Amoonsault, moonsault press, or back flip splash is aprofessional wrestling aerial technique. It was innovated byMando Guerrero.[1] Much of its popularity in bothJapanese andAmerican wrestling is attributed toKeiji Muto, also known as the Great Muta. In a standard moonsault, which is generally attempted from the top rope, a wrestler faces away from the supine opponent and executes a backflip landing on the opponent in asplash/press position but facing towards the elevated position. Though this move is generally attempted from the top rope to an opponent lying face up in the mat, myriad variations exist, including moonsaults that see the wrestler land on a standing opponent and forcing them down to the mat. The move is considered a higher-impact version of a splash, since the wrestler utilizes rotational speed.
A less common variation sees the wrestler perform a moonsault on a standing opponent, with the torso of the wrestler striking the torso of the opponent (albeit upside down), forcing the opponent backwards and to the ground with the opponent on top of them, usually placing the opponent in a pinning predicament. Most of the variations listed below can also be performed on standing opponents.
When executed properly the moonsault is generally considered safe, but as with any aerial maneuver, there is inherent high risk when not executed properly. The wrestler performing the move often misses and lands on their stomach unharmed (such asKeiji Mutoh duringStarrcade (1989), when he went for a Moonsault onSting, but ended up missing; he was eventually able to land on his feet and land a kick).[2] Mutoh underwent double knee replacement surgery on February 18, 2018,[3][4] and has since then not performed the Moonsault. In an interview withTokyo Sports, Mutoh told them that he was lucky to be alive afterbotching a moonsault.[5]
In an example of a moonsault gone spectacularly wrong, Eiji Ezaki, better known asHayabusa, suffered a life-threatening injury on October 22, 2001, while working for the Japanese wrestling promotionFrontier Martial-Arts Wrestling. As Hayabusa began executing a springboard moonsault from the second rope, his feet slipped off the rope and struck the first rope below. As a result Hayabusa did not have enough height within which to execute the full 360° of the move, causing him to land head first and on his neck. He broke two vertebrae and was leftquadriplegic, completely ending his career. Hayabusa was eventually able to gain some movement in his lower body, but was never able to wrestle again.[6]
The corkscrew moonsault is a twisting moonsault in which the wrestler is standing or on an elevated platform, such as the top rope, or the corner of the ring, and performs a moonsault with a 360° twist or multiple twists, landing as if performing a normal moonsault. It was used byKUSHIDA early in his career as theMidnight Express whileTetsuya Naito previously used it as theStardust Press.
This is a Moonsault from the top rope, a wrestler faces away from the supine opponent and executes a Diving backflip landing on the opponent in a splash position but facing towards the elevated position. In this moonsault, the wrestler land on a standing opponent and forcing them down to the mat. The move is considered a higher-impact version of a splash, since the wrestler utilizes rotational speed.
This is a variation of a springboard moonsault. This variation sees the wrestler bounce off the middle rope to elevate themself to the top rope, from where they bounce off to perform the moonsault. This version of a moonsault is often referred to as a picture perfect moonsault or double springboard moonsault.[7][8] It was used byChristopher Daniels, who called the move theBME (Best Moonsault Ever).
This is a moonsault where another rotation is performed after the initial moonsault. There are two major variants of the double moonsault, anAsai moonsault version and a normal moonsault from the top turnbuckle to the inside of the ring with two rotations. The first rotation is an arc of the back
The first variation sees a wrestler who is standing on the apron, with a wrestler on the floor behind them, jump up on to either the first or second rope and perform and backflip as in to perform an Asai moonsault but while in mid air tucks their legs reducing resistance and performs a second complete backflip after the first one, landing on a standing opponent below. This is the more common of the two variants due to the increased airtime of the springboard and height from the springboard to the floor. This variant is closely associated withJack Evans who popularized it as theStuntin' 101. Evans is also known to perform a corkscrew version of this variant.
The second variation sees a wrestler ascend to the top rope and perform a backflip while tucking their legs. This allows the wrestler to have less resistance and continue to rotate after the initial first 360° for another 270° completing the second rotation onto an opponent lying on the mat. This was popularized byRicochet.
