Talk:Piledriver (professional wrestling)

Face first vertebreaker?
Someone added "face first vertebreaker". However, I've never heard of such a thing, and it didn't say who has used it. The description didn't sound like a type of piledriver, either&mdash;more like a kind of facebuster. &mdash; Gwalla | Talk 02:07, 24 Jun 2005 (UTC)

Dangerous moves
A recent edit added a claim that the piledriver is one of the most dangerous moves in wrestling. While I'd never claim that a piledriver is particularly safe, and there have been some injuries, I'm not sure that piledrivers are in general significantly more dangerous than any other slam to an experienced wrestler. Some piledrivers are certainly risky (the vertebreaker gives the recipient no opportunity to brace for impact or tuck his head), but even Paul Heyman can take a tombstone. &mdash; Gwalla | Talk 28 June 2005 20:07 (UTC)

I think that Wikipedia pages on wrestling moves should include some details about the real impact received. Like Gwalla says, the receiver of the tombstone piledriver never actually hits the mat, unlike what the current description on the page implies. For some moves, the wrestler takes some precautions to release the hold just before impact with the mat, in order to ensure the opponent has the opportunity to protect himself while taking the bump. Veinofstars (talk) 19:53, 13 March 2012 (UTC)

Sunset Driver
Couldn't find it anywhere else on here, and thought this would be the best place for it considering the description at the top of the page. Feel free to move it/ point me to where it is already. 212.159.78.3 00:24, 21 April 2006 (UTC)

I've never seen the move performed so I can't be sure, but judging by the section it's been put in (Back to Belly Piledrivers), should it not say that the opponent is held in a back to belly position, rather then belly to back? --Kiltman67 02:49, 22 April 2006 (UTC)

I moved it there from the description i understood it to be like a normal Back to belly piledriver with the back of the attacker having belly of the opponent pushed up against it.. though i havent seen the move used so i cant say that my understanding of the description is correct. --- Paulley 13:14, 22 April 2006 (UTC)
 * Now i read it through again i see you are right that part was in the wrong way round i didnt notice that bit before --- Paulley 13:16, 22 April 2006 (UTC)

"Tombstone" piledriver
The term "tombstone piledriver" goes back to the mid-1970's, at least--well before Mark Callaway ever started wrestling. You can hear Japanese announcers use that name when the move is used by Billy Robinson and the Dynamite Kid. Several issues of the Observer from the mid-to-late '80s use the term as well. PeteF3 22:19, 5 September 2006 (UTC)
 * ok i have changed the discription to show that. --- Paulley

Justin Credible was a kid barely out of grade school when the Undertaker was using the Tombstone. That needs to be changed. One might credit the Undertaker for the popularization of the "tombstone" name, though.

Banned piledriver??
Is there a grandfather clause for wrestlers like the Undertaker so they can use their piledriver? --Soopafred 21:34, 29 November 2006 (UTC)
 * Yes - the WWE allows wrestlers who they feel are experienced enough (i.e. The Undertaker) to still perform piledrivers. FireCrotchRIO 18:53, 29 December 2006 (UTC)

The WWE also banned the shooting star press.76.110.82.251 20:21, 1 September 2007 (UTC)

What does being "disqualified" for this mean?
I'm not a wrestling fan, so I'm not familiar with how these things are usually described, but if the article talks about this move resulting in a "disqualification" and/or a "fine", is it still talking about kayfabe (that is, wrestlers are "being disqualified" for doing an "illegal" move) or is it talking about reality, i.e. the wrestler is genuinely disqualified for genuinely doing something illegal? Is every description along these lines supposed to be taken in the context of kayfabe? For that matter, is there a difference between an "actual" disqualification and a "story" disqualification? Are there separate sets of regulations for "actual" and "pretend" behavior? 82.95.254.249 18:04, 23 June 2007 (UTC)

It's all story DQ... DQ if the referee is looking and legal if he is not. Kayfabe all the way. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.42.30.186 (talk) 04:40, 12 September 2007 (UTC)

