WWE veteran Nattie Neidhart (Natalya) has made history by becoming the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Lou Thesz Award by the Cauliflower Alley Club. The third-generation superstar took to Instagram to announce the honor and reflect on her long and accomplished career in professional wrestling.
In her social media post, Neidhart expressed her gratitude and acknowledged the significance of the award and its namesake. “To be the first woman to be awarded the prestigious Lou Thesz award means so much to me as Lou Thesz is held as a standard bearer in wrestling,” she wrote. She also shared her philosophy on the business, stating, “Like everything worth spending a life chasing, the wrestling business has never been easy. It’s not easy today. It never gets easy, and if it ever does, I’ll know that’s when it’s time to hang them up.”
The Lou Thesz Award is one of the highest honors bestowed by the Cauliflower Alley Club, a non-profit fraternal organization comprised of professional wrestling personalities. The award is given to an individual who has had a major impact on the business and is recognized for their in-ring skill, dedication, and respect for the sport, embodying the qualities of its namesake.
Lou Thesz is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential professional wrestlers of all time. A multi-time NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Thesz’s combined reigns with the title totaled over ten years, a record that still stands. He was a master of technical, catch-as-catch-can wrestling and is credited with inventing several maneuvers, including the Lou Thesz press, the powerbomb, and the STF. His name is synonymous with legitimacy and excellence in the squared circle.
By receiving this award, Natalya joins an elite group of wrestling legends who have been previously honored. Past recipients of the Lou Thesz Award include her uncle Bret “Hitman” Hart, Kurt Angle, Ron Simmons, and J.J. Dillon, placing her in esteemed company.
The honor is a fitting tribute to a career defined by both championships and remarkable consistency. In WWE, Natalya is a former Divas Champion, SmackDown Women’s Champion, and Women’s Tag Team Champion. She also holds multiple Guinness World Records for her longevity, including the most matches, most wins, and most pay-per-view appearances for any woman in WWE history.
Beyond her own accolades, Natalya has been a foundational pillar of the WWE women’s division for over a decade. As the first female graduate of the legendary Hart Dungeon, she has carried her family’s legacy with pride and has served as a veteran locker room leader, helping to train and elevate an entire generation of female superstars who have followed in her footsteps.
Winning the Lou Thesz Award is a significant milestone that recognizes Natalya’s career in its totality. It honors her not just as a champion, but as a “standard bearer” in her own right, celebrated for the technical skill, resilience, and deep respect for the history of the business that have been the hallmarks of her career.
