Best Submission Specialists In Professional Wrestling History

In pro wrestling, there are many different types of wrestlers. “Submission Specialists” are among the most feared. These wrestlers are known for their ability to defeat their opponents by making them submit. Who are the best of the best submission specialists in pro wrestling history? We decided to narrow them down. One thing people will potentially point out is that submission specialists are often referred to as “technical wrestlers.”

While this is true in many ways, technical wrestlers also apply other things to their move set. You might see them employ classic amateur wrestling moves, throws, or suplexes. They’re also known for breaking down specific body parts to weaken them for specialized moves. However, one can be weakened for a move that has nothing to do with a submission. This article is all about those people who seemed to always have endless submissions at the ready.

With all of that said, let’s get started!

WILLIAM REGAL

Perhaps one of the most unsung submission specialists to ever live, William Regal was a legitimate tough guy. He might not look it, but his technical abilities were so good that WCW once put him against Bill Goldberg to test him. Regal knew that Goldberg would be a problem and might overpower him, but he’d still be the greatest test of his young career. Oh yeah, and it would be on a live episode of WCW Nitro. Regal did not care, and would eventually hold a similar role in WWE.

He was someone many had to prove themselves through. If you could handle working with Regal, you could handle moving out of the mid-card territory. William is known for the “regal stretch.” However, he’s also known for having a hold for literally every position you put him in. Behind the back? No problem, sleeper. On the ground? Get too close and he’ll find a way to pull you in for an armbar. He’d target any area he needed to, as long as he knew it would result in weakening his opponent.

Regal seriously does not get enough credit for just how great he was inside the squared circle. This “manly man” was from the old-school British Strong Style world. It was a time when you might lose teeth and have your body bent and broken within one year of your career starting. It’s not a wonder why Regal became so tough.

TAZZ

Another guy who is ignored for his impressive skill set is Tazz. Of course, he also goes by “Taz” too, depending on where you see him. Known as the “Human Suplex Machine,” he is naturally known best for having a plethora of suplexes at the ready. However, he also could surprise opponents by getting them into holds or submissions out of nowhere. Of course, he’s most known for his own submission, the Tazzmission. It is a version of half-nelson sleeper and can be applied with great success in real life too.

Several submissions might not be as painful as they are played up to be on television. His finisher was not so much about pain. Rather, it was all about trying to make his opponent pass out as fast as possible. Due to Tazz being more of an offensive wrestler due to the variety of suplexes, most assumed he was not a good defensive wrestler. It might surprise those people to learn that Tazz was known for finding unique ways to get out of moves. He’s actually the first man to break out of Undertaker’s “Old School” move and pull him off of the top rope.

He also found ways to reverse some submissions too. It’s actually pretty interesting to see how much of an all-around wrestler Tazz was. While he might be a submission specialist, he did not need to always pull out a ton of different submissions. He could win matches in a variety of ways.

ANTONIO INOKI

The founder of New Japan Pro Wrestling, Antonio Inoki, is a legendary figure. He trained future stars like Shinsuke Nakamura, Katsuyori Shibata, and had a hand in training people like Bryan Danielson, Christopher Daniels, Finn Balor, CM Punk, and countless others. Inoki might be most famous for fighting boxer Muhammad Ali in a legitimate contest. Well, it was as legit as it could be. He stuck to a lot of leg kicks that Ali would suffer from later.

Inoki technically invented the Enzuigiri move, as we know it today. However, he’s also known for a deadly octopus hold & sleeper hold. Both of which he could finish a match with. He is also known for his Indian deathlock and variety of armbar submissions. Keep in mind that he fought in old-school Japan. Today, Japanese wrestling looks as legit as can be. Back then, it was just like fighting for real but with a predetermined winner. This is possibly why he got involved in martial arts and helped to innovate what we know today as mixed martial arts or MMA.

Inoki was a trained martial artist in his own right. Thus, it should not shock people to find out that he fought people in legitimate contests too. Clearly, Antonio was as legitimate as they come.

