Stan “The Lariat” Hansen is a world renowned professional wrestler.  He is more known
and popular overseas than in America.  He has been a World Heavyweight Champion on
both the Asian continent and the North American continent.  Hansen’s list of
accomplishments are unmatched.  He attended West Texas State University and another
alumni, Terry Funk, helped him enter the sport.  Hansen made his pro debut in the early
1970s.  He made the rounds through Texas and began to venture through several other
Alliance Territories.  In 1975, Hansen made his debut in Japan.  Upon arrival in the World
Wide Wrestling Federation in early 1976, Hansen took Freddie Blassie as his manager.

   Hansen began to make waves immediately.  He broke the WWWF Heavyweight
Champion, Bruno Sammartino’s neck on April 26, 1976 in New York City.  Sammartino
found himself on the receiving end of a lariat from Hansen and suffered a cracked
vertebrae in result.  Hansen wasn’t done and another popular star was targeted.  During
a match in New York, Hansen used his lariat to put Putski on a stretcher with neck and
back trauma.  The match was billed as Putski’s revenge for Sammartino.  There was no
revenge.  Blassie led Hansen into Shea Stadium before an estimated 32,000 fans on
June 25, 1976.  His opponent was Sammartino for the WWWF Title.  Many thought he
would land his finisher and win the belt.  Sammartino ended up with the victory.

   Hansen left the northeast for stints in Texas, Florida, Georgia and Japan.  In February
1980, he beat Antonio Inoki for the NWF World Heavyweight Title in Tokyo.  Inoki
regained the belt in April.  Hansen took a non-title victory over Shohei Baba, the PWF
World Champion, on June 1, 1982.  A return match was held on September 14th and
Hansen was beaten.  He did win his first World Title from Baba on September 8, 1983 in
Chiba.  Hansen was the PWF Champion.  Baba ended his run at the top on July 13,
1984.  Hansen returned to Georgia and entered a special round-robin tournament in
September ’84 at the Omni Coliseum in Atlanta.  The other two wrestlers in the match
were Dusty Rhodes and the Masked Superstar.  Hansen wrestled the latter in the first
bout and was defeated.  Hansen wanted immediate revenge and attacked his opponent
with a chair.  The Superstar was unable to compete in the rest of the tournament due to
the injuries sustained in the attack.  Hansen wrestled Rhodes with the winner facing Ric
Flair for the NWA World Title.  Hansen won by pinfall with help from the ropes.  Scrappy
McGowan, an NWA Official, ran out and informed the referee of what had happened and
the decision was reversed.  Hansen went after McGowan, throwing him from the ring and
then kicking him for good measure.

   He regained the PWF World Title a little more than a year later in Fukuoka on July 30,
1985.  In Chicago on September 28th, Hansen received a shot at the AWA World
Champion, Rick Martel.  The match ended in a double disqualification.  With that, Hansen
seemed determined to win the AWA Title.  In December, he injured Martel’s back with his
Brazos Valley Backbreaker.  Four days later on December 29th in East Rutherford,
Hansen forced Martel to submit and won the World Title.  At that time, he was holding
both the AWA and PWF World Titles simultaneously.  A huge accomplishment.  In January
1986 at Chicago, he wrestled Sgt. Slaughter, the Americas Champion.  Prior to the twenty-
minute mark, Hansen hit the referee, Larry Lisowski, and was subsequently disqualified.  
Many believed that Hansen was using the disqualification tactic to retain control of the
AWA Title, as Nick Bockwinkel had done years before.

   Riki Choshu beat him for the PWF World Title in Yokohama on April 5, 1986.  During a
scheduled show in Denver at the McNichols Arena, Hansen refused to appear in the ring
against Bockwinkel.  Officials gave him until the late minute to change his mind, but he
had left the building.  AWA President, on June 29, 1986, awarded the AWA World
Championship to Bockwinkel by forfeit.  Several different stories circulated about the
Hansen situation, but nevertheless, he returned to Japan with the AWA World Title Belt
around his waist.  All-Japan Promoter, Shohei Baba billed him as the AWA Champion after
June 29th and even attempted to sign a Hansen-Bockwinkel match to clear up the
dispute.  The bout would not happen.  Finally, it was reported that he mailed the AWA Belt
to Minneapolis.  Hansen did not go without a major recognized belt for long.

   On July 31st, he beat Jumbo Tsuruta, another former AWA World Champ, in Tokyo to
win the AJPW International Title.  He remained the champion until October 21st when
Tsuruta beat him at the Sumo Hall in Tokyo before an estimated 10,000 fans.  Choshu left
All-Japan for a rival promotion in Japan and the PWF World Title became vacant.  Hansen
wanted the belt back.  He participated in the tournament and won on April 24, 1987 in
Yokohama, beating Hiroshi Wajima in the finals.  Genichiro Tenryu beat Hansen on March
9, 1988 in Yokohama and won the belt.  Hansen formed a tag team with Terry Gordy, a
former UWF World Champion.  

