We all know that it’s coming and every time they get us going. 

Guys have become synonymous with certain moves, and as we approach the NCAA season one of the things we can’t wait for is the signature moves of some of our best. So as the season approaches, let’s take a look at some of the baddest signature moves we’ve grown to love. 

Note: Only current NCAA wrestlers are included.

Spencer Lee: Armbar

The returning NCAA champ’s armbar series is very deadly. He secures some points with a tilt off of it then that’s all she wrote as he transitions for the fall. The best way to get out of it? Well, don’t get in it. 

Watch Spencer use his finishing move:

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Yianni D: Sit the corner

A la J. Jaggers, no one sits the corner like Yianni Diakomihalis. There’s very little warning; it all just happens and before you know it you’re cradled up and hear the counting of back points. 

Kaid Brock: Slideby

It’s so sneaky good. With the lightest touch, he’s gone. Kaid’s got this trick in his back pocket and we’ve seen him hit multiple times, sometimes in the same match. The slickness of his slideby is too real.

Jason Nolf: Winn Dixie

“OK, I’m in on a single. Let’s come out the backdoor and finish the takedown. Oh, s*#t I’m on my back,” says every guy to ever get hit with the Winn Dixie (probably). 

The first time we saw Nolf hit this it was the most talked about move. Now that we’ve seen it enough times you’d think people would learn how to stop it, but nope, the backpoints just keep on coming. 

Vincezo Joseph and Daton Fix: Inside trip

On the biggest stage is where Cenzo’s trip sent us all into a frenzy. And if that wasn’t enough, he ran it back the following year, on the same stage, against the same guy (Isaiah Martinez), on the way to his second title. The second one may not have brought the same result, but it showed us just how gutsy/confident he is with this trip. 

In Daton’s case, there haven’t been many that have been able to defend it, despite knowing that it’s coming. As he looks to join the Cowboys’ lineup this season we will get to see how this dangerous trick of Fix fares. 

Watch Cenzo's trip shock the world:

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Bo Nickal: Throws 4 days

The only time a Nickal is worth six is when Bo locks up a throw. Headlocks, double overs or the flying cement job heard ‘round the world, he’s got so many ways to take someone to their back. 

Chandler Rogers and Ben Darmstadt: Assassin

We may call it the assassin, but it’s a bit more like a Venus flytrap. Once you’re in it, struggling and fighting to get off your back only makes it tighter. Chandler Rogers and Ben Darmstadt have notches so many falls with this that most of his opponents have resorted to just hanging on and saying a prayer.

Rogers goes trip to assassin to get the fall:

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Hayden Hidlay: Underhook

It was a bit more prevalent when he was a high school wrestler. More of his offense was generated off his underhook. Hats off to coach Pop and Adam Hall because they’ve gotten him to open up more with different attacks, but ol’ faithful still brings the noise when he needs it to. The amount of comfort when he locks in his hook is apparent. 

Note: This is the official move of the Hidlay family. Younger brother, Trent, can also harness the power of the hook.

Zahid Valencia: Ankle pick 

I bet you don’t even notice it, but every Zahid Valencia match open with him taking a swipe at his opponent's ankle. Sometimes it’s just the action to get a response and other times he’s snagging it for points. 

Mark Hall: Mixer

The Marky Mixer has put many guys to sleep, and with how good he has become with it, I’m sure there will be many more casualties coming. 

Kyle Conel: Body Lock Throw

He said it himself: once it’s locked up it’s over. The incredible horsepower we saw when Conel tossed #1-seed Kollin Moore to his back to get the fall gave us one of the biggest moments of the tournament. He went on to record a few more falls on his way to becoming an All-American, but my, my, my that body lock throw is pretty.

Watch Conel pin Kollin Moore:

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Shakur Rasheed: Crossface Cradle

It’s like being caught in a vice. When Rasheed just about pinned his way through the Southern Scuffle last year with this deadly crossface cradle that once it was locked up resulted in three straight falls in under a minute.

Ethan Lizak: Top Game

This elevator only goes one way: up. Lizak’s top game is not to be taken lightly. His ability to ride and turn guys is a serious x-factor.

Jaydin Eierman: ?

The reason I’m putting a question mark here is that Jaydin Eierman is the riddler of NCAA. He’s got such a mixed back of unpredictability that it’s become his signature. In on his legs, you might end up on your back. You’ve got him in the air, he’s somehow still comfortable. Many of the guys that have wrestled him have said that you can feel him daring you to make a mistake, which make you wrestle him a little more cautiously. 

Watch Eierman's wild match against Dean Heil: