Line #26 Main/BrawlerLock


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4	[[quoteright:300:[[Creator/MarvelComics https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/brawler-lock_1186.jpg]]]]
5
6	Two characters are fighting, and during the course of the battle, they clasp their hands together and push against each other in a test of strength. This can happen when one of them [[PunchCatch throws a punch or any kind of strike and the other catches it]]. They can stay like this for a while, with one trying to overpower the other and bring him to his knees.....
7
8	A GroinAttack is possible, as is [[UseYourHead Using Your Head]]. Also, the combatants need not lock fingers. Grabbing each-other's wrists is also an option. Or a character may show off their superior strength and/or skill by gaining leverage and performing a wrestling throw.
9
10	When RapidFireFisticuffs is met with this, you have PunchPunchPunchUhOh.
11
12	See BladeLock for this with swords. BeamOWar is this, but with, well, beams.
13
14	----
15	!!Examples:
16
17	[[foldercontrol]]
18
19	[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
20	* In Episode 6 of ''Anime/PantyAndStockingWithGarterbelt'', a variant happens ''[[CarFu with cars]]''.
21	* This happens a lot over the course of the ''Franchise/DragonBall'' franchise:
22	** In the original ''Manga/DragonBall'', Goku and Tenshinhan briefly grapple like this during their rematch. Goku ends it by rocking backwards and kicking Tenshinhan up into the air.
23	** ''Anime/DragonBallZ'' did this a few more times, with [[TheHero Goku]] on one side and [[BigBad Freeza]], [[BloodKnight Cell]], and [[AntiHero Vegeta]] on the other. This also happened with other characters, though far less often.
24	** Goku and Freeza do this in ''Anime/DragonBallZResurrectionF''. As they're in midair at the time, Freeza spins Goku ''vertically'' and kicks him in the stomach.
25	** Spoofed in a scene of ''WebVideo/DragonBallZAbridged'' where Piccolo and Android 17 are locked in one of these to tense music. The camera then switches to 18's point of view, without any music, where she comments the fight could not possibly get any dumber.
26	** In ''Anime/DragonBallSuperBroly'', Vegeta and Broly get into one. Vegeta crushes Broly's hands and then headbutts him away.
27	* ''Anime/TransformersArmada'' did this frequently. Also happened a lot in ''Anime/TransformersCybertron'', most often between Optimus and Megatron.
28	* In ''Anime/TenchiMuyo'', Ayeka and Ryoko have done this [[CatFight during some of their battles.]]
29	* In ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', Ryouga does this with Girl Type Ranma in the last bit of the Golden Pair arc (in the anime at least).
30	* A mecha-sized version happens in ''Anime/GaoGaiGarFINAL'', when Gaofighgar and Gimlet emperor grasp hands. Gimlet thinks he's winning... but he's fighting Gai Shishio.
31	* During the [[StoryArc Edolas Arc]] of ''Manga/FairyTail'', Erza Scarlet ends of doing this with her EvilTwin Erza Knightwalker as a result of a FearfulSymmetry induced CombatBreakdown.
32	* ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' has [[RankScalesWithAsskicking the Spiral King]] Lordgenome do this with [[TheHero Simon...]] while Simon is piloting [[MiniMecha Lagann.]] That's right. Genome gets in a mercy-fight with a fucking robot (an admittedly small robot but still bigger than most humans). '''[[SuperStrength and he wins!]]''' Later in the series, [[TitleDrop Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann]] does this with the Anti-spiral's Grand Zemboa during the final battle.
33	* Greymon did this with a [=DarkTyrannomon=] in the Christmas episode of ''Anime/DigimonAdventure02''.
34	* ''Anime/PokemonTheOriginalSeries'': This commonly happens between two equally powerful Pokémon during a battle.
35	** Ash's Charizard and Blaine's Magmar were doing this. It led to [[MemeticMutation Charizard defeating Magmar in the heart of a volcano itself!!!]]
36	** In the Johto Saga, Ash's Charizard does it again, this time against Gary's Blastoise. Being that up close makes it impossible for Blastoise to aim with its hydro cannons.
37	* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'' anime episode 220. During Captain Komamura's fight with the Arrancar Poww, Komamura's Bankai (a giant samurai) and Poww's huge Resurrección form grab each other's hands and test their strength.
38	* Creator/RumikoTakahashi's ''Maris the Chojo'' does this, between the titular character and her [[TheRival rival Sue]]. Both are [[HeavyWorlder super strong due to coming from a planet with high gravity]], but Maris is at a disadvantage since [[PowerLimiter she can't remove the restraints that keep her strength in check]].
