The Top Ten Moves of Lou Thesz

[OldSchoolRasslin]

That footage of his backdrop suplex was used in the WWF Coliseum Video introduction bit that was on all the WWF tapes in the 80s.

[OldSchoolRasslin]

If Lou Thesz was around today, he'd be the UFC Middleweight champion.

[SMAXZO]

Fun fact: The powerbomb is actually a botched piledriver.

[njpw4ever]

no german suplex? i read in wikipedia that thesz originally invented it or i should rather say introduced to professional wrestling before karl gotch. Isn't it the greco-roman belly to back waistlock suplex?

[Cadbil]

I wonder if anyone in that audience is still alive. :O

[hello11197]

A great innovator of the sport. Thank you Lou.

[JDR50xx]

1:27 Looks Like A Ps3 Sdvr 2011 Rope Glitch

[antsman88]

Lou Thesz's autobiography is supposed to be amazing so i looked it up on amazon, cash ready. Cheapest copy: £155.70. WTF!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!

[daverosales1985]

Classical moves

[TheMostAwesomeHat]

And people complain about steal other wrestlers move. This guy invented pretty much all moves so it would be pretty boring if he was the only one allowed to use them

[WarPigsLukesWall]

@TheMostAwesomeHat Exactly. I don't get why people can't wrap their heads around that.

[braigus09]

Man look at those ropes, dangerous.

[SurfaceCollison]

Lou Thesz vs. Everyone, Thesz wins.

[harley55100]

Although he weighed only about 225 lbs as a wrestler (sort of a lightweight compared to today's wrestlers) Lou Thesz was the real deal, among the greatest technical wrestlers pro wrestling has ever had. He ranks up there with Ed "Strangler" Lewis, Verne Gagne,.......

Unlike Hulk Hogan, Thesz would maim any opposing wrestler in a heartbeat if the match were a shoot.

Virtually all of today's wrestlers would have absolutely no idea how to outmaneuver Thesz in the ring.

[hitmancoolio]

1:29 Damn those ropes were loose.

[bigfloridapimp]

Just cant get into this style of wrestling. His top 10 moves are like 80% rest holds. I prefer quicker paced action, Misawa, Styles, etc. This is OK but I just wouldnt be able to watch a 20 minute match of this stuff I would be bored to tears.

[Chaingang1984jr]

how crazy would it be if he was in wwe 12 and you could wrestle in black & white

[braigus09]

I don't know if you guys know this but, the powerbomb was invented by Lou by accident or botch. He innovated the Powerbomb when he botched a Piledriver. Interesting stuff right there.

[sgauden02]

Imagine if he were able to wrestle Kurt Angle

[ya5mam5]

Thesz is so overrated it's unreal, he's so sloppy.

[808TROY]

@ya5mam5 Try innovating 5 moves and make history kid

[JakaxBone3672]

@ya5mam5 overrated? what is wrong with you? this man is a legend he won over 25 championships all over the world in his 60 year career of wrestling that's more titles than batista and triple h combined show a little respect he's one of the wrestlers who started the sport of wrestling.

[GlitchMasta]

I wish that wrestling would be this good today as it was then

[robbiepowell646]

wow!!

[chipsamy]

The God of wrestling for sure!

[CLewey44]

I love me some Hulk Hogan, but I don't think you could do a "Top 10 Moves of Hulk Hogan" highlight video.

[antsman88]

@CLewey44 why not?

[CLewey44]

@antsman88 I'm a huge Hogan fan. To me, he's the best ever. Pro wrestling isn't really about ability but charisma or size and whatnot. He's the best because he transformed wrestling more than anyone and is by far the most famous wrestler in history. However, his move set wasn't that sreat. Punch?Slam?Boot?Turnbuckle follow-up clothesline?Legdrop?Atomic drop? Not the best matwrestler but what he used, people loved and his execution was always on.

