Natalya Think This Fellow WWE Star Will Receive Lou Thesz Award Someday

The Cauliflower Alley Club recently announced that longtime WWE star Natalya Neidhart would become the first woman to receive their Lou Thesz Award, honoring performers who carry forward Thesz's legacy of technical wrestling. During a recent interview with the Toronto Sun, Natalya stated that it's an honor to receive the award and shared her prediction for who might be a future recipient.

"I could see [Chad] Gable, down the road, getting a Lou Thesz award," Natalya said. "It's about being a very strong wrestler, and the award also is something that honors people that give back in the community."

Representatives of the CAC contacted WWE, with officials soon informing Natalya that they wished to honor her with the award. The wrestler said she was "floored," especially because she carries vivid memories of her grandfather, Stu Hart, getting excited over the annual Cauliflower Alley Club reunion. Now, Natalya herself will become an important part of the club's legacy.

Neidhart also discussed Thesz himself, and the impact the man left on the industry. Beginning in the 1930s, Thesz became a major figure in the business and helped shape its course over the 20th century.

"He was a wrestler's wrestler," Natalya continued. "He was a pillar [and] a person that helped build wrestling for people like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels."

Natalya will receive the Lou Thesz Award at the CAC's annual reunion, set to take place from Monday, August 18 through the following Wednesday, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Tickets are available for purchase, and other 2025 awards recipients include Mick Foley, Jazz, Bob Orton Jr., and more.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit the Toronto Sun with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.