   Fellow West Texas Alumni and friend, Bruiser Brody was stabbed in San Juan on July
16, 1988 at the age of 42.  He died the next day.  Hansen regained the PWF World Title
from Tenryu in Nagano on July 27th and with that victory, he also captured the AJPW
United National Belt.  In Takasaki on July 29th, Hansen and Gordy defeated Yoshiaki
Yatsu and Jumbo Tsuruta to win both the International and PWF World Tag Team Titles.  
Two days later, they returned the belts to Tsuruta and Yatsu in Hakodate.  All-Japan
respectfully donated a show in honor of the late Bruiser Brody on August 29, 1988 in
Tokyo.  Hansen competed against Abdullah the Butcher in defense of his championships.  
He won by disqualification.

   In December of ’88, Hansen and Gordy won a tournament to win the AJPW
International and PWF World Tag Titles.  He traveled to Kansas City on February 2, 1989
as part of the “International Bash” co-promoted by All-Japan and Bob Geigel of the
WWA.  Hansen and Gordy lost the tag belts to Tsuruta and Yatsu.  In the span of two-
days in April 1989, Hansen lost two of the most coveted titles in All-Japan.  First on the
18th, Jumbo Tsuruta won the United National Title in Tokyo.  The next night, also in
Tokyo, Hansen lost again to Tsuruta.  This time it was PWF World Title that changed
hands.  Tsuruta, thus, became the initial Triple Crown Titleholder.  Hansen and Genichiro
Tenryu teamed in Sapporo on July 11, 1989 to capture the AJPW International and PWF
World Tag Team Titles with a victory over Tsuruta and Yatsu.  On the 22nd of July,
Tsuruta and Yatsu regained the belts from Hansen and Tenryu in Ishikawa.

   Hansen and Tenryu were not done yet.  In October, they beat Yatsu and Tsuruta to
with their second International and PWF World Tag Title.  They vacated the tag belts in
late November to join the Annual December World Tag Team Tournament.  Hansen and
Tenryu proved their dominance by winning the tournament over Tsuruta and Yatsu in
Tokyo on December 6th.  Terry Gordy and Steve Williams formed a tag team and at
Budokan Hall on March 6, 1990, the duo halted Hansen and Tenryu’s top tag team
billing.  On April 13, 1990, recent loser of the WWF World Crown, Hulk Hogan traveled to
Japan on a combined AJPW/ NJPW/ WWF Card to take on Hansen.  A bloody Hogan
pinned Hansen in Tokyo.

   Despite the loss to Hogan, Stan Hansen was not down and out.  He took the Triple
Crown from Gordy in Tokyo on June 8th.  Gordy regained it on the 17th of July.  After
Gordy suffered an injury, Hansen was matched up against Mitsuharu Misawa for the
vacant Triple Crown.  On July 29th in Matsumoto, Hansen was victorious and won the
championships.  Back in the U.S., he signed an agreement with World Championship
Wrestling for several appearances through the rest of the year.  He beat Steve Williams
by pinfall on September 1, 1990 at Budokan Hall in Tokyo.  Hansen made his first major
WCW showing on September 5th in Asheville, North Carolina at the Civic Center, Clash of
the Champions 12.  He beat former TV Champion, Tom Zenk by pinfall.  He began
teaming with Dan Spivey.

   Hansen defeated Lex Luger in Chicago at Halloween Havoc on October 27, 1990 to win
the NWA United States Heavyweight Title.  At that point, he held three Japanese Belts and
one American.  Hansen could have possibly been the top rated wrestler in the entire
world, at that moment.  He returned to Japan with the U.S. Title.  Hansen pinned Kamala II
to end a tag team match in which Hansen and Spivey teamed against Kamala II and
Abdullah “the Butcher” on November 22, 1990 in Okayama, Japan.  Hansen and Spivey
defeated Akira Taue and Jumbo Tsuruta on November 30th in Obihiro.  They made it to
the finals of the December Annual Tag Team Tournament, but lost to Gordy and
Williams.  Hansen returned to the United States to give Luger a rematch on December
16th in St. Louis at the Kiel Auditorium.  The two wrested in a special Texas Lariat Match
and Luger was able to regain the belt.

   Hansen dropped the Triple Crown to Tsuruta in Matsumoto on January 19, 1991.  He
lost to Tsuruta again in the finals of the Champion Carnival in April.  Hansen and Spivey
challenged Gordy and Williams for the belts on April 18, 1991 in Tokyo and were
successful.  Gordy and Williams were able to regain the straps in Yokosuka on June 6th.  
Hansen won his third Triple Crown with a victory over Tsuruta in Chiba on January 28,
1992.  He later went on to win the 1992 Champion Carnival with a final win over Mitsuharu
Misawa.  Misawa beat Hansen in Tokyo at Budokan Hall on August 22, 1992 to capture
the AJPW Triple Crown.  During All-Japan’s 20th Anniversary Show in Tokyo, Hansen
teamed with Shohei Baba and Dory Funk Jr.  The trio lost to Andre the Giant, Terry Gordy
and Jumbo Tsuruta in a battle of true wrestling legends.  More than 16,000 fans were
present.  Hansen beat Davey Boy Smith on March 31, 1993 in Fukui, Japan.  He ousted
Misawa again in the finals of the 1993 Champion Carnival.

