berlinbrawler
Lovable Curmudgeon
Ever notice how many wrestling maneuvers have names that just don't make any sense? I never really questioned them because I learned those names long before I even learned to speak English, so for the most part I sidestepped the whole "why is it called that?"-phase.
With some moves it's pretty straightforward and clear. The spine-buster. The body slam. Backsuplex. Ankle lock. Head scissors. Back breaker. Leg drop. Even the figure-4-leglock makes sense.
But then there are those where you must wonder what the person who named it must have been smoking.
Granted, I can see where the clothesline gets it's name from, but isn't it kind of a silly name for such a violent strike?
How about the German Suplex? What's German about it? I'm German and even I don't have a clue. Do Germans like to attack from behind? Not really. The last time we picked a fight with other nations we were pretty straightforward about it...
Was the inventor German? But why name it after his nationality, not his name? We don't call the Lou Thesz Press the American Press, now do we?
The Grapevine Takedown. I can't even begin to guess where that name is coming from. So the opponent is the grapevine, right, and the other guy... I just don't get it. in all fairness, that move name isn't really used anymore. Today's WWE commentators certainly don't. These days it's called a Russian Leg Sweep. UGH, again with the nationalities. I get the leg sweep part, sure, but I dare say there is nothing Russian about it. Maybe if Vladimir Kozlov performed it on Nikolai Volkov...
The DDT. Yeah, I get it, sure. Clearly taking a guys head and ramming it straight into the ground is reminiscent of insecticide. Wait, what?
The Irish Whip. Not again! What's Irish here? And where the hell is the whip in this?
The Atomic Drop. Well, ok, I don't really have a problem with this one. I get what this is trying to say and it's obviously better than saying the "knee-to-ass-smash."
The Fisherman's Suplex. Whoever coined this one apparently thought the move looked like the guy was tossing out the hook, I guess. Quite the imagination.
The Bulldog. Uhm, yeah. Exactly what about taking a guy into a headlock and then jumping forward so he lands flat on his face says canine, let along that specific breed? Was it maybe invented (or renamed) by the British Bulldog? Eh, who knows.
The Schoolboy. Well, uhm, that's because... I give up.
That's all I can think of for the moment, but I'm sure there are more. Odd, isn't it, how casually we use those names without even thinking about it? There is probably a good explanation for every one of those moves.
Anyone know where some of those weird names come from?
Any more weird move names I forgot to list?
With some moves it's pretty straightforward and clear. The spine-buster. The body slam. Backsuplex. Ankle lock. Head scissors. Back breaker. Leg drop. Even the figure-4-leglock makes sense.
But then there are those where you must wonder what the person who named it must have been smoking.
Granted, I can see where the clothesline gets it's name from, but isn't it kind of a silly name for such a violent strike?
How about the German Suplex? What's German about it? I'm German and even I don't have a clue. Do Germans like to attack from behind? Not really. The last time we picked a fight with other nations we were pretty straightforward about it...
Was the inventor German? But why name it after his nationality, not his name? We don't call the Lou Thesz Press the American Press, now do we?
The Grapevine Takedown. I can't even begin to guess where that name is coming from. So the opponent is the grapevine, right, and the other guy... I just don't get it. in all fairness, that move name isn't really used anymore. Today's WWE commentators certainly don't. These days it's called a Russian Leg Sweep. UGH, again with the nationalities. I get the leg sweep part, sure, but I dare say there is nothing Russian about it. Maybe if Vladimir Kozlov performed it on Nikolai Volkov...
The DDT. Yeah, I get it, sure. Clearly taking a guys head and ramming it straight into the ground is reminiscent of insecticide. Wait, what?
The Irish Whip. Not again! What's Irish here? And where the hell is the whip in this?
The Atomic Drop. Well, ok, I don't really have a problem with this one. I get what this is trying to say and it's obviously better than saying the "knee-to-ass-smash."
The Fisherman's Suplex. Whoever coined this one apparently thought the move looked like the guy was tossing out the hook, I guess. Quite the imagination.
The Bulldog. Uhm, yeah. Exactly what about taking a guy into a headlock and then jumping forward so he lands flat on his face says canine, let along that specific breed? Was it maybe invented (or renamed) by the British Bulldog? Eh, who knows.
The Schoolboy. Well, uhm, that's because... I give up.
That's all I can think of for the moment, but I'm sure there are more. Odd, isn't it, how casually we use those names without even thinking about it? There is probably a good explanation for every one of those moves.
Anyone know where some of those weird names come from?
Any more weird move names I forgot to list?