[HardcoreGamer4Ever]

@CLewey44 Actually, if you watch his matches in Japan, you'd find he's a surprisingly good technical wrestler. I still hate Hulk Hogan, however, because he's a huge backstage politician.

[sukotsutoclone2]

The main reason why I tend to watch the classic wrestling matches way more than today's nonsense. The times when techniques were still close from its legit roots and there's actual wrestling involved.

[b3ntleg]

Looking at this it could of easily been passed as real. Is it possible to pinpoint when that stopped?

[TheSuicidalDragon]

The style itself never truly died out, as there are organizations around today that still put on shoot style wrestling. However, to answer the question, around the 1920s-1930s, wrestling began to become more reminiscent of modern day pro wrestling.

[wurblewurble]

@TheSuicidalDragon I was working for a library last year, going through old microfiche of the Boston Gazette. In 1933, the biggest sports for much of the year appeared to be baseball and pro wrestling, and it looked like wrestling was being taken very seriously, even as they started to introduce gimmicks like mystery masked wrestlers and the like.

I like his setup for the rolling armbar...could be turned into a standing kimura, which I've still never seen in wrestling!

[siren7193]

@TheSuicidalDragon What is it exactly that changed in wrestling ?

[TheSuicidalDragon]

Back in the earliest days, wrestling was simply two men in the ring, going hold for hold, with matches timed by hours rather than minutes. Eventually, it went out of style to attend a show for one match, so promoters began working matches, usually only the finishes. Legend has it that in the 1920s, an angry promoter revealed the upcoming results of a match, essentially outing wrestling as fixed. From that point, wrestling started to take the form of the show rather than the sport.

[siren7193]

@TheSuicidalDragon Thank you man for the answer :D, by the way it's funny when you said "legend has it that..." XD.

[jonbap426]

@TheSuicidalDragon - I think Ed Strangler Lewis was also a part of the change from the real shoot fights/one man carnival style to the scripted style as well.

[SeanOMatic]

@b3ntleg

Japanese Pro Wrestling has carried on the tradition of tight, grappling style matches, as opposed to the flashy style brought on by WWE/Modern Wrestling.

[mkl62]

Lou Thesz was the NWA World's Heavyweight Champion on August 7, 1950.

[sampson1959]

saw lou thesz when i was a young man working the shows.all business but friendly.he was feared throughout the trade and no one crossed him.he understood the wrestling business and realized that you have to keep the title moving.unbeatable champion!

[KHaskins23]

If Lou Thesz was still alive today and in his prime, He would make the whole WWE, TNA, ROH and the other Pro Wrestling companies his b!tch.

[maniacmarklewin52]

what a great wrestler look at those moves 

[TheSuicidalDragon]

I've heard the name, but I'm no more than vaguely familiar with him.

[cosmohippo]

I doubt wrestling would be as big as it is if it wasn't for him. A true legend and he had a talent so great it would only be heard in stories. Bret Hart was wrong, he is not "The best there ever was, the best there is, the best there ever will be" that is Lou thesz

[TheKizz4]

last match was when he was bloody 74 YEARS OLD!!!

i give this man respect

[mkl62]

Lou Thesz was the NWA World's Heavyweight Champion on February 8, 1955. He is considered the first legitimate NWA World's Heavyweight Champion.

[libertyemil]

Lou Thesz, by far the greatest champion of all time.

He beat Bruno Sammartino in under 15 minutes.

Guess that proves whose the greatest.

[theshooter2000]

@libertyemil Your comment should be the number one rated comment on youtube. Bruno ain't got shit on Lou Thesz.

[SCARFACE40214]

Ahhh, such a great performer, I laugh at anyone who doubts the abilities of Lou Thesz, he's the reason for so many great performers of later generations, look at some of these guys: Steve Austin, Dos Carras, Low-Ki, Bryan Danielson, Ric Flair, they have all taken something from Lou Thesz, he's the reason for their great talent.

[14zup]

He's the reason for their talent? Unless he fathered all five of those men or brought them into the buisness (which I seriously doubt), there is no way in hell Lou Thesz was responsible for the success that these men have had on their own.