39	* In the final episode of ''Anime/YuGiOh5Ds'', [[TheHero Yusei Fudo's]] Shooting Star Dragon and [[TheRival Jack Atlas']] Scar-Red Nova Dragon do this when a battle is initiated. Since they have the same ATK value, [[MutualKill both are destroyed]].
40	* In ''Manga/{{Naruto}}'', during their [[TournamentArc Chunin exam fight]], Sakura and Ino end up briefly doing this, along with [[CrossCounter cross counters]], and [[PunchParry Punch parries]]. It slightly different from other examples in that they break away before getting to the finger-lock part.
41	* ''Anime/TheBigO'' episode 17 "Leviathan". The Big O grabs the title megadeus' pincers during their battle.
42	* In the opening page of ''Manga/FateKaleidLinerPrismaIllya'', [[TheRival Eternal rivals Rin Tohsaka and Luviagelita Edfelt]] end up doing this mere seconds after meeting up in Japan.
43	* The climactic battle of ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagicaTheMovieRebellion'' starts with [[spoiler:Homulilly and Oktavia]] doing this.
44	* In ''Anime/NatsuiroKiseki'', Natsumi does this with ''herself'' after being [[LiteralSplitPersonality split in two]].
45	* In the ''Literature/WarriorCats'' manga ''The Lost Warrior'', during Graystripe and Duke's second fight, a panel features them locked in combat and snarling, forelegs pushing against the other, trying to pin the other down. Duke ended up coming out on top for a few moments, but Graystripe was able to turn it to his own advantage and win.
46	[[/folder]]
47
48	[[folder:Comic Books]]
49	* Creator/MarvelComics did it as far back as TheSixties, when ComicBook/TheMightyThor first went up against ComicBook/TheIncredibleHulk. They've done this many times since. One of the more famous examples was when Comicbook/TheAvengers fought The Defenders.
50	* During ''ComicBook/WorldWarHulk'', the ComicBook/{{Juggernaut\|MarvelComics}} and the Hulk locked up in a similar fashion. The Hulk ended up using Juggy's momentum against him by letting go and allowing him to blast off into the distance.
51	[[/folder]]
52
53	[[folder:Fan Works]]
54	* The ''Fanfic/JWITCHSeries'': At the end of their first fight, Tohru and Lord Cedric -- who are respectively a big man with the built of a sumo wrestler and an almost twice as big [[SnakePeople snake-like humanoid]] -- do this. At first they're evenly matched, but when it seems like Cedric is gaining the upper hand, Tohru suddenly grabs Cedric's chest, lifts him in the air ([[DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu to everyone's astonishment]]), and throws him down an oubliette. They tend to have a rematch in their later fights.
55	* Invoked in ''Fanfic/VoyagesOfTheWildSeaHorse'', where Ryoga and [[NonHumanHumanoidHybrid Miriam]] decide to test their strength against each other. As Miriam is [[GiantWoman about two-three times Ryoga' height]], they settle for placing their palms against each other's and pushing as hard as they can.
56	[[/folder]]
57
58	[[folder:Film]]
59	* In ''Film/{{The Avengers\|2012}}'', Iron Man throws two punches at Thor but he catches them and starts slowly crushing his gauntlets. Tony stops the lock by using his PowerPalms and headbutting the demigod. Unfortunately, Thor returns the favor.
60	* ''Film/BatmanBegins'': Bruce Wayne gets into one with Ra's al Ghul. However, Ra's chides him for not minding his surroundings, just as part of the ceiling falls on Bruce and knocks him out.
61	* Superman's clash against Doomsday starts with one of these in ''WesternAnimation/TheDeathOfSuperman''. Doomsday initially has the upper hand and forces Superman to his knees, but when he starts to push back, Doomsday then ends the struggle [[spoiler: with [[EyeBeams a blast of heat vision]].]]
62	* In ''Film/{{The Incredible Hulk\|2008}}'', Hulk gets his second wind and forces Abomination back. They lock grip and contest in strength before Hulk headbutts Abomination back.
63	* In ''Film/MontyPythonLiveAtTheHollywoodBowl'', Creator/GrahamChapman subverts the trope by performing it [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-9qZ4Zs6Ys on himself]].
64	* Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker do this during ''Film/RevengeOfTheSith'', only using the [[PsychicPowers Force push]] instead of actually clenching hands. Later in their fight, they actually do the classic "grab by the wrists and grapple with each other" move.
65	* Infamously, this is the main fighting stance taken by Superman and Nuclear Man during their fight in ''Film/SupermanIVTheQuestForPeace''.
