Stan Hansen on AWA Title Situation

[@steveharms6425]

I was supposed to be the referee in the title match that never happened. It was at the McNichols Arena in Denver. Verne wanted Hanson to put the belt back on Nick Bockwinkle, but didn't tell Hanson until that night. I remember a lot of hush-hush conversations with Verne and Greg going in and out of the shower room. I didn't know what was going one, but after awhile, Greg took me aside and said the Hanson/Bockwinkle match wasn't going to happen. Instead they put together a six-man tag as the main event. So I worked that match....six man tags are usually just chaos and this was no exception. As part of the finish, Larry Zbyszko was to throw me out of the ring. He did. I've taken that bump many times, but this time I screwed up. When I put my hand on the apron to flip out, my hand slipped and my face went full bore onto the apron. When I hit the floor, I knew something was wrong. I had broken my cheek bone and my eye swelled shut in about 30 seconds. An emergency room visit for me that night.

[@P_Partridge]

Thanks for the memory!! Sounds like it was amazing times!!

[@kennethfloyd8677]

Thanks for sharing, sir.

[@green5soldier4ever67]

Awesome story..are you on FB??I would love to here some of your stories

[@DCMcNeilJr]

That's so weird. I was supposed to be the doctor in attendance at ringside. And the timekeeper at the bell.

[@steveharms6425]

@@DCMcNeilJr Do we know each other? I knew most of the ring docs.

[@crabbyoldgamer3028]

Many wrestlers worked in Japan. But southern wrestlers worked in Japayan.

[@akim678]

You sir deserve a lot of upvotes

[@Lfdjake91]

I love Stan Hansen. Funny, that a guy who always played such a wild man can be so soft spoken.

[@jimbowlan5804]

Usally they are

[@doghead87]

Met him a few years ago in Dallas. He was the fan friendliest guy there that day. Really down to earth and polite.

[@Force4949]

He looks healthy and good for his age. took care of himself.

[@nitramletnan]

I agree :). No steriods and lifestyle of other 80s wrestlers.

[@WZ912]

yep!

[@TheStuport]

No doubt he took care of himself in the ring and out mentally, physically and financially. One of the few class Acts of Old time Territory Rasslin.....Cheers All

[@bellefeu]

That was what put Stan Hansen ahead on most wrestlers in real life. Go figure.

[@JohnSmithAprilMay]

George Ruiz his back is wrecked and he's got a massive calcium deposit on his wrist, but other than that, he seems okay.

[@TravisLoneWolfWalsh]

Stan seems like such a nice guy totally different then his character

[@hangingkings8415]

Hannibal! Please more Stan Hansen interviews!!!

[@erickliberty158]

More Stan Hansen please!! He's one of my favorites of all time.

[@TheHannibalTV]

There is plenty more to come. He told us this is the most in-depth interview he ever did!

[@laggerg]

I never heard him spoke at length and in detail until now.

[@bellefeu]

Thank you for posting these videos, not just Stan Hanen videos.

[@fayezfawzi3255]

He wrote a book. i advice you to read it :)

[@slow71971]

@@TheHannibalTV WOWSERS PENNY!

[@finch45lear]

Another great interview. I truly appreciate your efforts Hannibal. You are building one fine archive that fans and wrestling historians will access for many years to come . Thank you.

[@MrAitraining]

Stan had a sweet deal in Japan. Was "over" big there and went back more often than almost any big name wrestler. Smart.

[@jeffarent]

MrAitraining the most popular American wrestler in the history of Japanese wrestling

[@poortom11]

Interesting, the rumor was Baba told him not to drop the belt because of commitments he had in Japan with the belt. By then, the AWA was a mess.

[@SuperMirer]

It's not that baba told him that...it's that he got paid a lot more to tour as the awa champion in japan. They sprung the title change on him before what he expected to be a large payday in japan. He chose to walk. Verne and Greg are on multiple shoot interviews talking about how they would only have two to three angles a year. That's it. As tv came into the picture they simply didn't evolve...same as the wccw.

[@steveharms6425]

Stan had strong relationship with Mrs.Baba. He always spoke highly of her. They were good friends.

[@oldnerdreviews]

Hansen was a scary-ass heel. I really enjoyed his matches.

[@hailtheblackdragons]

Thanks so much for posting this Hannibal........Stan Hansen is my favorite wrestler ever, and imo the BEST worker I've ever seen........Not really close to me either between him and 2nd place.........Watch his brutal matches in Japan from '81-'93..They're all over youtube.......Just completely unrivaled in the brutal excitement, reality, badassness, exciting a crowd, making it seem real and just nonstop action....NOBODY could do it like Stan.....My wrestling hero......And to me the best there ever was in the ring......