CHRIS BENOIT

Ironically, Chris Benoit actually trained with Antonio Inoki and would go on to reach more widespread notoriety. He did not invent the crossface submission, but Benoit did innovate how it was done. He would be known as the “Crippler” and eventually the “Rabid Wolverine,” both of which were based on his style. The Crippler name comes from a period when he was known to have injured various wrestlers. The Rabid Wolverine name came from how he looked in the ring as well as his incredibly aggressive-looking style.

Benoit used to go into fits where he would continue beating down opponents in some scary-looking ways. Of course, Chris was not actually hurting them but he made his offense look so realistic that it was freaky to see. His tough style made him willing to do some pretty crazy spots and bumps. This is potentially what led to Benoit having so many concussions. Many were diagnosed but we did not treat them as seriously as we needed to back then.

In fact, after what Benoit did, we began to see far more focus on concussions. This eventually led to a new neurological illness that develops specifically from having far too many concussions called Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. We know it mostly as CTE these days. Benoit might have been a submission specialist who could pretty much pull any submission out that he felt like doing at any time. Yet his insistence on rarely protecting his head led to an issue we’ll never forget.

ASUKA

Asuka or Kana, depending on what name you know best, is the lone woman on this list. While Natalya might have the most submission wins of any WWE female Superstar, Asuka is known for having more than one submission. Sure, she clearly is known best for the Asuka Lock. Yet she has also pulled out countless submissions during her matches. A few of the most common are the kneebar, armbar, the ankle lock, among several others.

In Japan, she would pull out more than she tends to pull in the WWE. However, the styles differ to the point where she dials it back a bit in WWE. Another thing that makes Asuka pretty interesting is that she is capable of copying any submission. For example, she could pull off a convincing version of the Figure 8 Charlotte Flair is known for, or the DisArmHer that Becky Lynch finishes matches with. In fact, she has proven this by doing them on these women.

She is incredibly smooth in the ring, and capable of working with anyone. This is 100% due to her overall technical wrestling skills. However, the fact that she is a submission specialist means a lot. She can win a match with one at any time, even if she has been on a long losing streak. This makes her a constant threat, making all her matches more interesting.

SAMOA JOE

If there is one man who should not be nearly as technical as he is, it’s Samoa Joe. This man is over 300lbs and moves like a cruiserweight even today. It would be easy for Joe to have a powerhouse, big-man style. It would not only make sense, but it might even be easier on his body to do this sometimes. Instead, Samoa Joe developed a style that connects the Japanese Strong Style with the American Style of wrestling. This is why he could be considered a striker or bruiser over a technical wrestler at times.

It’s interesting, but Joe’s style is so wide that you could classify him as anything and he might fit it. His striking makes him fun to watch, as he can throw down with anyone. Yet he understands that no matter how big you are, you’ll go down if he weakens your body in some way. This is why he developed a style that could help him break a person down in any way he needed to.

Of course, he’s best known for the Coquina Clutch submission that he’s finished matches with. However, he is also known for applying the kneebar, armbar, triangle choke, and a variety of other submissions. This is why we rank him among the best submission specialists. Since he can pull one out of the hat at any moment, it’d be wrong to ignore his skills.

KEN SHAMROCK

To some, it might be cheating to include Ken Shamrock on this list. However, one cannot argue that Shamrock is a submission specialist. What might surprise people is that Ken actually trained to be a professional wrestler first. He did have some early success but not as much. Then while in Japan, early versions of MMA began to become pretty popular. Shamrock then transitioned into this area, becoming a star in Pancrase. Eventually, he became so good that when UFC started up, they invited him to take part.

At the time, UFC was only holding tournaments. Most of which did not have weight classes. This is why Shamrock is often referred to as an “Openweight,” as he fought people of all sizes. That includes people a lot larger than himself. After becoming a star in MMA, the WWE called and he jumped at the opportunity. Shamrock wanted to be a wrestler anyway, so the opportunity was too good to pass up.