Just to distinguish, anytime it's mentioned on-air, it's definitely kayfabe/storyline, but there can be actual repercussions for wrestlers who use moves they were told not to... Paul London was de-pushed and spent several weeks off TV doing house shows over the Shooting Star Press. WWE has chosen to avoid the piledriver and other difficult neck bumps due to the high injury count they racked up during the Attitude Era, and wrestler can be punished "in real life" for not adhering to policy.Enigmatic2k3 (talk) 17:10, 7 May 2008 (UTC)

Variations of a Screw Driver
I was wondering if the Screw Driver could be modified by depending on the suplexes. For examples:


 * Full-Nelson Screw Driver (a full-nelson suplex into a sitdown belly-to-belly piledriver)
 * Half-Nelson Screw Driver (a half-nelson suplex into a sitdown belly-to-belly piledriver)
 * Tiger Screw Driver (a double underhook suplex into a sitdown belly-to-belly piledriver)
 * Inverted Tiger Screw Driver (a Tiger suplex into a sitdown belly-to-belly piledriver)
 * Tazz Screw Driver (a head and arm suplex into a sitdown belly-to-belly piledriver)
 * Death Valley Screw Driver (a fireman's carry hold into a sitdown belly-to-belly piledriver)
 * Fisherman's Screw Driver (a fisherman's suplex into a sitdown belly-to-belly piledriver)
 * Death Valley Screw Driver (a fireman's carry hold into a sitdown belly-to-belly piledriver)

Importantly, the "screw driver" effect becomes successful when you try to attempt to do that suplex and then you apply into that piledriver. IMO, that was how the regular Screw Driver was applied by a Vertical Suplex position.

P.S.: A Screw Driver could be known as a Suplex Piledriver jlog3000 (talk) 18:09, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

Fire Thunder Driver types
The Fire Thunder Driver is to be technically known as a sitout cradle belly-to-belly piledriver. However, the Fire Thunder, which is the variation that Mr. Gannosuke performs is actually a 180-degree over the shoulder sitout belly-to-belly piledriver. jlog3000 (talk) 18:05, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

Front Face Pancake a type or variation of a piledriver?
How do techically or generally called the Front Face Pancake? It appeared on the WWF No Mercy game for the Nintendo 64. jlog3000 (talk) 18:11, 20 February 2008 (UTC)

No. The Pancake is technically a facebuster that is executed from the standard piledriver position. Diamond Dallas Page used it extensively, so it was included in WCW/nWo Revenge and later carried over to the No Mercy moveset. It was actually made famous in the 80's by Col. DeBeers in the AWA. Enigmatic2k3 (talk) 15:45, 1 May 2008 (UTC)

Emerald Flowsion
See talk: powerslam please. 88.182.128.95 (talk) 12:30, 31 August 2008 (UTC)

Mexican Disqualification & Kayfabe
I have seen wrestlers on many Lucha Libre shows being disqualified for performing the piledriver. I don't have a citation, but it is well-known fact that it is illegal in Mexico. And as for the kayfabe that the wrestler's head does not touch the mat during a piledriver is true. Terry Bolea wrote it in his autobiography about the Undertaker. I believe Brett Hart did at a time too. --Oxico (talk) 23:42, 23 March 2009 (UTC)
 * Do you have a page number so that we can site the info? Nikki  ♥  311  00:16, 24 March 2009 (UTC)
 * I do. It is on page 202, lemme read an excerpt from the book Hollywood Hulk Hogan: "The first time I wrestled the Undertaker was at Survior Series 1991. The match ended when Ric Flair, a newcomer who had been the champion of both the [NWA] and [WCW], slipped a chair into the ring. Undertaker hit me with a piledriver on the top of the chair and took away my title. He also screwed up my neck something fierce. It wasn't his fault, he took care of me and made sure my head didn't hit the mat." --Oxico (talk) 17:10, 17 April 2009 (UTC)

