Introduction
Les Thornton (9 April 1934 – 1 February 2019) was a British professional wrestler who competed in Great Britain, Japan, European and North American regional promotions throughout the 1970s and 1980s including World of Sport Stampede Wrestling, the World Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance.
Professional wrestling career
During his career, he was considered one of the best junior heavyweights in the world at one time simultaneously holding both the WWF and NWA World Junior Heavyweight titles, and would later hold NWA title five times. He had matches against Tiger Mask , Gino Hernandez, The Cobra, K J Anderssen, Dynamite Kid, Terry Taylor, Gerry Brisco, Alberto Madrill and Tatsumi Fujinami. As a result of the hostile takeover by the WWF of Georgia Championship Wrestling, Thornton joined the WWF, but in the "Hogan Era" as it stood, Thornton was used as a jobber and would help develop young wrestlers, including Mick Foley. Near the end of his career, he formed his own promotion in Calgary called Canadian Independent Wrestling Federation (CIWF), which included wrestlers like Ricky Fuji and Big Titan, among others. Thornton was the tag team partner of Mick Foley in Foley's first ever WWF match against The British Bulldogs. Against heavyweights he fought Harley Race, Billy Robinson, Gene Lewis, Pedro Morales and Dory Funk Jr.He was known for his stiff forearm uppercuts ,over the knee backbreakers and suplexes.
Championships and accomplishments
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- World's Strongest Tag Determination League Technique Award (1980) - with Billy Robinson
- Championship Wrestling from Florida
- NWA Florida Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Georgia Championship Wrestling
- NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tony Charles
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Middle Atlantic States Wrestling
- MASW National Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- National Wrestling Alliance
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (6 times)
- NWA Big Time Wrestling
- NWA Texas Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Tony Charles
- NWA Hollywood Wrestling
- NWA Americas Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA Mid-America
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- NWA New Zealand
- NWA British Empire Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship (New Zealand version) (1 time)
- Pacific Northwest Wrestling
- NWA Pacific Northwest Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Moondog Mayne
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- PWI ranked him # 320 of the 500 best singles wrestlers of the PWI Years in 2003
- Ring Around The Northwest Newsletter
- Tag Team of the Year (1977)
- Southeastern Championship Wrestling
- NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Stampede Wrestling
- Stampede British Commonwealth Mid-Heavyweight Championship (1 time)
- Stampede North American Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- Stampede Wrestling Hall of Fame (Class of 1995)
- Western States Sports
- NWA Western States Tag Team Championship (1 time) - with Jerry Kozak
- World Wrestling Council
- WWC World Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)
- World Wrestling Federation
- WWF Junior Heavyweight Championship (2 times)