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About This Quiz
The year is 1985, and your favorite wrestler is going up against their arch nemesis in one of the biggest pay-per-view events of the year. The match has been going on for nearly 20 minutes, and you know any second now it's going to happen: that signature move that you've been waiting the entire match to see.ÂÂ
Why are fans drawn to signature moves, anyway? You might say a signature move makes a wrestler who they are, but there's more to it than that. Signature moves, after all, define some of the biggest moments in wrestling history. They often establish eras or title reigns, and they definitely draw fans to the stands, which is why you wait an entire match to see a wrestler land one.
Are you an expert on the signature moves that defined wrestling in the 1980s? From both the biggest stars and their heel counterparts, can you match the wrestler to their signature move? That's exactly what you'll find yourself competing against in this quiz.
When you're ready to dive back into wrestling culture in the 1980s, get started and see if you've trained hard enough to get a win because we might have outmatched you this time.ÂÂ
You couldn't find a bigger wrestling superstar in the '80s than Hulk Hogan, who took down giants even larger than him with which signature move?
Atomic leg drop
WrestleMania III saw Hulk Hogan take on Andre the Giant in one of the most iconic matches in WWF history. After nearly 12 minutes of back and forth action, Hogan was finally able to lift Andre from the mat and slam him before delivering the atomic leg drop to secure the win.
Choke slam
Powerslam
Flying elbow
Known for his bizarre behavior both in and outside the ring, "Macho Man" Randy Savage always gave a finger roll before delivering which finisher on his opponents?
DDT
Pedigree
Flying elbow drop
Wrestling of the 1980s wasn't the high flying, risky business that it is today, as wrestlers are much more willing to take dangerous bumps to gain the approval of the crowd. However, back in the '80s, anytime "Macho Man" Randy Savage hit the top rope, fans were on their feet cheering for him to deliver the flying elbow drop.
Sleeper hold
Bret Hart wouldn't reach the height of his career until the '90s, but can you name the signature move he started developing in the '80s?
Piledriver
Sharpshooter
Trained by his father, Stu Hart, Bret Hart proved over the course of his lengthy career that no wrestler could match him when it came to technique. Nicknaming himself "The Excellence of Execution," the sharpshooter was only part of this legend's arsenal, which helped him win five WWF Championships.
Sweet chin music
Bear hug
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Often billed as "The Eighth Wonder of the World," Andre the Giant crushed opponents using which move to end a match?
Camel clutch
Gorilla press slam
Crossbody
Sitdown splash
Imagine having to lie flat on the ground while a 500-pound man comes flopping down on top of you with his signature move, the sitdown splash. That's exactly what opponents of Andre the Giant dealt with, as the behemoth was known for launching attacks full force.
No one had the energy of The Ultimate Warrior, who always kept enough in the tank to finish a match using what?
Piledriver
Gorilla press slam
Starting his matches by running to the ring like a wild man, those who stood in the way of The Ultimate Warrior knew they had a difficult task at hand if they wanted to overcome his high energy level. Once in the ring, Warrior's matches usually didn't last long, especially when he executed the gorilla press slam.
Superplex
Avalanche splash
Do you know the signature move used by Jake "The Snake" Roberts, one of wrestling's greatest heels?
Crossface lock
Powerbomb
DDT
Jake "The Snake" Roberts gave some of wrestling's greatest promos during the 1980s, and it wasn't all for show. Roberts knew how to strike fear into those who crossed him, one of the reasons he carried a snake to the ring, and once his enemies were engulfed in fear, he finished them with a deadly DDT.
747 splash
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The power behind The Hart Foundation, Jim Neidhart developed which move as his finisher for a match?
Anvil flattener
Few tag teams in the '80s had the same legendary run as The Hart Foundation, two-time winners of the World Tag Team Championship. When Bret Hart wasn't showing off his technical skills, Jim Neidhart was crushing other wrestlers with moves like the anvil flattener.
Running powerslam
Boston crab
Bear hug
The Iron Sheik used which signature move to win the WWF Championship in 1983?
Knee drop
Rocker dropper
Flying elbow
Camel clutch
The Iron Sheik used the camel clutch to win the World Heavyweight Championship from Bob Backlund at Madison Square Garden in 1983. Though Backlund never actually tapped, his manager threw in the towel, knowing his wrestler was too prideful to quit.
What signature move did Rick Rude, one of the nastiest wrestlers in the business, master?
Rude awakening
Gifted with the body of a Greek god, Rick Rude wasn't shy about his good looks and charm. Anytime he went for his finisher, the rude awakening, Rude taunted his opponents by thrusting his hips before finishing the move.
Rude slam
Rude elbow
Rude grip
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One of the best technical wrestlers in the business, no one escaped Curt Henning's finishing move, which was known as what?
Figure four leg lock
Sleeper hold
Perfect-plex
Everything about "Mr. Perfect" Curt Henning was, well, perfect. His perfection even extended to his signature move, the perfect plex, where he slammed opponents into a pin fall that was nearly impossible to escape from.