While he did have some success, Shamrock’s stay in WWE was relatively short sadly. He would then work part-time in wrestling and MMA. He is supposedly retired from MMA now but still wrestles. Ken is known best for the anklelock, a move he pioneered in wrestling. He also pulled out guillotines and leg locks whenever necessary, among a sea of different choke submissions.

BOB BACKLUND

Like others before him, Bob Backlund had an amateur wrestling background. He actually won the NCAA Division II National Championship at 190lbs when he attended North Dakota State University. After college, he moved into the world of professional wrestling. Eventually, he ended up in the WWWF, the promotion Vince McMahon, Sr. owned. He’d beat “Superstar” Billy Graham for the WWWF Heavyweight Championship and would go on to clash with several notable champions. Often, he’d face off with champs all across the NWA, often in one-hour draws.

The 2013 WWE Hall of Famer has always been known for his physical prowess, even at an older age. Bob was a great technical wrestler who we could certainly classify as a submission specialist. Backlund is most known for finishing matches with the crossface chickenwing submission. Yet what many people seem to forget is that Bob, in his wild persona, would pull off submissions constantly. Usually, this came in the form of holds, such as sleepers or guillotines.

Even if he did not finish the match with them, these wore his opponent out. It also benefitted him to do chokes or holds like those above, as it weakened opponents enough for him to pull off his finisher. Ultimately, Bob was a star and someone many submission specialists looked to when trying to craft their move-set.

BRYAN DANIELSON

Bryan Danielson is one of the most decorated submission wrestlers in pro wrestling history. He is a multi-time World Champion with WWE, yet he also held numerous titles outside of the WWE, such as the ROH World Title among many others. Yet one thing that always made him stand out was his impressive technical wrestling skills. He has a deep arsenal of submission holds that he’ll use in a match, but his most notable is likely the Lebell Lock. It is a version of the crossface that has won him countless championships.

Of course, Bryan is also known for holds like the “cattle mutilation” among a sea of others. Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer would constantly award him with the “Best Technical Wrestler” award every year. When Bryan was forced to retire years ago due to concussion issues, it was renamed the “Bryan Danielson Award” by WON. Of course, Danielson returned to the ring and has been in top contention for the award that holds his name ever since.

Regardless of where he goes, Danielson has been known to be the best overall wrestler in the company. In AEW, he is known for a technical style that applies several submissions that are meant to ground opponents. Such as a series of leg locks and stretch submissions. In WWE, he was known for strikes but also for the Lebell Lock. He also utilized moves that attacked the knees or would sometimes copy the submissions of his opponent. Often, he did the moves better than anyone else.

DEAN MALENKO

Dean Malenko is the man known for 1,000 holds. That said, it’s really pretty clear that he is a submission specialist based on this alone. He usually finished matches with the Texas Cloverleaf submission. However, Malenko’s mind was constantly figuring out ways to create problems for his opponents. This is why he learned and applied a variety of holds. You never knew what was going to come your way each match.

What made him even better was that, because he knew so much, he also knew how to escape everything. Seriously, the man has an inventive escape for pretty much every single hold/submission you can think of. When one becomes a master submission specialist like Malenko, it’s pretty easy to figure out how to avoid issues. Especially when you know how to apply the hold or submission better.

Malenko probably would have been a main-event talent if not for his size. He was on the smaller side, so his impressive in-ring abilities were often disliked or overlooked as he fought Light Heavyweight or Cruiserweight wrestlers. Since they were often more exciting, Dean’s mat-based technical ability was not as beloved. Yet he could work with anyone, making his matches constantly entertaining to watch.

ZACK SABRE, JR.

If you want to find the modern-day Dean Malenko, we might have found your guy. Zack Sabre, Jr. is one of the best wrestlers on the planet. When you talk about submission specialists of the modern-day, the list starts with this man. Even people like Danielson will bow to the greatness of Sabre. Sadly, like Malenko, Sabre is on the smaller side. This might make people assume that he gets overlooked for his ability due to working, often, with smaller wrestlers.

