The Brain Buster (ブレーンバスター Burēn Basutā?) is one of Zangief's throws, introduced in Street Fighter II.
| Street Fighter II series |  or  + (Near opponent) |
|---|---|
| Street Fighter 6 (Classic) |
 + + (Near opponent) |
| Street Fighter 6 (Modern) |
+ + (Near opponent) |
Description[]
Zangief slamming Cammy to the ground using Brain Buster.
- "Lift your opponent upside-down and send them flying to the ground behind you back-first. Throws your opponent while switching places with them."
- —Street Fighter 6
Executed by pressing Medium Kick while holding back or forward on the control stick near an opponent. In Street Fighter 6, the input for this move changes to pressing down, plus Light Punch and Light Kick, (or the Light Attack and Medium Attack for Modern Control) near an opponent. and pressing both Light Punch & Light Kick. Zangief drapes his opponent's arm over his shoulder. With a firm grip on his opponent's waist with his other hand, Zangief lifts his opponent off of their feet and holds high in an upside-down position. Finally, he falls backwards to slam the opponent's back onto the ground; causing their body to bounce on the floor.
Tactics[]
Zangief is a grappler who specializes in throws and command grabs to break through the opponent's defense and inflict maximum damage. Mixing up his normal throws with his signature Screw Piledriver is crucial to his game plan. By utilizing the many throws he has in his arsenal, Zangief can keep his opponent on their heels and force them to make a mistake. While his command grabs inflict more damage, his normal throws has a faster recovery; making it useful when baiting out a jump.
Similar to his Capture Suplex and Russian Drop, this move is mainly used to switch sides with the opponent. It can also put the opponent back in the corner. Additionally, the opponent doesn't have to be crouching for Zangief to perform this move. Unlike his back throw, Zangief can get okizeme with Brain Buster after putting his opponent in the corner. He is in range to perform a meaty Standing Heavy Punch or use an anti-air move should they attempt to jump out of the corner. While he won't be in range to deliver his command grab, Zangief can also further pressure the opponent with Light normals to keep them on their heels before moving in.
Trivia[]
- Though referred to as a Brain Buster, the move is actually an adjacent move called the Vertical Suplex in western territories. A western Brain Buster features the receiver being held perpendicular to the ground, placing more force to the head over the back upon landing.
Gallery[]
