The Cauliflower Alley Club honored wrestling some true wrestling legends this week.
Bret Hart was honoured with the 2026 Lou Thesz Award. That award recognizes “a wrestler’s technical excellence, integrity, sportsmanship, leadership and lasting contribution to professional wrestling”.
Nattie was the one who presented the away to Hart.
“Bret is a very rare breed and whether you loved him on both sides of the curtain, he was the one that the fans watched but the wrestlers studied. He was the magician that made the other magicians believe and he did it with pride and honor. He took his love for wrestling and storytelling, and he ushered in a new era at the time the business really needed it. Just like the Lou Thesz, Bret believed that the champion should be able to wrestle anyone, anywhere, and anytime. From Diesel to Stone Cold, from 1 2 3 Kid to Owen Hart from Ric Flair to “Macho Man” Randy Savage,” she said.
“Any style, any size, any time limit, Bret Hart was going to make art because he was a true artist. He believed, because he believed. You know, you can’t pick your family but in a world full of uncles, sorry Ross, or a locker room full of wrestlers, I would pick Bret Hart every single time. Ladies and gentlemen, the best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be, Bret “Hitman” Hart!” she said introducing Hart himself.
“I’m very honored to have been chosen to receive the prestigious Lou Thesz Award. This will always mean so much to me. To me, this is one of the true highlights of my career. I’ve had many honors bestowed on me, how I was voted one time the 39th greatest Canadian of all time. I’ve had 80s… sexest man in Canada twice,” he said taking a shot at Slam Wrestling co-founder and former editor, contributor, Greg Oliver.
For those who don’t know about the controversy, you can read all about it here.
Hart then explained why the word means so much to him.
“All the title belts, the trophies, the plaques, even the medals but in the heart of hearts, in my heart of hearts, this will stand as one of my highest and most meaningful awards of my career. Maybe really because it’s, it’s been my life, my entire life, and I feel more and more every day that I walk in my dad’s shoes. To me, wrestling was everything. All day, everything,” he said.
As he detailed the highs, lows and those who were there for him during his illustrious career, Hart explained how the Montreal Screw Job showed to him who his real allies and friends were.
“When the Montreal Screwjob happened it was first Dory (Funk), then Harley (Race), then Pedro Morales who all called me. They asked me what happened. They all told me I did the right thing, that the situation, under the circumstances, was the best thing I could do in that situation. Dory said he was proud of me. That’s what stands out the most to me now: the pride in the work, that toughness, the imagination, the trust and respect. They paved the way for the rest of us today in pro wrestling. I stand here before you solely in honor of those great wrestlers that came before me and taught me everything,” he said.
He then said he hoped the next generation would carrying on his and their legacies.
“I know what it’s like to wear gold belt around my waist. I know what it’s like to wrestle full blast for an hour. I know what it’s like to lose by one point. I know what it’s like to strap on a knee brace to strap on a world title belt. I’ve bled. We carry the lives we imagined and we carry the lives we have and sometimes the reckoning comes from all the great champions we’ve lost. I say to all of you tonight: see your dreams and live them. To CM Punk, Cody Rhodes, Rey Mysterio, Nattie… the torch is in your hands. Carry it high and hold it up. Thank you,” he concluded.
Ric Flair was also presented with the 2026 Iron Mike Mazurki Award but wasn’t able to attend the ceremony. Jerry “The King” Lawler accepted it in his honour.
Flair had asked Lawler to stand in his place due to health issues.
The award itself is “among the highest honors presented by the Cauliflower Alley Club, recognizing extraordinary achievement, lasting impact, and a lifetime of contribution to the professional wrestling industry.”
Here is a full list of the honourees:
Iron Mike Mazurki Award: Ric Flair
Lou Thesz Award: Bret “Hitman” Hart
Art Abrams Lifetime Achievement Award: Bill Apter
Legends Legacy Award: Tony Atlas
Men’s Wrestling Award: “No Class” Bobby Bass
Tag Team Award: The Glamour Girls — Judy Martin & Leilani Kai
Lucha Libre Award: Psicosis (Psychosis)
International Award: Dan Spivey
Ron Hutchison Trainers Award: “Hustler” Rip Rogers
James C. Melby Historian Award: Dan Murphy
Jim Ross Announcer Award: Gary Michael Cappetta
Charlie Smith Referee Award: Jimmy Korderas
