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Submission victories

Hi Scott -

While watching Raw last night, I was compelled to see if Daniel Bryan would tap out to the STF when Cena had it locked in.  That got me thinking further about submission wins.
While I love a tap out as it clearly defines who won the match, sometimes it can be either too quick or too slow - leading to a unsatisfying finish.  Sometimes it seems like the victim taps out before the hold is even locked in, therefore eliminating some of the "will he or won't he?" aspect of the move.  And since a submission victory is rare in a main event match, usually a submission move leads to a dramatic escape.
My question to you is:  what are some of the best match endings involving a submission you can think of?  Clearly the Benoit/Michaels/HHH Wrestlemania match has to be near the top, but what else? 

Note for Blog people:  Last night was my birthday supper and movie (The Campaign!) so I didn't get a chance to watch Impact yet.  Hopefully this morning, but then we're out of town for the long weekend so it's pretty much now or never.  

As to the topic, I really liked Batista's tapout to Cena at Wrestlemania whatever, where he immediately tapped to the STF and was in so much pain that he actually kept tapping even when Cena released the hold.  That was such a great heel touch.  Shawn tapping to the anklelock against Angle at Wrestlemania 21 was also a phenomenal moment, even though it stretched too long.  But man, people in the theater were losing their SHIT wanting Shawn to tap.  Of course, Benoit-Angle at Rumble 2003 is the gold standard for that struggle finish, showing that someone can submit and still come out looking better than they came in.   

Comments

  1. I think it was Roode in the Aries match that was biting his hand so he wouldn't tap. Thought that was awesome.

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  2. I would also add Cena-HHH at Wrestlemania 22. Most of the crowd were shocked at that finish and I know I certainly didn't see it coming.

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  3. Man that was something else. It made me loose my mind too because I was rooting for Cena all the way.

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  4. Hogan tapping to Angle at King of the Ring.

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  5. sometimes it can be either too quick or too slow - leading to a unsatisfying finish. Well, we guys have to learn to find the right balance so that she stays satisfied.Wait, you're talking about something else...

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  6. Triple H tapping to Brock at Summerslam was pretty awesome, even if I'm the only one that dug the match and the angle/aftermath so far. 

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  7. I still like the spot in the Wrestlemania XX Triple Threat where Benoit has Shawn locked in the cross face, but when Shawn taps, Triple H runs in and holds Shawn's hand from tapping the mat. I think they redid this spot in the Punk/Bryan/Kane match at No Way Out.

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  8. In a similar vein, I remember Mankind putting the Mandible Claw on himself so he wouldn't tap out to Shamrock's Ankle Lock.

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  9. Hey Scott, was The Campaign any good?

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  10. Really funny, but it does skew VERY political.  I felt like I missing a bunch of the more subtle jokes in it as a result.  

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  11. The best way to get a hold over as vicious and lethal is the way that Regal taps.  The struggle part is in the guy getting it locked in and set up just right and then the instant the hold is set, the victim taps frantically. 

    I think they should be doing this in general but especially for holds that are more real life submissions like the anklelock/heel hook, kimura or ADR's armbar.  The fanbase is sophisticated enough now to know that you can't "hold on" or "fight the pain" on holds like that.  It means the finishing sequence has to be restructured a bit and the drama has to be moved forward but I don't see why that's a bad thing.

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  12. There was that time Jericho locked the Walls of Jericho on...

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  13. Yeah, that's one of those movies that's clearly not geared to the international market.

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  14. HHH tapping to Benoit was awesome.

    But I will really lose it if Sheamus ever taps to the Yes/No Lock.

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  15. D-Lo tapping to Dan Severn in the King of the Ring '98 qualifier that led to D-Lo putting on the chest protector.

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  16. Angle vs. Kane IMMEDIATELY comes to mind.  Never saw the big guy tap before, but Angle got the Ankle lock on, and Kane finally slammed one hand down on the mat ONCE.  As if to say, "Aw...FUCK"

    Probably the best wrestling tap I ever saw.

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  17. I want those fucking pugs. Scene stealing rascals.

