The sunset flip is one of the more spectacular women’s wrestling finishers. It is a relatively high amplitude move which is what I call a reversal pin. That means that the projected victim of a beforehand move turns the tables on her attacker through this move, rolling her up for the pin and possibly defeating her through it. Due to its spectacular nature, the sunset flip is used relatively often in women’s professional wrestling matches.

The eventual attacker begins the move as the victim. She is Irish whipped into the ropes and as she bounces back, her attacker leans forward to make her fall over her and hit the mat hard on the other side. Instead of falling over though, the victim leaps upward and grabs hold of the bent-over attacker’s waist when in mid-air. She then pulls her head in and tumbles to the mat over her opponent, flipping the former attacker over onto her back and with her legs up. The position that the couple lands in after the sunset flip, allows the now attacker to control her victim and to prevent her escape attempts at least till the three count is slapped.

The attacker also has the option to roll her victim over even further, effectively turning the move into a matchbook pin.

The sunset flip can also be executed in more acrobatic ways, like from the second turnbuckle, or even the top rope. A variation of the Sunset flip is the move that some wrestlers call the Victory Roll.

Possible escape: the Sunset flip is always supposed to come as a surprise for the victim, so considering that she’ll be surprised as well as dazed, escape is unlikely. One possible escape is to kick the attacker on the side of the head after the rollup with both legs, thus shocking her into releasing the hold. After that, turning sideways should make sure your shoulders are off the mat.

Rating: because of the surprise element that it involves, the Sunset Flip is considered to be a better than average pinning maneuver. Due to its spectacular nature, it is certainly suited to be used as a finisher.