   On September 3, 1993, he teamed with West Texas Alumni, Ted DiBiase in Tokyo to
win the AJPW International and PWF World Tag Team Titles.  Hansen returned to the
United States for an appearance in Philadelphia on September 18, 1993 at the ECW
Arena.  He teamed with Terry Funk in a bunkhouse match against Abdullah the Butcher
and Kevin Sullivan.  Four of wrestling’s most brutal stars were in the same ring together
and ended with two more appearing.  Eddie and Doug Gilbert interfered, causing
Abdullah and Sullivan’s disqualification.

   Back in Japan, Hansen received a shot at the Triple Crown on October 23, 1993 in
Tokyo and was pinned by Misawa.  Hansen and DiBiase relinquished control of the AJPW
and PWF World Tag Titles to enter the annual tournament.  After DiBiase had to pull out
in November due to an injury, Hansen picked Shohei Baba to be his new partner.  The
duo did not win the tournament.  Hansen amazed quite a few people with his fourth AJPW
Unified Triple Crown win over Toshiaki Kawada on March 4, 1995 in Tokyo, Japan.  
During a May rematch, Misawa won the belts.  Later in the year, he formed a tag team
with Gary Albright, a wrestler from Quincent Point, Rhode Island.  In Sapporo, the tag
team beat Shohei Baba and Tamon Honda in a tag team match on November 21st.

   By the end of January ’96, they were wearing the AJPW International and PWF World
Tag Team Belts.  Akira Taue and Kawada were toppled for the title in Matsumoto.  The
former champs got by Hansen and Albright on February 20th to regain the title in
Morioka.  Hansen teamed with a former enemy, Steve Williams on October 18, 1996 in
Tokyo to beat the Patriot and former partner, Albright.  On October 21, 1997, Hansen,
Shohei Baba and Jumbo Tsuruta defeated Masa Fuchi, Tamon Honda and Kamala II.

   Hansen suffered the loss, as did the rest of the wrestling community, of Shohei Baba
on January 31, 1999 in Japan.  Baba was 61 years of age.  Mr. Baba’s Memorial Show
was held on May 2, 1999 in Tokyo and Hansen was a member of a three-man team.  His
partners were Williams and Akira Taue and they beat Albright, Takao Omori and
Yoshihiro Takayama.

   In Tokyo before 16,000, Hansen teamed with Jinsei Shinzaki and Akira Taue to beat
Johnny Ace, Mike Burton and Mauneukea Mossman on October 30, 1999.  Hansen
suffered from consistent back problems.

   AJPW Owner, Motoko Baba made the announcement on Sunday, November 19, 2000
that Hansen’s retirement show would be held on January 28, 2001 during the Tokyo
Dome show in Tokyo, Japan.

TITLE HISTORY:
   -A two-time NWA Georgia Heavyweight Champion
           -Defeated Dick Slater (1977)
           -Defeated Mr. Wrestling II (1978)
   -A two-time co-holder of the NWA Georgia Tag Team Title
           w/ Ole Anderson (1978) defeated Mr. Wrestling II and Tommy Rich
           w/ Tommy Rich (1979) defeated Ole Anderson and Ivan Koloff
   -NWF World Heavyweight Title (1980) defeated Antonio Inoki
   -Co-holder of the NWA World Tag Team Title (1982) w/ Ole Anderson
   -A four-time Real World Tag League World Champion
           w/ Bruiser Brody (1983)
           w/ Ted DiBiase (1985)
           w/ Terry Gordy (1988)
           w/ Genichiro Tenryu (1989)
   -A four-time PWF World Heavyweight Champion
           -Defeated Shohei Baba (1983)
           -Defeated Shohei Baba (1985)
           -Won Tournament (1987)
           -Defeated Genichiro Tenryu (1988)
   -A four-time AJPW Triple Crown Champion
           -Defeated Terry Gordy (1990)
           -Defeated Mitsuharu Misawa (1990)
           -Defeated Jumbo Tsuruta (1992)
           -Defeated Toshiaki Kawada (1995)
   -NWA United States Heavyweight Title (1990) defeated Lex Luger
   -A two-time AJPW Carnival Championship Winner
           -Defeated Mitsuharu Misawa (1992) Won Tournament
           -Defeated Mitsuharu Misawa (1993) Won Tournament


Research by Tim Hornbaker
Stan Hansen Wrestling History
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