The legendary Stan “The Lariat” Hansen visited the RF Video offices to tell all the stories of his lengthy career. From breaking Bruno Sammartinos neck to the shocking jump to All Japan, Hansen has been the focal point of some of the most historic moments in wrestling history. This interview is unique in that the articulate Hansens career covered many different eras and Hansen holds nothing back in telling all the stories and discussing everything. From WWWF to reaching God-like status in Japan to WCW, this shoot covers it all!!! Here is what Hansen talked about: -Football background. -His start in wrestling. -Was he a wrestling fan growing up? -The Amarillo territory. -Teaming with Bruiser Brody early in his career. -Going to All Japan in 1975. -Initial impressions of Japan. -Differences between Japanese and American fans in the 70s. -Working for Red Bastien. -Going to WWWF. -Hansen tells all the details of his legendary feud vs. Bruno Sammartino. -How he got “The Lariat” nickname. -Memories of the infamous match where he broke Sammartinos neck. -Did he get any heat for it? -Was he so hated that he couldnt go out in public after the incident? -Hansen talks about what Vince McMahon Sr. was like. -His impressions of Vince Jr. back then. -Hansen even compares Vince Jr. and Vince Sr. -His famous Shea Stadium match vs. Sammartino and MSG match vs. Ivan Putski. -Why did he take a hiatus from WWWF to go back to Japan? -Getting booked in New Japan and feud vs. Inoki. -The impact of when he beat Inoki to end his five-year reign as champion. -Hansen compares the Sammartino and Inoki feuds. -His early matches teaming with and against a young Hulk Hogan. -In and out of the ring memories of Andre The Giant. -Working in Georgia Championship Wrestling. -Going back to WWF to feud with Bob Backlund. -Why did he always feud with the WWF champion, but never given the belt? -Abdullah The Butchers jump to All Japan. -All the details on Hansens jump from New Japan to All Japan including how he was contacted, how it was planned, who influences his decision, how tough the decision was and more. -The inside scoop on finishing the New Japan tag tournament and then secretly switching hotels to jump to All Japan. -Who was the mastermind of the plan? -Was it tough to keep it secret? -Hansen tells what was going through his head when he first went to the ring in All Japan. -Did New Japan ever try to contact him afterwards? -Looking back, does he have any regrets or would he have done anything differently? -Giant Babas philosophy of all clean finishes. -The legendary team with Bruiser Brody in All Japan. -Hansen talks about their matches with The Funks, Baba & Tsuruto and more. -Why did Brody jump to New Japan? -How did New Japan and All Japan compare both in and out of the ring? -Teaming with Ted Dibiase. -Was he surprised when Dibiase left from WWF in 1987. -Working for AWA. -Winning the AWA title from Rick Martel. -The Comisky Park match vs. Martel. -The controversy of when Hansen walked out of AWA without dropping the title to Nick Bockwinkle. -Hansen gives his thoughts on Vern Gagne and compares AWA to Japan. -Brodys return to All Japan in 1987. -Working in Puerto Rico. -Memories of matches with Jumbo Tsuruto, Terry Gordy, Steve Williams and more. -What the Japanese office thought of drug and alcohol abuse by foreign wrestlers. -Teaming with Dan Spivey. -His thoughts on when All Japan and New Japan started working together. -The famous Tokyo Dome match vs. Vader. -What were politics like back then? -Why did Gordy refuse to job to Hulk Hogan at the Wrestling Summit and why did he take Gordys place? -Did he ever talk to WWF about a return in the early 90s? -Why he never worked for WWF in the modern era. -Going to work in WCW. -Hansen compares WCW to Japan both in and out of the ring. -Did he enjoy working for WCW or Japan more? -His program with Lex Luger. -Why didnt he go back to WCW after the short Vader feud? -What was the WCW locker room like? -Did anyone in WCW try to hold him back? -Memories of Kobashi, Misawa and Kawada when they first started. -The famous 1993 match with Kobashi. -Was there a lot of tension between Misawa and Kawada before the split to form NOAH. -Working the stiff All Japan style. -The toll that style takes on your body. -Memories of Gary Albright. -Teaming with Johnny Ace. -What happened with Hase leaving from New Japan to All Japan. -Teaming with Vader. -Hansen talks a lot about his physical style and condition now. -Did anyone ever complain “The Lariat” was too stiff? -Why didnt he go to NOAH? -Did NOAH try to get him to jump? -If Giant Baba didnt pass away would everyone have stayed with All Japan? -Misawa, Kobashi and Kawadas climb from green boys to top stars. -His opinion of Mrs. Baba. -Why he thinks Mrs. Baba is stepping down as president. -His current relationship with Misawa. -What he thinks of American type gimmicks becoming popular in Japan. -Does he think All Japan and NOAH can work together? -Keiji Muto leaving from New Japan to All Japan. -Who is the toughest Japanese guy? -Does he want to keep going to Japan and if so, what does he want to do there? -Memories of his retirement show in the Tokyo Dome. -Was he disappointed he couldnt wrestle on it? -Does he regret wrestling such a hard-hitting style? -Could Hansen ever return for one more match? -Hansen talks about all this and much, much more.
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