John Stanley Hansen II was born on August 29,1949 and is an American retired professional wrestler.
37 Facts About Stan Hansen
2.
Stan Hansen is known for his gimmick as a loud, violent cowboy who wanted to fight everybody, which he further emphasized by appearing in interviews with a cowboy hat, leather vest and bullrope while often chewing on tobacco.
3.
Stan Hansen played college football for the West Texas State Buffaloes.
4.
Stan Hansen made his professional wrestling debut in 1973, grappling part-time while trying to make it as an American football player.
5.
In 1975, Stan Hansen first teamed with future partner Frank Goodish, who later adopted the ring name Bruiser Brody, while competing in Leroy McGuirk's Tri-State territory.
6.
In 1976, Stan Hansen made his debut for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and only two months after he began competing for the company, he began feuding with the WWF Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino over the title.
7.
Stan Hansen returned in 1980, rekindling his feud with Sammartino and facing Pedro Morales and Andre the Giant on several occasions.
8.
Stan Hansen developed a heated feud with the then-WWF Champion Bob Backlund which culminated in a steel cage match at Madison Square Garden.
9.
Stan Hansen first came to New Japan Pro-Wrestling in January 1977 through the booking of Vince McMahon Sr.
10.
Stan Hansen established himself as a dominant force in Japan by competing in New Japan's MSG tournament between 1978 and 1981.
11.
From November 21 to December 13,1980, Stan Hansen did a tour for NJPW, where he competed in the first MSG Tag League tournament.
12.
Stan Hansen teamed with Hulk Hogan, but they failed to win.
13.
Stan Hansen returned for several more one-off shows until leaving the promotion in December 1981.
14.
Stan Hansen returned at NJPW's Super Fight In Tokyo Dome event in 1990, where he had an infamous inter-promotional match against Vader.
15.
The match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship saw Big Van Vader get struck in the nose during the entrances by Stan Hansen's Bullrope, breaking it.
16.
In 1981, Stan Hansen abruptly left NJPW to join All Japan Pro Wrestling.
17.
Stan Hansen continued wrestling from 1982 to 1999 in World's Strongest Tag Determination League.
18.
Stan Hansen wrestled primarily in tag matches, where he formed many teams with the likes of Bruiser Brody, Terry Gordy, Ted DiBiase, Genichiro Tenryu, Dan Spivey, Bobby Duncum Jr.
19.
Stan Hansen engaged in a renowned brawl with Andre the Giant in Japan.
20.
Stan Hansen won his first Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship by defeating Terry Gordy on June 8,1990, and wrestled a rematch in NJPW against Vader on June 12.
21.
Stan Hansen competed in the American Wrestling Association from 1985 to 1986.
22.
Stan Hansen won the World Heavyweight Championship on December 29,1985, from Rick Martel.
23.
Rumors suggest that Stan Hansen was actually in the building that evening and had been informed by AWA promoter Verne Gagne of the pending loss to Bockwinkel.
24.
Stan Hansen immediately returned to Japan and defended the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, despite being stripped of it.
25.
The AWA threatened legal action if Stan Hansen continued to carry the belt and refer to himself as the organization's champion, so Stan Hansen responded by running over the belt with his truck and mailing it back with the mud tracks still on it.
26.
In late 1990, Stan Hansen began appearing in World Championship Wrestling, feuding with Lex Luger over the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship.
27.
Stan Hansen wrestled another rematch with Vader at the WrestleWar pay-per-view in February 1991.
28.
In 2000, Misawa and all but two natives defected from the promotion and formed Pro Wrestling Noah, although Stan Hansen chose to remain loyal to AJPW instead of joining the talent exodus.
29.
Stan Hansen lost the semi-final match to old partner Genichiro Tenryu, who went on to win the tournament and the title.
30.
Stan Hansen's last match altogether was a six-man bout on the 28th, in which he, Steve Williams and Wolf Hawkfield lost to Johnny Smith, Yoshiaki Fujiwara and Masanobu Fuchi.
31.
Stan Hansen announced his retirement on January 28,2001, during the Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular event.
32.
In July 2007, Stan Hansen voluntarily resigned from the position, with Hiroshi Hase replacing him.
33.
In 1989, Stan Hansen had a small role in the World Wrestling Federation-produced movie No Holds Barred, which starred Hulk Hogan.
34.
Stan Hansen has an eldest son, John Stanley Hansen III and daughter, Elizabeth Paige Hardee, nee Hansen, from his first marriage.
35.
Stan Hansen had two more children with his current wife Yumi, Shaver was born on December 19,1987 and played baseball at Baylor University before being drafted by the Seattle Mariners as the second pick in the sixth round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft.
36.
Stan Hansen won the championship after Ted Turner purchased Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling from Jim Crockett Jr.
37.
Stan Hansen's reign was prior to the championship being renamed the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship.