A brainbuster is a professional wrestling throw in which a wrestler puts the opponent in a front facelock, hooks their pants or thigh, and lifts them up as if they were executing a vertical suplex. The wrestler then falls onto their back so that the opponent lands on their head while remaining vertical. This move is a version of the DDT. It was innovated by Killer Karl Kox. In Japanese puroresu, the term "brainbuster" refers to a regular vertical suplex, while the move elsewhere known as a brainbuster is referred to as a "vertical drop brainbuster".
The brainbuster is banned in WWE because the person receiving the move will land on the top of their head or neck without protection, as evident at the Super ShowDown of 2019 in Saudi Arabia, when Goldberg (who was concussed during the match) failed to execute his "Jackhammer" finisher on the Undertaker and performed an unprepared brainbuster instead.
Variants
Cradle brainbuster
Also known as a belly-to-belly brainbuster, the wrestler stands facing a standing opponent and then wraps both arms around the opponent's torso, lifting them off the ground. The wrestler then shifts their grip so they are holding the opponent by their legs, gripping the opponent behind the knee. The wrestler then removes one arm from the opponent's leg and quickly applies a front facelock with that arm, lifts the opponent as if they were using a vertical suplex, and lands the opponent on the back of their head.
Double underhook brainbuster
Innovated by The Great Sasuke, this move is also known as the Michinoku Driver (not to be confused with another move with a similar name) and a butterfly brainbuster, this move sees a wrestler first face an opponent and apply a double underhook, then lifting the opponent upside down and falling backwards down to the mat onto their back, driving the opponent head-first down to the mat. It is also the primary finisher of Jon Moxley who calls it Death Rider in NJPW and Paradigm Shift in AEW.
Fisherman buster
A fisherman buster is a variation of the brainbuster in which the wrestler hooks the opponent's leg to aid in lifting them off the ground. With the opponent elevated, the wrestler performs a fisherman suplex, driving the head of the opponent into the ground. Yoshi-Hashi uses this as his finisher.
Cross-legged fisherman buster
In this variation, the wrestler puts the opponent in a front facelock and uses their free arm to go under the opponent's near leg and hook the far one. After lifting the opponent off the ground, the wrestler jumps up and falls down on their back, slamming the opponent down to the mat head first.
Small package driver
A variation of the fisherman buster, in this version the wrestler traps the opponent's free leg between their own legs when delivering the move, resulting in a small package. It is used by Seth Rollins who named his version God's Last Gift, and Kushida, who calls it Back To The Future.
Wrist-clutch fisherman buster
This variation involves grabbing and pulling by the opponent's wrist, then lifting them up into the air, before falling to their back, slamming the opponent to the ground on the back of their head/neck. It is used by Jun Akiyama who calls it Sternness Dust Gamma.
Inverted brainbuster
The wrestler begins behind and facing a standing opponent. The wrestler then pulls the head of the opponent back and applies an inverted facelock to the opponent with one arm. The wrestler then places their other arm under the lower back of the opponent, using that arm to elevate the opponent until they are vertical. The wrestler then jumps up and falls down on their back, driving the head of the opponent to the mat.
Jumping brainbuster
Also known as the spike brainbuster or brainbuster DDT. Instead of just falling down onto their own back, the attacking wrestler jumps up and uses their momentum to drive the opponent down onto the top of their head.
Delayed brainbuster
Also known as the Ghost Buster or a hanging brainbuster, this is a variation of the standard brainbuster in which the executing wrestler holds their opponent in a vertical suplex position for up to 10 seconds before completing the maneuver.
Northern Lights buster
A variation of the brainbuster in which the wrestler lifts the opponent as if they were using a Northern Lights suplex and lands the opponent on the back of their head.