How to Do a Shooting Star Press
Professional wrestling is a spectacular sport that involves a lot of athleticism and finesse. High-flying moves done from the top rope make up a lot of the showmanship and flair that comes with a pro wrestling performance. The shooting star press is one of the most popular - and one of the most difficult - high-flying moves used by many cruiserweight pro wrestlers today.
What is the Shooting Star Press?
The shooting star press, shortened to “SSP” by some wrestling fans, is a forward-rotating splash performed from an elevated position (such as the top rope, the apron, or even the top of a ladder or a cage), or sometimes from a standing position. The shooting star press was innovated by the legendary Japanese wrestler Keiichi Yamada, more popularly known as Jushin “Thunder” Liger. Over the years many high-flying wrestlers have incorporated the shooting star press into their repertoire of wrestling moves, including Marc Mero, Billy Kidman, Matt Sydal (known in the WWE as Evan Bourne), and Paul London.
Safety Precautions
The shooting star press is a high-risk move; when performed improperly, the maneuver may cause serious injuries to yourself or to your opponent. A famous incident that added to the notoriety of the shooting star press was in 2003 when, at WrestleMania XIX, Brock Lesnar missed Kurt Angle completely during the SSP and gave himself a concussion. Another incident was when Billy Kidman accidentally gave Chavo Guerrero a concussion as a result of the shooting star press, when his knees came into contact with Guerrero’s temple. It takes a lot of practice and skill to execute this move properly.
Executing the Press
To perform the shooting star press, follow these steps:
Position yourself on an elevated area, usually the top turnbuckle. Make sure that your opponent is positioned properly where you would not under-rotate or miss the target completely.
Leap off the turnbuckle, and with the leap used for leverage, flip your body backwards as in a somersault.
Your head should be craned back, and try to keep your legs stretched backward.
Complete the forward somersault while flying forward to finish off the shooting star press. You should land belly-first on your opponent. If the move is your finisher, you can maintain the position and go for a pin.
Shooting Star Variations
Like many aerial moves in pro wrestling, there are many variations to the shooting star press that can add more flair and finesse and excitement in the ring. Here are some of the moves that may be used with the shooting star press:
Shooting star attacks like the leg drop or the elbow drop may be used instead of the splash.
The shooting star DDT is a spectacular variation of the shooting star press performed on a standing opponent. As you descend from the shooting star press, you immediately grab your opponent in a front facelock, and allow gravity and the momentum of the move to drop your opponent head-first into the canvas.
The suicide shooting star press is a variation of the suicida, or an outside-the-ring dive, performed with the motion of the shooting star press. The wrestler runs the ropes to build momentum, leaps up to the top rope, and performs a shooting star press from the top turnbuckle to the outside of the ring.
The corkscrew shooting star press is a variant of the shooting star press where the performer twists 360 degrees in the air while going through the motions of the shooting star press.
When executed properly and with finesse, the shooting star press is one of the most popular moves that will entertain fans the world over. You should practice this move and perform it safely before you can include it in your repertoire of wrestling maneuvers.