Superkick A Superkick is the name used when referring to a high side thrust kick attack in wrestling , which sees the wrestler use the sole of the foot to strike an opponent ' s head or chin , usually preceded by a sidestep , often referred to as a " Crescent Kick " , or just a " Side kick " . The wrestler will often slap the thigh of his kicking leg ( or sometimes , his chest since the audience will be " focused " on his kicking leg ) , at the point where his foot makes contact with his opponent , to generate an appropriate sound effect . " Gentleman " Chris Adams was among the first wrestlers to use the superkick and was for years credited as its originator . To set up his finisher , Adams would use a back body drop , then as his opponent gets on his feet , Chris would superkick him in the jaw . Adams first used the enzuigiri as his " superkick " , before touring Japan in the early - 1980s and bringing the real maneuver to the United States . He was also the first wrestler to utilize the superkick from the top turnbuckle ( around 1989 ) . A martial arts expert and a black belt in Judo , Adams often used thrust kicks and his enzuigiri during his earlier matches while still in England . The term " superkick " was coined by Adams himself , and was used in wrestling terminology towards the latter - half of 1983 while Adams ' popularity soared in World Class Championship Wrestling . Before then , wrestling announcers such as Bill Mercer would often use the term " thrust kick " . The Great Kabuki also used the super thrust kick , and during his battles with Adams , Mercer would often wonder which move is better : Adams ' " superkick " or Kabuki ' s " thrust kick " . Many wrestlers have used the superkick as a signature move since then , most notably Shawn Michaels who uses this as his finisher , referring to it as the Sweet Chin Music . Michaels often precedes the move with an inverted atomic drop , followed by a flying elbow from the top turnbuckle . While the opponent gathers himself and stands back up , Michaels usually stands in front of a turnbuckle and taps his feet while the crowd counts each time he taps it , called by announcers as " tuning up the band " , before landing the superkick . Michaels kicks the opponent in the chin , thus the move being called Sweet " Chin " Music . Michaels in an interview said that he learned the superkick from Adams himself while wrestling in Texas during the mid - 1980s . Shawn Michaels ' cousin , Matt Bentley ( as Michael Shane ) also used the move , calling it the Sweet Shane Music . However , due to trademark infringement , he now has to go by his real name and refers to his signature move as the Head On Collision . While wrestling as " Dude Love , " parodying Michaels , Mick Foley performed a kick to the shin , calling it Sweet Shin Music . John Morrison uses a parody of Shawn Michaels ' super kick called the Nitro Blast . Others notable wrestlers that have used this kick are Lance Storm , James Storm , Stevie Richards , Tajiri , Bryan Alvarez and Justin Credible , etc . Past wrestlers such as Paul Diamond , Marty Jannetty , Hollywood John Tatum , Art Barr , Wendell Cooley , Slash Johnstone and Eric Sbraccia have also used the superkick as either their finisher or set - up maneuver .