Fisherman suplex
If Ted DiBiase couldn't finish you with which signature move, he would just purchase the victory?
Money slam
Million dollar dream
The quickest way for a wrestler to make $100 in the '80s was to take on "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. If he was feeling charitable, DiBiase would put a $100 bill into the mouth of his opponent after he defeated them with the million dollar dream.
Money in the bank
Million dollar driver
You might remember Paul Orndorff for participating in the first ever main event at WrestleMania, but do you remember the signature move he employed?
Hell's gate
Running powerslam
Boston crab
Piledriver
No wrestler was immune to the powerful piledriver delivered by Paul Orndorff, not even the superstar Hulk Hogan. Orndorff once used the move on Hogan after a tag team match, where he and Hogan were supposed to be partners during the bout.
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Arrogance was always in fashion for Rick Martel, who crafted which signature move to use on his opponents?
Spear
Pedigree
Bear hug
Boston crab
If you knew Rick Martel, you certainly knew him by his cologne because he carried it around with him everywhere, including to the ring. Of course, this '80s wrestler used the cologne as a weapon, spraying it in the face of his opponents before latching onto them with the Boston crab.
Using what finishing move, Tito Santana helped launch WWF to the front of the wrestling world in the 1980s?
Flying forearm
Tito Santana was one of the earliest stars in the WWF, joining the company when it was only a regional promotion in the Northeast United States. As the company expanded, Santana's wrestling ability did as well, incorporating moves like the flying forearm to win the Intercontinental Championship twice.
Three point stance clothesline
Powerbomb
Ankle lock
Hailing from England, Davey Boy Smith had an arsenal of attacks, but in the end, he always relied on which signature move?
Final cut
Choke slam
Running powerslam
Davey Boy Smith teamed up with Dynamite Kid, another British native, to form the British Bulldogs. The duo carried a real bulldog to the ring with them as a mascot, who would watch from outside the ring as Davey Boy finished off other tag teams with his running powerslam.
F-5
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Mr. Fuji wasn't afraid to cheat if it meant he could land his finishing move, known as what?
Avalanche splash
Cobra hold
Mr. Fuji would leave his cobra hold behind him halfway through the '80s when he left the ring to take on a managerial role. He found early success in the tag team division before landing his biggest client, Yokozuna.
Crossbody
Bionic elbow
Can you remember which signature move the giant known as King Kong Bundy used?
Bionic elbow
K.O. punch
Avalanche splash
One of the only wrestlers to survive King Kong Bundy's earthshaking avalanche splash was Hulk Hogan, who he faced at WrestleMania II. In the main event, Hogan took on Bundy in a steel cage match, barely surviving the match by kicking Bundy away while climbing over the cage.
Last ride
One of the most vicious men in the ring, no wrestler wanted to take which finisher from Sid?
Spear
Powerbomb
The powerbomb became a staple of Sid's arsenal as he sought to be the "master and ruler of the world." A manipulative strategist, Sid would draw allies to his side, only to later betray them for his own benefit. There's a reason they called him psycho, after all.
Rock bottom
Stunner
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Brutus Beefcake would defeat opponents using what famous move before cutting off their hair?
Sleeper hold
Beware if Brutus Beefcake gets you into his cunning sleeper hold, because that might mean the end of those pretty blonde locks. However, that wasn't always the case for Beefcake, as he wouldn't take on his calling as "The Barber" until WrestleMania III when he entered the ring to cut the hair of Adrian Adonis.
Twist of fate
Frog splash
Walls of Jericho
Both tough and physical, Greg Valentine pounded opponents before delivering which signature move to end a match?
DDT
Curb stomp
Pedigree
Figure four leg lock
Nicknamed "The Hammer," Greg Valentine was one of the toughest hitters in the business during the 1980s. However, it was his skill with the figure four leg lock, a move he helped usher into wrestling, that made "The Hammer" such a versatile competitor.
As the Cold War raged, Nikolai Volkoff was the perfect Soviet villain, employing what signature move on his foreign opponents?
Bear hug
Fans waiting for one of Nikolai Volkoff's matches to start were forced to sit through the Soviet National Anthem, which Volkoff would sing himself, making him one of the greatest villains in WWE history. Once a match started, fans cheered his opponents, as they tried to avoid Volkoff's vicious bear hug.
Choke slam
Gorilla press slam
747 splash
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If you were going to war in the ring, you'd want Sgt. Slaughter on your team, who brought opponents to their knees using which finisher?
Mandible claw
Hell's gate
Crippler crossface
Cobra clutch
The 1980s saw Sgt. Slaughter rise to the top of the wrestling world as he defended the honor of his country against the hated Iron Sheik. With the American flag thrown over his shoulder and his camel clutch as a weapon, Sgt. Slaughter battled The Iron Sheik all across the U.S. for over a year.
Can you recall the signature move used by one of the greatest performers in WWF history, Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat?
