Professional wrestling aerial techniques

High-flying techniques are used in professional wrestling to show of the speed and agility of a wrestler. these moves are mainly done by smaller quicker wrestlers that are unable to do most of the power moves.

There is a wide variety of high-flying techniques in pro wrestling. Many moves are known by several different names. Professional wrestlers frequently give their "finishers" (signature moves that usually result in a win) new names. Occasionally these names become popular and are used regardless of the wrestler performing the technique.

Moves are listed under general categories whenever possible.

Axe handle

A top-rope axe handle is accomplished by jumping from the top turnbuckle to the mat or floor and striking your opponent with two fists held together in the fashion of holding an axe. This is usually done on a standing or rising opponent, not a prone one. Many wrestlers include this move in their repertoire, though one particularly famous version is done by Randy Savage.

Crossbody

A crossbody (or "cross body block") is a maneuver in which a wrestler jumps onto his opponent and lands horizontally across the opponent's torso, forcing them to the mat and usually resulting in a pinfall attempt. This can be accomplished from the top rope or by going over the top rope to the outside. In lucha libre, this is called a "pescado" when the top rope is used as a slingshot, though the term "plancha" has been popularly accepted in American wrestling for the same maneuver. In Mexico, a plancha is any move which uses the chest or abdomen.

This is another move used by many wrestlers, usually of lighter weights. Ricky Steamboat was well-known for his excellent crossbody.

Diving elbow drop

A diving elbow drop is executed by diving onto a prone opponent with one's elbow cocked, driving the elbow into the opponent's shoulder or chest. Variations of this move have been used as signature maneuvers by Bret Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and Shawn Michaels, and Randy Savage and Test have used it as a finisher.

Diving headbutt

A diving headbutt is exactly what it sounds like: a "swan dive" style headbutt delivered from the top rope to anywhere on the opponent's body. The most popular version today is used by Chris Benoit as one of his trademark spots.

Diving hurricanrana

This move is executed by jumping forward with legs apart, landing on a standing opponent straddling his shoulders, and using the momentum to execute a hurricanrana. WWE diva Lita employs it as a finisher, dubbing it the "Litacanrana."

Dragonrana

In this variant of the diving hurricanrana, the attacker flips before straddling the opponent, similar to the molly-go-round.

Diving leg drop

A move in which a wrestler will jump from a raised platform (the top rope, the apron, etc) and land his leg across an opponent's throat or face. Also called a "guillotine legdrop," and used by popular luchadore Psicosis as a finisher.

Springboard leg drop

A move in which a wrestler bounces off the ropes and lands his leg across an opponent's throat or face.

Flying clothesline

A move in which a wrestler will jump from a raised platform i.e. top-rope and perform a clothesline to a standing opponent. Shelton Benjamin has recently used this as his finisher.

Molly-go-round

Fliping forward off a raised platform on to the shoulders of a standing opponent forcing them to the ground, generally named after WWE diva Molly Holly its technical name is a flying/off the top rope somersault seated senton.

Moonsault

A move in which a wrestler executes a backflip and lands on an opponent. A basic moonsault is generally attempted from the top rope, though myriad variations exist. Much of its popularity in America can be attributed to the Great Muta, also known as Keiji Mutoh.

Asai moonsault\Quebrada

A move in which a wrestler springboards (bounces off ropes) then executes a backflip and lands on an opponent. The Quebrada was invented by the Luchador Fantasma de la Quebrada. It is named after the man who popularised its use in modern wrestling Yoshihiro Asai, aka Ultimo Dragon ie the "Asai Moonsault. Which is its generally excepted name by American wrestling commentators. This move can see the wrestler back flip into or out of the ring and is also known as a Springboard Moonsault or Lionsault as named by Chris Jericho.

Split-legged moonsault

A moonsault variation in which the performer jumps to the top rope, but before moonsaulting drops down so that his legs split and flips back using his thighs. Rob Van Dam uses this as a trademark maneuver. Also used by CM Punk who has dubbed it the "Crooked Moonsault". Also slingshot or springboarding variations have been used by Rey Mysterio and Jeff Hardy.

Standing moonsault

A move in which a wrestler, who is standing next to an opponent laying on the ground executes a backflip and lands on him.

Missile dropkick

A dropkick from a raised platform (i.e. top-rope) to a standing opponent. Booker T used this move as a finisher in WCW.

Springboard dropkick

A move in which a wrestler bounces off the ropes and performs a dropkick, either to the outside or into the ring.

Senton

A senton is similar to a splash, except that instead of impacting stomach first, the attacker lands back first across the opponent.

Senton bomb

This variant on the senton is performed by leaping from the top turnbuckle (or other raised surface), flipping forward 270°, and landing on the opponent back-first in the standard senton position. Jeff Hardy employs a variant of this as his finisher, dubbed the "Swanton Bomb", in which he waits until the last second to execute the flip, so that he just barely completes the flip when impacting with his opponent.

Splash

A basic splash involves a wrestler jumbing forward from a raised platform and landing stomach first across an opponent lying on the ground below. This move can also be performed without the attacker being on a raised platform this is referred too as a Big Splash and is mainly used by heavier wrestlers like Big Daddy.

450 splash

Flipping forward 450° from a raised platform, landing on the opponent in the splash position. Wrestlers like Too Cold Scorpio and Juventud Guerrera popularized the move in the United States.

Frog splash

This move is performed by leaping from the top rope, stretching out to a horizontal position, and bringing your feet and hands inward and outward before landing. This is Eddie Guerrero's finishing move, as well as Rob Van Dam's, though he calls it the "Five Star Frog Splash."

Shooting star press

The attacker jumps forward, executing a backflip in mid-air, landing on the opponent in the splash position. Billy Kidman uses it as his finisher, and tag his team partner Paul London, Teddy Hart and AJ Styles can often be seen performing it as well. Brock Lesnar badly missed a shooting star press in his match with Kurt Angle at WrestleMania XIX. He was performing it for the first time in WWE, and nearly broke his neck when he did not achieve adequate rotation and landed on his head.

Standing shooting star press

A move in which a wrestler, who is standing next to an opponent laying on the ground jumps forward, executing a backflip in mid-air, lands on the opponent in the splash position. This has been used by Fuerza Guerrero/Amazing Red, Jason Cross as finishers.

Transition move

Some moves are meant neither to pin an opponent, nor weaken them or force them to submit, but are intended to set up the victim for another attack.

Springboard

Springboarding invovles a wrestler using any of the ropes to bounce off of, most high-flying techniques can be performed after a spring board i.e. Springboard leg drop, Springboard dropkick,