66	[[/folder]]
67
68	[[folder:Literature]]
69	* ''Literature/TheDresdenFiles'': At one point, Harry gets into a brawler lock with someone and has a bit of mental dialog about how people always say you should try to [[GroinAttack kick your opponent in the junk]] in such a situation. He points out that in real life, you need both legs for leverage, so doing so would be as difficult as trying to perform a high kick while carrying a refrigerator.
70	* ''Literature/MatadorSeries'':
71	** Someone tries to do this to [[HeavyWorlder Bork]] in ''The Albino Knife''. He lets the guy struggle for a bit, then picks him up and tosses him across the room.
72	** Later, in ''Brother Death'', Bork finds himself in a similar lock with someone even stronger than him. After several seconds of complete angst, he remembers he's also trained in the universe's most deadly martial art and proceeds to break his opponent's spine.
73	* In an early ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'' novel, the aged Cohen the Barbarian grapples the Luggage (a sapient wooden chest that eats people) to a standstill. Eventually a third party has to separate them.
74	[[/folder]]
75
76	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
77	* In episode 2 of ''Series/SpartacusBloodAndSand'', Spartacus tries this on Crixus, but Crixus easily sends him flying. Doctore mocks Spartacus' blunder and explains, "Become entangled with a more powerful opponent and you are dead!"
78	* Can end up happening in [[Franchise/PowerRangers Megazord]] fights, particularly in older series. Naturally carried over from ''Franchise/SuperSentai''.
79	* ''Series/{{Smallville}}'':
80	** In "Static", Clark Kent does this against Aldar. Unfortunately, Aldar is from a species that is naturally stronger than a Kryptonian, so he easily sends Clark flying.
81	** In "Beast", Clark does this against Davis Bloome (Doomsday's human form). After a hard struggle, Clark crushes Davis' hands and forces him to his knees before Chloe breaks up the fight.
82	* ''[[Series/WonderWoman1975 Wonder Woman]]'': In "The Boy Who Knew Her Secret", Wonder Woman's climactic battle against the Shapeshifter featured several of these. She also had several against the Zardor in "Mind Stealers from Outer Space". Those were the only two times in the series where she faced sufficiently strong and aggressive foes to both qualify as an equal to Wonder Woman and willing to engage in such direct test of strength against her.
83	[[/folder]]
84
85	[[folder:Professional Wrestling]]
86	* This has existed in professional wrestling for years as the Collar and Elbow tie up. The collar and elbow style is one of the foundations of professional wrestling, and out of respect for tradition this has traditionally been the way two wrestlers will start a match.
87	* Besides the Collar & Elbow tie, this exists in pro wrestling (and many a schoolyard) as the fingerlock, where the opponents lock hands with each other and try to make the other go to their knees.
88	* More often, subverting this has become the norm. The heel will raise one or both hands, challenging the face to a fingerlock. When the face raises his hands to lock up, the heel will immediately attack the exposed midsection with a knee or a kick.
89	* Another subversion happens where the Face gets control because the Heel seriously underestimated just how strong the Face was and gets what is for all intents and purposes a CrushingHandshake for their trouble.
90	* There are more rare variations of the Greco Roman knuckle lock or other tie styles a wrestler of a specific discipline may insist on instead of the collar and elbow or test of strength just to [[CulturalPosturing posture]]. Thunder Kitty usually tries to initiate to an overhand-underhand "lock up" (also known as an Indian knucklelock) to [[TheGimmick show]] she is ''[[TheRoaringTwenties very]]'' old school.
91	* When [[Wrestling/HunterJohnston Delirious]] tried to stab Wrestling/JimmyJacobs with his stake at the same time Jacobs tried to stab him with his railroad spike, this resulted.
92	[[/folder]]
93
94	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
95	* ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'': In 5th edition, the Grappler feat lets the attacker try to pin the target. If it succeeds, both the attacker and the target are restrained (where neither can move and are easier to hit).
96	[[/folder]]
97
98	[[folder:Video Games]]
99	* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXI'' has the downloadable mission pack ''A Shantotto Ascension'', where two [[AttackOfThe50FtWhatever Gigantic]] [[MirrorMatch Shantottos]] do this, among many other events.
100	* ''Ultimate VideoGame/MarvelVsCapcom3'': The Hulk and [[VideoGame/FinalFight Mike Haggar]] do this in the opening cinematic.
101	* This was a mechanic in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTwilightPrincess'', starting with goat herding, moving on to Goron Sumo and finally being used in a boss fight.
102	* Also used in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks'', when [[McNinja Byrne]] charges up for a rush attack, you can position the phantom guardian[[spoiler:/Zelda]] in front of you, to cut him off, and the two of them will grapple, giving Link an opportunity to attack him from behind.