[@stufaman]

I can't believe this is the same Stan Hansen who scared the sh*t out of nearly everyone in the wrestling industry back in the day. Damn I miss the good old days.

[@MGSBigBoss77]

Same here. Remember him for his short WCW stint where he beat Lex Luger for the U.S. title at Halloween Havoc up until 1990's Starrcade. And battled Big Van Vader at Wrestle War '91.

[@stufaman]

MGSBigBoss77 We barely saw WCW in the UK. But I do remember seeing Stan Hansen and Sid teaming up and killing a few jobbers. Sid was scary, but Hansen made me decide I might not want to be a wrestler after all, lol.

[@d-capz2609]

stan Hansen is right if you don't have confidence in yourself who else will? I mean you wanna see yourself at the top and you have to promote yourself to get there. if you don't wanna be a champion why are you in the business

[@ekklesiaministeriomundiale6524]

What a humble man!!!!!!

[@reallifelebowski4732]

There's no doubt Verne had the early stages of CTE back in the mid to late 80's,he was making horrible decisions that eventually killed off the AWA

[@FerretJohn]

Not CTE, though he did develop Alzheimers later on, mostly back then he was greedy, short-sighted, and stuck in his ways

[@scottbreon9448]

Probably my favorite wrestler of all time next to Terry Funk

[@awesome4k824]

Stan Hanson knocked Vader eye out in a wrestling match many years ago. 2 powerful dudes.

[@chrisrembert6647]

He broke Brunos neck.

[@enod9746]

Stan Hansen deserved better promotion. He would have drawn more heat as a heel than Stonecold Steve Austin ever would have.

[@johngallagher72]

losing Hansen was the start of the beginning of the end for Verne. ..having it go to Bockwinkle who time had passed by was a mistake.

[@owofan194Life]

Stan Handson one of my favorite Wrestlers.

[@gaijinmovementt2340]

Hanson is so legit. Best in the history of the business.

[@gaijinmovementt2340]

And respect to Rick Martel.

[@kszirovecz]

+Zc Justice - When you mention Rick Martel I remembered how that all went down when Stan won the title off Martel by Martel "passing out" from the Brassos Valley Breaker (Boston Crab) Hansen had him in after Martel's back was 'injured'. I just realized WWE stole that same finish in the famous double-turn with Austin vs Bret Hart. Back then the promotions used to use each other's angles.

[@lexbeltran1354]

Stan Hansen was one, mean tough man. His matches were brutal, uuuuuuu!!!!!!!

[@PatrioticPirate]

It is so weird to see STAN HANSEN speaking and not hollering, roaring, screaming, and "HOOOOOH!!!"

[@jamescrawley7993]

Stan looks like he is well. Happy to see it!

[@TBDV1]

There were not to many badder than "The Bad Man From Borger"

[@danweiers6950]

Meanest bad guy in the ring nicest down to earth guy outside the ring you are one of my favorites stan

[@IMDLEGEND]

I saw that match live when I was 13 (my first live wrestling match) and I remember being shocked that Martel more or less lost the belt cleanly. I also remember Dusty Rhodes defeated Ric Flair for the title that night, only for it to be overturned due to a previous illegal throw over the top rope.

[@SeanRankin2]

Thanks for posting this. Stan Hansen was awesome

[@bellefeu]

Yes he was.

[@bigpapavee]

he really was great! Real good worker in the ring. Real rugged style.Big Ups to the Lariat!

[@stevenmccann1002]

just onev the all time greatest performers ever! stan hanson - a genuine legend-

[@TruthBTold-]

When I look at him I my eyes get big thinking how petrified I was seeing him on tv...I wanna meet this man...He is awesome to me

[@Zacktaylormusic]

He comes off so even tempered and unassuming in his shoot interviews. He has what many people struggle to get: sanity.

[@SarahSmith-yz7fd]

Best match he had I thought in the AWA was him against David Sammartino. He just beat the bejezzus out of him. He had good matches with Slaughter,Blackwell and Leon White(before he became Vader) but just the brutality of the Sammartino match stuck with me.That and beating on poor Larry Nelson with his hat and chasing him from the ring all the time.

[@philipclarke9696]

The match on ESPN with him and Curt Hennig was underrated and gave Curt credibility as guy with an edge who could go with anyone.

[@JW-do2wc]

Who would win between Stan Hansen vs JBL, who had a very strong lariat?

