DDT In wrestling a DDT is any move in which the wrestler falls down or backwards to drive a held opponent ' s head into the mat . The classic DDT is performed by putting the opponent in a front facelock and falling backwards so that the opponent is forced to dive forward onto his or her head . The DDT is often prefaced with a kick to the stomach in order to drive the head of the opponent downwards ; a kick and a DDT in quick succession is referred to as a Flowing DDT . The move was named by Jake " The Snake " Roberts , who accidentally invented the move in the 1980s . Rumors abound as to what the letters DDT supposedly stood for , including " Drop Dead Twice " , " Demonic Death Trap " , " Death Drop Technique " and " Damien ' s Dinner Time " after Jake ' s pet python Damien . When asked what DDT meant , Jake once famously replied " The End . " The abbreviation itself originally came from the chemical dichloro - diphenyl - trichloroethane , a notorious pesticide , as stated during shoot interviews and on his " Pick Your Poison " DVD . Many think the term DDT was appropriated because the chemical DDT is something " bad " that is buried in the ground and causes extreme danger ( and possible brain damage / birth defects ) when there ; similarly , a DDT is bad in that it buries an opponent ' s head into the mat , creating kayfabe extreme danger to the brain and spinal cord . Variations . Front facelock variants . Argentine DDT . The wrestler lifts the opponent onto his shoulders as in a Argentine backbreaker rack , pushes the opponent ' s legs while still holding the front facelock , flipping them over to the front of the wrestler . The wrestler falls down to the mat back first , driving the opponent face first down to the mat . Brainbuster DDT . See : " Jumping brainbuster " Cradle DDT . See : " Cradle brainbuster " Double underhook DDT . Instead of applying a head or face lock , the wrestler bends his opponent forward and hooks each arm behind the opponent ' s back , tucks the opponent ' s head under one of his arms , and then falls back to pull the opponent down either flat on his face , which is the more common variant , or onto the top of their head , causing them to roll over , like in a regular DDT . It is also known as a double arm DDT or a butterfly DDT . The faceplant variant is technically known as an " implant double underhook DDT " . This move is used by Mick Foley , usually to set his opponent up for the Mandible claw . It is also used by Ricky Landell and also for Stevie Richards , who calls it the Stevie - T . Kizarny uses a variation with body scissors . Elevated DDT . This version of a DDT first sees an attacking wrestler place the opponent on an elevated surface , usually the ropes / turnbuckle , while applying a front facelock . The attacking wrestler next draws the opponent away from the elevated surface leaving the opponent ' s feet over the elevated surface ( i . e . ring ropes ) , making them the only thing other than the wrestler keeping the opponent off the ground . The attacking wrestler then falls backwards so that the opponent is forced to dive forward onto his / her head with extra force due to the height of which they were dropped . This can also be performed as a double team move . Flip DDT . Also known as a front flip DDT . After applying a front facelock , the attacking wrestler pushes off the mat with his / her legs to flip the opponent and drive them onto the top of their head in a manner similar to the flip piledriver . Flip - over DDT . Also known as a Samurai Driver this DDT sees a wrestler place his / her head between the thighs of an opponent before jumping up while pushing away from the opponent ' s thighs to flip up and sit on the shoulders of the opponent . The wrestler then spreads their legs , dropping off the opponent ' s shoulders as they grab hold of the opponent ' s head in a front facelock to fall down to the mat back first , driving the opponent ' s head down to the mat . This move sees the attacking wrestler get lifted up in a powerbomb position so often this move is used as a counter to a powerbomb . Float - over DDT . This DDT , which was innovated by The Rock , sees the wrestler stand in front of his opponent facing at him , duck , hook one of his arms over the opponent ' s shoulder ( if it ' s the opponent ' s left shoulder that the attacker chooses to seize , he hooks with his right , or opposite if sides are reversed ) , swing himself under the opponent ' s armpit then around and over the opponent ' s back so that he faces the same way as the opponent , lock the opponent ' s head under his other hand ' s armpit , spin another 180° to end up having the opponent locked in a front facelock and fall back to drive the opponent skull first to the mat , as in a regular DDT . The maneuver is usually performed after the attacker ducks a punch or a clothesline . Fireman ' s carry DDT . Also described as a " fireman ' s carry implant DDT " , this move sees the attacking wrestler first put an opponent up in the fireman ' s carry ( across