Neckbreaker In wrestling a neckbreaker is any throw or slam that focuses its attack on the opponent ’ s neck . One type of neckbreaker involves the wrestler slamming an opponent ' s neck against a part of the wrestler ' s body , usually the knee , head or shoulder . Many uses of the word " breaker " apply to this sort of action , including : Facebreaker , Backbreaker , etc . The other type of neckbreaker is a slam technique in which the wrestler throws an opponent to the ground by twisting the opponent ' s neck . This also refers to a " back head slam " where a wrestler drops to the mat while holding an opponent by their neck , without having to twist it . Variations . Argentine neckbreaker . The wrestler lifts the opponent up so that he or she is laying across the wrestler ' s shoulders and hooks the opponent ’ s neck and leg . The wrestler releases the opponent ' s legs and pushes the opponent ' s body so that it swings out straight behind the wrestler ' s body . As the opponent ' s body is moving out , the wrestler keeps hold to the opponent ' s neck and falls down , executing a falling neckbreaker . Arm trap neckbreaker . This version of a shoulder neckbreaker occurs when an attacking wrestler takes hold of an arm of an opponent , then moves to a back to back position , so that the opponent ' s arm hooks across and round the opponent ' s own head . At this point the attacking wrestler falls backwards to the ground , forcing the opponent ' s own arm to drag them to the mat . William Regal popularized this move and calls it the Regal Cutter . In a straight jacket version of this move , often known as a Cross - arm neckbreaker , a wrestler can hold both arms across on opposite sides of the opponent ' s neck before dropping down , often in a seated position , to drag the opponent to the mat . The tag team Gymini have been known to use the double team version of a Cross - arm neckbreaker where they both trap one of the opponent ' s arms ( crossing them over ) calling it the Cross - Trainer . Corkscrew neckbreaker . Also known as a standing somersault neckbreaker , this move sees the attacking wrestler place the opponent in a side headlock and perform a somersault forwards , then falls down supine , using the momentum of the flip to twist the opponent ' s neck and back into the ground . This move was popularized by Chris Hero , calling it the Cravate Buster , and John Morrison , calling it the Moonlight Drive . Elevated neckbreaker . An elevated neckbreaker refers to any neckbreaker performed on an opponent who is held on an elevated position . Normally a wrestler places the opponent on the turnbuckle so that they face away from the ring . The wrestler takes hold of the opponent by their neck , and from this position performs many variations of the neckbreaker , like falling to a sitting or kneeling position , or just running forward and pulling the opponent away from the corner , and dropping them in a standard neckbreaker . There are double team variations . Elevated cradle neckbreaker . In this variation of a Muscle Buster , which focuses more of the attack on the neck , a wrestler holds his or her opponent upside - down , with both legs hooked and with the back of the opponent ' s neck against the wrestler ' s shoulder , then drops to a kneeling or sitting position so that the opponent ’ s neck hits against the shoulder . It is usually performed against an opponent who is sitting on the top turnbuckle . Gutwrench elevated neckbreaker . A move in which the attacking wrestler performs a gutwrench and lifts the opponent so that their back rests across one of the wrestler ' s shoulders . The wrestler then reaches forward with both hands and grabs the opponent under the chin . At this point , the wrestler would drop down to the mat backwards , causing the opponent to drop from an elevated height and land on the back of their neck . Fireman ' s carry neckbreaker . Popularized by Billy Kidman , this moves sees a wrestler take an opponent across their shoulders in a fireman ' s carry . Once there the wrestler does a fireman ' s carry slam , extending the knee adjacent to the opponent ' s face and neck . The opponent then lands neck - first across the extended knee , snapping their neck in a similar manner to a Shoulder Neckbreaker . Flying neckbreaker . " See flying neckbreaker " . Inverted facelock neckbreaker . Also known as an Inverted facelock backbreaker , this is a move in which a wrestler places their opponent in an inverted facelock . The wrestler then drops to one knee while maintaining the hold , bending their other knee in the process , and driving the back of the opponent ’ s neck and upper spine down on to the bent knee . Inverted neckbreaker . " See cutter . " Neckbreaker slam . Also known as a Falling neckbreaker . This move sees the attacking wrestler stands back to back with their opponent , then reaches over their shoulder and seizes the opponent by the back of their neck or head . The wrestler then falls to their back while maintaining the hold , dragging the opponent down with them to drive their back into the ground . This move is often used by a wrestler who ducks under an attempted attack by the opponent , e . g . a clothesline , and is thus back to back with their opponent . A slight , but common , variation of this , also known as a Jumping neckbreaker , sees the attacking wrestler jump up after seizing the opponent ' s head so that they fall to the mat from a greater elevation and with more force . Mickie James uses a variation of this in which she first traps the arms of her opponent , and then hits the slam . The Miz also has used this move as his finisher which is usually preceded by a running knee lift he would then slam his opponent to the ground . Neck snap . Popularized by Curt Hennig , the attacking wrestler stands behind and facing a sitting opponent before then running toward them and performing a somersault over them . As the wrestler falls , they grab the opponent by the back of the head or neck , pushing it downwards as they drop to the mat . This causes the opponent to jerk their neck backwards , snapping it to the mat . Currently , TNA wrestler Robert Roode uses this move regularly in honor to Curt Hennig himself . This move can be performed when an opponent is face down