There are certain pro wrestling moves that you’d absolutely kill to see delivered in the context of an MMA fight. A Go 2 Sleep, a Hulk Hogan-style big leg drop … heck, I’d give a whole lot of money to see an MMA fighter do that thing where he pats his own elbow before delivering an elbow drop to a grounded opponent.
And then there are the pro wrestling holds that you wonder why you DON’T see them a million times in real fights. Everyone here at With Spandex loses their mind any time there’s an MMA fight with a shoot powerbomb or German suplex. It’s just exciting as hell. And it sort of outs hardcore MMA fans as secret pro wrestling enthusiasts, also, because that stuff is undeniably badass.
On Sunday night, an MMA fighter used a pro wrestling maneuver that I’ve never seen utilized in a shoot fight before, and never thought of someone using it. But after seeing it … damn, this is effective as hell. Why doesn’t EVERYONE use this? I’m referring, of course, to the noble dragon sleeper.
https://twitter.com/SecretMovesMMA/status/940061551901290497
Yep, that’s a real life dragon sleeper, all right. Innovated by Tatsumi Fujinami, popularized in the next generation by Ultimo Dragon and then in the NEXT generation by Low-Ki, among others, that’s a stone cold wrestling hold that looks like it nearly broke that poor dude’s spine when it was actually applied for real. That is cold as friggin ice.
If you’re wondering what Fujinami’s version looked like:
Oh and what the hell, here’s Ultimo’s, too. Because it’s beautiful. And so are you.
