Don Leo Jonathan is one of those guys I've always wanted to see more of. Has a great reputation as one of the best athletes ever in wrestling. Big, powerful, agile - sort of a prototype for Bam Bam Bigelow or the Undertaker.

Have I mentioned I really hate Russ Davis as an announcer? Points for giving Ed Lewis credit for "infusing wrestling with showmanship", though. Told you they'd been telling that story forever. And while I'm all for giving a tough old man credit, I don't think it does your match any good to spend time talking about how the 60-something former champ has nothing to fear from the title challenger in his prime. Even if it's true.

DLJ does a great job of using his height on that front headlock, lifting Lou off the mat repeatedly. And of course Thesz has the slick counter. His counter to the headlock takeover, where he just sort of floats over so it ends up as a sort of side headlock instead of a pinning situation on the mat, is unique. It looked sort of awkward, but in a good way, like how working your way out of a dangerous situation should.

DLJ heels it up pretty well, going after Lou's ears ("cauliflowers") just to be a dick. Lou's not above taking a cheap shot here and there, either. I do like how the announcer plays it off as trying to get in the opponent's head.

Even in the 50s, you don't see a straight up double leg takedown too often in pro wrestling. Plays right into the body scissor counter. I like the body scissor sequence. Both guys have moments of control, and it's all about getting your balance and putting the other guy on the defensive. And Lou hits the greatest STF I've ever seen (even allowing for the Jonathan counter) to get out of it for good.

Jonathan going to the knees out of a front headlock makes me think I should've called him a proto-Takayama. If you haven't seen a bunch of Yoshihiro Takayama, you'll have no idea what I'm talking about, so it's probably just as well. Please go see a bunch of Yoshihiro Takayama. But that's when this match starts to get intense, like it's breaking down into a serious brawl.

Going back to the basic "less is more" lesson - when the match is full of headlock takeovers, when Don Leo does bust out the body slam and Lou bounces about a foot off the mat, Jonathan looks like goddamn Hercules.

And finally Lou busts out the backdrop suplex. It's a move he talks about as a personal favorite in Hooker, and his use of it in Japan in the 50s (we're getting to it) established it as a finish you can still use today, but in the footage we have of him, it doesn't come out much. Looked like a complete killer here.