A powerslam is a wrestling body slam move in which the wrestler performing the slam falls face-down on top of his/her opponent. The use of the term "powerslam" usually refers to the front powerslam and the scoop powerslam.
Variations[]
Emerald Flowsion[]
Innovated by Mitsuharu Misawa and technically known as a sitout side powerslam, this move is performed in which the wrestler lifts the opponent up on his left shoulder like in a front powerslam. The wrestler wraps his right arm around the opponent's neck, and the left arm around the opponent's torso. The wrestler then sits down while flipping the opponent forward to the right side of him, driving the opponent neck and shoulder first into the mat. Terumasa Ishihara is one of this move's most well known users. This move is often called "Emerald Frosion" and "Emerald Fusion".
Inverted sitout side powerslam[]
Also known as an Inverted Emerald Flowsion, the attacking wrestler lifts the opponent up onto one of their shoulders, facing upwards. From this position, the attacking wrestler then sits down and simultaneously flips the opponent forwards and downwards, slamming them down to the ground face-first to one side of the wrestler.
Falling slam[]
Also known as a falling powerslam or a reverse fallaway slam. Facing the opponent, the wrestler reaches between the opponent's legs with one arm and reaches around their back from the same side with the other arm. The wrestler lifts the opponent up so they are horizontal across the wrestler's body then falls forward to slam the victim against the mat back-first. An inverted version exists, where the opponent is lifted from behind, and slammed similarly to a falling slam, only on their face/abdomen.
Fireman's carry powerslam[]
The wrestler lifts the opponent across his/her shoulders in a fireman's carry, grabs his/her right leg then pushes it up, positions his torso across the other wrestler's abdomen, and falls forward, slamming the opponent down on their back in a front powerslam.
Front powerslam[]
This is the most common powerslam, and is often referred to as just a powerslam. This move sees an attacking wrestler reach between an opponent's legs with one arm and reach around that opponent's back from the same side with his/her other arm before then lifting this opponent up over their shoulder. From this position the attacking wrestler falls forward to slam the opponent against the mat back-first. Wrestlers often run forward as they slam.
Gorilla press powerslam[]
The move, also known as a Military press powerslam or Falling Press Slam, is similar to a gorilla press slam. The wrestler lifts his/her opponent up over his/her head with arms fully extended (as in the military press used in weight lifting), then drops his/her opponent up over his/her shoulder into an over the shoulder position and then (runs and) falls forward to slam the opponent against the mat back-first.
Oklahoma Stampede[]
The wrestler reaches between the opponent's legs with one arm and around the opponent's back from the same side with his other arm. The wrestler lifts the opponent up over his shoulder, and runs towards the ring corner, slamming the opponent back first to the turnbuckles. The wrestler keeps the hold and slams the opponent to the opposite corner as well. The wrestler then runs to the middle of the ring and falls down forward, driving the opponent down to the mat back first.
Scoop powerslam[]
The second most common version of a powerslam which is often referred to as just a powerslam sees an attacking wrestler place one arm between an opponent's legs, and reach over the opponent's shoulder with the other arm before then spinning the opponent over onto their back while keeping the opponent horizontal across their body at all times. As the opponent falls to the mat the attacking wrestler will continue to fall face-down on top of them in a lateral press pinning position. This powerslam is usually performed on a charging opponent, using the opponent's own momentum to power the throw.
Suplex powerslam[]
Also known as the jackhammer (relating to Bill Goldberg) or a Power-Plex (relating to Lance Storm) , the wrestler applies a front face lock, throws the opponent's near arm over the wrestler's shoulder, and then grabs his/her tights to lift him/her up straight in the air (as in a standard vertical suplex). When the wrestler begins to drop the opponent to the mat the wrestler will twist to fall face-down on top of the opponent.
Side slam[]
This move is commonly and incorrectly referred to as an ura-nage slam, or simply ura-nage. This name is an incorrect Americanization of the name for ura-nage, which, translated directly from the Japanese, means, literally, "throw to behind". It has erroneously been translated as "reverse side throw", which is incorrect; the word "ura" means "behind".
