hiː jˈuːzd ðə fˈɪɡjɚ fˈoːɹ lˈɛɡ lˈɑːk wˌɪtʃ bɪkˌeɪm hɪz sˈɪɡnɪtʃɚ fˈɪnɪʃɚ ˌɔn hɪz wˈeɪ tə ðə wˈɜːldwaɪd ɹˈɛsəlɪŋ ɐsˈoʊsɪˌeɪts dˌʌbəljˌuːdˌʌbəljˌuːˈeɪ tʃˈæmpiənʃˌɪp ˌɔn dʒuːlˈaɪ twˈɛnti sˈɛvən, nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɪksti tˈuː ɪn ɐ wˈɪn ˌoʊvɚ fɹˈɛdi blˈæsi, hˌuː kənvˈɪnst hˌɪm ðætðə mˈæsk ɡˈɪmɪk wʊd ɡˈɪv hˌɪm ɐ lˈɑːɹdʒ pˈʊʃ.
He used the figure four leg lock (which became his signature finisher) on his way to the Worldwide Wrestling Associates (WWA) championship on July 27, 1962 in a win over Freddie Blassie, who convinced him that the mask gimmick would give him a large push.