In honor of today’s date, 4/4, here are some images of my personal favorite wrestling leglock — the dreaded Figure 4. WHOOOO!
Wow, the grappler in the amateur wrestling shoes really has this one cinched in tight. Those shiny green tights offer little protection for the helpless jobber’s trapped legs!
Hats off to the Miz for keeping the awesome power and sexiness of the Figure 4 Leglock alive in the mainstream pro wrestling arena. He was a bit clumsy the first few times he applied this hold, but now each consecutive time he tortures another man’s legs with his legs, he gets a little more skillful and refined, and makes it look a little sexier and more painful.
The Miz understands (perhaps because he learned the hold from the master: Ric Flair) that the application of a Figure 4 is meant to be an orgasmic experience, with lots of thrusting, grinding of hips, and twisted facial expressions.
Speaking of the great Ric Flair and his highly erotic Figure 4 Leglocks, check him out as he turns big, powerful Harley Race into his bitch thanks to his devastating Knee-Snapper. I like this overhead view of Flair and Race getting it on in the center of the ring, then a bloody-faced Flair grinding and grunting as he violently humps Race’s leg.
When a big muscle-stud wrestles a smaller villain, of course the audience wants to see the He-Man in agony. That’s the whole point of pro wrestling — to present the weakening and submission of a powerful Alpha Male, Superman helpless on his knees or Goliath laid low by David.
So the smaller guy needs a Great Equalizer — a Kryptonite move to explain how the weaker man could plausibly gain mastery over the He-Man. The Figure 4 Leglock is often used as that Killer Move that drains the muscle-man of his power.
Love that picture of Cesaro in agony by Miz. Big Muscle He-Man caught in the trap, emasculated by being forced to put on a flexing show for the crowd as he yelps in pain. It is bad enough that he is caught in a hold he cannot break and has to wait for his opponent to show mercy and let it go. But no – the opponent CRANKS the torture hold so he has to roll and display his mighty bod like a toy, pop out his goods for the crowd like a muscle-whore. This type of public ring humiliation is what makes pro wrestling so exciting for both men. Being able to control Atlas for the top, the Test of the Muscles by the bottom. And of course the audience enjoys it a bit too…
Great post. Love the figure four. The victim needs to know how to sell it, but it’s a very hot submission hold.