Stan Hansen
John Stanley Hansen ( born August 29, 1949 in Knox City, Texas) is a former American professional wrestler, who is highly regarded in Japan a legendary status.
Career
Background in sports
Hansen grew up in Borger, Texas. In his time at West Texas A & M University, he played in the local American football team. Later, he had a tryout with the Detroit Wheelers, a team from the short-lived World Football League. Instead, however, he opted for a wrestling career and debuted on January 1, 1973 in Amarillo.
Beginnings in wrestling
Just two years later, became aware Antonio Inoki on Hansen and signed him for his New Japan Pro Wrestling shows, where he became, together with Riki Choshu as The Lariat combo. The fame of Hansen lariat was further multiplied when Bruno Sammartino during an appearance Hansen for the WWWF (now WWE) on 26 April 1976 drew upon a neck injury, which in reality stemmed, however, by an unfortunate body slam. After Sammartino had failed two months injured, the rematch drew 30,000 spectators.
More career
In the following years, Hansen was much active in Georgia, where he first appeared in his career as a crowd favorite, but also in Japan, where he was allowed to Antonio Inoki defeat on 5 April 1980 at the NWF world title, the Inoki at this time almost five years had maintained throughout.
Despite the success he was able to celebrate in New Japan Pro Wrestling, he moved in 1981 to surprisingly competitions All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he once was allowed to deliver a feud with the signboard Giant Baba himself. On September 8, 1983, he finally defeated this to the " AJPW / PWF Heavyweight Title ", which he was the only wrestler who could defeat both Japanese legends in title fights.
Even if Hansen still took in the U.S., his home was clearly wrestlerische Japan. This was demonstrated, for example, when he refused to lose the AWA Heavyweight Title to Nick Bockwinkel because Baba had the next all - Japan tour advertised with Hansen as a champion.
In Japan Hansen put the hulking and ruthless American heels on the side of Bruiser Brody milestones in the role. A role with which even people like Leon White (as Big Van Vader ), Scott Norton, Steve Williams and Terry Gordy were able to celebrate successes later. With the latter, Hansen won the 1988 Real World Tag League. A success he was able to celebrate Tenryu with Brody, Ted DiBiase and Genichiro.
In the heyday of All Japan, as was offered there, according to many wrestling experts, the best wrestling ever Hansen was far front runners and supplied ring battles with Jumbo Tsuruta. In 2000, he ended his active career, but went into other roles continue for All Japan.
Achievements
- All Japan Pro Wrestling
- Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling / World Championship Wrestling
Find out more
Hansen is nearsighted, which also led to some accidents. So he broke from Toshiaki Kawada some teeth and injured Big Van Vader hard on the eye. On the other hand, his myopia is considered as the reason for his unintentionally extremely hard clotheslines, although it does not as is common with an outstretched arm, started off the opponent, but it hit the arm forward. This should ensure that he really hit his opponent. Thus, a new action that you "The Lariat " Stan Hansen called and got this nickname originated.
1989 Hansen played in the wrestling film No Holds Barred a minor role called Neanderthal.