Sure, they borrow something or another from him, but you can't take away their credits just because Thesz first held the parent belt of every major World Heavyweight championship this side of the globe. It's unrealistic.

[idontknow2yatube]

moves so simples executed so perfectly. that's why lou thesz is a legend.

[Hellhammerabadon]

That powerbomb was a matter of pure strenght

[JonathanVonErich]

I'm only 25 years old and i know Lou Thesz is the greatest of all-time....I'm a huge Ric Flair fan but in my opinion Flair had 8 great years: 82-83-84-85-86-87-88 and 89....after that his career went downhill....Thesz was on top of the wrestling world for over 15 years, maybe 20....At one time he held the NWA title for almost 7 years....In my opinion Thesz is the greatest ever, Harley Race is 2 and Flair is 3....

[Alecal89]

wow, look at the speed Thesz goes for the pin at the last clip, a true grappler

[mingus911]

Classic, unic and greates footage....Thank you so much, from Chile, South America...

[MMAfighter1555]

Those were the days when wrestling was a complete shoot

[Rimbaud1531]

@MMAfighter1555 LOL!!!

[mumiakickboxer]

muy bueno

[pathendlem]

The Babe Ruth of Pro Wrestling

[danielfm]

I think in the fourth clip, the other wrestler invented overselling :D

[MrDragonSleeper379]

Suicidal Dragon, I subscribed to you. Your videos are great! I have two questions for you: 1. Where do you buy your DVD's. 2. Will you ever make a Top Ten Movelist for Buddy Rogers,Bruno Sammartino, and Bret Hart? I'll uderstand If you don't have any usable footage

[TheSuicidalDragon]

I've bought stuff from a great many sites, some of which aren't in business anymore.

As much as I'd love to do a video on Hart and Rogers, I don't think there's the footage available that I'd need. However, I do know that Bruno wrestled a few sixty minute draws in Japan, so there's a good possibility he'll get one.

[TNA796]

@TheSuicidalDragon dude, I'd think there's some pretty decent footage for Bret Hart.

[TheSuicidalDragon]

There's a decent amount of footage of Hart, but not enough, as he never used the Sharpshooter until his WWF days.

[RPenta]

Dragon, I know you will back me up on this: we know that Bull Nakano did not bogart her famous leg drop from Hulk Hogan. Am I right about that, Brotha?By the way, it is rumored that John Cena wants you to do a Top Ten Moves video on him; since he only has five moves I guess you will have to do a loop reel . By the way,how dare Don Vinnie get rid of the Mickster! At least Mick is in good company, Wendi, Velvet, Bull, Rhonda, Luna, Molly, Chyna, Lita, Victoria have all been Vinnied in some way.

[CadillacL]

Ah, the orginator of the crossface, stf & power-bomb!

[RPenta]

Dragon, When are you going to do the Five Top Moves of John Cena?

Ktron has already given you the list of "Top Ten Hulk Hogan Moves" for you to work on.

How about a video on "Moves Trish Stratus Stole From Madusa, Bull Nakano and Lita".

See, you have many good suggestions here.

You know I think you are great.

[Fj3]

Such a great.

[gf3dn0wn3d]

ummm.... greatest hooker at all time. lol

[sayanroy36]

ummm no joke , but i cant help if the people who perform catch wrestling/ legit wrestling/ shooting ..whatever you call it , are known as hookers and here we are truly talking about the greatest hooker : ) no pun

[sayanroy36]

The Greatest hooker of all time (yes keeping in mind his mentor Ed "Strangler" Lewis)

Not only pro wrestling,there would be no MMA if it wasnt for him, Stanislaus Zybysko & Frank Gotch.

[jfizzay]

dude THIS is what wrestling is and should be

[MMADreamer]

Y is he not in WWE hall of fame

[AdoublesLdouble]

Because he never wrestled for them. The WWE HOF is a fucking joke anyway. He's already in the Wrestling Observer HOF, and to me, that's way more legit than the WWE HOF anyway, at least it has no baseball players and limo drivers.