Banned in TNA?
The article says that piledrivers are banned in TNA. I know that some people (like Homicide and Rhino) use variations of them in TNA. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.224.159.77 (talk) 15:06, 30 March 2009 (UTC)


 * This occured to me also. At Sacrifice, Foley piledrove Sting on the entrance ramp. The aformentioned superstars also use types and Steiner used a piledriver in his last encounter with Petey Williams I believe. Williams also used the flip piledriver. This should be changed, surely? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 89.168.73.246 (talk) 17:10, 9 June 2009 (UTC)


 * Probably some bored ip added it. It should be removed. They hardly ever ban a move.-- Will C  17:14, 9 June 2009 (UTC)

Use in WWE
I just read all of ref #2, which this article cites to assert that Kane, The Undertaker and Jerry Lawler are authorised to perform piledrivers. However, all it says on the matter is that "we only allow two people to do pile drivers. And they are two of the stronger guys, superstars who have done these maneuvers for a long time, really know how to do them safely. They are very rare. They have to be approved." (p120). No wrestlers are named, and only two are stated to have authorisation. Am I missing something here, or has this information been misused? Seegoon (talk) 17:04, 15 July 2009 (UTC)

I noticed HHH used the tombstone piledriver on The Undertaker at Wrestlemania. So is HHH approved or is there no actual policy banning them in WWE? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 68.171.155.196 (talk) 15:12, 12 March 2012 (UTC)

Variations of the Piledriver can be used if the wrestler gets permission beforehand, plus, the Tombstone Piledriver is considered a safer alternative to the normal Piledriver since the wrestler's head never makes contact with the mat. Nickstar-997 (talk) 13:05, 22 April 2017 (UTC)

Back to belly piledriver
hello, how can you place the opponent between the hold of them !! ((The wrestler faces the opponent, places his head between the hold of them)) thanks Hamad (talk) 04:57, 20 July 2009 (UTC)

History of the piledriver
In the pre television days, I seem to recall that Jim Cornette or a similar southern wrestling historian described that the pile driver was invented to legitimately injure people back in the days of wrestling being a traveling carnival that challenged locals. Has anyone else come across this or similar sources? 208.255.118.242 (talk) 15:32, 24 May 2010 (UTC)

SummerSlam 97 botch
Which variation piledriver was it that Owen Hart used on Stone Cold Steve Austin, where Owen botched the move and legit momentarily paralyzed Austin?? I want to say it was a belly-to-belly piledriver, but Owen landed in a seated position (I don't personally have the film in my library, otherwise I'd go to the VHS or DVD)Blozier2006 (talk) 03:56, 13 August 2010 (UTC)Bryce L.

OK I re-read the article, and the incident i outlined above used a textbook reverse piledriver. Please disregard my question. Blozier2006 (talk) 23:42, 15 August 2010 (UTC)Bryce L.

Banned in memphis?
The citation offered for the claim it is banned in Memphis  did not say that it is banned, only mentioning that Jerry Lawler was disqualified for using it against Andy Kaufman, not making any claims for city banning. Are there other sources that indicate it actually is/was banned in Memphis? Else a number of lines become dubious claims. Valley2 city ‽ 02:18, 5 January 2012 (UTC)

Move discussion in progress
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Child fatality
Should the article mention this recent case of a child dying as the victim of a piledriver maneuver performed by an adult in a non-wrestling setting?

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/ohio/articles/2017-08-31/jury-finds-ohio-man-guilty-of-murder-in-boys-death

Beach Break and Time Bomb
Isn't the Time Bomb a fireman's carry swung into an Emerald Flowsion while the Beach Break is an Over-the-shoulder back-to-belly piledriver/Air Raid Crash? Mojo72400 (talk) 14:07, 2 February 2021 (UTC)

What kind of reverse piledriver variation is used by Kris Statlander as The Big Bang Theory?
Also known as the Hitodenashi Driver by Kota Ibushi and Cracker Barrel by "Hangman" Adam Page. It looks like a package tombstone but I don't know the variation's name. Mojo72400 (talk) 14:16, 2 February 2021 (UTC)