the wrestler ' s shoulders ) position , then throw the opponent ' s legs out in front of him / her to spin them out while the attacking wrestler switches the position of his / her arm that ' s holding the opponent ' s head to a front facelock and falls backwards to drive the top of the opponent ' s head in to the mat . Fisherman DDT . After applying a front facelock , the wrestler hooks the opponent ' s near leg with his other arm , lifts them up into a vertical position , and falls backwards on to his back , driving the opponent ' s head down to the mat . This move is also known as a Leg hook DDT . Implant DDT . Implant DDT refers to variations of the DDT where the opponent is driven to the mat face first , as in a faceplant , and not on to their heads . The most common variation is the Lifting DDT . A common variation of the Double underhook DDT is the implant variation . Another variation of the implant DDT sees the wrestler place their opponent in a headlock , but instead of falling backwards they leap backwards onto their back , pulling the opponent with them face first to the mat . Jumping DDT . A slight variation where instead of just falling backwards , the wrestler jumps up while holding the front facelock , so that they are horizontal , and then uses the weight and momentum to pull the opponent down on their head . Mickie James uses this as her finisher , which she calls the Mickie - DT . Also , a variation of this move is sometimes seen where , as the wrestler jumps , they use the horizontal position to execute a Front Dropkick to the knees of the opponent to add additional impact to the move . Legsweep DDT . In these versions of a DDT the wrestler applies a front facelock and then performs a type of legsweep to essentially take out the legs from under the opponent before falling backwards to drive the opponent face first down to the mat . Paul London used a variation of this in Ring of Honor where he hooked one of his legs around the opponent ' s , in a manner similar to that of a reverse STO , before sweeping their leg as he fell backwards to deliver extra force . CM Punk used a version he called the Devil Lock DDT where he first puts the opponent in a hammerlock before sweeping out their legs . Consequences Creed also uses this version and calls it the Creed - DT . Lifting DDT . This version of a DDT is similar to a spike DDT and is often referred to as a Low angle brainbuster , or simply as an implant DDT . The attacking wrestler applies a front facelock to an opponent then lifts the opponent off the ground just before falling backwards to drive the opponent face or head first down to the mat . A common name for the move is the Impaler DDT , as named by one of the move ' s users , Gangrel . Edge also used the move as a finisher and called it the Edgecution . A slight variation of this , sees the wrestler spin the opponent ' s body away from themselves as they raise the opponent off the ground . Another version , the lifting reverse DDT , sees the wrestler apply an inverted face lock , lift the opponent off the ground and fall back . This version was used by D - Von Dudley who called it the Saving Grace in the WWF / E . Over the shoulder DDT . Innovated by Johnny " The Bull " Stamboli , the attacking wrestler puts the opponent over the shoulder as in a powerslam set up but instead throws them off and around their body grabbing their head and executing a modified DDT or a modified facebuster . Stamboli also innovated a variation in where he military presses an opponent before putting him on his shoulder . Running DDT . The wrestler charges at a bent - forward opponent and applies a front facelock before dropping backwards to drive the opponent down to the mat head first . This move has been popularized in America by the Undertaker . In another variation the wrestler will also push the opponent up with his free arm , hitting a spike DDT version of the move . Scissored DDT . This move , innovated and dubbed the Desecrator by MsChif , sees the wrestler apply the front facelock and then puts one of their legs on one of the opponent ' s arms before falling backward and driving the opponent head first to the mat . It is sometimes " wrongly " referred to as a scissored single arm DDT . An inverted variation is also possible . It is a very common used move . Sitout DDT . " See Facebreaker DDT " Snap DDT . The wrestler applies a front facelock to their opponent . The wrestler then jumps down onto their back , swinging their legs forward , bending the opponent , and driving them down to the mat face , forehead , or head first . Tiger Mask and Lita used a swinging variation where the attacker draws one of their legs backwards ( usually the leg closest to the opponent ) before swinging it forward to build extra momentum . They then drop onto their back , driving the opponent head first to the mat . This variation is known as a swinging snap DDT . Tommy Dreamer uses a version were he keeps them vertical when they hit the mat so they are on top of their head . He calls it the