Who is the master of the ankle lock?

[It's Damn Real!]

Obviously pulled from the world of MMA, the ankle lock was really popularized in pro-wrestling when Ken Shamrock made the jump from the world of MMA to the world of pro-wresting back in the late 90's, though the move itself had been used previously for decades prior.

Being the first of his kind to make that MMA to pro-wreslting jump so successfully, Ken Shamrock is often credited as the origin of the move, and by some as the best to utilize it, but I'd say it's safe to say he's got plenty of competition in guys like Kurt Angle, and perhaps even Jack Swagger. Since then, we've seen a number of wrestlers utilize it, some more popular then others, but the real question is, who did it best? Who executed it best? Who made it look most believable?

 

[Lou134K]

i am a big TNA hater but i have to go with kurt angle because he made it look as if he wanted to break their ankle ken shamrock was good but doesnt compare to kurt

 

[Wullief23]

Kurt Angle is the best at the ankle lock. Jack Sttttthhhhhhwagger could'nt lace Kurt's boots, and the sooner Kurt comes back, Angle slam's Swagger and put's the Ankle/Angle lock on him the better!!

 

[greg_74]

Without a doubt it has got to be Kurt Angle, but Ken Shamrock did look like he wanted to actually snap guys' ankles with the look on his face.

 

[Krobra]

Ken Shamrock may be the father of the Ankle Lock, but Kurt Angle is the master of the Ankle Lock. Jack Swagger looks great using the Ankle Lock, reminds me a lot about Kurt Angle. Give another 5 years, and Jack Swagger will be like Kurt Angles step son or something. Maybe even shave his head. Hopefully not, but we'll see what Swagger is all about in the near future.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I would have to say Kurt Angle

As much as I like Ken Shamrock, and prefer how he applied the basic anklelock move, the way Angle can lock in the submission from almost any position makes him the master of the Anklelock in my eyes.

Swagger suits the move too, I hope we keep seeing him use it, as the combination of a submission finisher and a power finsher(Swaggers gutwrench powerbomb) is always something I like seeing

 

[jccool420]

Shamrock used it better as a finisher IMO... When he snapped it on, it was the end of the match... There was no reversals or getting to the ropes... If there were, they were very rare...

But, Angle perfected the move by coming up with different variations in which to lock it in....

Swagger shouldn't even be mentioned... I like him as a wrestler, but they shouldn't have him try to be the next Kurt Angle... I hate how TNA haters always make fun of TNA for people imitating other wrestlers or reusing old storylines, but you hardly ever hear people bitch about WWE making Swagger a damn Kurt Angle clone... I'm just waiting for him to come out drinking milk and saying "It's True"

 

[It's Damn Real!]

I'm going against the grain with the consensus here, and I'm going with Shamrock. While I love Angle (the guy is the reason for my handle, FFS), and while he was incredibly innovative with the move by really putting a spotlight on it as a set-up to his match finishes, and at times using it as the actual finisher, the way Shamrock used his lock was downright brutal – he looked as though he was ready to snap the ankle, literally, and that scream on his face was as primordial as primordial gets.

 

[Optimist Prime]

Even though I've never been a fan of certain submission moves (the Ankle Lock is one of them), I don't think you could say anybody but Ken Shamrock did it the best though.

Ken Shamrock...[big gap]...Kurt Angle...[big gap]...Jack Swagger

 

[The People's Peep]

This is really close. Swagger isnt in this close match up thought. It close between Shamrock and Angle.

I'm going to go with Ken Shamrock. First off, he was the first. That gives him a big advantage for me. There are manuevers that are originated by one guy, but used better by another, but Shamrock used the hold greatly. If I remember correctly, Ken rarely dropped down and wrapped the leg like Angle does. It shows his strength and how devastating it was when he used it. Angle uses it about as good as you can, but I still have to give it to Shamrock.

 

[SpoodBeest]

Kurt Angle gets my nod, I know Shamrock may have been the first and had arguably the most brutal applying technique, Angle made the submission famous. Many wrestling fans today if you bring up ankle lock I am sure Kurt Angle will be the first one brought to mind. In my opinion he also locked it in far better than Shamrock. And when he wanted to be brutal, he could make you believe that his ankle lock was the most crippling submission that was used on any wrestler. His matches were basically set up around him getting the ankle lock on his opponents (while the same could be said for Shamrock) I think the crowd just cared more when Kurt was setting up for it. Once those straps came down follwing the Olympic Slam, you knew what was coming. It was also this move that made Angle's matches that more exciting in my mind. Kurt Angle is the master of the ankle lock, it's as simple as that.