This is a variation of the double jump moonsault where, from a running start, the attacking wrestler jumps to a chair or other elevated platform, onto the top rope, and then does a moonsault from there onto the opponent. This move has been popularized by wrestlerSabu.Tiffany Stratton uses a variation of the move where she uses the ropes for each jump, called thePrettiest Moonsault Ever (inspired by the Christopher Daniels move, the ‘’Best Moonsault Ever’’. This variation utilizes a standing start instead of the running start.[9]
Invented byNaomichi Marufuji and calledShiranui Kai. Any move where the wrestler stands on an elevated position, grabs hold of the opponent, and performs a moonsault while still holding on to the opponent, driving them down to the mat. This move is also known as aSolo Spanish Fly. Multiple variations exist, such as abelly-to-belly version used byMatt Sydal. This version which sees him holding the opponent in a belly-to-belly position while performing the moonsault to land on top of them in aseated senton. He calls this version theSydal Special., a side slam version or arolling version, which can also be performed whilestanding,John Morrison used the standing version as theC4, whileFrankie Kazarian use the rolling version as theFlux Capacitor.
This variation is also referred to as a sideways moonsault, rolling moonsault, rounding splash, and Original-style moonsault. The attacker climbs the top rope, or other elevated position facing away the opponent. Instead of doing a backflip as in a normal moonsault, the attacker rotates their body off to one side diagonally and lands on the opponent chest-first, facing the turnbuckle as in a normal moonsault. Innovated byTiger Mask I and used byBam Bam Bigelow as theBam Bam-Sault andVader as theVadersault respectively.
Another variation of this move sees the attacker facing the prone opponent with the attacker leaping forward into the air rotating their body in a semi-circle to end up-side down as if doing a midaircartwheel then landing on the opponent chest first facing the turnbuckle.Shane McMahon used this move in a 1999 singles match againstTest.Alexa Bliss uses this move as her finisher, which she callsTwisted Bliss.Dana Brooke uses this move as a variation while running to an opponent lying on the mat, they rotate in opposite directions.[10]
This moonsault variation sees the performer jump up and split their legs onto both the left and right top ropes surrounding the top turnbuckle, using the impact of their thighs on the rope to flip themselves over, executing a moonsault onto a prone opponent.[citation needed]Rey Mysterio andNaomi uses this move. Also known for being used byCM Punk as theCrooked Moonsault earlier in his career and currentlyRob Van Dam as theHollywood Star Press.
This variation involves performing acorkscrew moonsault after using the impact of their thighs on the ropes to flip themselves over.[11] It was popularized byJohn Morrison, who called the move theStarship Pain andThe End of The World.
This is a move in which a wrestlerspringboards (bounces off ropes), then executes a backflip and lands on an opponent. This move is known asLa Quebrada inlucha libre, sometimes shortened to simply Quebrada. A variation performed off the second rope from a running start, popularized byChris Jericho, is known as theLionsault.
A variation of the springboard moonsault is theArabian Press (or aseated springboard moonsault), which involves the performer's thighs both landing on a single top rope, and the performer then continues to use the impact of their thighs on the rope to flip themselves over, executing a moonsault onto a prone opponent.Sabu andSami Zayn are best known to use this version as signature moves.
When a springboard moonsault is performed onto an opponent on the floor outside the ring, rather than one in the ring, it is called anAsai Moonsault. It is named after Yoshihiro Asai, also known by his ring nameÚltimo Dragón, who popularized the move. This can also be used as a setup for aninverted DDT, as popularized byAJ Styles.
This is a wrestling move in which the wrestler does a backflip on the mat landing on the opponent. This move can be set up by preceding with aroundoff.WWE wrestlerApollo Crews uses this as his finishing maneuver.Jeff Cobb also uses the Move as theGachimuchi-Sault.
This moves shows a wrestler grab an opponent like a fallaway slam but instead of just throwing them backwards does a backflip slamming the opponents back into the mat. This move is used byCameron Grimes, and was innovated byScott Steiner as a counter to arunning crossbody. A diving/avalanche version of it is used byBandido asGuerrero Moonsault.
Popularized byIo Shirai[citation needed], while performing inWorld Wonder Ring Stardom, this move involves a moonsault from the top rope. Instead of landing in a splash position, the wrestler finishes the rotation with a double foot stomp on the prone opponent.