A powerslam is a professional wrestling

Professional wrestling

Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...

 body slam move in which the wrestler performing the slam falls face-down on top of his/her opponent. The use of the term "powerslam" usually refers to the front powerslam and the scoop powerslam.

Emerald Flowsion

The wrestler lifts the opponent up on his left shoulder, as in a front powerslam. Then, the right arm is wrapped around the opponent's neck and the left arm around the opponent's torso. The wrestler then sits down while flipping the opponent forward to the right side, driving the opponent neck- and shoulder-first into the mat. The move was innovated by Mitsuharu Misawa

Mitsuharu Misawa

was a Japanese professional wrestler. He made his professional debut on August 21, 1981 for All Japan Pro Wrestling . From 1984 until 1990, Misawa wrestled as the second generation Tiger Mask, as All Japan Pro Wrestling had purchased the rights of the Tiger Mask gimmick from New Japan Pro Wrestling...

 and is technically known as a sitout side powerslam.

Falling powerslam

This move is also known as a falling slam or a reverse fallaway slam. Facing the opponent, the wrestler reaches between the opponent's legs with one arm and reaches around their back from the same side with the other arm. The wrestler lifts the opponent up so they are horizontal across the wrestler's body, then falls forward to slam the opponent against the mat back-first. An inverted version exists, where the opponent is lifted from behind and slammed in a manner similar to a falling slam, only on their face/abdomen. The normal variation is made famous by Mark Henry

Mark Henry

Mark Jerrold Henry is an American professional wrestler signed with WWE, where he performs on its SmackDown brand as the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. He is a 1992 Olympian, and winner of the 2002 Arnold Strongman Classic...

, which he called it the World's Strongest Slam.

Fireman's carry powerslam

The wrestler lifts the opponent across their shoulders in a fireman's carry, grabs their right leg and pushes it up, and positions their torso across the other wrestler's abdomen. The wrestler then falls forward, slamming the opponent down on their back in a front powerslam.

Front powerslam

This is the most common powerslam, and is often referred to as simply a "powerslam," though WWE referred to it as an "Oklahoma slam." The attacking wrestler reaches between an opponent's legs with one arm and reaches around their back from the same side with their other arm before then lifting the opponent up over their shoulder. From this position, the wrestler falls forward to slam the opponent against the mat back-first. Wrestlers often run forward as they slam.

Gorilla press powerslam

The move, also known as a military press powerslam or falling press slam, is similar to a gorilla press slam. The wrestler lifts the opponent up over their head with arms fully extended (as in the military press used in weight lifting

Weight training

Weight training is a common type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles. It uses the weight force of gravity to oppose the force generated by muscle through concentric or eccentric contraction...

), drops the opponent into an over-the shoulder-position, then runs and falls forward to slam the opponent against the mat back-first.

Inverted double underhook sitout slam

The wrestler hooks his/her arms underneath the opponent's arms and lifts them, so the opponent's legs are around the wrestler's body in a body scissors position. The wrestler then falls into a sitout position, driving the opponent into the mat - releasing the opponent after they have landed.

Inverted sitout side powerslam

The attacking wrestler grabs the opponent's waist, as in a gutwrench, then hoist the opponent up onto one of their shoulders in an overhead gutwrench backbreaker rack. From this position, the attacking wrestler then sits down and simultaneously flips the opponent forwards and downwards, slamming them down to the ground face-first to one side.

Oklahoma Stampede

The wrestler reaches between the opponent's legs with one arm and around the opponent's back from the same side with the other arm. The wrestler then lifts the opponent up over their shoulder, and runs towards the ring corner, slamming the opponent back-first on the turnbuckles. The wrestler keeps the hold and slams the opponent to the opposite corner as well. The wrestler then runs to the middle of the ring and falls down forward, driving the opponent back-first into the mat.

Samoan driver

The wrestler lifts the opponent into a fireman's carry position, and then throws the opponent over their shoulder, landing in a sitout or standing position, while the opponent's back is slammed into the mat.

Scoop powerslam

This move is the second most common version of a powerslam and is often referred to as simply a "powerslam". The attacking wrestler places one arm between an opponent's legs, and reach over the opponent's shoulder with the other arm. Then, the opponent is spun over onto their back while keeping the opponent horizontal across the wrestler's body at all times. As the opponent falls to the mat, the attacking wrestler will continue to fall face-down on top of them in a lateral press pinning position. This powerslam is usually performed on a charging opponent, using the opponent's own momentum to power the throw. An inverted version exists, where the opponent is lifted from behind, and slammed in a manner similar to a scoop powerslam, only on their face/abdomen.

Suplex powerslam

This move is also known as the Jackhammer or a Power-Plex. The wrestler applies a front face lock, throws the opponent's near arm over the wrestler's shoulder, and then grabs the opponent's tights to lift the them up straight in the air (as in a standard vertical suplex). When the wrestler begins to drop the opponent to the mat, the wrestler will twist to fall face-down on top of the opponent, hooking the leg for a pin. Another variation of the maneuver involves the wrestler applying the front facelock, and throwing the opponent's near arm over the westler's shoulder, and then lifting the opponent into a suplex position, before placing the opponent on one shoulder in a front powerslam position, then falling forward to slam the opponent against the mat back-first. The move is most often associated with Bill Goldberg

Bill Goldberg

Goldberg earned a scholarship to play for the University of Georgia Bulldogs football team where he served as a defensive tackle. He was taken in the 11th round, with the 302nd overall selection, in the 1990 NFL Draft....

.