[waterfordel]

His step over toe hold is nasty!

[aglewi41]

so he created the backdrop suplex, the stf, the thesz press and the powerbomb. wow

[AdoublesLdouble]

What is interesting about the powerbomb was that it was invented by accident, as it was actually the result of a botched piledriver

[nygellkagchelland]

yes and there is also a botched version of powerbomb wich is called ganso bomb wich looks like the move demonstrated by thesz..

[Kingduke1006]

Wrestlers do themselves and us the fans a disservice wen they dont have a grasp of how to carry a match and use wat is now considered basic wrestling tatics and moves. Stuff from Gotch, Rikidozan, Thesz, Misawa, Angle, Tsuruta among others should be like a wrestling Bible for all wrestlers no matter wat style they use.

[slydewinder01]

I wish we could somehow see a 25 year old Lou Thezs in the UFC. He would be a 250 lb Randy Couture (Sp? sorry Randy)

[ghettohxcskater]

god, imagine if lou was still alive today.

he would be so upset at the way wrestling turned out.

[showstopper316]

@ghettohxcskater he may very well be. few wrestlers in the biz today could make thesz even admit he knew what pro wrestling is.

i'll never hate pro wrestling, not even to save my own life, but it's a painful truth

[CadillacL]

I've seen interviews w/Thez & he's said that if these newer guys got in the ring,

he'd make sure they knew it wasn't fake.

[RPenta]

I guess he must be looking down from heaven and seeing Yawn Cena use the pseudo-STF must make him proud.

[eslubin]

when he was alive he wasn't happy with it at all

[davidducker]

@ghettohxcskater but he would probably love UFC

[SuperHeroMania]

@ghettohxcskater you'd think the same about Ric Flair, except he's more than happy to join it all

[ghettohxcskater]

@SuperHeroMania sad, unreasonable, but true. that's where the money is I guess?

[AMEwrestling]

So at 1:53, that was when the powerbomb came to be. Something that was made by accident.

[Takerfanatic93]

Thesz is one of the greatest Wrestlers of all time,if not the greatest of em all.A true Legend and he was over 3000 days NWA Champion.Hes also invented the Powerbom,the STF,Backdrop Suplex,German Suplex i think too.

[bradleybravo]

@Takerfanatic93 Karl Gotch ivented the German Suplex

[TheSuicidalDragon]

Rumor would have it that Gotch was taught the move by Thesz, who never used it, and sort of gave the move to Gotch, so to speak.

[koolaid28]

One story has it Gotch executed a german on Andre the Giant, AND held him for a two-count. Unreal!

[eslubin]

The "crossface chicken wing" should be labeled a strangle.

"powerbomb" a reverse slam.

"rolling armlock" a double wristlock takedown to a short arm scissors.

"thesz press" a flying body scissors

also, where's the palm strike elbow?

all in all, good video

[TheSuicidalDragon]

Usable footage of Thesz wasn't exactly easy to find.

[RPenta]

Dragon, in my fantasy wrestling program CAW

Bruno Sammartino would be putting the backbreaker on Ric Flair;

Bull Nakano would be delivering the guillotine leg drop on Trish Stratus;

and

Lou Thesz would be putting the real STF on Yawn Cena.

[Blinkman987]

He's so good his 10th best move is the headlock. Oh man, nobody wrapped around a neck like ol Lou!

When everybody is bad, nobody is good. Not even the guy at the top.

[bgs893]

Lou Thesz wrestled in a different time, way before there were moves like the DDT or super kicks.

This was the guy who was bringing fresh moves to the ring, while perfecting what moves he knew. He brought us the powerbomb, STF, the backdrop suplex and the Lou Thesz Press.

Could you imagine wrestling today without powerbombs and back suplexs? He may look old school now, but he helped wrestling evolve.

