Who invented this move? #1

Some catches are so common in the world of wrestling, you can get the impression that they have always been there. But today, I'm going to present to you some moves and their origins.

Note that some holds have unclear origins, and several people present themselves as the creator of some holds. So this will be the subject of a different post.

Anaconda Vice

Just as CM Punk did not invent Go To Sleep, CM Punk did not invent Anaconda Vice either. Punk loves Japanese wrestling, and so he took a submission move from one of the biggest names in the NJPW in the early 2000s, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, among other accolades, multiple times winner of the G1 Climax and holder of the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Camel Clutch

Ah the Camel Clutch. The stereotypical submission move of the evil foreigner. Many of you probably already know that the hold was created by Gory Guerrero, Eddie's father. Except that the name doesn't come from him. Gory called this take "La de caballo" or Horse-mounting choke in English. But where does the name Camel Clutch come from? The Sheik, also known as Ed Farhat and not to be confused with the Iron Sheik.

Cattle Mutilation

Although it is not often used as a finisher these days, Cattle Mutilation remains one of my favourite submission maneuvers. Although it was introduced to the WWE by Daniel Bryan, its inventor was the Great Muta, who also invented the Muta Lock, which was used by Emma, among others. The Great Muta, or Keiji Mutoh, is not just one of the greatest Japanese wrestlers in history, he is one of the greatest wrestlers of all time. A name with a timeless style.

Claw

Whether it's the Mandible Claw, Shoulder Claw or Stomach Claw, it's not a very popular submission move, but it's still one of those wrestling attacks that will always be present. And who was the first to use it? Baron von Raschke, a star of the 70s who in kayfabe came from West , but actually comes from Nebraska. His Claw was the "Brain Claw", where he pressed the face with his hand.

Dragon Sleeper

It won't surprise anyone who really knows me, but I love the Dragon Sleeper. Simple, effective, and easy to combine with other moves. So it should come as no surprise to anyone that I also love its inventor, Tatsumi Fujinami. And yes we see a lot of Japanese in this list and it's not over yet. Fujinami was simply the face of NJPW in the 80's, and the only person to have won both the NWA and the IWGP Heavyweight Championships.

Figure Four Leglock

You might think that Ric Flair invented this one, but just as he wasn't the first Nature Boy, he wasn't the first to use this plug. Indeed, the gimmick and the hold comes from Buddy Rogers, known to be the first WWWF champion, as well as a big name in the 40's and 50's, one of the most influential wrestlers in history.

Hammerlock

The Hammerlock, you may not recognise the name, it is when the wrestler holds his opponent's arm behind his back. One of those transitional attacks that form the basics that every wrestler must know how to do. This hold was invented by Ed Lewis, better known for inventing Sleeper Hold in the 1910s. Yes we go back a long way.

Kimura Lock

One of the most iconic techniques of Judo, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the world of MMA, Brock Lesnar introduced it to the WWE, but its inventor, one of the greatest judokas in history, also wrestled. Indeed, Masahiko Kimura participated in the 1950s in almost 40 matches in the United States, Japan, Mexico and Spain.

Koji Clutch

The submission move of Sami Zayn and Io Shirai, like the previous attack, this one takes its name from its inventor, Koji Kanemoto, one of the most important Junior Heavyweights of the last 30 years. The 3rd Tiger Mask is a household name in Puroresu. I invite you to find out more about him.

Octopus Hold

Or Octopus Stretch, this move is associated with agile and relatively small wrestlers like AJ Lee or Akira Tozawa. It is therefore surprising to see that it was a heavyweight like Antonio Inoki, the founder of the NJPW, who invented this hold.

Sharpshooter

A hold widely associated with Harts and Canadians, it is therefore easy to assume that it was a Hart who invented the mpve. No it wasn't Bret Hart who did it. So did Stu do it? No, he didn’t. Its inventor was Riki Choshu. The inventor of Sasori-gatame is one of the biggest names in Japanese wrestling, a highly respected name in the land of the rising sun, which has trained some of the best wrestlers today.

Straight Jacket

Goku-raku-gatame looks like nothing nowadays, but for years it was one of the most feared moves in Japan, thanks to its inventor, Jinsei Shinzaki, or Hakushi. A wrestler criminally underrated in the West and yet so important in the development of modern cruiserweights.

Surfboard

Also called the Romero Special, with a name like that it seems clear who invented it. Yet I bet most of you have never heard of Rito Romero, who was the coach of Mil Mascaras and Gory Guerrero. One of the pillars of Lucha Libre

Texas Cloverleaf

Its origin is a little disputed by some, but most agree that it was invented by Dory Funk Jr., better known as Terry Funk's brother. This reputation diminishes the career of one of the biggest names of the 60's and 70's, who had matches that are still worth watching today.