HBK and the Crossface

[Kaedon]

If you recall, at the Survivor Series, Shawn Michaels wasn't allowed to use the Superkick in his championship match with Randy Orton. Instead, he used a few submission holds including the Sharpshooter and the ("Crippler") Crossface. The 2008 Spring Preview issue of WWE Magazine that hit newsstands this past week asks him about it in an interview. Here is what he said:

In your match at Survivor Series 2007 against Randy Orton, you used several submission holds, including the Sharpshooter. Were you trying to send a message to someone?

When the Superkick was banned in the match I thought I'd change my whole strategy and use submissions. I'm not really a submission guy, so I used holds that were familiar. One of those moves is the Sharpshooter. People might think I was taking a stab at Bret Hart, but I wasn't. As for the Crossface... I'll just say that I am the guy who has got to be the first one to do stuff, to let people know it's OK. Did I worry about taking heat? I've never been afraid of the heat.

 

[HHHforever]

Wow, very interesting, especially about the crossface. I love that, I gotta be the first to do something just to let people know it's okay, haha. Gotta love HBK. Anyone else notice that ever since that match though he's been using a lot of submission holds? I used the inverted/botched figure 4 the one time and he's been using submission holds in a lot of his matches which is extremely strange for HBK.

 

[The Rated R CMStar]

I don't buy that. HBK got away with the crossface because well, he is HBK. Just think what would happen if Brian Kendrick or London did the crossface. They would get depushed and jobbed....wait a minute...

 

[Airfixx]

Could be that he's heading in a more submission-based direction to prolong his career a little... A few less high spots etc.

 

[Airfixx]

I don't buy that. HBK got away with the crossface because well, he is HBK. Just think what would happen if Brian Kendrick or London did the crossface. They would get depushed and jobbed....wait a minute...

I think that could be his point though.... Now he's done it unpunnished, they can't very well go and punnish a London or whoever for the same thing.

Well they could, but y'know what I mean....

 

[LKP]

As they say taker had to go with the times with a few new moves of submission. I do think hbk needed a few moves cause i know everyone has a moveset but it gets stale after a while. Hbk has a new leglock now hes just adding a few moves to his arsenal. Ric falir could do the same with kennedy and his match at wm24 out on a good sendoff with good moves.

 

[Airfixx]

Good point that. Don't expect flying head scissors etc., but I think if Flair is really goin' down @ WM24 then we'll see a swansong performance from him and certainly more than the chop-whoo-chop-whoo-chop > get's ass kicked > lowblow > figure 4 routine.

 

[HHHforever]

^I dunno what kind of move set Flair will use in his last match, but I can tell you with 100% certantity that not only will that be the best match Flair has had in over a year, especially if it's with HBK, and that it will not end via DQ.