Submission Wrestling Holds

Submission wrestling holds are some of the most fascinating and revered maneuvers to pro-wrestling fans worldwide. It takes great skill to perform such moves, and without seriously injuring one's opponent, at that.

1. Figure four leglock. Probably most famously performed by Ric Flair and Greg "The Hammer" Valentine, the figure four leglock is a submission maneuver in which a wrestler locks his or her opponent's legs with their own, putting pressure on the individual's knee. It is a hold of which, if the person locked in it turns over, will hurt the person who originally performed it.
2. Sleeper hold. A fairly simple submission wrestling hold, the sleeper requires a wrestler to lock their arms over an opponent's head, chin and sometime neck. This move causes the individual locked in it to become drowsy and lose consciousness.
3. Sharpshooter. The submission hold made most famous by the legendary Bret "The Hitman" Hart, the Sharpshooter requires a wrestler to step between his or her opponent's legs, turn them over and lock the legs around their own while bending slightly back and holding them. Third-generation wrestler, also Hart's niece, Natalya Neidhart, currently utilizes this hold in her impressive arsenal.
4. Crossface. The hold most people associate with the late, great Chris Benoit, the Crossface is a submission maneuever performed while one's opponent is belly-down on the canvas, and the person performing it locks their arms across the jaw of their opponent. At the same time, the downed wrestler's arm is locked between the deliverer's legs. It is one of the most painful-looking submission wrestling holds in history.
5. Cobra Clutch. Made famous by The Iron Sheik, this submission move requires a wrestler to sit on their opponent's back, clasping their hands over and pulling at the person's jaw. It bends the opponent backward to an extent and appears painful.
6. Boston Crab. While performing this submission maneuver, a wrestler has to grab his or her opponent by their leg's and turn them over onto their stomach. They then bend slightly back, putting pressure on their opponent's thighs and knees. Chris Jericho does this hold and calls it the "Walls of Jericho.
7. STF. This submission hold has a wrestler laying on their stomach while the individual performing it locks their legs and places their ankles between their thighs. At the same time, the wrestler doing the hold locks their hands over their opponent's face, pulling the head slightly back.  Former WWE diva Jazz and John Cena are both known for using this maneuver in their arsenals.
8. Dragon Sleeper. This hold is performed when a wrestler gets behind his or her opponent and hooks one arm around the individual's head in an inverted facelock and the other around one of their arms. The wrestler then pulls the head back, putting added pressure on the neck and head.
9. Body Scissors. This submission hold requires an opponent to be down on the canvas on their back. A wrestler wraps and locks his or her legs around the individual's torso and squeezes, forcing the downed opponent to try to power out of it or break the grasp of the legs.
10. Surfboard. A wrestler can perform this maneuver when their opponent is sitting on the canvas. He or she would get behind them and pull their arms back and out, putting strain on the shoulders. This submission hold forces a wrestler to power their way out.