A suplex is an offensive move used in both professional and amateur wrestling. A suplex is a throw that involves lifting the opponent and bridging or rolling to slam the opponent on their back. Though there are many variations, the term suplex (without qualifiers) can also refer specifically to the vertical suplex.
In Olympic and amateur wrestling there exists a move called a souplex, pronounced suplay, a Greco-Roman wrestling term derived from French. During his career, pro wrestling commentator Gordon Solie used the soo-PLAY pronunciation (as have the AWA's Rod Trongard and Terry Taylor), but almost all other pro wrestling talent pronounces it SOO-plex.
Professional wrestling features many different varieties of suplexes. The following are among the most common, but many more exist, particularly as the signature techniques of individual wrestlers.
In these suplexes, the wrestlers begin by facing each other, the attacking wrestler then applies a front facelock to the opponent before executing a throw. In most cases, the opponent is suspended upside-down during part of the move. The most common front facelock suplex is the vertical suplex.
Also spelled as a fisherman suplex and also known as a cradle suplex or leg hook suplex. With their opponent in a front facelock with the near arm draped over the attacker's shoulder, the wrestler hooks the opponent's near leg behind the opponent's knee with his/her free arm and falls backwards, flipping the opponent onto his/her back. In most cases the attacking wrestler will keep the leg hooked and bridge to pin the opponent in a cradle-like position, as in the case of Curt Hennig's Perfect-plex and Bobby Roode's Pay Off.Val Venis also used this move in the past. Other times the wrestler will apply a leglock submission hold to the hooked leg.