[1950-03-31-Kohler Chicago] Lou Thesz vs Cyclone Anaya

[Superstar Sleeze]

NWA World Heavyweight Champion Lou Thesz vs Cyclone Anaya - Chicago 3/31/50

Lets see if I still remember how to do one of these. Kinda lost my smile there for two months, but I had a hankering to watch some wrestling lets lean into that. 

First Fall: Gorgeous, delectable wrestling. Beautiful takedowns. If you love a good takedown, this match is for you. Side headlock takeovers, double wristlock takedowns, some nice armdags. Very 1950s in how it is organic, competitive and feels earns. Loved Thesz on a headscissors doing a modified short piledriver. That was early and popped me. Anaya stays right with Thesz, nice stump puller at one point and Anaya gets the bigger highspots. His bodyslam is put over huge by Thesz and the ref starts counting as if it were boxing. Anaya gets a rip roaring drag, but this time it gets Thesz's dander up and Thesz counters with a SPLENDID, FORCEFUL double leg takedown. They started trading side headlocks. Thesz wins the first fall with a Thesz Press. Very solid meat & potatoes pro wrestling. Not much in the way of panache or flash, but something you can really sink your teeth into. 

Second Fall: They stick with brought them to the dance lots of strong, competitive wrestling. Anaya gets the first advantage with a standing split leg toehold, Thesz sweeps the leg beautifully. During the break, Russ informs us that Cyclone does have a finish it is called the Cobra Twist and this turns out to be a Abdominal Stretch. Anaya goes for it, but they end up in the ropes. Thesz takes control, but Cyclone hits a sudden bodyslam with an immediate vertical press which was a nearfall I bit on. They trade some wicked snapmares, but in the flurry of confusion, Anaya strikes and applies the Cobra Twist for the second fall. Nothing stands out from a character/narrative perspective, but from a work perspective this is sublime. 

Third Fall: Terrific final fall that moves the match from very good to great territory comfortably. Anaya goes for the Cobra Twist immediately and they do a little doe-see-doe. Anaya uses some wristlocks, headscissors and headlocks to control. There is a superb moment in the headscissor where out of nowhere Thesz KICKS ANAYA IN THE MOUTH to break a headscissors. That had me audibly "Ooooooo". Stupendous moment when Thesz throws Anaya off and immediately pounces with a drop toehold rolled right up into a calf slicer. Exquisite. Cobra Twist again but they tumble out of the ring. Anaya beats the count at 17, presumably he had until 20. Anaya visibly limping. Thesz executes a series of double leg takedowns only for Anaya to Kangaroo kick from off, yes I will be stealing that from Russ Davis in the future.  Wicked Thesz dropkick quashes that defense and executes the Single LEG Crab on the injured leg for the victory. 

Pro wrestling in its purest competitive form. ****

[Mr JMML]

This match took place in March 31st 1950 in Chicago, Illinois and Thesz’s NWA World Heavyweight title is on the line. His opponent, the challenger is Cyclone Anaya is a young man from Venezuela that’s going up the ranks. Chicago was the most important territory during the early 50’s that’s why many matches from there still exist to this day. Don’t forget that during this time most matches were two out of three falls so we’ll be talking about falls when discussing the bout.

Now let’s go to the match itself, after the presentation the underdog went right at the reigning champion but Thesz was able to control the situation and the victory in the 1st fall after he applied a Lou Thesz press with some impulse from the ropes.

The 2nd fall is different, Anaya is way more confident and strong, he gets the victory with an abdominal stretch. They trade falls around the seventeen minute mark.

In the 3rd fall logic prevailed and Thesz got the definitive victory with single leg crab after seven minutes of full domination. Not even the greatest performance in Cyclone Anaya’s life was enough to take Lou Thesz down, an underrated classic that I recommend to everyone reading.