[@MrDoneboy]

Stan is an awesome person and a great Texas family man!

[@davidbeauchamp2552]

I would have loved to have seen him and Sgt. Slaughter in a feud for the AWA Belt. Hansen was a great heel and Slaughter could bave been as popular as Hogan back then.

[@johnking4941]

You have a very good point here, oh what could have been 🤔

[@mikemessner1680]

They did have at least one match. Great stuff.

[@WZ912]

OMG! STAN LOOKS GREAT!

[@Metallica4life1977]

These are great shoots with all these amazing wrestlers great job Devon

[@bukowskispen]

Please tell me you have more of this interview, esp. questions about Bruiser Brody!

[@LaneD83]

He comes off as a nice man.

[@freddiedavis1649]

stan you are rite the awa did not have no good tv wresling,at all when they try by going on espn,by then it was to late, they did not promote stan good.

[@baltimorez-wad7281]

A straight up legend & one of my all-time favorites. As usual, great job Hannibal, appreciate all the numerous good interviews u post.

[@hiroishi3668]

He has a lot of respect from Japanese pro-wrestling fans. So much so that, I could call him an honored Japanese wrestler.

[@DMS-pq8]

I've always been surprised that wrestling purist Verne Gagne put the belt on a brawler like Stan Hansen

[@blacquesjacques7239]

He put it on Fritz Von Erich and The Crusher and Mad Dog Vachon too

[@HalcyonPure]

Stan looks great! Such a huge mark for his work in Japan...

[@davidfrederick3375]

when will you be adding more the stan hansen interview?

[@jaycarcass305]

Growing up I thought Hansen was legit Fucking crazy. He was scary back in the day. Like Funk and Foley he's a real down to earth friendly dude

[@majorsmythe1]

Stan Hansen= This guy made a lot of CASH. Smart businessman.

[@BirdGang6]

For someone who might be the scariest wrestler we’ve ever seen it always blows my mind how soft spoken he is!

[@akracing7]

This is great. Thanks for posting this.

[@Saintnix69]

Cool how the biggest heels in the ring are seem to be some of the nicest guys outside of it.

[@wellok5778]

One of the few wrasslers thaht when I saw him in the ring - -I thought he is really hurting his opponent. Very convincing

[@markmicco1005]

Stan Hansen is such cool dude...He scared the shit out of me when I was ten years old. When he beat Lugar for the US title I cried lol.

[@preachcaleb]

I remember that too. Hansen was probably the first guy that I was truly afraid of as a fan. He was just so wild and out of control. I genuinely feared for Luger or any of his opponents.

[@pinksugarprincess78]

Great job on this.

[@NightWarriorAlive]

I agree with what Hansen (allegedly) did to the AWA belt because at the time Hulkamania was sweeping the world and AWA needed someone that could be a box office attraction.

[@richardbishop8666]

I would think Hansen vs Henning would have been awesome!!

[@johnthorne6565]

Stan the lariat one of my all time favorites he accidentally hit me with his cowbell at least I thought it was an accident lol

[@camilocienfuegos2866]

I wish Stan was my grandpa.

[@azapro911]

This interview is several years old but it's the first time I've heard Hansen's side of the AWA story. He understood that wrestling was about business and making money, including for himself. If he's not goijg to get box office opponents and angles, he's having his time wasted and will respond accordingly.

[@marcm9999]

Pure greatness!!

[@johnwatson6541]

The greatest wrestler of all time

[@Bat21bravo]

Stan the man, one tough Cowboy. SEMPER FIDELIS

[@Filmation77]

This is Amazing.

[@MrNYCman530]

He seems so easy going compared to the heel persona he portrayed during his wrestling days.

[@paulsonj72]

I read somewhere were heels are usually nice guys because they don't have to be "on" like faces have to be "on" all of the time. That can get to be wearing and that's why every so often you hear of a fan saying a face isn't a nice guy because they caught them at the wrong time.

[@greengoblinrulz]

Verne was SO horrible by this time. You had Henning (who had great tv matches w/Stan), Jimmy Snuka (who a year earlier was instrumental in first Wrestlemania), Martel didnt re-debut in WWF till NOV so you had him, aging names like Sarge & Bockwinkle but Verne couldnt figure out how to run the title/company......shame

[@jrjr11rrsgjk]

Stan Hansen The lariat One of the best wrestlers ever

[@dksand0135]

He should of worked with Hogan in the Wwf that would of drew a lot of money..They did wrestle eachother in Japan..!!What a waste..