103	%%* "'''[[VideoGame/MadWorld Looks like it's]] [[AnnouncerChatter another power struggle]]'''!"
104	* According to the "Hope" trailer for ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'', BrawlerLock is the part two of [[BadassNormal Jace Malcolm]]'s plan for dealing with a Sith that can deflect blaster bolts or rocket like it's nothing. For the record, part one is heavy armor. Part three is a thermal detonator at point blank range.
105	* In ''VideoGame/CapcomVsSNK2MarkOfTheMillennium'', [[VideoGame/StreetFighterII Zangief]] and [[VideoGame/FatalFury Raiden]] will do this before a match starts if they're fighting each other.
106	* ''VideoGame/Injustice2'' has this as part of a gameplay mechanic called Clashes. This example crosses with BladeLock since rather than locking hands, the characters will shove against each other using their signature weapon or power; bare-knuckle fighters like Batman or Black Canary do so with their hands and/or forearms.
107	* ''VideoGame/GodOfWarPS4'': Kratos and the Stranger get into one. Since they both have incredible SuperStrength, pushing against each other makes the ground shatter. Eventually, the Stranger gets a hand free and punches Kratos away.
108	* ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBrosUltimate'': [[spoiler: Just before the final battle against [[DualBoss Galeem and Dharkon]] commences, the two of them do this to show how much [[TeethClenchedTeamwork they despise each other.]]]]
109	[[/folder]]
110
111	[[folder:Webcomics]]
112	* Happens a couple of times in ''Webcomic/FurryFightChronicles'' during even fights.
113	** Fenny and Roora have one in the first chapter. Roora wins the contest of strength due to being larger and stronger than Fenny, getting an early lead in the match.
114	** Snuggly and Sleepy engage in one during Chapter 20, showing how evenly matched the IdolSinger Combagals are since they used to be a tag team before their breakup.
115	%%* [[http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0803.html This]] ''Webcomic/TheOrderOfTheStick'' comic has TheHero Roy grappling this way with DumbMuscle EnsembleDarkHorse Thog. Roy almost wins, too.
116	[[/folder]]
117
118	[[folder:Western Animation]]
119	* Ms. Marvel and the Hulk get into one of these in ''WesternAnimation/TheAvengersEarthsMightiestHeroes'' episode "Who Do You Trust?" which turns into a SugarWiki/MomentOfAwesome for Carol when she actually ''wins''!
120	* One episode of ''WesternAnimation/DextersLaboratory'' has statues of George Washington and Abraham Lincoln get into this kind of stance with each other; hilariously enough, their fight with each other ends after that, much to Dexter and Mandark's mutual ire.
121	* In the [[Recap/FinalSpaceS3E1AndIntoTheFire Season 3 premiere]] of ''WesternAnimation/FinalSpace'', Bolo and the lizard Titan grapple in space with interlocked hands while trying to kill each-other.
122	* In ''WesternAnimation/JackieChanAdventures'', Tohru and El Toro do this in El Toro's introductory episode. What with them both being wrestlers (sumo and ''lucha libre'', at least), it was probably inevitable.
123	* In the ''WesternAnimation/SuperFriends'', episode "The Evil From Krypton", Superman and the evil Kryptonian Zy-Kree get into one. Their strength is equal, but Superman breaks the stalemate by monkey flipping his opponent.
124	* Near the end of Book 2 of ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' Korra and [[spoiler:Unalaq fused with Vaatu]] do this with [[MakingASplash waterbending]].
125	* ''WesternAnimation/StormHawks'': In "Gale Force Winds", Aerrow and the Dark Ace wrestle with interlocked hands on top of the Dark Ace's sky ride while lightning cracks dramatically around them.
126	* ''WesternAnimation/SupermanTheAnimatedSeries'':
127	** "The Way of All Flesh" had Supes doing this with John Corben, aka Metallo. Supes didn't know Corben had been changed into a cyborg with his KryptoniteFactor as the power source, and he paid for it.
128	** "Father's Day" had Superman and Kalibak get into one in a subway. Superman shoves Kalibak onto an electrified rail to temporarily knock him out.
129	** "Legacy" had Superman fighting a doppelganger of himself in a nightmare and they get into one. Superman knocks his opponent back with a headbutt.
130	* Done twice in ''WesternAnimation/TeenTitans'' between Cyborg and the robot Atlas. The first time Cyborg uses 100% of his power and still loses, but in the rematch he pushes past 100% to win. Cyborg ''is'' [[IronicEcho only human]] after all.
131	[[/folder]]

Context Main / BrawlerLock