 

[Savion83]

This thread angers me for some reason?

Ken Shamrock brought the ankle into pro wrestling. And is a legit tough guy outside of the ring. Shamrock knew that he could have really broke anyones ankle if he really wanted to. And how isn't Ken Shamrock the master of the ankle lock or should I say, how is Kurt Angle better with the ankle lock than Ken Shamrock??

No disrespect to Kurt Angle, but he comes from the world of amateur wrestling. While Ken Shamrock is a icon in the world of MMA/UFC. So there's no real comparion here. There both did a great job with the ankle lock submission hold! There shouldn't be a "who did it better" thread. The holds the hold.

And as far as Jack Swagger goes. He needs to find another submission hold. Like the Brock-Lock for a guy his size.

 

[FunKay the Inevitable]

Swagger is out of his league here so it goes straight down to two. Shamrock or Angle? Angle has used the move for a longer period of time (Ten Years Now) and it's his finisher. Shamrock on the other hand was their first with the hold, has that MMA background, meaning he would know how to use such a move and it was his finisher as well.

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Apologies for the Sucky Quality​

Looking at both, I'm still not 100% convinced either way, but I have to say that Angle (with the leg bar slapped on as well) does seem to torque the ankle of his opponent more, where as Shamrock would twist the ankle to a damn right awkward position. Both variations hurt like hell. I'm going to have to give it to Shamrock. He gets the win just due to the sheer effort he would put into making his opponent submit to that one move.

 

[I_Am_Electro_Boy]

Kurt Angle is the master of the Ankle Lock, although Ken Shamrock was the first to use the move Kurt can pull out the move from anywhere, I think Swagger is doing pretty good with the Ankle Lock as well. But Angle makes it look so good and as I said he can pull it out of nowhere which nobody else can, which makes him the master.

 

[hArdyPUNKmArk]

Kurt Angle is by far the master of the Ankle Lock. He’s used is so successfully throughout the years and has made it his move. As someone posted earlier, Shamrock may be the father of the lock but Angle is the master.

Swagger is looking good using it and it’s adding a lot to his gimmick/character and I hope he continues to utilise it but it’s Angle’s move and Swagger has nothing on Angle yet. Maybe one day we could see the 2 go at it but for me this was an easy choice. Angle’s Ankle Lock FTW.

 

[Hazardous]

I'm going against the grain with the consensus here, and I'm going with Shamrock. While I love Angle (the guy is the reason for my handle, FFS), and while he was incredibly innovative with the move by really putting a spotlight on it as a set-up to his match finishes, and at times using it as the actual finisher, the way Shamrock used his lock was downright brutal – he looked as though he was ready to snap the ankle, literally, and that scream on his face was as primordial as primordial gets.

IDR, we may not see eye-to-eye on a lot, but this is one time when I agree 100%. The way Shamrock applied that move, the look on his face, everything. It made me think he was going to snap the guy's ankle off. For some people, when you hear ankle lock, Angle comes to mind. Not for me. I think Shamrock, only due to the fact that he was one of my favorites at that time. I watched UFC back then, and was well aware of his background in using moves like this. A lot of modern fans who only started watching either UFC or WWE after the fact, see shamrock as the shell of his former self. But if you go back and watch Shamrock in his prime, there is no way Angle's got him beat on this one. Someone mentioned that Angle had been using it longer. So? If Shamrock stayed in wrestling, he'd still be using it too, lenght of time doesn't matter, but rather the look when it was put on. What looked more real, like it hurt more? For that reason alone, I go with Shamrock.

 

[excel_excel]

Gotta say for pure intensity, Angle's lock beats Shamrock's. The way his face would look when he'd grab that ankle, plus I felt by far Angle debuted the move far stronger, doing the whole breaking Scotty's ankle story line.

 

[The Raven's Epitaph]

Jack Swagger doesn't even come close to how Kurt Angle and Ken Shamrock executed the move. Ken and Kurt legitemately wanted to instill pain into their opponents. Jack Swagger just does the move because it's something else to add to his moveset. Lets face facts here, Jack Swagger doesn't have the most "interesting" moveset does he?