Side slam

This move is commonly referred to as an ura-nage slam, or simply ura-nage. This name is an incorrect Americanization

Americanization

Americanization is the influence of the United States on the popular culture, technology, business practices, or political techniques of other countries. The term has been used since at least 1907. Inside the U.S...

 of the name for ura-nage, which, translated directly from Japanese, means "throw to behind". It has erroneously been translated as "reverse side throw". To perform it, the wrestler begins standing face to face with the opponent slightly to their side. Then, the wrestler tucks their own head under the opponent's near arm, reaches across the opponent's chest and around their neck with their near arm, and places the other arm against their back. The wrestler then falls forward, either flat on their chest or into a kneeling position, and forces the opponent back-first onto the mat. In another variation, the wrestler can also stay standing and body slam the opponent onto the mat, this is typically called a standing side slam. In another variation, the wrestler locks both hands together behind the opponent's back, lifts them up, and swings forward into a seated position while slamming the opponent down. Another version is dropping on a seated position, and is known as sitout side slam.

Back suplex side slam

This move is essentially a belly-to-back suplex lift twisted into a side slam. In this elevated side slam, the wrestler stands behind the opponent, puts their head under one of the opponent's arms, and lifts the opponent onto their shoulder. The wrestler then pushes the opponent upwards before it is turned into a side slam, so the opponent is dropped from an elevated position.

Lifting side slam

The wrestler stands facing and slightly to the side of the opponent. The wrestler tucks his head under the opponent's near arm, then reaches across the opponent's chest and around their neck with their near arm, and then places the other arm against the opponent's back. The wrestler then lifts the opponent up high before falling forward, forcing the opponent down to the mat back-first. This maneuver was popularized by The Rock, who named it the Rock Bottom.

One-armed side slam

This STO-like maneuver sees the wrestler catch an oncoming opponent with one arm hooked under the opponent's arm. The wrestler then falls to their knees, slamming the opponent back-first onto the mat. This move should be performed as one fluid motion.

Spinning side slam

This move is also referred to as a scrapbuster slam. To perform it, the wrestler stands side-to-side and slightly behind with the opponent facing in the opposite direction, and reaches around the opponent's torso with one arm across the opponent's chest and under both arms. The wrestler then lifts the opponent up with one arm as they swing the opponent 180° to the opposite side while the wrestler faces the same direction. The wrestler then falls onto the opponent, slamming the opponent onto the mat back-first. In another version of this move, performed against a charging opponent, the wrestler uses the opponent's own momentum to power the throw.

Standing side slam

In this variation of the side slam, the wrestler begins standing face to face with the opponent slightly to their side. Then, the wrestler tucks their own head under the opponent's near arm, reaches across the opponent's chest and around the opponent's neck and placing their hand on either the opponent's back or the back of the opponent's neck with their near arm, and places the other arm against their back . The wrestler then lifts the opponent up and, unlike the standard side slam, body slams the opponent onto the ground staying standing without falling or kneeling.

Standing moonsault side slam

This move is often erroneously described as a moonsault ura-nage slam. To perform it, an attacking wrestler stands slightly behind and facing the side of a standing opponent. The wrestler then reaches under the near arm of the opponent, across the chest of the opponent and under their far arm, while placing their other hand on the back of the opponent to hold them in place. The wrestler then performs a backwards somersault (moonsault) while holding the victim, driving the opponent into the mat back-first. This move can also be performed off the top rope and is known as a moonsault side slam or solo Spanish fly in reference to the Spanish fly double team move.

Swinging side slam

This move is also known as a wind-up slam. To perform it, the wrestler faces the opponent and reaches between the opponent's legs with one arm and around the back from the same side with the other arm. The wrestler then lifts the opponent up so they are horizontal across the wrestler's body. Next, the wrestler spins in a circle while swinging the lower half of the opponent's body out and around until one arm is across the opponent's chest and under one or both arms. The wrestler then falls forward, slamming the opponent into the mat back-first. In some variations of the move, the wrestler can hold the opponent up over their shoulder and throw the opponent round from that position, or hang the opponent across both their shoulders and throw out their legs behind them so the opponent swings back round to drop in a position.

Ura-nage

This move is also known as a sambo suplex or side suplex. To perform it, the wrestler stands face-to-face with the opponent, slightly to their side. The wrestler tucks their head under the opponent's near arm, and reaches across the opponent's chest and around their neck with their near arm. The wrestler then simultaneously lifts the opponent up, turns 180° and falls backwards, bringing the opponent over them and slamming the opponent back-first on the mat. The name ura-nage (or uranage) is incorrectly but commonly used to refer to a regular side slam and though the name in fact comes from a Judo

Judo

is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...

 throw, it resembles a saito suplex more than the professional wrestling ura-nage.

Vertical suplex side slam

In this elevated side slam variation, the wrestler grabs a front facelock on the opponent and wraps their arm over the opponent's neck. The wrestler then lifts the opponent upside down, as in a vertical suplex. The wrestler moves his arm from around the opponent's neck, and as the opponent falls back down they are placed into a side slam position and dropped on the mat.

Sidewalk slam

The name "sidewalk slam" is often incorrectly used to refer to a one-armed, spinning side, or swinging side slam. To perform this move, the wrestler stands side-to-side and slightly behind, with the opponent facing in the same direction. The wrestler then reaches around the opponent's torso with their near arm across the opponent's chest and under both arms and the other arm under the opponent's legs. The wrestler then lifts the opponent, bringing their legs off the ground, and falls down to the mat in a sitting position, slamming the opponent into the mat back-first.