The Armbar's Cageside Evaluation

What you loved:

1. Legit Move - Because of its effectiveness in mixed martial arts, that was a central part of the discussion. The move works because, well, the move actually works.
   
2. Variations - Part of why it works is because there are a lot of ways to pull it off.
3. Rondy Rousey - Aside from her Olympic Judo career, Rousey is 9-0 in MMA, with 8 of those fights ending via, you guessed it, armbar. Even when opponents know it's coming they can't defend it.
4. Jericho Promo - If you have not seen it, and wonder why everyone on here loves saying "armbar", check out the video.
5. Application - Many of you said, from personal experience, it's one of the easier moves to apply to an opponent. That just adds to it's effectiveness.

Best comment comes from BrassCitySaint:

"Effective. I’m going to approach both sides of the coin as one who trains in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Let me start by saying this much: this hold hurts like hell. People don’t realize that its purpose is to hyper-extend the arm. When applied correctly, you’re basically pushing your opponent’s elbow in a direction it was never designed to go. If you have any doubts as to its effectiveness, just look up "Frank Mir-Tim Sylvia" on YouTube. It’s not quite "Sid Vicious leg drop" level, but it’s up there. Selfishly, as a practitioner and MMA fan, I really like seeing this hold in the ring, because it adds an air of believability to the in-ring product."

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What you loathed:

1. Doesn't Translate - Here's an interesting complaint: The move works well in reality but doesn't translate to pro wrestling due to various factors like the fact that it leaves you open to ... taking a pinfall on a reversal? That's an interesting take, if nothing else.
2. Underused - If it doesn't translate, why would we want to see it more? Well, only one guy uses it regularly and it's...
3. Alberto Del Rio - That thrusting motion makes it appear as though he's trying to hump the arm he's holding. He over-exaggerates the application of the move, and that kills its effectiveness.
   
4. Rest Hold - Self explanatory.
5. Poor Selling - There are times in MMA that an armbar is fully locked in but the victim escapes unscathed. With that said, proper application and execution should result in a broken arm, not just wiggling out and shaking it off.

Best comment comes via KJ Gould:

"Loathe: doesn’t look that spectacular in pro wrazzlin’, hardly anyone has mastered working multiple setups for it, had been used for a long time as a rest hold that only works the arm so greatly devalued as a finisher. Also potential to pin yourself applying it."

On to the poll! With 179 votes, The Armbar's average score is 3.8.

Thanks, Cagsiders! Tomorrow's pick is oh so fancy.

Until then!