on the mat . This version was popularized by Shane Douglas . John Cena uses another version where he would run towards a bent over opponent from behind and then perform a somersault over them driving the face of the opponent into the mat with his hands . He calls this move the Throwback . Overdrive . This is a version of a swinging neckbreaker where the attacking wrestler would use a leg rather than hands to perform the twist . With the opponent bent forwards ( presumably from a kick or just getting up ) , the wrestler would hook his or her inside leg over the opponent ' s head , grabbing the nearer of the opponent ' s arms . The wrestler leans back before falling to hands and knees as the opponent is spun around , neck landing on the inside of the wrestler ' s knee . Originally popularized by current " Primetime " Elix Skipper in WCW known as Play of the Day , and is now used by current WWE superstar Montel Vontavious Porter as his finisher , the Playmaker . Inverted overdrive . A move described as a Reverse overdrive is another version of a swinging neckbreaker , in which the attacking wrestler would use a leg ( in this case a knee ) rather than hands to perform the twist . In this move a wrestler would first place one knee ( the one closest to an opponent ) against the base of the opponent ' s neck , who is leaning forward , while underhooking one of the opponent ' s arms ( the furthest one ) before falling backwards down to the mat as the opponent is spun over , landing neck - first on the attacking wrestler ' s knee . This move was used by Matt Striker for a short while , who called it the Golden Rule . Reverse Twist of Fate . Also known as an Extreme Twist of Fate and a Reverse of Fate , this is a move in which a wrestler places their opponent in an inverted facelock and then pivots at 180° and catches the opponent ' s head with their free arm ( or both arms ) and then drops to a sitting position or lands on his back . This move was innovated by Steve Corino and later used by Jeff Hardy and Lita . Running neckbreaker . " See Lariat takedown . " Shoulder neckbreaker . Better known as a hangman ' s neckbreaker and also known as a kneeling neckbreaker or a sitout neckbreaker . From a back to back position , the attacking wrestler reaches back and pulls the opponent ' s head over their shoulder , then drops to a sitting / kneeling position , causing the back of the opponent ' s neck to impact on the shoulder of the attacking wrestler . Rick Rude used this move as his finisher calling it the Rude Awakening Melina innovated another variation of the shoulder neckbreaker , rather than dropping into the normal seated or kneeling position , she performs the straddle splits crashing the back of her opponent ' s head into her shoulder . Another version of this move is similar to the neckbreaker slam which sees both wrestlers fall to their backs with the opponent ' s neck being forced down to the mat instead of onto the attacking wrestler ' s shoulder . Gory neckbreaker . This elevated shoulder neckbreaker , also known as a Gory driver , first sees the attacking wrestler lift an opponent into a position where the opponent and the wrestler are back to back with the opponent ' s head pulled across the shoulder of the attacking wrestler and their legs hooked over the wrestler ' s legs ( the Gory special ) . From this position the attacking wrestler drops to a sitting or kneeling position , driving the back of the opponent ' s neck into the shoulder of the attacking wrestler and the knees of the opponent into the mat . This move can also see the opponent ' s neck placed over the attacking wrestler ' s head instead of their shoulder . This is collectively known as a Widow ' s Peak , as popularized by Victoria and Blue Destiny , as popularised by Kotaro Suzuki in Japan . Swinging neckbreaker . The attacking wrestler applies a front facelock while he places their heads side by side under each other shoulder and uses their free hand to grab hold of the opponent ' s far hand before then swinging over the opponent and down to the ground , in a semi - circular motion , so that both the wrestler and the opponent fall to the ground back - first causing the back of the opponent ' s neck to impact on the shoulder of the attacking wrestler . The Honky Tonk Man popularized this move in the late 80s , calling it the Shake , Rattle , and Roll . One variation , known as a swinging neckbomb , sees the attacking wrestler fall to a seated position slamming the opponent ' s neck into the mat between their legs . Another version that sees the attacking wrestler swing inward , throwing the opponent over and to the ground , is often referred to as a whiplash . Whiplash . The standard version of this move is in a style similar to that of a swinging neckbreaker , in which the wrestler holds them in a front facelock , keeping their heads side by side under each other shoulder . At this point the attacking wrestler swings inward as they dive to the ground , twisting on the opponent ' s neck and in the process , driving their neck and shoulders into the ground . The elevated whiplash first sees the attacking wrestler raise an opponent off the ground , often using a suplex lift , to place the opponent ' s leg on the top ring rope so that they are face - down while the wrestler holds them in a front facelock , keeping their heads side by side under each other shoulder , making the wrestler the only other thing than the ring ropes keeping the opponent off the ground . At this point the attacking wrestler swings inward as they dive to the ground , twisting on the opponent ' s neck and in the process lifting the opponent ' s entire body off the rope , driving their neck and shoulders into the ground . There is also a double team version of this move . Another slight variation of the ( standing ) whiplash move sees the attacking wrestler hook both the opponent ' s legs ( as in a cradle suplex ) while keeping both their heads side by side under each other shoulder before then performing the whiplash . This version is often known as a muscle twister . Dustin Rhodes uses a variation in which he lifts the opponent in a suplex position before dropping and twisting them into the whiplash , he called it Schizophrenic in TNA and the Final Cut in the WWE .