Dreamer DDT . Another version is when the wrestler kicks the opponent in the gut as in a flowing DDT and hits the snap DDT . This flowing version is popularly used by Raven , who dubbed it the Raven Effect or the Even Flow DDT and was also used by Crash Holly , Cody Rhodes , The Rock and Maryse . Spike DDT . The wrestler applies a front facelock to his opponent and lifts them up with his free arm . He then falls backwards , driving the opponent vertically down to the mat head first . The Spike DDT is a version of the DDT which is somewhere between a lifting DDT and a brainbuster . Another version of the Spike DDT , known as a Diving DDT or a Halo DDT , exists in which the wrestler dives off of the top rope , catches the opponent in the front facelock and hits the DDT . This version is most notably used by Ace Steel , who calls it the Steel Spike , and by Maven . An elevated version is performed by Randy Orton when he lifts both of their feet on the second rope performs a high impact DDT . Tornado DDT . The tornado DDT is also referred to as a Swinging DDT / Spinning DDT . A wrestler applies a front facelock to an opponent from an elevated position ( for example , sitting on the top turnbuckle against an opponent standing on the mat , or from the apron against an opponent standing on the ground ) . The wrestler then jumps forward and swings around to fall backwards and drop the opponent ' s head into the mat . Shoichi Funaki referred to it as the Rising Sun . There are variations to this move which are all commonly known as a Tornado DDT . One version sees the wrestler apply the front facelock while on the same level as the opponent and then run up the ring ropes ( or even another opponent ) to springboard round and deliver the DDT . In grounded versions a wrestler charges at a standing opponent , jumps up and applies the front facelock in mid air before swinging his / herself round and falling backwards down to the mat to deliver the DDT . This is sometimes known as a Jumping swinging DDT and is regularly used by wrestlers that use a standard Tornado DDT . Inverted facelock variants . This subsection lists DDTs that involve the opponent being dropped on the back of their heads . The basic " Reverse DDT " is also known as an Inverted DDT . Inverted DDT . Standing behind his / her opponent with the opponent in front of him / her , the wrestler bends his / her back and applies an inverted facelock , then falls backwards to slam the opponent ' s head into the mat . Also known as a Reverse DDT . Most famous for using this move in the U . S . is Sting , who uses it as his finisher and calls it the Scorpion Death Drop . Another variation used can be done when the wrestler falls on his / her stomach instead of their back , which is known as a falling inverted / falling reverse DDT Lifting inverted DDT . Sometimes referred to as an inverted suplex . The wrestler applies an inverted facelock on the opponent with one arm , and lifts the opponent up with the other . The wrestler then falls backwards down onto their back , slightly to their side , driving the opponent down to the mat upper back and head first . Another variation used can be done where the wrestler falls on their stomach instead of their back , which is known as a lifting falling inverted / lifting falling reverse DDT . Reverse tornado DDT . The wrestler applies an inverted facelock from an elevated position ( for example , sitting on the top turnbuckle against an opponent standing on the mat , or from the apron against an opponent standing on the ground ) . He / she then jumps off so that he / she swings around the opponent . Using the momentum from the jump , he / she falls forwards and slams the back of the opponent ' s head into the mat . It could also be done when the wrestler is standing on the mat instead of an elevated position . Standing shiranui . This is a " backflip three - quarter facelock reverse DDT " , which is a variation of the " Shiranui " . In this move a wrestler applies a three - quarter facelock on the opponent and performs a backflip over the opponent while maintaining the facelock turning it into an inverted facelock and then either landing face down to the mat , on their own back to the side , or in a sitting position , to drive the opponent ' s head back - first down to the mat . Último Dragón innovated this move , which he referred to as the Asai DDT . Swinging reverse DDT . This variation sees a wrestler lock in a front facelock and , while falling backwards , twist their opponent around resulting in the opponent landing on the back of their head , as in a normal reverse DDT . A slight variation of this , used by The Miz , who called it the Mizard of Oz , sees the wrestler reach under the opponent while setting up the move to grab their far arm . From there , the wrestler pull the arm over , causing the opponent to twist around until they are in an inverted facelock before then dropping backwards for a standard Inverted DDT . Other variations of the DDT . Single arm DDT . " See Armbar Takedown "