[L337EE]

The Greatest of all greats. This is where the move Lou Thez Press comes from. This guy.

[TheLegendKiller888]

Thesz was the absolute best at wrestling back then. Even now his moves, though basic, are very entertaining & still look dangerous. That powerbomb was pretty good.

[haiyah6]

wow how awesome... he really was a man beyond his time..

[cvo85]

It's great that you did a video of the original. How did you manage to dig up the black and white Japan footage?

[TheSuicidalDragon]

The luxury of DVDs, in all honesty.

[LJVC91]

wow the ropes were loose back then O_O i tought he was gonna fall back off the ring XD thesz is just awesome! i wish i could watch a match of him and rikidozan...

[mrjimmyg]

Was Thesz the first American to make it big in Japan?

[TheSuicidalDragon]

Indeed he was.

[00AwesomeOne00]

And to think that only 2-3 days ago I watched that match of his agains Rocca when Thesz did powerbomb. Awesome. Just awesome.

[ktron70]

Top Ten Hulk Hogan Moves 1.123 2.LegDrop 3.Bodyslam 4.Bodyslam 5.Hulk Up 6.Bodyslam 7.Punch 8.Bodyslam 9.Hulk Up 10. Rip Off Shirt

[egg64]

You forgot the Big Boot. Other than that, GOOD TOP 10. LOL.

[LJVC91]

just perfect XD

[bryanero]

u 4got the "you" lol

[Mistertbones]

His real top 10 is a lot better, because in Japan he could wrestle. The number 1 move would be the Axe Bomber.

[Takerfanatic93]

No...he couldnt wrestle at all,not in Japan either,he had just a bigger Moveset,but was still not really better.

[joenelles]

lol, awesome list. But Mistertbones is right. Before Hulkamania, Hogan could actually work. He had a decent suplex, rolling armbar, and was also a pretty stiff striker. Hell, he even used a missile dropkick on occasion!

[TheAirbourneCake]

@ktron70 you cant make a greatest moves of Hogan cause he didnt have any great moves...

[CadillacL]

@ktron70 Sad thing is, if you look for footage of Hogan in Japa, the man COULD wrestle. However, Vince wanted no part of that.

[CasualVideoGamer]

@CadillacL

I think a big of it was that the moment Hogan became "Hulk Hogan" in the WWF, he was traveling everywhere and was wrestling constantly. They have papers that showed events w/o Hogan suffered while events w/ Hogan were successful. Thus, for being on the road and in important matches more often than usual, he reduce his in-ring abilities down to a comfortable level that would help him go throughout the year to prevent wear and tear (and exhaustion).

[CadillacL]

@CasualVideoGamer Hmm, makes sense.

[CasualVideoGamer]

@CadillacL

Yeah, still doesn't excuse his selfish behavior behind the scenes though. The guy's head is so far up his own ass.

[CadillacL]

@CasualVideoGamer Not at all.

[jb0609]

@CasualVideoGamer

Most wwe main eventers have been selfish. HBK, Bret Hart, HHH and Austin have all refused to job at least once.

[CasualVideoGamer]

@jb0609 Aside from HBK and Trips, most main eventers have a valid reason behind their refusal to job to someone. Austin's most famous case (Lesnar) was that he saw no point in the two even wrestling without a big build up between them (at the time, Austin was on his way out and Lesnar was still making an impact as a main eventer). Hogan's usual excuse is "he's not big enough" or "I'll walk out." HBK and Trips were full of dumb reasons themselves, though.

[RPenta]

@ktron70

Right on, Brotha!

Keep saying your prayers, taking your "vitamins" and training.

[CasualVideoGamer]

@ktron70

Don't forget the fingerpoke-of-doom. That thing's fricken lethal. Destroyed Nash and WCW's credibility in a single night!

[JoshRA]

@ktron70 now that's just mean. and inaccurate. Everybody knows Rip off shirt is #1.

[VibiMe]

@ktron70 Lulz, u forgot big boot

[iamarock09]

@VibiMe and the axe bomber.

