Raking their opponent’s face using the top ring rope is a relatively popular move with female wrestlers. Obviously, a woman’s face is something she takes great care of, therefore the face on rope rake is an especially sneaky under-handed attack, targeting one of the victim’s most cherished possessions. As such, it is not meant to inflict damage of the type that will directly help the attacker win the bout, it’s aim is more of a psychological one, undermining the victim’s will to fight.

How it’s done: the attacker simply grabs hold of the victim’s hair through which she’ll be able to control her head, and presses her face against the top rope. The attacker then proceeds to drag the victim’s face alongside the top rope while keeping it pressed tightly against it at all times. The resulting friction will damage the skin, often resulting in lasting and visible marks, something every women dreads and something that every woman would gladly receive a painful gut-punch instead.

Possible escape: when your opponent grabs you by the hair, get your hands onto the top rope and push yourself away from it. Don’t let her push your face against the rope.

Rating: not a very efficient ladies’ wrestling move in the regular sense, but a very efficient psychological weapon. As something that has the potential to cause lasting damage to the recipient, it is a move we at women-wrestling.org do not condone or recommend to be used.