Looking deeper at the subject will lead to the conclusion that there are, much of the time, good reasons for these moves to be outlawed. Sometimes it’s a matter of the move being dangerous, and liable to result in injury for one or both of the performers.
Other times, the move might be associated with a controversial figure in sports entertainment, or create controversy that the promoters would wish to avoid.
Over the years there have been numerous moves outlawed by wrestling federations. Here are seven of the most famous.
#7 The Piledriver (Classic)
The piledriver is a move with many variations. There’s the classic piledriver, which involves simply sitting down backwards with your opponent inverted.
Then there’s the high spike piledriver, made famous by Mr Wonderful Paul Orndorff, which involves a jumping motion. Terry Funk made famous a version called the running Piledriver where he took several steps back before delivering it. Jerry Lynn used a cradle piledriver which looked brutal as all get out.
These days, the traditional piledriver, where one puts their stomach to their victim’s back, is almost unseen.
Why the move was banned: Many wrestlers have been injured by the move, most notably (and visibly) Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Who has banned the move: The WWE banned all piledriver variations in 2000, citing safety concerns. Undertaker and Kane were ‘grandfathered,’ meaning they were allowed to continue using the move as it was a signature and they were using it before the ban.
Most independent promotions do not ban the piledriver but discourage its use except among the most elite of competitors. Notably, Ring of Honor allows all versions of the Piledriver, but even there its use is rare.
#6 The Burning Hammer
A move that could only come from Japan’s ‘Strong Style’ adherents, the Burning Hammer is, in essence, a reverse death valley driver.
To perform the move, the executor picks up his opponent across his shoulders and then drives them down head and shoulders first onto the mat. As spectacular as it is dangerous, the move’s creator–Kenta Kobashi–only used the move seven times in his career.
Why the move was banned: The Burning Hammer is quite dangerous even for seasoned veterans to perform, but it’s not straight up banned anywhere but the WWE (see below.) Rather, the move is almost never performed because most wrestlers are not willing to take the risk.
Who has banned the move: In reality, only one major federation has banned the move–the WWE–and it’s not because of the danger involved. Rather, John Cena has insisted that no one is allowed to use the move while he is on the roster because John believes it is too close to his Attitude Adjustment finisher.
#5 Hangman’s chokehold
A move that has been a staple for big men in wrestling, the Hangman’s chokehold dates back to the early days of pro wrestling.
It is performed by grabbing the victim by the throat and lifting them into the air. The victim keeps their airway open–despite appearances to the contrary–by holding on to the executor’s forearms and hooking their thighs around their torso.
Why the move was banned: The manoeuvre isn’t the most dangerous on the list, but rather it is the connotations involved. After Chris Benoit committed murder/suicide by hanging, it is considered poor taste to use the move because it might ‘remind’ the fans of the tragedy.
Who has banned the move: WWE officially banned all choke hold type moves after the Benoit tragedy, and both ROH and TNA rarely allow its use because of the association with the fallen grappler.
#4 The Punt Kick
A move that involves straight up kicking an opponent in their head, the punt kick has only been used by one man in the western wrestling world–Randy Orton.
Randy debuted the move during his ‘Viper’ transformation when he transitioned from being the handsome blue chipper to an unrelentingly violent heel.
Why the move was banned: Orton hurt a few wrestlers for real with the move, most notably Vince McMahon. Also, the move is thought to be too easy for children to emulate and could lead to lawsuits.
Who has banned the move: The WWE disallowed Orton to use the move, though other wrestlers such as Shinsuke Nakamura are allowed to use similar strikes to the head. Similar offence to the Punt Kick can be found all over the Japanese promotions, and in heavy use in ROH and the indie scene.
#3 The Vertebreaker
One of the most insanely dangerous moves of all time, the Vertebreaker literally puts the life of the victim in the executor’s hands.
A lifting backdrop into a reverse piledriver seems crazy because it is. While the man who created the move–Hurricane Helms–never ended anyone’s career with it, the move is still considered too risky by today’s standards.
Why the move was banned: The WWE forbade Helms from using the move when he joined their federation, in spite of his successful deployment in WCW. The belief was that the WWE stars were larger on average and they questioned Helms’s ability to safely perform it. Also, it is technically a piledriver variant and therefore banned.
Where the move is banned: Only the WWE has officially banned its use, but much like the Burning Hammer you won’t find many wrestlers willing to take the dangerous bump.
#2 Package Piledrive
Similar to a piledriver from which it takes its name, the Package Piledriver ups the ante by entangling its victim’s limbs to prevent any chance to lessen its impact. While the man who made the move famous to western audiences–Kevin Owens–always performed the move safely, it is still considered too dangerous for the mainstream wrestling product.
Why the move was banned: Like all piledrivers, the move involves a straight down drop on the opponent’s head. While the executor is supposed to protect the recipient, the stakes for an accident are simply too high for major wrestling companies to allow it.
Where the move is banned: The WWE forbade Kevin Owens from using the move, forcing him to switch to the Popup Powerbomb instead. ROH allows the move but only for certain competitors.
#1 The Jacknife Powerbomb
Powerbombs are a classic big man move made popular in the west by Sid Vicious, Vader, and Kevin Nash.
While the move is a staple as much as a vertical suplex in Japan and Mexico, US promotions tend to reserve it for larger men who can perform it more safely. The move is done by hoisting one’s opponent up onto your shoulders and then driving them back down on their back and shoulders.
Why the move is banned: Currently, the move is not banned, but WCW enacted a ban on the move in 1998. Unlike other bans, this was not done for safety even though Kevin Nash badly botched the move on Paul “Big Show/Giant” Wight.
Rather, the WCW officials thought that banning the powerbomb would make a good storyline. This led to Kevin Nash being ‘arrested’ each time he used the banned move. It was also believed that with the Luchadors in the cruiserweight division performing several powerbombs in every match the move was being diminished and banning it would give Kevin Nash more heat.
Who has banned the move: To date, only WCW banned the move, and they reversed that decision when it was obvious the angle had run its course, with on-screen president JJ Dillon making a snap decision on air. WWE discourages the powerbomb except for select wrestlers who are believed to be competent and strong enough to perform it safely.
There you have it: Seven banned pro wrestling moves. What do you think the most dangerous wrestling move in the world is? Comment and let us know.
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