This week’s episode kicks off the beginning of our profile series on Stan Hansen. In part one, we went over Hansen vs. Bruno Sammartino at Shea Stadium & MSG before diving into his early years as a pro wrestler in 1973, when Hansen debuted in El Paso, Texas, and then his first tour of Japan in 1975 for Giant Baba’s AJPW.
Additionally, we discussed Hansen’s time playing football at West Texas State University (now West Texas A&M) and later hooking up with the Funks in Amarillo before diving deep into the background of his relationship and training days with Jumbo Tsuruta in Texas.
The latter half of today’s episode centers on Hansen’s longtime friendship with Bruiser Brody and the ensuing turf war between AJPW and NJPW, where both became centerpieces in the mid-’80s promotional battle. Hansen spent 1977–1981 with NJPW before jumping back to AJPW and forming.
Other topics we hit in part one:
The beginnings of Hansen and Brody’s philosophy towards pro wrestling based on poor treatment from Bill Watts in Mid-South; Hansen & Baba’s unique and long-lasting friendship; Hansen vs. Riki Choshu; Stan’s love of Japanese toilets; Hansen holding the same status as John Wayne in Japan, plus details on how Baba and AJPW orchestrated the AWA title change for Hansen in 1985.On our next episode, we’ll cover Hansen’s later years in AJPW, from the late ’80s and into the ’90s.
Leave any questions or comments here, or contact us via twitter:
Fumi Saito: @fumihikodayo
Justin Knipper: @justinmknipper
(Originally published on April 6, 2021)
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