Technically I don’t know of anywhere that officially dictates what is or isn’t legal in professional wrestling, but here is a list of moves that have been banned by WWE or claimed by WWE broadcasters as illegal.
All of which if done with true malice can cripple or even kill in a shoot.
Spike DDT:
Made famous by Gangrel in the attitude era. This version of the already devastating DDT requires you grab the opponent in a DDT, then elevate them in the air by lifting them by the top of their pants/shorts in the air, so as to drive them like a spike directly on their head with their own body weight acting as the driving force.
Edge and Christian have both tried this move but with a much safe face first variation that levels the body out for an almost Pedigree perfect pancake effect.
While both versions are effective, there is a reason the Brood started pancaking the DDT in opposition to the much more brutal full on spike.
While Gangrel is no longer with the WWE for many years now, his entrance, and most definitively his finisher will not be forgotten.
In essence the Impaler or Spike DDT will be part of what make the Attitude Era vampire truly Immortal.
Judo Chokehold:
This move was known to most as the Tazzmission, a vicious judo choke / sleeper hold that was considered illegal when Tazz first arrived in the WWE.
It was to my recollection the most exciting sleeper because of how vicouse it looked.
While Tazz was best known as a Human Suplex Machine, it was this submission that made him a truly feared combatant in the squared circle.
Vertebreaker:
Step back, there’s a Hurricane coming through! And class, what do hurricanes do? That’s right, destroy and kill! That is exactly what this dreadful double underhook reverse piledriver will do. I mean technically the opponent gets driven on to the upper back and nearly their neck, all depending on how the victim tucks his head.
In truth if you didn’t tuck your head before you got dropped in this upside down massacre you’d likely be crippled, maimed, or dead.
I mean let us get this straight, you get bent over for a pedigree, but Helms hooks you facing the other way, then he twists you while your hooked so that you are lying on his back and he is under you with the leverage, so that when he stands up… Well you are hooked and hanging completely upside dowb with arms trapped and no way to protect yourself. Then when Helms pops in to the air and drives in a seated bump, you get slammed directly down head first with no option but to tuck your head to prevent getting spiked and get knocked out anyways cause you just got driven in a short upside down double underhooked powerbomb that devastates the neck and top of your back.
When was it used in WWE… I personally can’t remember, because it was banned early on. Anyone question why?
Reverse Death Valley Driver:
Ok so when Meat aka Shawn Stasiak did this move in the attitude era, he would make it a face bump like a Dominator. But watch this move done in Japan!
You get the guy up in a torture rack, then with out mercy drive death valley style so your hated opponent gets to roll right onto his head, neck, and shoulders.
Trulg a move that should have been stolen as a Mortal Kombat Fatality, this move has been feared and banned in multiple countries.
Alas like any good wreck you just can’t help but indulge your human nature and drive a silent sadistic pleasure from the carnage that ensues.
Tiger Driver III:
Yes a tiger driver is normally legal as Version I is just a double underhook driver, and Version II is a Sitout Double Underhook Powerbomb.
Personally I am a fan of both, but when you see Version III as a Japanese Tiger Driver… Well that is very different. I mean you may hook it and lift the opponent in a traditional double underhook powerbomb, but instead of flipping them out for a powerbomb, here you lift just high enough to get them verticle then releasing, or worse driving them down to the mat head first from a nearly perfect vertical lift.
Now your opponent will either tuck his head, or else.
Or else what? Or else he or his career dies in an instant!
Thats right if you take this blasphemous move and tuck your head, you will just miss landing on your head and get powerbombed directly on the back of your neck and top of your shoulders!
Sometimes I wonder if the Japanese really mean Death when they book a Death Match.
Piledrivers:
Yes the idea of lifting your opponent upside down and dropping him straight on his damn head is one of the oldest finishers, and certainly the most effective.
Downside, a seemingly endless set of injuries ranging from WWE to tbe Indies, from Japan to in house (fans emulating whilst disregarding the “dont try this at home” message.
Yes there is a reason this move is generally banned from WWE programming, so to end our Illegal List, here are ten variations that are sure to leave.you a few inches shorter than when you started!
Sitout Pildriver
– Used by so many greats including Lawler, Rhyno, and in the epic Raw match by CM Punk on John Cena.
Tomstone Piledriver
– The Undertaker and Kane are of course the men who really made this move popular.
Samoan Piledriver
– Also known as the Rikishi Driver also used by Bam Bam Bigelow as Greetings from Asbury Park.
Flipping Piledriver
– The Canadian destroyer has never graced WWE but is one of the prettiest and craziest piledrivers any, and when done by now retired Petey Williams it was done flawlessly and without injury.
Cradle Piledriver
– Made popular by ECW original Jerry Lynn.
Cradle Tombstone Piledriver
– What is this? A Tombstone variation made popular by Jerry Lynn again!
Double Underhook Piledriver
– This was made.popular by Kidd Kash and also a move to never hit the WWE, known as his Money Maker.
Omega Piledriver
– This move is on 2k15 but has never been in the WWE. A beautiful piledriver that amazingly enough starts out as a backdrop, simply beautiful.
Package Piledriver
– Kevin Steens legendary move, only time will tell if Kevin Owens will break this out on an nXt special!
Steiner Screwdriver Piledriver
– Possibly the most dangerous move I have ever seen, thus topping our list as a true thing of chaotic glory!
So comment below and tell us what move you think should be banned, or what move should be unbanned, don’t be shy and let you opinion be counted among the rest of the IWC!
