CUTTER (PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING)

In professional wrestling, a 'cutter' is a common term which refers to the 'three-quarter facelock bulldog' maneuver. The move is also described as an 'inverted neckbreaker'. This move sees an attacking wrestler first apply a three-quarter facelock (reaching back and grabbing the head of an opponent, thus pulling the opponent's jaw above the wrestler's shoulder) before falling backwards (sometimes after running forwards first) to force the opponent face-first to the mat below. Due to the facelock, the opponent's face often never reaches the mat. Instead, it lands on the shoulder of the attacking wrestler, thus damaging the neck.
The cutter was originally used by Johnny Ace, who called it the 'Ace Crusher'. However, it was most popularly used by Diamond Dallas Page, who called it the 'Diamond Cutter', from where the term "cutter" is now derived.
The cutter also formed the base for the later development of another professional wrestling move known as the stunner. This variant sees an attacking wrestler apply the facelock but, instead of falling to their back, this wrestler drops to a seated position, dropping an opponent's jaw across the shoulder of the wrestler. Most, if not all, versions of the cutter can be modified for this jawbreaker move.

Contents

Variations

Back suplex cutter

Crucifix cutter

Elevated cutter

Forward somersault cutter

Jumping cutter

Rolling cutter

T.K.O.

Twist of Fate

Yokosuka cutter

See also

Variations

Back suplex cutter

Another elevated cutter variation has the wrestler first lift an opponent from behind as with a belly to back suplex. Then, instead of falling backwards, the wrestler pushes the opponent's legs so that the opponent turns over in mid air so that they are now face down and parallel to the ground. As the opponent falls, the wrestler reaches back and seizes opponent's head in a three-quarter facelock, driving the face of the opponent into the mat.

Crucifix cutter

In this version, the wrestler first lifts the opponent up in a crucifix hold before rotating them into the cutter. Another variation involves the opponent lifted in a reverse crucifix and dropped into the cutter.

Elevated cutter

With an opponent placed on an elevated surface, a wrestler applies a three-quarter facelock and then draws the opponent away, leaving only the opponent's feet over the elevated surface. The wrestler then falls backwards so that the opponent is forced to dive forward onto the top of their head due to the angle of which they are dropped.
A slight variation on this sees the wrestler run forward while still applying the three-quarter facelock, pulling the opponent off before dropping backwards down to the mat to force the opponent down for a cutter from a raised height.
The elevated cutter can also be performed as a double team move.

Forward somersault cutter

A standing variation of the Diamond Dust in which the attacking wrestler first holds an opponent in an inverted facelock before then jumping forwards to somersault over the opponent, landing back-first with the opponent's head driven into the wrestler's shoulder.

Jumping cutter

In this version of the move, the wrestler jumps so as to be parallel to the ground, and level with his opponent's head before applying the facelock and using the fall to deliver the cutter. This was most popularly used by Randy Orton, who calls it the 'RKO' and uses it as his finisher.
RKO is not only the name of the move, but also his innitials: Randy Keith Orton.
Orton also uses an elevated version, called the 'Super RKO', where he will place the opponent on the top turnbuckle before executing the RKO from that position.

Rolling cutter

This version of a cutter sees the wrestler place an opponent in an inverted facelock then spinning under the opponent while holding the facelock, twisting him or her into the cutter position.
This move has two major variants. The first, in which the attacking wrestler rolls under their opponent, is widely referred to as the 'Roll the Dice' due to its use by Reno; a modified version which involves hoisting the opponent off their feet before beginning the spin has also been used by other wrestlers. The second major variation, which is referred to as an 'Outward rolling cutter', sees the wrestler spin in the opposite direction over the opponent.

T.K.O.

Also known as the 'Fireman's carry cutter', as named by frequent user Marc Mero, this is another elevated cutter variation in which the opponent is first raised over the shoulders of a wrestler in the fireman's carry position. From here, the attacking wrestler throws the legs of the opponent out backwards and drop down to the mat while taking hold of the opponent's head to force them to fall into the cutter.
A variation of the TKO, called the 'Argentine cutter', is performed by Claudio Castagnoli, which he has named the 'UBS Neckbreaker'. In this move, he lifts the opponent into an Argentine backbreaker rack (facing up with the neck cradled or facing the opposite direction of Castagnoli) and, while throwing the opponent's legs out backwards, rotates the opponent in mid-air into the cutter.

Twist of Fate

In this variation, the wrestler first applies a front facelock, before pivoting 180 degrees to bring themselves into the three-quarter facelock position and dropping down in the cutter. This move is often done off a standing ladder. There is also a stunner variation, which was innovated by Jeff Hardy during his tenure in TNA.
The Twist of Fate was innovated and popularized by Matt Hardy and was most famously used by all the members of Team Xtreme: Matt Hardy, Jeff Hardy, and Lita. Matt Hardy also utilizes a version of the move that sees him standing on the lower, middle, or top rope on an opponent sitting on the top turnbuckle which is called the 'Super Twist of Fate'.

Yokosuka cutter

In this variation, which was named and innovated by Susumu Yokosuka, the wrestler first lifts the opponent, so that they are laying face up across one of the wrestler's shoulders as in a Canadian backbreaker rack, before flipping the opponent over into the cutter. It is common for the wrestler to not properly apply the three-quarter facelock and the move to end up more in a facebuster position. This move is also referred to as a 'Powerbomb cutter'.

See also

★ Professional wrestling throws