Fisherman suplex
Crossbody
If you followed the career of Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, you'll certainly remember his match against "Macho Man" Randy Savage at WrestleMania III. Ranked as one of the greatest matches ever, it took everything Steamboat had, including his crossbody, to take the "Macho Man" down.
Swanton bomb
Superkick
No one put on a show like Ric Flair, giving many wrestlers the greatest match of their careers, typically finishing those matches with which move?
Bionic elbow
Greetings from Asbury Park
Figure four leg lock
Unlike many superstars in the business, Ric Flair wasn't afraid to do a job for rising stars who he deemed worthy. However, if "The Nature Boy" was going to win, it was most likely by locking in his signature figure four leg lock.
Knee drop
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Often loud and intensely hated, do you remember the signature move used by "Rowdy" Roddy Piper?
Sharpshooter
Sleeper hold
The sleeper hold might seem simple because any wrestler could use it, no matter their size or skill level. Still, none of those wrestlers mastered it quite like "Rowdy" Roddy Piper, using the move in clashes with stars like Hulk Hogan and Bob Orton Jr.
Piledriver
Ankle lock
When he wasn't beating opponents with the cast on his broken arm, Bob Orton Jr. was trying to land which finishing move?
Last ride
Pedigree
Superplex
If unable to use his signature move, the superplex, Bob Orton Jr. didn't shy away from cheap tricks like using his cast as a weapon. In WrestleMania I, the man known as "Cowboy" even cost his partners, Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff, the main event match after accidentally hitting Orndorff after jumping from the top rope.
Spear
As charismatic inside the ring as he was outside it, what signature move did Dusty Rhodes use to entertain his fans?
RKO
Superkick
Running knee
Bionic elbow
Few wrestlers could time an attack as well as Dusty Rhodes when he unleashed his bionic elbow. The move was so effective that Rhodes often used it to take down multiple opponents at one time.
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You couldn't find a more patriotic performer in the '80s than "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan, a star wrestler who flattened the opposition with which signature move?
Three-point stance clothesline
"Hacksaw" Jim Duggan was as recognized for the 2x4 he carried over his shoulder as for his three-point stance clothesline that he often used to finish off those who stood against him. Chanting "U.S.A.," fans were always excited to watch Duggan stand in defense of America.
Pedigree
Last ride
Spear
The island of Tonga gave the WWF one of its fiercest wrestlers in Haku, who mastered which signature move to crush those who stood in his way?
DDT
Choke slam
Piledriver
Death grip
In his earliest years in the WWE, Haku would make a name for himself beside Tama, as they formed The Islanders to compete in the tag team division. Relying on his death grip, Haku was a lethal force as The Islanders took on the likes of The Can-Am Connection and The British Bulldogs.
No wrestler on the planet wanted to receive which signature move from The One Man Gang?
Rough ryder
747 splash
In 1988, The One Man Gang transformed himself into "The African Dream" Akeem. Embracing his inner soul, the transformed wrestler might have changed his style, but he still relied on the 747 splash to dispatch his opposition.
Stunner
Frog splash
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Junkyard Dog left professional football to join the world of wrestling, where the gifted athlete employed which move to finish opponents?
Powerslam
Junkyard Dog gained the strength necessary to master the powerslam during his days playing college football at Fayetteville State University. An incredible athlete, the Green Bay Packers drafted him out of college, but he knew his future was in sports entertainment.
Spear
Curb stomp
Big ending
Do you know the name of the signature move used by Harley Race on his way to seven World Heavyweight Titles?
Choke slam
DDT
Fisherman suplex
Harley Race was recognized as one of the greatest NWA Champions prior to joining the WWF in 1986, as his former promotion crumpled. Behind the power of his fisherman suplex, Race quickly established himself in the WWF as one of the toughest competitors in the business.
Leg drop
Despite weighing nearly 400 pounds, Bam Bam Bigelow had incredible athleticism, evident by his use of which signature move?
Last ride
RKO
Greetings from Asbury Park
Every wrestler who faced Bam Bam Bigelow knew as soon as he took them above his head that their fates were sealed, as Bigelow prepared to deliver greetings from Ashbury Park. This over the shoulder piledriver was rarely kicked out of before the three count was given.
Swanton bomb
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Tony Atlas loved to show off his incredible strength when he finished opponents with what move?
Powerbomb
Piledriver
Choke slam
Gorilla press slam
As a former bodybuilder, it was no surprise that Tony Atlas took on the gorilla press slam as his signature move. This strongman was so impressive in the weight room that he even earned the nickname "Mr. USA."
As insane as he was crafty, can you recall the name of the signature move used by Bruiser Brody?
Knee drop
Known for his brawler style of wrestling, Bruiser Brody was a wild man in the ring, as ruthless as he was unpredictable. However, one move fans were sure to witness from the barbaric superstar was his knee drop, one of his favorite attacks to use.
Flying elbow
Boston crab
Cobra hold
You Got:
/35
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