"The World Heavyweight Champion"
LOU THESZ
Aloysius Martin Thesz
Height
6'2" (188 cm)
Weight
225 lbs (102 kg)
Born
April 24, 1916
Died
April 28, 2002
Age
86 years (at death)
Gender
Male
Birthplace
Banat, Michigan, United States
Nationality
American
Billed From
St. Louis, Missouri
WWE Debut
January 12, 1953
Retired
November 1, 1955
Hall of Fame
Inducted ★
Biography
Lou Thesz is widely regarded as one of the most influential and technically proficient professional wrestlers of all time, serving as the face of the National Wrestling Alliance for over two decades. A multi-time World Heavyweight Champion, he unified multiple titles to become the sport's first undisputed champion of the modern era and innovated legendary maneuvers like the powerbomb and the Lou Thesz Press. Within the WWE ecosystem, he is famously remembered for winning a special Legends Battle Royal at a WWF event in 1987 at the age of 71. In 2016, he was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Legacy wing to honor his foundational impact on the industry.