
• Miro, Scott Steiner, Sabu, and more have all used the Camel Clutch.

The Camel Clutch is an iconic move known for its pivotal role in ending Bob Backlund’s long-standing title reign. Backlund’s manager threw in the towel to forfeit the championship when he deemed the move too risky for his client’s safety. It was the moment The Iron Sheik launched the move into the top tier of all submission finishers.

The Clutch involves the attacker mounting the victim’s back and pulling their chin backward while trapping their arms. Scott Steiner reintroduced the move as “The Steiner Recliner,” and Miro also used it to dominate opponents.

5 The Crossface Applies A Lot Of Pressure On An Opponent

It Is Also Known As The LeBell Lock

• The move was created by Gene LeBell.
• Bryan Danielson has employed it as his submission finisher.
• It has also been used by Adam Copeland and Bayley.

The cross-face, known by various names, including the LeBell Lock, originated from Gene LeBell, a renowned professional wrestler. This hold gained prominence as it was even once used to crown a WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 30 by Bryan Danielson.

Today, Danielson continues to employ this technique, rebranded at AEW, to subdue opponents by putting immense pressure on their necks and arm. Adam Copeland also relaunched his career using the cross-face. It’s a fan favorite and one of the best all-time submission moves.

4 Bruno Sammartino’s Bearhug Made A Rest Hold Look Vicious

He Was The Best Wrestler To Utilize It

• Sammartino held the WWE World Heavyweight Title for seven years.
• He had phenomenal grappling skills.
• Other wrestlers have used the move over the years, but not as a finisher.

Bruno Sammartino was an intense and charismatic wrestler who was able to make the bearhug, a common rest hold, seem like a deadly finishing move. Despite often being smaller than his opponents, he used his superior grappling skills and strength to trap and crush them with the bearhug, which left crowds wild with excitement.

Sammartino’s seven-year reign as WWE World Heavyweight Champion was characterized by frequent betrayals from friends turned enemies, and he used the bearhug to defeat many of his opponents, including the massive ‘Big Cat’ Ernie Ladd. Although many wrestlers have used the bearhug over the years, none have made it as effective or thrilling as Sammartino.

3 The Ankle Lock Looks Painful

It Is A Devastating Submission Hold

• Ken Shamrock introduced the move into WWE.
• Kurt Angle would apply extra pressure by being on the ground with the hold applied.
• Chad Gable has used the move as well and has gained comparisons to Angle.

The Ankle Lock, a move introduced by Ken Shamrock, is known for inflicting intense pain on a prone opponent’s ankle. It helped elevate Shamrock into the WWE Championship picture briefly during his WWE run.

Kurt Angle later adopted the Ankle Lock, making it one of the most devastating moves in TNA and WWE history. Chad Gable has also utilized the move, and it’s one of the most protected moves when used as a finisher in wrestling.

2 The Figure-Four Was Popularized By Ric Flair

It Helped Flair Win Countless World Titles

• Flair always put on a show when applying the move.
• Flair is recognized by WWE as a 16-time world champion.
• Charlotte Flair uses a modified version of the move.

Ric Flair has established his place in the annals of wrestling history, being inducted into two separate Halls of Fame. His finishing move, the Figure-Four Leg Lock, is closely intertwined with his legacy, as his flamboyant showmanship gave the submission an entertainment value that few other holds can match.

With his reputation as one of the greatest performers of all time, it is no surprise that the Figure-Four has claimed victories over even the most revered legends, causing them to tap out or even pass out from the excruciating pain it inflicts. The move helped Flair become a 16-time world champion.

1 Bret Hart’s Sharpshooter / Sting’s Scorpion Deathlock Are Both Excellent

They Used The Same Move With Their Own Twists

• Sting and Bret Hart used the same submission.
• It has also been adopted by wrestlers such as The Rock, Trish Stratus, and Natalya.
• Hart and Sting wrestled each and traded the move against each other while in WCW.

While Sting’s Scorpion Deathlock was effective and put the move on the map in North America, Bret Hart’s version of the Sharpshooter was the ultimate. Hart, known as ‘The Excellence of Execution,’ executed the move with technical precision and made it his dominant finisher.

Unlike other wrestlers who used the move, Hart always locked it in tight and made it look incredibly painful. His version of the Sharpshooter was done to perfection, making it difficult to find a better one. While Sting’s standing version may have looked more painful, the two mastered the Sharpshooter as a dominant and devastating submission move.