Mixed Martial Arts fighter Jonno Mears ascended to deity status among professional wrestling fans Saturday night after executing Chris Jericho's “Walls of Jericho” finishing move in his win against Aaron Jones at Full Contact Contender 19 in Bolton, England.
The magic takes place at the 36-second mark in the video above, and even those with little-to-no knowledge of pro wrestling can get a sense something special is happening based on how the announcers lose it.
There’s a common understanding that while professional wrestling takes a tremendous amount of athletic ability, it is wholly different from Greco-Roman Wrestling and MMA. Signature submission holds like the “Walls of Jericho” (or the “Boston Crab” for older fans), aren’t supposed to work against trained MMA fighters, which is why there was such a strong reaction when Jones took a WWE-inspired L.
The move is typically used to weaken opponents as opposed to finishing them. One wrestler lying face-down is placed with his legs hooked by the opponent with his legs bent back toward his head. It’s an admittedly ridiculous position that no fighter should find themselves in despite how many times Chris Jericho and Rick Martel executed it to perfection in the WWE.
And Jericho should know, which is why it was all the more hilarious when he and other wrestling fans weighed in on the matter.
Hahah see the #WallsOfJericho really works! https://t.co/qJpJLn0lMz
The pose while he had this fools in the Walls of Jericho is the epitome of pro wrestling. https://t.co/0GhGEUWzv2
“ASK HIM!!!” - @IAmJericho https://t.co/JL0AweubJy
Jonno Mears just tapped Aaron Jones with the Walls of Jericho while sticking his tongue out. That was phenomenal. #FCC19
“Hahah see the #WallsOfJericho really works!” Jericho tweeted upon seeing Mears pull off the move.
Mears, a product of Rochdale, England, is currently 2-0 as a welterweight fighter. His other victory came in June as he knocked out Will Cairns in 23 seconds at UK Fighting Championships 4.
