Brainbuster

A Brainbuster, also known as an Avalanche Suplex, is a professional wrestling throw in which a wrestler puts his/her opponent in a front facelock, hooks his/her tights, and lifts him/her up as if he/she was executing a vertical suplex. The wrestler then jumps up and falls onto his/her back so that the opponent lands on his/her head while remaining vertical.

The Western "Brainbuster" is known as the Vertical Brainbuster in Japan, where "Brainbuster" refers to a vertical suplex.

It is disputed whether a Brainbuster is a suplex variant or a high lifting spike DDT.

Variants

Argentine brainbuster

The attacking wrestler places an opponent in an Argentine backbreaker rack, where the opponent is held face-up across both the shoulders of the wrestler, from here the wrestler falls sideways (towards the side where the opponent's head is held) while still holding the opponent's head and legs, driving them down to the mat with the back of the head impacting the mat first.

Cradle brainbuster

Also known as a Cradle DDT or a Belly to belly brainbuster. The wrestler stands facing a standing opponent and then wraps both arms around the opponent's torso, lifting them off the ground. The wrestler then shifts their grip so they are holding the opponent by their legs, gripping the opponent behind the knee. The wrestler then removes one arm from the opponent’s leg and quickly applies a front facelock with that arm. The wrestler then falls backwards, driving the opponent’s head into the ground.

Double underhook brainbuster

The move was innovated by The Great Sasuke and sees a wrestler first face an opponent and apply a double underhook before then lifting the opponent upside down and falling backwards down to the mat onto his back, driving the opponent head first down to the mat.

Fisherman brainbuster

A Fisherman brainbuster, sometimes shortened to Fisherman buster, and also known as a Leg cradle brainbuster is a variation of the brainbuster in which the wrestler will hook the opponent’s near leg with their free arm to aid in lifting them off the ground. With the opponent elevated, the wrestler will then throw themselves backwards, landing on their back and driving the head of the opponent into the ground.

Cross-legged fisherman brainbuster

A Fisherman brainbuster variation in which a wrestler puts his/her opponent in a front facelock and uses his/her free arm to go under the opponent's near leg and hook the far one. After lifting him/her off the ground, the wrestler then jumps up and falls down on his/her back, slamming his/her opponent down to the mat headfirst.

Inverted brainbuster

The attacking wrestler begins behind and facing a standing opponent. The wrestler then pulls the head of the opponent back and applies an inverted facelock to the opponent with one arm. The wrestler then places his/her other arm under the lower back of the opponent, then uses that arm to elevate the opponent until they are vertical. The wrestler then jumps up and falls down on his/her back, driving the head of the opponent to the mat.

Muscle Buster

The move started as a move in a manga series Kinnikuman (English: Ultimate Muscle), in which the move is called Kinniku Buster (English: Muscle Buster).

The move is performed when an attacking wrestler hooks both an opponent's legs with his/her arms and tucks their head in next to the opponent's before standing and lifting the opponent up, so that they are upside down with their head resting on the attacking wrestler's shoulder. From this position, the attacking wrestler jumps up and drops down to the mat, driving the opponent shoulder first to down the mat with the opponent's neck impacting both the wrestler's shoulder and the mat.

This can see the wrestler pick up an opponent who is standing but bent forward but it often begins with an opponent who is sitting on an elevated position, usually a top turnbuckle, because it's easier to hook and lift an opponent when they are positioned higher than the wrestler.

Samoa Joe is noted for often using an Avalanche Muscle Buster, where he would fall to the mat from a raised platform, usually the second rope.

The move also has a neckbreaker variation which focuses more of the attack on the opponent's neck.

Scoop brainbuster

Also known as Northern Lights Driver. This move sees the wrestler put the opponent in a front facelock, scoop one the opponents thighs with his free hand, lift him upside down, and then drop to his side or back, driving the opponent to the mat on his neck and shoulders, or on the top of his head.

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