[Elementa2006]

@ktron70 You forgot the Axe Bomber, which was a clotheline that he used as his finisher in Japan and there's also a jumping knee which he used occasionally in the WWF/E but used a lot in Japan. He had alot more variety when he wrestled in Japan.

[jb0609]

@ktron70

So what?

Flair´s moveset was small too and he is considered one of the best wrestlers ever.

You dont need alot of moves to be a good or great wrestler.

[easterndragon9x]

@ktron70 top ten Ric Flair Moves: 10.Chop 9. Chop 8.Chop. 7.Chop.6.Chop 5.Chop 4.Chop 3.Chop 2. Human fish 1.Figure 4 leg lock

[Metta925]

@easterndragon9x All correct except 6 should be "Wooooooooo!"

[Amr3561]

Awesome video.

[jhniscol]

is it true that thesz innovated the german suplex?

[TheSuicidalDragon]

Indeed it is. I don't know if he ever used it in a match, however. He taught the move to Gotch, that much I know.

[SMAHAF]

Wow, now that is old school. A fitting tribute to a legend of the sport. 5 stars!

[deindafy28]

I read that when he first started out he got a chance to face Ed "Strangler" Lewis (a 6 time champ, who allegedly won over 6,000 matches!) and nearly beat him.

Thesz was by far one of the best the business ever saw! RIP champ

[brocklock09]

Hometown Hero. I think we have a few pictures somewhere around here of my Great Grandmother with Thesz. Good stuff SuiDrag.

[UnstableProtagonist]

How astonishing it was/is for Thesz to have a career in pro wrestling that had span for over five decades. One has to be in outstanding condition to withstand that length of active competition.

[gig0n5]

So he invented the Powerbomb. Awesome

[Amurpo]

great video

[tpunk66]

As a practioner of jiu-jitsu, what I like about the older stuff you're putting up is that the submission holds are being executed properly

[Mistertbones]

What a great technician. But he called his Backdrop the Greco-Roman Backdrop. RIP Lou!

[KaguyaTorei]

God that powerbomb was pretty great, as was the backdrop. I had no idea Thesz had created the STF, that's awesome o.O

[MrWolf316]

The older guys were better at makingseen even the most basic holds look dangerous, Seriously, I havent seen a headsissors look that painful until now.

[dietfreeman42718]

I think Dragon said it best.....He was the best PURE wrestler of all time.

[joenelles]

Whenever anyone debates whether Flair, Hogan, or Austin were the greatest ever I always jump in and say they never would have existed without Thesz.

Awesome vid.

[kimbob5]

austin even used some of his moves such as the lou thez press and the occasional back drop but Id think austin would agree that if it wasnt for Lou Thez a lot of the stuff we re getting now wouldnt be

[ToxsickDeath]

@joenelles yup flair and austin reminds me of thesz alot he is just a true legend in wrestling!!

[808TROY]

legendary wrestler

[d0ug]

Lou Thesz invented the powerbomb? For that alone he is an American hero.

[ChikaraThemes]

I thought he innovated The German not the Backdrop?

[TheSuicidalDragon]

He invented both.

[seancarletonzero]

I thought that was a Karl Gotch invented hold.

[TheSuicidalDragon]

Gotch named it, Thesz taught the move to him.

[seancarletonzero]

Thanks for the information and the video.

[TheSuicidalDragon]

Not a problem.

[brandensimmons1987]

The godfather of wrestling

[DoubleMiz]

great top ten, and that's the earliest footage of a powerbomb I've ever seen!

[seb2112]

interesting to see how ALL of these moves are still used today. he pretty much layed the groundwork for the basics of wrestling

[HeavyWeightGunner]

we goin ole skool Dragon? XD good vid nice to see some of the older wrestlers instead of the washed up WWE/TNA wrestler.

[biofreakmike]

much love for lou thesz. definitely a legend =)

[Typosflair]

cool list