Stan Hansen

photo credit: World Wrestling Entertainment

Real name: John Stanley Hansen
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 322 lbs.
Date of birth: October 12, 1949
From: Borger, TX
Pro debut: January 1, 1973
Trained by: Dory Funk
Finishing move: The Lariat

Biography

– Hansen made his Japanese wrestling debut in September 1975.
– Following a bout with Hansen in April 1976, former WWWF champion Bruno Sammartino was hospitalized with a broken neck.
– In August 1977, Hansen and Tommy Rich defeated Gene and Ole Anderson for the NWA Georgia Tag Team title.
– In December 1977, Hansen captured his first NWA Georgia Heavyweight title. On February 6, 1978, Hansen defeated Mr. Wrestling II to regain the Georgia title.
– On July 2, 1979, Hansen and Rich defeated Ole Anderson and Ivan Koloff in Augusta, GA to regain the NWA Georgia Tag Team title.
– In the spring of ’81, Hansen won the 4th Annual MSG League.
– Hansen switched from New Japan to All Japan Pro Wrestling in 1982.
– On September 8, 1983, Hansen defeated Giant Baba for the PWF (Pacific Wrestling Federation) Heavyweight title.
– Hansen defeated Austin Idol on September 12, 1983 to win the AWA International title.
– In late 1983, Hansen and Bruiser Brody won the Real World Tag League. Hansen and Andre the Giant also won the 4th Annual MSG Tag League.
– Hansen and Bruiser Brody defeated Giant Baba and Dory Funk, Jr. in deciding match of 4-man tournament on April 25, 1984 for the PWF Tag Team title in Yokohama, Japan. When Brody left for New Japan, Hansen selected Ted DiBiase to be his new tag team partner.
– On July 30, 1985, Hansen defeated Giant Baba in Fukuoka, Japan to regain the PWF title.
– On August 31, 1985, Hansen and DiBiase beat Jumbo Tsuruta and Genichiro Tenryu.
– In December 1985, Hansen and DiBiase won All Japan’s Real World Tag League.
– On December 29, 1985, Hansen defeated Rick Martel in E. Rutherford, NJ for the AWA World Heavyweight title.
– At the AWA/NWA’s Rage in the Cage on April 28, 1986, Hansen defeated Leon White.
– In June 1986, Hansen was stripped of the AWA title when he failed to defend the title against Nick Bockwinkel in Denver, CO. Hansen took the physical title belt with him back to Japan.
– On July 31, 1986, Hansen beat Tsuruta to win the NWA International title in Tokyo, Japan.
– Hansen won a tournament on April 24, 1987 in Yokohama, Japan to claim the vacate PWF title.
– Hansen and DiBiase defeated Tsuruta and Tiger Mask (Mitsuharu Misawa) in Yonago, Japan on July 11, 1987 to regain the PWF Tag Team title.
– On July 27, 1988, Hansen defeated Tenryu for his fourth PWF title.
– Hansen and Terry Gordy defeated Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu on July 29, 1988 for the All Japan World Tag Team title.
– On December 13, 1988, Hansen and Gordy beat Tenryu and Toshiaki Kawada to win the 1988 Real World Tag League and the vacant All Japan World Tag Team title.
– Hansen and Gordy beat Dynamite Kid and Davey Boy Smith on June 5, 1989.
– Hansen and Tenryu defeated Tsuruta and Yatsu on July 11, 1989 for the All Japan Tag Team title. Hansen and Tenryu again defeated Tsuruta and Yatsu on October 20, 1989 to regain the All Japan Tag Team title, and a third time on December 6, 1989.
– On December 6, 1989, Hansen and Tenryu beat Tsuruta and Yoshiaki Yatsu to win the 1989 Real World Tag League and vacant All Japan World Tag Title.
– On June 8, 1990, Hansen pinned Gordy to capture the Triple Crown title.
– Hansen regained the Triple Crown on July 27, 1990 by defeating Misawa in Matsumoto.
– Hansen successfully defended the Triple Crown title against “Dr. Death” Steve Williams on September 1, 1990.
– At Clash of the Champions XII on September 5, 1990, Hansen defeated Tom Zenk.
– At WCW Halloween Havoc ’90 in Chicago, IL, Hansen defeated Lex Luger for the United States title.
– Hansen won the 1991 Champion Carnival tournament in the spring of 1991.
– On April 18, 1991, Hansen and Danny Spivey beat Gordy and Williams to capture the All Japan World Tag Team title in Tokyo.
– On September 4, 1991, Hansen pinned Kenta Kobashi.
– Hansen claimed his third Triple Crown title on January 28, 1992 by defeating Tsuruta in Tokyo.
– Hansen pinned Mitsu Misawa on March 4, 1992 to retain the Triple Crown title.
– On June 5, 1992, Hansen pinned Toshiaki Kawada.
– During the spring of 1993, Hansen won the Champion Carnival.
– Hansen and DiBiase beat Kawada and Akira Taue to win the All Japan World Tag Team title in Tokyo on September 3, 1993.
– On December 3, 1993, Hansen and Giant Baba beat Williams and Bubba Rogers.
– Hansen pinned Jun Akiyama on September 3, 1994.
– At All Japan’s 22nd Anniversary show on October 22, 1994, Hansen and Misawa beat Taue and Kobashi.
– Hansen pinned Kawada to regain the Triple Crown on March 4, 1995 in Tokyo.
– Hansen and Johnny Smith defeated Mark and Chris Youngblood on July 24, 1995.
– At All Japan’s 23rd Anniversary show on October 25, 1995, Hansen, Giant Baba, and Tsuruta beat Tamon Honda, Takao Omori, and Taue.
– On January 24, 1996, Hansen and Gary Albright defeated Kawada and Taue for the All Japan Tag Team title.
– At All Japan’s 24th Anniversary show on October 18, 1996, Hansen and Williams beat Gary Albright and The Patriot.
– Hansen, Giant Baba, and Tsuruta beat Kimala II, Honda, and Masa Fuchi at All Japan’s 25th Anniversary show in Tokyo.
– In 1997, Hansen was inducted into the Puroreso Hall of Fame.
– On December 5, 1998, Hansen and Vader won the Real World Tag League.
– At All Japan’s 27th Anniversary show on October 30, 1999, Hansen, Taue, and Jinsei Shinzaki defeated Johnny Ace, Mike Burton, and Mauneukea Mossman.
– On September 2, 2000, Hansen and Tenryu beat Kawada and Williams.
– On January 28, 2001, Hansen retired from professional wrestling at the Tokyo Dome.
– Hansen was voted into the GERWECK.NET Hall of Fame on February 1, 2012.
– Vader inducted Hansen into the WWE hall of fame on April 2, 2016 in Dallas, TX.