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  18. My ears were ringing like crazy at WM21 as everyone was screaming at the finish, esp. since more than half the crowd was pro-Angle. Seeing that classic in person is still one of the most awesome times of my life.

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  19. Additional post....I forgot how good this match was.  

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLuqsCuu2BQ 

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  20. Kind of (in)famous finish... Mr. Perfect losing IMMEDIATELY after the Sharpshooter was put on him by Bret at SummerSlam '91.  What was the story behind that?

    Did Vince yell in to Hebner's ear, "RING THE FUCKING BELL!"?

    Did Perfect screw Perfect?

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  21. 20 posts and no-one has mentioned Bret / Austin from WM XIII ??

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  22.  Two thoughts.

    1) Back in 1991 I don't think really play the whole "will he or won't he submit?" idea - especially if a heel was the one in the hold.  I seem to remember guys giving up pretty quickly after being put in the Torture Rack or Figure Four or whatever.  Sometimes you'd see guys try to crawl into the ropes, but that was it, you didn't have as many spots built around reversing or escaping the hold (other than that lame turn-over the Figure Four spot).

    2) Henning's back was in pretty bad shape, so maybe they just went home quickly for his sake. 

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  23. It was the best non-submission ever... but it gave wind to a lot of people "passing out" instead of tapping out of pride/ego (Shane Douglas).

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  24. Exactly.  A move like Del Rio's armbar should have the struggle part, where whoever he has it on has their hands locked to alleviate the pressure, but as soon as that is broken, it should be an instant tapout.

    Benoit used to do this when putting on the crossface but in a retarded way... where he'd get one hand on the guy immediately, then slowly bring his other, NON-RESTRICTED hand around, then crank back for the tap.

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  25. oh believe me, a lot of people here dug the aftermath. #youtappedout

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  26. I'd guess #2, just based on what Bret said on his DVD about Perfect being basically crippled but insisting on putting Bret over anyway. 

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  27. That was my favorite submission ever. 1. because established stars hardly ever submitted back then and 2 you honestly had NO idea who was going to win that match but by the end me and my 12 year old friends were rooting SO hard for Bret to win.

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  28. Yeah I remember that match really fondly, it was one of the first times I remember "the little guys" really getting the chance to be awesome. Even at 11 after that match you *KNEW* Bret was on to bigger and better things. It was crystal clear to me that this was going to me "my guy" going forward.

    I wonder if kids ever really get that feeling anymore. My son is far too young to ask, his interests swing back and forth like crazy, but he's also six so maybe in a few years...

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  29. What caused your mind to be loose?

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  30. Im pretty sure its more #2 but then that doesnt really explain Bret keeping it on for another 30 seconds and actually leaning back on it more after the bell.  I always thought that was wierd.

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  31. In the process of losing it, I'm sure it became less affixed.

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  32. I was 7 when I watched SummerSlam '91... Bret became my guy that night.  I remember that whole summer of him tearing it up on Superstars and Wrestling Challenge.

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  33. he did the in the 2/3 falls match. It's how Bryan won his fall.

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  34. I'm gonna think out of the box and say Strike Force beating The Hart Foundation for the titles.

    Back then, you NEVER saw a title change hands on submission, and a tag match where a partner can break up a hold is the least likely place of all to see it, so it shocked the hell out of me to see Martel actually get Neidhart to cleanly submit to a simple Boston Crab.

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  35. Sheamus didn't tap, he "passed out from the pain"

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  36. Anyone else remember the way Road Dogg used to tap?  He'd put his finger up as if to say, "not yet...." before finally tapping.

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  37. I've never marked so hard as I did at WM20 - being on the edge of my seat, just waiting... waiting... WAITING for Trips to tap was absolutely nerve-wracking. That was the all-time greatest use of the "will he or won't he" submission spot ever.

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  38. The funniest thing about that was right after the match, the ring announcer mentions the match was stopped..."due to the mandible claw!" Shamrock goes apeshit about it even though he still won. "Hey! I won because of MY move! Not fair!!!"

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