The Bulldog is what women wrestling specialists call a stunner. It is a high impact move that stuns the victim setting her up for a pin. The bulldog is often used as a finisher in women’s wrestling.

The attacker secures a side headlock on her victim. She works the headlock for a while then backs the victim into a corner (she has to do that in order to make sure she has room to execute the move). Then she takes a running step forward and leaps into the air still having the headlock on. At the peak of the motion, she releases the victim’s neck but she makes sure she has her weight behind her (the attacker sits down) when she drives the victim head-first into the mat. The impact should be enough to knock the victim cold for a few seconds, or even if it doesn’t knock her out, it well certainly stun her.

Possible escape: Once the bulldog is locked in, you can’t really escape or reverse it. You’d do better to make sure your opponent can’t secure the headlock or that she cant back you up into the corner.

Rating: the Bulldog is an extremely efficient hold. Because of the impact it delivers it is frequently sold as a finisher.