Is the Sharpshooter an overrated leg submission?

Question

I've been wondering this, especially since the WWE commentators overemphasizes the move every time it's done by someone other than Bret Hart, calling it "legendary" and such.

So.....is the move overrated? Or it is really that great of a hold? Any opinions are appreciated.

Answer 1

its overrated as a leg submission move cause it doesn't affect your legs at all it more targeted for the lower back

Answer 2

its great

Answer 3

I wouldnt call it a legendary hold, but it is a good move that just so happens to be used by a legend once upon a time. I would put in on par with the Cloverleaf. Better than the Boston Crab, lol.

Answer 4

The Sharpshooter, originally named Sasori-gatame and in English Scorpion Hold, is a professional wrestling submission hold. The move is also known by the names reverse figure four, cloverleaf leg-lace Boston crab, grapevine Boston crab, Scorpion Deathlock, and despite its original Scorpion Hold name, the move is still commonly known by its Bret Hart-given nickname Sharpshooter. The hold was invented by Riki Chōshū.

The hold begins with the opponent supine on the mat with the applying wrestler stepping between the opponent's legs with his/her left leg and wraps the opponent's legs at shin level around that leg. If the applier decides to cross the opponent's legs around his right leg, he has to cross the opponent's right leg over their left, or, otherwise, he has to cross his opponent's left leg over their right. Holding the opponent's legs in place, the wrestler then grabs the opponent's leg which he has crossed over the other and steps over him, flipping him over into a prone position before leaning back to compress his lower back.

Through the many methods of performing the Sharpshooter (other than the usual method), it has been demonstrated that the Sharpshooter can be performed from virtually anywhere.

While Bret Hart is the wrestler with whom the Sharpshooter is synonymous, it was actually Sting who first popularized the move in the United States while working for WCW. Called the Scorpion Deathlock, Sting used the move as his submission finisher throughout his career, particularly during the era when Hart was still a tag team wrestler (with the Hart Foundation) and not using the Sharpshooter in any of his matches. The one notable difference between both wrestlers' use of the move is that Sting would cross his opponent's legs over his own right leg, while Hart would use his left leg.

The Rock's version of The Sharpshooter sees him cross the opponents legs at the ankles instead of at shin-level (as most users do). Then, he seizes not only one, but both of his opponent's legs under his armpit before he steps over his opponent.

Edge used an inverted version of the Sharpshooter dubbed the Edgecator. This starts off with the opponent prone. The wrestler steps between the opponent's legs with one of his own and crosses the opponent’s legs so that their near leg's ankle is in the far leg's knee pit. The wrestler then does not mount the opponent, bur instead remains to the side of the opponent and pushes to cause pain.

Bret Hart alone has demonstrated various methods of performing the Sharpshooter - most notably when an attacking wrestler performs a leg drop to the chest which Bret will block, cross their legs and flips them onto their stomach while he stands up, thus completing the move. Hart first used this block/reversal in his now-classic encounter with Curt Hennig at Summerslam 1991.

At SummerSlam 1992 Bret would perform this move on Davey Boy Smith while on his back. Both men were laying on the mat after a clotheslining each other. Bret would maneuver his leg over and between Smith's, while crossing them. He would then roll over and stand, pulling back.

At SummerSlam 1997 during the main event for the WWF Championship, Bret Hart performed an altered version of the Sharpshooter in which utilized the corner ringpost (tying his opponent The Undertaker's legs around the ring post and proceeding to compress his legs).

Answer 5

definitely not! sharpshooter puts enormous pressure on the victim's lower back.  

Answer 6

Most of the holds aren't really that effective. But the Sharpshooter is actually quite overrated. It probably does less damage then the STFU

Answer 7

good hold

Answer 8

I've had someone pull that move on me. Hurts like h**l when they really do it. There is worse though, that's for sure. I used to think the Walls of Jericho was overrated, till I got that one done on me too. It hurts =/

Answer 9

well, no. it's legendary yeah

Answer 10

No the sharpshooter is not over rated it acutally hurts you sit down on your oppents back and drive your knee into there crossed legs. It's very effective. I've seen people cry when they've been put in the sharpshooter.

Answer 11

I think it is more of a statement about Bret's legendary status than the move itself. Everyone associates the finisher with bret Similar to the way the figure four is almost always associated with Flair. The move itself seems pretty easy to escape since your arms are free to do anything.

Answer 12

the way i see it the sharpshooter is more of a submission hold to do damage to the back and if the sharp shooter is a weak hold than so is the boston crab and the texas cloverleaf. the sharpshooter though is only as good as the person applying the hold and other than bret and sting no one really makes it look good. the rock never seemed to put pressure on his opponents back.

basically i think they just mention bret when people use the move to help put the wrestler using the hold over. it would be the same thing if benoit had retired and people used the crossface. i could see them mention it with beniots name attached.