10 Bizarre Wrestling Conventions We All Take For Granted

Ever since they were popularised by the likes of Jimmy 'Superfly' Snuka, moves from the top rope have become commonplace in today’s wrestling scene. Even heavyweights such as John Cena and even The Big Show have been known to ascend to the top turnbuckle and pull out a high-flying move on occasion.

Obviously, having a grown man land on you from several feet in the air is going to do some damage, likely to both bodies involved. It seems, however, that doing a flip, rotating, or moving your limbs like a frog in mid-air somehow makes these moves more powerful. The Moonsault, Shooting Star Press, 450 Splash, and Frog Splash all end up much the same way, with the attacking wrestler landing stomach first on the victim. However, these are rarely portrayed as being equal in effectiveness.

A general rule of thumb is that the more athletic and spectacular a move looks, the more likely it is to put an opponent down. A “standard” frog splash rarely ends a match, but take Neville’s Red Arrow for instance. Without a doubt, one of the most impressive and difficult moves to pull off, and it’s hardly ever kicked out of. Does the rotational force make the splash more damaging? It seems so.