Peoples Elbow: Difference between revisions

Professional wrestling move by The Rock

The People’s Elbow is a professional wrestling move, used by American wrestler The Rock as his finisher. The move is recognized as one of the most iconic and well-known signature maneuvers in WWE history.^[1][2]

The People’s Elbow was first introduced in the late 1990s, coinciding with the rise of The Rock’s character in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, later renamed WWE).^[3] Rock took the move from Great Muta: the Flashing Elbow.^[4] Gradually, the move became The Rock’s primary finisher and played a significant role in his widespread popularity among fans. Unlike many finishing moves that rely on strength or complex techniques, the People’s Elbow emphasizes showmanship, timing, and audience interaction. Its execution is often accompanied by theatrical elements, such as removing the elbow pad and throwing it into the crowd, which heightens excitement in the arena.^[5] Triple H has stated that the move People’s Elbow was originally designed as a funny move and was never intended to be used seriously as a finishing maneuver.^[6] He explained that The Rock first performed the move in a match against The Undertaker, his opponent at the time, to make The Undertaker laugh and to break him out of his serious demeanor.^[7][8][9]

To perform the move, The Rock first lays his opponent flat on their back in the ring. He then stands over the opponent and looks toward the fans to build anticipation. Next, he removes his right elbow pad and tosses it into the fans, performs a theatrically exaggerated cross-arm motion, moves toward the left side of the ring, and bounces off the ropes. Upon returning, he runs toward his opponent, hitting the ropes on the right side of the ring, and then rebounds back, driving his elbow firmly onto the opponent’s chest.^[10][11] Occasionally, if the right elbow pad has already been used, The Rock repeats the sequence with the left elbow pad. In some cases, if both elbow pads have been used, the move is executed without any elbow pad.^[12]

The People’s Elbow has been described by critics and professional wrestling analysts as an iconic and entertaining move, though some consider it less technically effective than other finishing moves. Nevertheless, many experts argue that the true impact of the move lies not in its physical damage, but in its emotional connection with the fans and its cultural significance.^[13][14]

The People’s Elbow became one of the defining trademarks of The Rock’s persona and has been widely referenced in popular culture, WWE video games, merchandise, and television programs. The move is often cited as an example of the importance of character work and showmanship in professional wrestling.^[15][16]

The move has been used in the The King of Fighters 2002 video game by Ángel.^[17] It has additionally been included in the Madden NFL 26 video game as a celebration taunt.^[18]

It has been performed in mainstream sporting events as a celebration, such as in the NFL by Detroit Lions receiver Golden Tate in October 2017^[19], in soccer by James Norwood during his tenure with Ipswich Town F.C in August 2019^[20], at WrestleMania 39 in April 2023 by host Snoop Dogg, who used the move to win an impromptu match against The Miz^[21], and in MMA by fighter Miguel Sanson in a bout against Chris Johnson at APFC 16 in March 2025.^[22]