[1950-03-17-Kohler Chicago] Lou Thesz vs Ruffy Silverstein

[Loss]

Talk about it here.

 

[soup23]

Ok, let's crack this thing open.

First fall was some good stuff with Lou getting chippy and doing some cheating when he gets the chance with punches in the front face lock. This was a good example I thought of the NWA Champ coming in to work the territories challenge de jour.

 

Second fall with Silversteen down a fall wasn't that great and the missed dropkick Lou had was really weak.

 

I am not sure who the announcer is but he is really good explaining the story and that Lou is being really tested here and resulting to cheap tactics.

 

Third fall started out good with them exchanging holds and leaning on the ropes with a good crowd reaction but fizzled with Silversteen locked on a arm scissors. Lou fights out and hits the Thesz press abruptly to win the match. I thought this was uneven overall but I saw some good promise from Lou and look forward to his remaining matches.

[Superstar Sleeze]

I really liked the match. My only complaint might be that it was too repetitious with the same Thesz tactics over and over, but Silverstein not really countering with much until its too late. That being said I loved the subtle heel touches from Lou like the constant crowding on the ropes and sneaking in those closed fists. When Silverstien finally did get going with those flying headbutts he had me rocking. The pacing was tremendous. It was really perpetual motion and just constant, intense matwork. Those "rips" were killer. I thought the Thesz Press finish was a great way to end it. Silverstein is an admirable opponent, but not in Thesz's league.

[conker8]

According to the Lou Thesz forum, this match took place one month later (same card as Viann-Byers) and not at the Chicago Amphitheatre !

The japanese version have them at April 1951.

 

 

First fall, the challenger was a bit shy. Like Sleaze, I like how Thesz keeps control on his headlocks with his closed fists. The crowd want Silverstein to be more "stiff" and he throws some nice foreams seconds later. Second fall was short. The third fall, they are equals in the ring and it's a good showcase of Thesz's skills in defensive position.

[El McKell]

How and why can WWE remove this from YouTube? Surely the Chicago Film Archives own the copyright to all these matches.

[fxnj]

You could try emailing CFA about it. They have the copyright on the match, so there's nothing stopping them from contesting WWE's claim, though I didn't get a response when them when I did that myself. For now, if you want to see this, there's a torrent on XWT Classics with all the Chicago stuff downloaded from YouTube that includes this.

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz vs Ruffy Silverstein - Chicago 3/17/50

This match is just as good as I remember it. It is from Russ Davis' call that I started incorporating "crowding" and " rips" into my reviews. 

First Fall: Thesz was relatively dry and played it straight in the Anaya match. Not so here at all. Thesz really ratcheted up the heeling with constant crowding on the ropes and a deluge of cheapshots. Slaps, elbows, punches in the headlock, you name it and Thesz took advantage. Hell at one point, he damn near pushed Silverstein over the rope. I loved the crowding tactic. It stymies any momentum, breaks all rhythm, and presses Thesz advantage. Silverstein doggedly returns the favor with rip after rip of a headlock takedown. There was one fan vociferously exhorting Ruffy "To give it to him" and Ruffy obliged finally in the corner as he could take it down no longer and he let Thesz have it. Again, it would happen on the ropes with some forearm sledges across the bow. What bailed Thesz out was a sudden, impactful dropkick that resulted in a three count. Terrific babyface vs heel wrestling. Thesz was relentless in his cheapshots, in every hold he was using roughhouse tactics to break the momentum. It gave the match a real, tense edgy feel to it. Ruffy could not never get his rhythm, but Thesz could not maintain either. Very interesting. I liked the finish to the fall. Good climax. 

Second Fall: They start off just as chippy into the ropes. There is a palpable hate between the two at this point. Ruffy applies a full nelson, which according to Russ is his trademark. Thesz backs him into the ropes and does NOT give him a clean break; he whips around and punches him hard in the breadbasket. Silverstein leaves his head exposed on an errant takedown attempt and Thesz BLASTS him with a straight, exposed knee to the face. Damn! Another one! Not quite as stiff, but this match is brutal. Ruffy is able to recover enough to apply a rolling butterfly cradle to take the second fall. I love how heated this is. 

Third Fall: Tremendous third fall. Thesz comes off a massive ornery prick. He was outright taunting the referee with his blatant, aggressive cheating. Ruffy starts the fall piefacing Thesz and this shit is on. Thesz adds cupping the ear to his asshole tactics. Silverstein dumps him over the top rope. EUROPEAN UPPERCUT ROCKS THESZ! Excellent sell by Thesz really puts that move over and sells the danger of him losing.  Ref orders Thesz to give a clean break he places his elbow on Ruffy's jaw and then smacks his own hand driving the elbow into the jaw. God love him! More cheapshots in the headlock knocks Silverstein out of the ring. KNEELIFT as Ruffy tries to return. This is merciless. Thesz chokes Ruffy by placing his forearm across his throat and a Thesz Press puts Ruffy out of his misery. 

Thesz gives an absolute masterclass on being a roughhouse heel. If he was in there with a red hot fiery babyface this could have been an all-timer, but this was still a terrific match. ****1/4