From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (January 2007) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

A stunner is a common term in professional wrestling referring to the sitout three-quarter facelock jawbreaker maneuver. It involves an attacking wrestler applying a three-quarter facelock (reaching back and grabbing the head of an opponent, thus pulling the opponent's jaw above the wrestler's shoulder) before falling to a seated position and forcing the opponent's jaw to drop down on the shoulder of the attacking wrestler. The free hand is sometimes used to hold the top of the head.

The original move was used by Mikey Whipwreck, who called it the Whipper-snapper, in Extreme Championship Wrestling where he even jumped off a top turnbuckle to initiate the move. However, it was most popularly used by Stone Cold Steve Austin, who called it the Stone Cold Stunner, from where the term "stunner" is derived. Austin often preceded his stunner by giving an opponent the finger before kicking them in the gut and locking in the three-quarter facelock.

The stunner was innovated by Whipwreck as a variation of another professional wrestling move known as the cutter, where the move sees an attacking wrestler cinch up the facelock but, instead of falling to a seated position, drops onto their back, forcing the opponent to fall face-first onto the mat below. Most, if not all, stunner variations can be modified for this bulldog move.

Contents 1 Variations 1.1 Elevated stunner 1.1.1 TKO 1.1.2 Piggyback stunner 1.1.3 Vertical suplex stunner 1.2 Osaka Stunner 1.3 Twist of Fate 1.4 Rolling stunner 2 See also

With an opponent placed on an elevated surface, a wrestler applies a three-quarter facelock and then draws the opponent away, leaving only the opponent's feet over the elevated surface. The wrestler then falls to a seated position so that the opponent is forced to dive forward across the shoulder of the attacking wrestler. This is believed to have more impact due to the angle of which the opponent is dropped.

The elevated stunner can also be performed as a double-team move.

The Total Knock Out (TKO) is an elevated stunner variation in which the opponent is first raised over the shoulders of a wrestler in the fireman's carry position. From here, the attacking wrestler throws the legs of the opponent out backwards and drops down to the mat while taking hold of the opponent's head to force them to fall into the stunner.

The name originally referred to the cutter variation. The name has since been used to refer to both types.

In this elevated stunner variation, the opponent is first raised up in a piggy-back position. From here, the attacking wrestler applies a three-quarter facelock and drops down to a seated position while still holding the opponent's head to force them to fall into the stunner. This move is also known by the name Backpack Stunner.

This elevated stunner first sees the attacking wrestler apply a front facelock, hook the opponent's near arm over their shoulder and lift them as for a standard vertical suplex. However, in mid-move, the attacking wrestler forces the opponent to turn 180 degrees and then apply the three-quarter facelock, forcing the opponent to drop down with their jaw across the attacking wrestler's shoulder as they fall to a seated position to hit the stunner.

Innovated and named by Super Delfin, this variation sees the wrestler apply an inverted facelock on an opponent, before hooking their tights and lifting them straight up in the air so that they are upside down. The wrestler then lets the opponent's body fall backwards over their shoulder and when the opponent's feet lands on the mat the wrestler drops to a seated position to force the opponent's jaw to drop down on the shoulder of the attacking wrestler.

The move goes by the name of "Osaka Street Cutter" on the WWE SmackDown! video game series.

In this variation, the wrestler first applies a front facelock, before pivoting 180 degrees to bring themselves into the three-quarter facelock position and dropping down to a seated position and forcing the opponent's jaw to drop down on the shoulder of the attacking wrestler. This variation was innovated by Jeff Hardy during his time in TNA.

The name, "Twist of Fate", originally referred to the cutter version. The name has since been used to refer to both types.

This version sees an attacking wrestler first place an opponent (who is in front of them) in an inverted facelock before rolling themselves under the opponent, turning both wrestlers over so that the opponent can be dropped into the stunner. This has been widely referred to as the Whipper-Snapper II due to its use, on occasion, by Mikey Whipwreck.

• Professional wrestling throws