Debuting with a submission victory sends a strong message to the backstage locker room. Wrestlers incapacitating opponents so much that they can no longer continue speaks volumes about their technical acumen.

Most of the WWE wrestlers involved in the list are submission specialists and used the move as their finishing maneuver throughout their career. However, some of them dropped it later and their inclusion might surprise the readers.

Here are 10 WWE wrestlers who debuted with submission wins.

#10 Former WWE star CM Punk - Anaconda Vice

After a short career on the independent circuit, CM Punk made his televised WWE debut on the August 1, 2006, episode of ECW as a full-time in-ring talent.

Punk went toe-to-toe with veteran Justin Credible at the Hammerstein Ballroom arena. In a contest that lasted a little under five minutes, Punk made Credible tap out to his Anaconda Vice submission move.

The Anaconda Vice is an arm lock pressurizing the neck of the opponent. Punk would use it countless times in his WWE career, most notably retaining his WWE Championship in WrestleMania 28.

Punk’s last WWE match came in the 2014 Royal Rumble where he was eliminated by Kane. He currently commentates at Cage Fury Fighting Championship, an MMA promotion affiliated with the UFC.

#9 Former WWE star Tazz - Tazmission

Before embarking on his commentary career, Tazz was nicknamed the ‘Human Suplex Machine’ for his variety of suplex moves. After a six-year stint in NWA, he made his WWE debut in the 2000 Royal Rumble against Kurt Angle.

The Olympic gold medallist suffered his first loss in WWE after passing out to the Tazmission. The move in question is a powerful rear-naked chokehold to cut the oxygen supply to the opponent’s face.

Tazz’s WWE career, however, was cut short due to numerous injuries. His last in-ring match as a WWE wrestler came in the form of a win over Jerry Lawler at the 2006 ECW One Night Stand. Tazz is currently on the broadcast team for AEW.

#8 Former WWE star Chris Masters - Masterlock

Known for his Masterlock Challenges in the WWE, Chris Masters debuted the move on the February 21, 2005, episode of RAW against Steven Richards. The Masterlock is a full nelson hold similar to the one used by current WWE Champion Bobby Lashley.

Like most WWE wrestlers, Masters was undefeated in singles competition for around six months before losing to Ric Flair via disqualification. It was later followed by a pinfall loss to Shawn Michaels.

WWE released Masters in 2007 after he violated the company’s Wellness Policy. However, he returned to the company two years later to feud with the likes of MVP and Chavo Guerrero. His last WWE match came against Jack Swagger on August 4, 2011, episode of WWE Superstars.

Masters made his NWA debut in March 2021 as Chris Adonis and won the NWA National Championship by defeating Trevor Murdoch a week later.

#7 Former WWE star William Regal - The Regal Stretch

William Regal made his WWE debut on the June 29, 2008, episode of RAW by defeating Droz via his signature submission move the Regal Stretch. It is a modified version of John Cena’s STF, where Regal forces one of the shoulders of his opponent above the mat.

Regal was released a year later but made his WWE return in 2000 and won the European Championship. The British wrestler made his final appearance as an in-ring performer by losing to Cesaro in a 2013 episode of NXT.

Regal became the NXT General Manager in 2014 and took additional duties of 205 Live in 2020.

#6 Former WWE star Hulk Hogan - Torture Rack

One of the most popular pro-wrestling figures in the 1980s, Hulk Hogan, made his WWE debut on November 17, 1979, against a jobber named Harry Valdez. Hogan won the squash match comfortably by making his opponent submit to the Torture Rack.

The Torture Rack involves the wrestler carrying the opponent face up on the shoulders and hyperextending the back to force a submission. Hogan would drop the move later from his arsenal and use the Atomic Legdrop as his finishing move.

Hogan had six World Heavyweight Championship reigns in WWE and is fondly known for body-slamming Andre the Giant in WrestleMania 3. He also made appearances in WCW, TNA, and IWGP featuring both as a heel and a face.