The wrestler stands face to face with the opponent, slightly to their side. The wrestler tucks his head under the opponent's near arm, reaches across the opponent's chest and around their neck with his near arm, and places his other arm against their back. The wrestler then lifts the opponent up and falls forward, either flat on their chest or their knees, slamming the opponent down to the mat back first. The wrestler can also stay standing and just body slam the opponent down to the mat.
In another variation, the wrestler locks both hands together behind the opponent's back, lifts them up, and swings forward into a seated position while slamming the opponent down.
Back suplex side slam[]
A belly to back suplex lift twisted into a side slam. In this Elevated Side Slam the wrestler stands behind the opponent, puts his head under one of the opponent's arms, and lifts them onto his shoulder. The wrestler then pushes the opponent upwards, before it is turned into a side slam so the victim is dropped from an elevated position.
One-armed side slam[]
This STO-like maneuver sees the attacker catch an oncoming opponent with one arm hooked under their arms and fall to their knees, slamming the opponent to the mat back first, all in one fluid motion. A standing version is also possible after suplex at the ring.
Spinning side slam[]
Also referred to as a scrapbuster slam, the wrestler stands side-to-side and slightly behind with the opponent, facing in the opposite direction, and reaches around the opponent's torso with one arm across the opponent's chest and under both arms. The wrestler then lifts him/her up with one arm as he/she swings the opponent 180° to the opposite side, while the wrestler faces the same direction, then falls onto the opponent slamming the opponent onto the mat back-first.
In another version of this move, which is performed against a charging opponent, the wrestler uses the opponent's own momentum to power the throw and can see the wrestler with the opponent in the air spinning back round nearly 360° before dropping him to the mat.
Standing moonsault side slam[]
Often erroneously described as a moonsault ura-nage slam, this move sees an attacking wrestler stand slightly behind and facing the side of a standing opponent. The wrestler then reaches under the near arm of the opponent, across the chest of the opponent and under their far arm, while placing his/her other hand on the back of the opponent to hold them in place. The wrestler then performs a backwards somersault (moonsault) while holding the victim, driving the opponent into the mat back-first.
This move can also be performed off the top rope and is known as a moonsault side slam or solo Spanish fly in reference to the Spanish fly double team move.
Swinging side slam[]
Also known as the wind-up slam, the move sees a wrestler facing his opponent, reaching between the opponent's legs with one arm and reaching around the back from the same side with the other arm. The wrestler next lifts the opponent up so they are horizontal across the wrestler's body. The attacker then spins in a circle while swinging the lower half of the opponent's body out and around until one arm is across the opponent's chest and under one or both arms. The wrestler falls forward, slamming the victim into the mat back-first.
Variations of the move can have the wrestler hold the opponent up over his shoulder and throwing the opponent round from that position, while another variation of the move sees a wrestler hang the opponent across both the attacker's shoulders and throw out the legs behind them so the victim swings back round to drop in a position.
Ura-nage[]
Also known as a sambo suplex or side suplex. The wrestler stands face to face with the opponent, slightly to their side. The wrestler tucks his head under the opponent's near arm, and reaches across the opponent's chest and around their neck with his near arm. The wrestler then simultaneously lifts the opponent up, turns 180° and falls backwards, bringing the opponent over him and slamming them down to the mat back first. The name ura-nage (or uranage) is incorrectly but commonly used to refer to a regular side slam and though the name in fact comes from a Judo throw, that throw resembles a saito suplex more than the professional wrestling ura-nage.
Vertical suplex side slam[]
In this elevated side slam variation, the wrestler grabs a front facelock on the opponent and wraps their arm over the wrestlers neck. The wrestler then lifts the opponent upside down, as in a vertical suplex. The wrestler moves his arm from around the opponent's neck, and as the victim falls back down, he/she is placed into a side slam position and dropped to the mat.
Sidewalk slam[]
The wrestler stands side-to-side and slightly behind with the victim, facing in the same direction, and reaches around the victim's torso with his/her near arm across the victim's chest and under both arms and places the other arm under the victim's legs. The wrestler then lifts him/her up, bringing his/her legs off the ground and falls down to the mat in a sitting position, slamming the victim into the mat back-first. The name "sidewalk slam" is also often incorrectly used for a one-armed, spinning side, or swinging side slam.