Great submissions finishers have always enhanced any pro wrestler's offensive repertoire. Being able to slap a gruesome-looking submission on an opponent can many times help get across a performer's viciousness. In past eras, submission finishers weren't always highlighted. A few submission finishers like The Sharpshooter and Figure Four received most of the praise while some others were considered "boring" by fans.

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In today's product, submission finishers have seemingly been emphasized a bit more. Many of today's top performers have both a regular finisher and submission finisher in their arsenal. Despite several of today's submission finishers simply being modified versions of old submissions, a select few have managed to stand out from the crowd.

10 Figure 8

There seem to be two schools of thought among wrestling fans regarding Charlotte Flair's Figure 8. The move is essentially her father's Figure Four submission with a bridge thrown in. Some fans think it's an excellent submission finisher for her, considering her family legacy.

On the other hand, there's a group of fans that feel like Charlotte needs to adopt a new finisher. They feel like she's already borrowed enough from Ric Flair's character and should try to differentiate herself a bit and stand alone. Regardless, Charlotte has used her Figure 8 submission finisher to achieve arguably the greatest legacy in women's wrestling to date.

9 Hurt Lock

Some submission finishers have gone through dormant periods. That was the case with the Full Nelson. The move is executed when a performer hooks his opponent's arms from behind and pushes their head forward with immense pressure. It was used more frequently in the territory days before seemingly disappearing for almost 20 years.

In the mid-2000s, the move made a resurgence when Chris Masters used it as his finisher and called it "The Master Lock." Today, the Full Nelson has been adopted by Bobby Lashley. Many fans consider Lashley's "Hurt Lock" one of the best iterations of the move ever. In March of 2021, Lashley used the submission to win his first WWE Championship.

8 Mandible Claw

When Mick Foley introduced the WWE Universe to the Mandible Claw in 1996, he left many fans in shock. As if the presentation of the deranged Mankind character wasn't enough, the brutal-looking Mandible Claw put it over the top. Foley would go on to enjoy great success using the move. Although later down the road, he did throw a sock puppet on the Mandible Claw, making it a lot less vicious looking.

Today, the move has been adopted by "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt. Wyatt has been able to successfully adapt the Mandible Claw to fit his character perfectly. Wyatt even used the move on Foley in July of 2019. Since then, Foley has endorsed Wyatt using the move.

7 Kimura Lock

Some wrestling fans believe that one of the reasons we've seen a resurgence in submission finishers over recent years is due to MMA's rise to prominence. In the past decade, UFC and Bellator have both seen significant growth in their audience. That rise in popularity has led many fans to speculate that more submission finishers might just be a way to have some of MMA's legitimacy rub off on pro wrestling.

RELATED: 10 Pro Wrestling Submissions (That Are Also Used In MMA)

Brock Lesnar's 2012 return to pro wrestling only fueled that speculation. Upon returning, The Beast Incarnate adopted a new Kimura Lock finisher. He even used the move to kayfabe break a couple of arms. NXT star Kushida also uses a variation of the move which he's dubbed the "Hoverboard Lock." Both men have used their versions of the Kimura to win championship gold.

6 Asuka Lock

Since arriving in WWE, Asuka has been arguably the best female wrestler on the planet. With a combination of ferocious strikes and submission holds, The Empress Of Tomorrow has really left an impression on the WWE Universe. The centerpiece of Asuka's arsenal is a Cross Face Chicken Wing she calls the "Asuka Lock."

Asuka has been able to successfully use the move to win championships both in NXT and on WWE's main roster. She's not the first WWE performer to use the move, but she's the first women wrestler to adopt it as a finisher in WWE and she's quickly building her legacy with the submission as her finisher.

5 Salt Of The Earth

It might be part of his gimmick but Maxwell Jacob Friedman isn't lying when he says he's the fastest rising star in professional wrestling. That was true before the launch of AEW and it's even truer today. MJF has somehow managed to take everything hateable from every major wrestling heel ever and incorporate it into his own character. He's cocky, confident, brash, and most importantly, talented.

MJF's primary finisher is a Fujiwara Armbar that he's cleverly dubbed "Salt Of The Earth." MJF still has his whole career in front of him but so far he's been able to use his submission move to earn himself some big victories. At this point, the sky seems to be the limit for MJF and his armbar.

4 Calf Crusher

AJ Styles was pro wrestling's best-kept secret for over a decade in TNA. Hardcore wrestling fans knew exactly how phenomenal Styles was but many casual fans had barely ever heard his name. That changed at Royal Rumble 2016 when Styles finally made his way to WWE. Since then, he's been perhaps the best performer on WWE's entire roster.

RELATED: 10 Best Submission Finishers In TNA History, Ranked

Styles has showcased incredible athleticism, hard-hitting moves, and impressive grappling skills. Aside from using his Phenomenal Forearm finisher, Styles has frequently ended matches using his Calf Crusher submission. The move looks legitimately painful and Styles' ability to apply the hold seemingly out of nowhere has made it one of the top submission finishers around.

3 Guillotine Choke

Roman Reigns with a Guillotine Choke on Braun Strowman.

Some extremely talented performers have the misfortune of being cast in the wrong role. Despite enjoying success as John Cena 2.0, Roman Reigns was certainly miscast in that role. Reigns' career has finally hit full stride ever since turning heel in 2020. Since then, it's as if the shackles are finally off of Reigns. He's thrived as The Head Of The Table so far, with the future looking as bright as ever.

To complement his new attitude, Reigns introduced a new submission finisher, the Guillotine Choke. The move is essentially just a front-face lock with body scissors, but when executed by a man Reigns' size, it's not hard to imagine the damage it could cause. The addition of a submission finisher has only enhanced Reigns' character and in-ring skills.

2 Banks Statement

Women's wrestling has truly evolved over the last decade. In past eras, women were treated like eye candy and athletic afterthoughts. Many women's division matches were kept short with only a rare few ever going over 10 minutes. In 2015, all that changed with the onset of the Women's Revolution. Nowadays, women are represented more equally, with many female performers being viewed as better workers than some of their male counterparts.

High on that list is Sasha Banks. Inspired by the late great Eddie Guerrero, Banks has developed an in-ring move-set that's on par with the best performers on the planet, male or female. Banks' go-to finisher is a crossface variation she calls "The Banks Statement." Banks has used the Banks Statement to help establish herself as one of the pillars of the Women's Revolution.

1 "Yes!" Lock

Even before joining WWE, Daniel Bryan was recognized as one of the best submission wrestlers on the planet. When he joined WWE in 2010, Bryan's skillset would be on full display for the world to see. Over the last decade, Bryan has gone from a mid-card talent to the top underdog in WWE history. He's become the leader of the Yes! Movement and fought off retirement to become one of his era's best.

A big portion of Bryan's legacy was built on a LeBell Lock aptly dubbed the "Yes! Lock." The move is a modified crossface that looks especially gruesome when applied by Bryan. The move was on full display at the end of WrestleMania XXX when Bryan used it to submit Batista and win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. The move continues to earn Bryan big victories.

NEXT: 10 Most Effective Submission Finishers In WWE, Ranked