Hogan’s last match in WWE came at Summerslam 2006 in a victory over Randy Orton. He remains one of the few wrestlers in WWE to be inducted into the Hall of Fame twice, individually in 2005 and as part of the New World Order in 2020. Hogan is set to co-host WrestleMania 37 alongside Titus O’Neil.

#5 Current WWE star Natalya - Sharpshooter

After honing her skills in the Hart Family Dungeon, Natalya became the first third-generation female wrestler to debut in WWE in 2008. She allied with Victoria and started a feud with Michelle McCool and Cherry.

On the April 22 episode of SmackDown, Natalya used her uncle Bret Hart’s submission move - the Sharpshooter - to submit Cherry and win her debut WWE match. In this submission move, the wrestler squats over the opponent and lifts the torso.

Natalya has been contracted to WWE for over 10 years and recently defeated Shayna Baszler on the April 1 episode of SmackDown.

#4 Former WWE star Ronda Rousey - Armbar

While most of the previous names on the list made their debut on RAW or SmackDown, Ronda Rousey got the opportunity to make her WWE debut at the Grandest Stage of Them All.

Rousey partnered with Kurt Angle to take on Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a mixed-tag team match at WrestleMania 34. The inaugural UFC Bantamweight Champion forced Stephanie to tap out to the Armbar, a move she used thrice in UFC to beat her opponents.

In the Armbar, the wrestler wraps their legs around the opponent’s neck and wrenches the arm backward, inflicting pressure on the shoulder and elbow. Rousey would go on to win the RAW Women’s Championship at Summerslam later that year.

Rousey’s championship reign and WWE stint came to an end on the night of WrestleMania 35. She lost the title to Becky Lynch in a triple threat match that also involved Charlotte Flair.

#3 Former WWE star Ken Shamrock - Ankle Lock

Used frequently by Kurt Angle throughout his pro-wrestling career, the invention of the Ankle Lock is credited to Ken Shamrock. The UFC Hall of Famer made his WWE debut on the April 7, 1997, episode of RAW against another MMA wrestler, Vernon White, in an Exhibition Shootfight.

Shamrock debuted his Ankle Lock to end the contest with a submission win. Here, the wrestler twists the ankle of the opponent by compressing the Achilles tendon.

Shamrock’s WWE stint came to an end on September 21, 1999, episode of SmackDown after he lost to Chris Jericho in a First Blood match. He was last seen on the January 26, 2021, episode of IMPACT Wrestling, featuring in an eight-man tag team match.

#2 Former WWE star Alberto Del Rio - Cross Armbreaker

Alberto Del Rio made his WWE debut on the August 7, 2010, episode of SmackDown by challenging Rey Mysterio to a one-on-one match in the main event. In a contest that lasted around six minutes, Del Rio made Mysterio tap out to the Cross Armbreaker.

The Cross Armbreaker and Armbar are exactly the same moves but have different names as different wrestlers use it. Del Rio would become the first Mexico-born WWE world champion after cashing in his Money in the Bank contract successfully at SummerSlam 2011.

His last appearance in a WWE ring came on the August 16, 2016, episode of SmackDown in a loss to John Cena.

Del Rio had a stint in IMPACT Wrestling as Alberto El Patron but was released from the promotion in 2018. He hasn’t been in action in a professional wrestling ring since August 2019 when he took part in a tag team match in the Nacion Lucha Libre.

#1 Former WWE star Stone Cold Steve Austin - The Million Dollar Dream

Before adopting the Stunner as his finisher, Stone Cold used the Millian Dollar Dream to beat his opponents. The Texas Rattlesnake allied himself with Ted Dibiase Sr. on his WWE debut to defeat Matt Hardy on the January 15, 1995, episode of RAW via submission.

The Million Dollar Dream is a sleeper hold wherein the wrestler compresses the neck and head of their opponent from a standing position.

Stone Cold won the King of the Ring tournament a year later and delivered his iconic 3:16 speech post-victory. The anti-authority figure would headline three WrestleManias (14, 15, and 17) and win six world championships in his WWE career.

Stone Cold hung his boots in WrestleMania XIX after he lost his retirement match to the Rock. Thereafter, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2009 and later made numerous appearances in the WWE.

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