Who invented the figure four

Professor X Member Member How far back does this hold go? IP: Logged. Crimson Mask I unregistered. Graham didn't start using it that I know of till the early '70s so forget that. He was the one who taught it to Brisco though, check out Jack's forum, on the floor in the dressing room right before the first match Jack used it in. I can't trace it back any further than the '50s, maybe late '40s. In Mexico credit is given to El Enfermero. Buddy was the first that I was aware of, though.

So long from the Sunshine State! I have seen this hold used in Mexico as well. The tale goes that Rogers was goofing around during a training session in Ohio with Ruffy Silverstein and Billy Darnell. Darnell was sitting on the mat with his legs crossed when Rogers jumped on his legs and caused some unexpected pain. So goes the story that Rogers took that incident and kept working on Darnell until they had "invented" the hold.

Take that for what it may be worth HBF Joined:. Atlanta , Georgia USA. One of the best kayfabe finishers of all, but I liked how you can flip from the hold and you're instantly putting the other guy the aggressor into the indian death lock.

It had "good drama" too. Even if the guy didn't quit, if the hold was applied too long they talked up the possibility of a broken leg. Hymie Itsu Joined:. Birthplace Of Dean Martin. HBF wrote: One of the best kayfabe finishers of all, but I liked how you can flip from the hold and you're instantly putting the other guy the aggressor into the indian death lock.

Looking back now, it was funny that when it was reversed, it didn't affect Austin Idol's "Las Vegas Leglock". If anything, they played it like it was even worse. Coram, New York. Don Eagle was using the close variation of the Indian Deathlock in the late 40's. If the original "Nature Boy" can be credited as the inventor of the move, the other "Nature Boy" made it famous and viewed by a larger audience.

Not only did Flair adopt Buddy Rogers' nickname and style, but he also adopted his finishing move as a tribute to his childhood hero. That being said, Ric Flair is not the only one to have adopted the figure four from Buddy Rogers. Johnny Valentine, who often teamed up with Rogers, used the move on several occasions and he probably inspired his son, Greg "The Hammer", to do the same.

He even added a painful modification, by using his plastic shin guard rotated to cover his calf in order to add even more pressure on his opponents' legs.

Tito Santana also used the move in many matches. He even won the first match in WrestleMania history against The Executioner with the maneuver. It was not Santana's prime signature move but, as one of the greatest technicians ever, he mastered it to use it as one of his many ways to win his matches. In the middle of the s, Bret Hart added a vicious twist to the move when he had his heel run.

When he had his opponent prone in the ring, he dragged him in a corner to get the ring post between the legs; he then went outside the ring and applied the maneuver with the steel post in the middle of the legs for more leverage. That variant of the maneuver didn't win him any regular matches since it was not applied within the ring. It was mostly used to hurt his opponents and to generate even more heat. In the second part of the s, Shawn Michaels came with his own touch by doing a modified figure four.

Instead of starting with a spinning toe hold, the move starts like a Sharpshooter probably as wink to Bret Hart. Other notable wrestlers who used the submission move regularly as their finisher were Jeff Jarrett and Jack Brisco. There's also Triple H who used it on some occasions.

In Japan, the legendary Great Muta added it to his already impressive regular moveset.