1. Home
  2. Profiles
  3. Lou Thesz

Lou Thesz

Lou T

Title History

  • AWA (Boston) world heavyweight title Awarded (December 29, 1937);
  • NWA (Texas) world heavyweight title defeating Everett Marshall (March 9, 1939);
  • MAC (Montreal) International heavyweight title defeating Leo Numa (June 12, 1940);
  • MAC (Montreal) International heavyweight title defeating Yvon Robert (July 16, 1941);
  • NWA Texas heavyweight title defeating Hans Schnabel (May 12, 1944);
  • NWA Texas heavyweight title defeating Ernie Dusek (August 18, 1944);
  • NWA Texas heavyweight title defeating Buddy Rogers (May 3, 1946);
  • MAC (Montreal) International heavyweight title defeating Bobby Managoff (September 11, 1946);
  • MAC (Montreal) International heavyweight title defeating Bobby Managoff (April 16, 1947);
  • NWA (Texas) world heavyweight title defeating Billy Watson (April 25, 1947);
  • NWA (Texas) world heavyweight title defeating Bill Longson (July 20, 1948);
  • NWA world heavyweight title defeating Orville Brown (November 27, 1949);
  • (Los Angeles) world heavyweight title defeating Baron Michele Leone (May 21, 1952);
  • NWA world heavyweight title defeating Billy Watson (November 9, 1956);
  • NWA (Texas) International heavyweight title Awarded (November 1957);
  • NWA (Vancouver) Pacific Coast Tag Team titles w/The Outlaw (1961);
  • NWA world heavyweight title defeating Buddy Rogers (January 24, 1963);
  • AWA (Ohio) world heavyweight title defeating Karl Krauser (September 7, 1964);
  • WWA (Los Angeles) world heavyweight title defeating Buddy Austin (October 14, 1966);
  • TWWA (Trans World Wrestling Alliance) world heavyweight title Awarded (1967);
  • NWA (Mid America) Southern Tag Team titles w/Jackie Fargo defeating Red Shadow & Don Carson (August 13, 1968);
  • NWA (Tennessee) Southern Junior heavyweight title defeating Tommy Gilbert (1973);
  • NWA (Tennessee) Southern Junior heavyweight title defeating Tommy Gilbert (March 18, 1974);
  • UWA (Mexico) world heavyweight title Awarded (August 15, 1977);
  • OnlineWorldofWrestling.com Hall of Fame Inductee (2002);

Career Highlights

  • Lou Thesz started wrestling as a professional at age 17 in and around his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.
  • Lou Thesz was Undisputed World Heavyweight Champion on six different occassions.
  • Lou Thesz won the prestigious World title as recognized in Montreal.
  • Lou Thesz held a variety of “International” championships that he defended from Europe to Japan.
  • Lou Thesz remained UNDEFEATED AS CHAMPION for nearly eight years! (July/1948 – March/1956).
  • Lou Thesz, even with an artificial hip replacement, was able to take part in a match in Hamamatsu Japan.
  • December 26, 1990: Lou Thesz (age 74) lost his final match to Masahiro Chono by Submission with the STF.
  • Lou Thesz is the only wrestler EVER to compete in 7 different decades (BESIDES Mae Young).
  • Lou Thesz’s biography, “Hooker,” crafted in association with Kit Bauman, is available in a 260 page manuscript form.
  • Lou Thesz, with his wife Charlie, resides in Norfolk, Virginia, on the shores of Chesapeake Bay.
  • Lou Thesz remained active in a handful of charities, is president of the influential oldtimers’ Cauliflower Alley Club.
  • Lou Thesz made appearances at serious projects and/or promotions with regard to what he prefers to call “the truer forms of wrestling.”
  • Lou Thesz religiously found time to visit the gymnasium several times a week to keep the physical edge.
  • April 9, 2002 – Lou Thesz had triple bypass surgery and an aoertic valve replacement.
  • April 28, 2002 – Lou Thesz passes away — The greatest professional wrestler of all time will be sorely missed.
  • Upon death, Lou Thesz’s body was cremated and ashes spread on a riverbank in Missouri.
Updated:

Trained By

Joe Sanderson
George Tragos
Ad Santel

Debut

Birthday

April 26, 1916

Hometown

St. Louis, Missouri
Moved to Norfolk, Virginia

Gender

Height

6'2"

Weight

225 lbs

Finishing Move(s)

The Lou Thesz Press

Favorite Move(s)

Stepover Toehold Faclock (STF)

Notable Feuds

Hans Scabnel
Jack Washburbn
Red McIntyre
Billy Watson
Wild Bill Longson
Hans Scnabel
Ernie Dusek
Bobby Managoff
Buddy Rogers
Fred Curry Sr.

Status