Pro-wrestling is a bit strange. As it is classified under "sports entertainment", you can get away with exaggerating certain aspects of it in order to add to the drama. For an example of this, look no further than the moves superstars perform inside the squared circle.
If you compare these moves from the WWE or any other pro-wrestling organisation to what goes on in the world of MMA, then you can immediately spot the difference. Fairly harmless looking moves in the ring can cause some major damage inside the octagon.
There is a very good reason why MMA fighters approach each fight with an incredible level of preparation – both physically and mentally.
It's not like wrestling where you can perform four days a week without any lasting damage. Fighters in the UFC, for example, take a few months off between fights in order to recuperate and prepare for their next opponents.
So, with that in mind, we take a look at 5 pro-wrestling moves which would almost certainly knock out MMA fighters inside the octagon:
#1 Superkick
The Superkick is one of the most iconic moves in pro-wrestling. Made famous by the inimitable Heart Break Kid, Shawn Michaels, the kick is considered one of the most devastating finishers of the last couple of decades.
More recently, though, Dolph Ziggler hasn't been using it with the same level of excellence, whereas The Young Bucks have been making a mockery of the move over in New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring of Honor.
Also read: 5 Pro-wrestling moves that CM Punk could have used to win his UFC fight
While all this is great in wrestling, there is no real damage done to the opponent. If an MMA fighter took a kick like this to the face, though, it would be lights out, without a shadow of a doubt.
#2 Superman Punch
Right, let's just get all the "Supers” out of the way, eh? Roman Reigns’ over-used and utterly useless Superman Punch has bored audiences for years now and I'm sure everyone wishes he would just stop doing the move and that Michael Cole would just stop trying to sell it like Reigns is Ali.
Despite the obvious disgust pro-wrestling fans have for the move, it's different in the world of MMA. Fighters in the UFC and other promotions have their own version of the Superman Punch – which incidentally is called the same thing – but with more spectacular results.
Fighters don't always land the move, but when they do, it is a spectacular view for anyone watching, as their opponent just crumbles to the floor. Check this out:
#3 Running Knee
The Running Knee is a pretty common move in the WWE. A lot of wrestlers use it on a regular basis, although, Triple H has made it one of his signature moves, while Shinsuke Nakamura uses a variation of it as his finisher, the Kinshasa.
Barring these exceptions, nobody really gets excited by the whole running knee business in pro-wrestling, but that is not so in MMA. As Yoel Romero proved against Chris Weidman, a knee to the face is something that really should be feared.
Ask anyone in MMA and they will all tell you the same thing: Keep your face away from your opponent's knee. Or else, you might just end up getting knocked out into next year like Chris Weidman was.
Seriously, words just don't do it justice. Here, take a look at the sheer brutality involved as The Soldier of God Yoel Romero nearly kills Weidman with this move:
#4 KO Punch
Let's get one thing straight. Big Show's KO Punch is a joke. It is an absolute abomination of a move that should have never been introduced in the first place and it makes everyone severely underestimate exactly what a KO punch is and how much it can ruin your life.
Ask the MMA community what a KO punch is and they'll point you to a Dan Henderson fight or show you Anthony 'Rumble’Johnson laying out Glover Teixeira. A Knockout Punch is one of the most devastating things in Mixed Martial Arts. Don't believe me? Here, check this out:
#5 Enzuigiri
The Enzuigiri is a pretty cool move. It's a staple for most of the cruiserweights and is used quite regularly by a lot of big name pro-wrestlers such as AJ Styles and Alberto del Rio. A kick to the back of the head can have devastating consequences, though.
In pro-wrestling, the move is generally used to get a pop out of the crowd and nothing more than that. It's not really a signature move or a finisher for any wrestler on the roster – be it in the WWE, NJPW. ROH or any other promotion.
But, if you take the impact of the move and put it in a real life setting in the MMA, it becomes a different kind of monster. Kick knockouts are some of the most exciting inside an octagon, and as Stephen 'Wonderboy’ Thompson has proven, they can lay you out, even if they just graze you.
So, just imagine what would happen if someone took a full impact kick to the back of the head? I'll tell you what would happen: Knockout.
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