Trish Stratus accepts Lou Thesz Award: 'If she can see it, she can be it'
Charlie Thesz presents Lou Thesz Award to Trish Stratus
In front of its largest crowd to date, Trish Stratus proudly accepted the Lou Thesz Award as part of her induction into the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame and its induction ceremony weekend in Waterloo, IA.
The weekend kicked off with in-ring action from IPW (Impact Pro Wrestling) and an autographed signing for its attendees. The Dan Gable Museum, a robust interactive and lively presentation of all things wrestling with a mission of preserving the history and integrity of the sport, was host to a meet and greet with the weekend's distinguished guests before the big celebration that evening. Stratus joined the legendary Dan Gable himself, JR and Mike Rotunda to name a few. Stratus donated all of her profits from the signings to the museum.
Bourne, Stratus, Ross and Rotunda pose with plaques
The George Tragos/Lou Thesz Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame ceremony followed with inductions and speeches from Dick Bourne (Jim Melby Award), Mike Rotunda (Hall of Fame Inductee), and Jim Ross (Gordon Solie Award).
In the main event, Stratus, who donned a navy blue gown (revealed on TikTok), took to the stage as the first-ever female recipient of the Lou Thesz Award.
She opened with the statement: "Remember when 'fight like a girl' was a bad thing?" This is now seen as a positive statement of women's strength and power, given today's positioning of women. As a female, Stratus expressed her gratitude to the committee for their forward-thinking, recognizing the significance of the selection. She stressed the importance of representation, saying that our world views are shaped by what we see and that having female role models is ever so crucial, especially for the younger girls of today. Her statement: "If she can see it, she can be it," was poignant and significant, especially in today's landscape.
Stratus talked about how far women have come in the industry and how they continue to break down barriers. She noted that while women are perceived in a better light these days, there is still work to be done. However, she said she was encouraged and inspired by the intrepid spirits of women like new SmackDown! Women's Champion Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch, Raw's Women's Champion Bianca Belair, and AEW's Britt Baker and how they have become role models for the next generation of women like the 'Golden Era' women were for them.
In conclusion, Trish called for more matches on the card, more main events, more Hall of Fame spots and recipients of awards. She called for the women to continue to kick down doors and smash glass ceilings because – "Girls kickass!"
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