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[1950-06-21-Kohler Chicago] Lou Thesz vs Buddy Rogers


Phil Schneider

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This is from Wrigley Field and was uploaded in glorious quality by the Chicago Film Archives, I am pretty sure this was unavailable before this week, and it is a treat. Really simple but effective matwork starts the match out, both guys really no how to make a headlock grind. Really picked up when the got on their feet, I love the way Rogers runs the ropes, he really looks completely out of control and make as rope running exchange look like a highspot. Rogers is also an athletic bumper in the Hennig, Michaels vein and he takes a couple of violent spills out of the ring, and the finish of the third fall is a loony Foley ear loss hangman where he gets counted out. I also loved when he got nasty, throwing some sick uppercuts and a snap piledriver. Thesz was more subdued, clearly the grandfather of the Briscoes and Dory Funk Jr., I did love when he got chippy too, he caught Rogers with a huge kneelift which was probably the highlight of the match. I liked they did 3 falls in about 35 minutes, didn't drag, kept a nice pace and it felt like a big deal. Really great piece of history and a hell of match

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This was the Buddy Rogers Show and it was a joy to watch it. In fairness, Lou was very good, but the straight man tends to get overshadowed when the show piece is that good. I loved that Lou did those subtle heel tactics from the Silverstein match and threw them in Rogers' face to the joy of the crowd. Rogers outcheated him, but Thesz gave as good as he got. It was interesting there was not much of a babyface shine instead Rogers controlled with headlocks. Thesz applied a sweet, sweet drop toe hold. I loved Rogers' burst of energy and the piledriver finish for the first fall. The second and third fall were crazy heated. The knee lifts to the head were nasty. The punches on the ropes and the bumps over them were awesome.

 

AIRPLAN SPIN FU!!!!

 

The highlight of the match to me was at the beginning of the third fall Rogers is about to walk into a Thesz move puts on the brakes and struts. It was crazy cool. "I don't like him either, mother" - Russ Davis, made me laugh out loud.

 

The ending with Rogers head caught in the ropes shows that pretty much everything has been done before. This is a perfect way to do an intense mat-based contest, but blending in color and showmanship.

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  • 1 year later...

I would agree on this feeling more like a Rogers heel showcase than an attempt at a great match. I love all the mileage these guys get with a simple headlock throughout from the all the escapes when it's being worked straight early on to Thesz's selling of the accumulated damage from Roger's punches in the 2nd half. Also a nice dynamic here with Thesz playing more of a crafty guy not afraid to try Rogers's own tactics against him instead of just being a clean fighting face playing to the crowd. Of course the finish is nuts and Rogers also takes a hard bump to the outside off a Thesz forearm prior to that, but the hard knee he takes off one of Thesz's dropkick is getting slept on. ***3/4

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  • Loss changed the title to [1950-06-21-Kohler Chicago] Lou Thesz vs Buddy Rogers
  • 2 years later...

A classic world title bout. Rogers was, in many ways, the perfect heel challenger. He was skilled and tough but also incredibly arrogant and had no problem utilizing underhanded tactics to gain the advantage, eventually leading to a one fall lead. Thesz was the no nonsense champion who continued to be extremely aggressive, regardless of the circumstances. Though, you could argue that Thesz shrugged off all those blows a little too easily to go back into attack mode each time. But he sold the accumulated damage well, particularly at the end of every fall. Thesz weathered the storm and used his situational awareness to get himself out of a hole in the second fall and also pull off the third fall. ****1/2
 

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  • 8 months later...

Insufferable commentary aside, I thought this was tremendous. Rogers was great as a slimey heel though, using any cheap tactic he could including punches, cheap spots, stepping on Thesz’s head while he's on the ground. Thesz is feisty in return, but he doesn’t lose his cool and instead uses his frustration with Rogers to his advantage with violent knee lifts and tighter mat-work. The finish to the final fall was great as well with Thesz side stepping Rogers, causing him to tie himself in the ropes. Payback for all he did in the match. ****

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