[@sin8821]

AWA史上最強クラス(傍流 ゴッチ、ジョナサン有り❗は含まず)の王者でした🎵♥️

[@tysman621]

Hansen is awesome

[@frank37066]

great wrestler intelligent talker also my man

[@danaeckel5523]

Man, imagine if Vern could have feuded Hogan and Hansen back in the day. That would have been a sellout!

[@kramerkramer9583]

this is in canada? did he wrestle? just appear?

[@TheHannibalTV]

He's retired now. Just appears here and there. This was filmed in the USA!

[@markbales5571]

like you to do more ronnie garvin interviews

[@kramerkramer9583]

cool thanks for responding, love your interviews

[@chrisz31974]

Man he looks good!!

[@GenXtasy]

he squashed Martel

[@bobbyhulll8737]

So the gave u the belt and told u to drop it and u declined ....okay way to go

[@Movie-zg6eo]

Many Japanese people think Stan is the god

[@franciscoj.figueroarivera8337]

"aaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!! The belt got beat up ( it was beat up before l got it )....." Stan Hansen, ladies and gentlemen. 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@michellerohr2069]

Stan hansen was a great wrestler

[@arlichar11]

its guys like hansen who never was in wwf that name speaks for itself, that make me hate what vince did to wrestling... ! i was a very young kid at time so of course was first introduced to wwf , and it in the beginning was pretty well put together , but somehow just went comletely in wrong direction , and even as a kid recognized the problem , and wcw and gCW were always best ..

[@cavemantv5628]

Stan Hansen was in the wwf tho, he was the guy who famously or infamously broke Bruno Sammartino's neck.

[@tenshi986]

wait I thought Stan was dead? I remember on the beginning of Monday night raw after the night of the hall of fame they put up a picture of Stan and said in loving memory

[@waywardson1663]

You sure it wasn't Blackjack Mulligan who passed in April of this year?

[@tenshi986]

Wayward Son16 Wayward Son16 maybe it was I just remember a cowboy dying

[@tenshi986]

Jonathan Turbide i saw it

[@tenshi986]

Jonathan Turbide I just remember a cowboy wrestler dying around that time

[@tenshi986]

+Jonathan Turbide ok

[@the_gray_hatter]

LARIATO!!!!!

[@philipclarke9696]

Love Stan but he didn’t know how to make anyone look good and it wasn’t believable anyone beating for the AWA belt at that time.

[@battlestarmarc]

Hansen Martel was a good feud.

[@NYYNYG1]

Now, what could have happened to the belt for it to get all banged up? 🤔 😂😂

[@jamesweikel2594]

Man just wanted to wrestle in Japan

[@0089nyyankees]

This is off topic but where has the Ryback is legend guy lmfao?! Seemed like every time is watch something I'd see that on the comments lol

[@TheHannibalTV]

He was blocked a long time ago.

[@0089nyyankees]

+THE HANNIBAL TV That's hilarious! Keep up the good work I really enjoy watching these videos

[@braulioj.gutierrez8836]

The lariat

[@77Musicnut]

Ya know?..

[@MrClawmaster]

I hope to see him in an upcoming WWE game.

[@howardcunniffe8738]

Listening to this interview shows that yes it was fixed on how Nick Bockwinkle got the belt handed over to him on a silver platter.That is how fake wrestling really is.

[@howardcunniffe8738]

@@suzannewillis817 I'm sure he did.

[@howardcunniffe8738]

@@suzannewillis817 I know. I remember. I quit watching Wrestling a long time ago.

[@howardcunniffe8738]

@@suzannewillis817 I hear ya.I quit watching wrestling back when Hulk Hogan turned into a bad guy. Plus it was putting bad things in my head. Back then I started to watch more football.It had to be back in 1998 when The Denver Broncos finally won a Superbowl.Then one another one a year later. But now I take more pride in playing music.

[@howardcunniffe8738]

@@MrNWA4Life Thanks.

[@ivanmarquez4738]

Stan Hansen could face the Incredible Hulk and I would still call that a match that would last 30 to 45 minutes.

[@thehammockdistrict5355]

Running over the belt and refusing to find an agreeable way to drop it was a really shitty thing of him to do, don't care what you say or how cool he was outside of that

[@blacquesjacques7239]

Verne deserved it . He was notoriously greedy and just an all around asshole

[@jeffreybrege4576]

Verne was a snake..

[@Jedi_MasterGX]

I remember they were teasing a match in the Meadowlands between Hansen & Brody. A friend of mine said we're going. But Verne fucked everything up. Never understood why they wanted to put the belt back on Bockwinkel..