Aaron Hubbard
HONORABLE MENTIONS
Cobra Clutch - I've always had a soft spot for this hold, but that might have something to do with being a big fan of Ted DiBiase, who called it the Million Dollar Dream.
Ankle Lock - Great hold, but man, has Kurt devalued this as a finisher or what? You didn't see Bret apply Sharpshooters four-five times in a match.
Gory Special - As contrived a hold as you'll see on my list, but still, I love putting this hold on my cousins at family get-togethers, so I had to include it.
5.Texas Cloverleaf - The Texas Cloverleaf is awesome. It's a Sharpshooter than actually works! Most famously used by Dean Malenko, and used by about thirty others since he retired, the hold is a mixture of a Boston Crab and a figure four leglock. Honestly, if you aren't right next to the ropes, this hold should finish you. It's that awesome.
4.Walls of Jericho - I'm talking the [color:b382=blue! important][color:b382=blue! important]OLD [color:b382=blue! important]SCHOOL Walls, not the Boston Crab Jericho uses now. There's nothing wrong with the crab: if you've ever put it on or been put in one, you know that it could FUBAR your spine. But the Walls is a Boston Crab with extra crank, and it looks SICK. Shame this one fell out of favor, because I love it.
3.Figure-Four Leglock - The classic submission finisher. While I personally prefer the Complete Indian Deathlock (Triple H's version) because it's harder to escape, the figure-four is iconic. While it's changed from "certain match-ender" to "anyone can turn it over" in the last 60 or so years, it's a great hold. It is perma-over and will always be able to create drama. The Figure Four is as ingrained in wrestling as steel chairs and sleeper holds, and I don't think it will go anywhere anytime soon.
2.Crippler Crossface - BLAH BLAH BLAH HE MURDERED HIS WIFE AND CHILD BLAH BLAH BLAH YOU BASTERD BLAH BLAH BLAH DISGUSTING BLAH BLAH BLAH! I think I speak for the majority of the IWC here: I'm sick of the Benoit argument. Whatever your views are, they are probably set in stone and nobody in the "respect Benoit's accomplishments" or the "look at the whole picture" camps are trying to convince you otherwise. If you can't handle seeing Crippler without an asterisk, life's tough, get a helmet. Now, as for the hold itself, when applied properly, the hold works over the neck, shoulders, and arm of the opponent. It's a highly aesthetic hold because it can be applied in two seconds and allows you to see the faces both the guy using the hold and the guy trapped in the hold, creating genuine emotion.
1.Sharpshooter - Let's get this out of the way: the hold sucks. It's a Boston Crab that doesn't allow you to lean as far back and keep the hold on, which means you can't hurt the back as much as you could in a Crab. Second, two legs can easily overpower one arm and thus the hold is easily broken. Not to mention that it's almost impossible to apply. But this is [color:b382=blue! important][color:b382=blue! important]pro [color:b382=blue! important]wrestling, and holds don't have to work in real life. The Sharpshooter is the submission hold of choice for Bret Hart and Sting, two of the all time greats. It is synonymous with the Hart family and Canada: Owen Hart and Natalya used this hold, as did dungeon graduate Chris Benoit. Despite not being Hart-trained, [color:b382=blue! important][color:b382=blue! important]Trish [color:b382=blue! important]Stratus used the hold in her last singles match to one of the loudest pops ever. Edge has been using the hold as of late as well. Let's not forget The Rock, who used the hold first as a reference to the most famous moment in submission history (more on that in a second), used it later as a tribute to Owen, and used it throughout the rest of his career as his pet submission hold. Austin's career moment came at the hands of this hold, as he passed out from the pain, his head resting in a pool of his own blood. And less we forget, the Sharpshooter is a central part of wrestling's greatest in-ring controversy: The Montreal Screwjob. Because of the multitude of famous users and the great moments associated with it, the Sharpshooter gets my #1 pick.