However, thanks to how wrestling is today, people on the smaller side now have a wide range of wrestling styles. Allowing Sabre to wrestle a high-flyer in one match while fighting a Japanese Strong Style competitor in the next. That has allowed Sabre to stand out in the crowd when he might have been overlooked a bit back in the 1990s or early 2000s.

Sabre has an arsenal of submissions that he employs. While he has a technical style that includes several strikes and suplexes, his entire mission is to weaken various parts of the body. If he spots a weakness, he pounces on it like sharks when they smell blood in the water. His armbar variations are seemingly endless. He also utilizes the anklelock, variations of the kneebar, the octopus hold, guillotine choke, Indian deathlock, and countless other submissions. This man is a literal submission artist!

TATSUMI FUJINAMI 

There are many dragons in professional wrestling, but it would be fair to say Tatsumi Fujinami is the true dragon. He invented the dragon suplex as well as the dragon sleeper hold. Ever heard of the dragon screw? Yep, he invented that too. He also innovated what he calls the dragon backbreaker, which is a belly-to-back suplex backbreaker. Fujinami is also known for the Cobra Twist, which is an abdominal stretch that he will do standing or grounded.

Another move, which he calls the Japanese Leg Roll Clutch, was commonly used by Tatsumi. This is basically a reverse rolling prawn hold and is known to legitimately hurt like hell for those he puts in it. He also used notable submissions like the figure-four leg lock and the sharpshooter. The true dragon of the industry revolutionized the world of professional wrestling so much that even WWE had to recognize him.

While he did not compete in the modern WWE and is mostly known for his work in NJPW, WWE inducted him into their Hall of Fame in 2015. This man is a legend and a true submission specialist. He might not be the greatest of all time, but we felt he was at least top five.

KURT ANGLE

It’s pretty clear that Kurt Angle had to be on this list. The man spent most of his younger years as an amateur wrestler and was considered one of the best in his weight class in high school. That led to collegiate opportunities. He chose to sign with a pretty good school for wrestling, the Clarion University of Pennsylvania. There he became a two-time NCAA Division 1 National Champion in the heavyweight division. Due to how good he was here, Angle was encouraged to continue that success.

He won gold at the 1996 World Championships, which qualified him for the Olympics the same year. He’d go on to win the Olympic Gold Medal in freestyle wrestling at the 1996 Olympic Games. Eventually, he’d end up in the world of professional wrestling where he took to everything pretty well. Angle used his amateur background a lot at first, involving suplexes and ground-game mat wrestling.

Angle eventually became a submission specialist, first by employing the anklelock. He’d eventually add other submissions to his arsenal like the guillotine and notably the crossface chickenwing. He’s also known for utilizing the triangle choke, rear naked choke, bodyscissors, and numerous others. Of course, he continued to use a lot of suplexes and eventually even added some very effective strikes. Obviously, he’s also known for the Angle Slam and doing one heck of a pretty moonsault too.

BRET HART

It would not be a complete list without the Excellence of Execution, would it? Bret Hart is the son of Stu Hart, the man who used to run Stampede Wrestling in Canada for many years. The Hart family was a huge part of the promotion for years until WWE came along and slowly started to sign a lot of them. Bret is clearly the most successful of the family. Hart is best known for his sharpshooter submission finisher. While Hart did popularize the move, it was invented by Riki Choshu.

While the figure-four was Ric Flair’s finisher, Hart pulled off the innovative version. He used to employ the ring post figure four leg lock, which looked far more painful than the original. Everything Bret did had a purpose. He might put you in a sleeper, knowing it wouldn’t work. Yet the entire goal was to tire you out enough to pull off something else. The man was a master of ring psychology. He knew exactly how to attack a limb in a way that made the move look like it darn near broke his opponent.

The WWE Hall of Famer is looked at fondly for his time in WWE. Sadly, after his retirement due to a nasty concussion, Hart had numerous other health issues. This led to two strokes and other issues. However, he did come back to WWE to wrestle at an older age. Even at this age, he was able to make things look incredible. Hart truly earned the title of the Best There Is, Best There Was, & Best There Ever Will Be.