10 Wrestling Moves That Look Like They Could Legitimately Kill You
1. Rear Naked Choke
The rising tide of MMA has seen mixed martial arts moves and gimmicks gaining traction in professional wrestling, meaning that more and more submission moves employed in wrestling become versions of legitimate Octagon finishers. Brock Lesnar's Kimura Lock, for instance, is an unforced version of a move that really would break someone's arm if fully applied.
One such move is the rear naked choke, employed by Samoa Joe (as the Coquina Clutch) among others. When legit, this particular submission doesn't end a match by inflicting pain or even breaking bones. It knocks the opponent out by cutting off blood to the brain.
It's only legal in MMA because it doesn't target the windpipe, and if it was left on there's only one result - brain death from lack of oxygen.
A fully cinched-in rear naked choke is an instant match finisher, and is usually sold as the same in a professional ring as well. In the WWE it's a particularly well-protected finishing move. In reality, it's a pretty good way of killing someone.