Welcome to another edition of #FinisherFriday! This is Wreddit_Regal giving a short analysis of a finisher that is pretty deceptive, to say the least.
El Lindaman may not be a name that would ring a bell for the average pro wrestling fan, but that's because he is more of a team member than a lone wolf. Creating and being a part of many different factions and stables in Dragon Gate and OWE over the years (including the famous Strong Hearts), Lindaman has since emphasized the importance of numbers when vying for supremacy inside a promotion. But his solo game is not laughable: he's the current Zero-1 International Junior Heavyweight Champion AND NWA World Junior Heavyweight Champion, both on his first reigns respectively.
Looking at his current moveset, he's an all-rounder who can hit hard, fly high, and do the submissions and suplexes that we love:
His finisher is an arm drag throw transitioned to a powerslam (multiple sources mention a scoop driver, but the GIFs and video say otherwise) named Kumagoroshi:
This move looks a lot like Lance Archer's Blackout...
...but it deals damage at TWO different areas in the human anatomy.
While the obvious focal point is the back, the Kumagoroshi actually deals damage to another body part that makes the unlucky recipient a host to a rather unlucky streak of chronic pain in the future: the shoulder. Lindaman's finisher is still an arm drag, and a merciless version at that: while the common arm drag typically sees its recipient jumping in sync to minimize damage to the shoulder, lifting the opponent over Lindaman's shoulder leaves them with no other way to reduce shoulder torque. (For more information about the arm drag's mechanics in pro wrestling, read this article.)
If we were to totally disregard the theatrics of the elevated slam, the move that resembles this finisher the closest is the judo throw ippon morote seoinage (thanks u/BelieveSRoad for the correction!):
Like its judo counterpart, Lindaman doesn't release his hold over the opponent's arm even after they crash down the mat. This adds more tension to the shoulder capsule and rotator cuff and hyperextends them, making these delicate parts at risk of rupturing or being torn.
Using my Regal Rating, I would give this finisher a:
7/10 for aesthetics. Although it's good enough for eye candy, the move's setup time is ridiculously long, which gives the opponent more than enough time to escape or perform a counter.
9/10 for damage. The slam deals damage enough for an opponent to have his wind knocked off of him, and the arm drag ensures that the opponent cannot raise his right shoulder to break the pinfall. (It also helps that Lindaman pins the opponent's left shoulder using his left leg to increase his chances of a successful pinfall attempt)
And that's it chaps, my short analysis of El Lindaman's Kumagoroshi! Do you have any other finishers that you want to be analyzed? Let us know in the comment section below!
Wreddit_Regal is the resident sports kinesiologist of Reddit's wrestling forum, r/squaredcircle. From the most basic of punches to the most intricate double-team manoeuvres, he can explain them within the realm of human anatomy and physics, because when doing absolutely nothing wrestling-related, he also happens to work as an operating room nurse.
: Don't Drag Me Down, Part 2!){kind=link}