As noted, Stan Hansen will be inducted into the 2016 class of the WWE Hall of Fame. WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley commented on Hansen’s induction by posting this on Facebook:
STAN HANSEN – #WWEHOF
Congratulations to Stan “The Lariat” Hansen as the latest inductee into the #WWE Hall of Fame. I couldn’t even begin to guess how many hours of classic 1970s and 80’s Japanese VHS footage I took in during my formative years. There were days during my interim periods between WCW runs (June 1990-September 1991) where I would watch up to 12 hours of Japanese wrestling a day – most of it focused on those essential All-Japan American brawlers (American brawlers employed by All-Japan wrestling) like Hansen, Brody and Funk – watching how they brought out the best in a wide variety of opponents by sticking to a very realistic style, making the best of those contests look less like sports-entertainment and more like like a surreal fight for life. Once you stepped in the ring with Hansen, you found out why. He didn’t plan anything out. No high-spots. Just actions, and reactions. You either learned to swim in a hurry, or you sank like a stone. But yet, if you worked hard, and earned his respect, he would take you to a new level. That’s excellence. That’s Stan Hansen.
Stan took me under his wing during my one tour for All-Japan in March 1991, and basically talked so lovingly of his family that he made me want to start one of my own. So if my son, Dewey is reading this, it might surprise him to learn how close he came to being named Hansen or Stan. A fun little Foley fact for you!
For those familiar with his work, this selection makes perfect sense. For those from a new generation, do yourself a favor – go on YouTube and enter “Stan Hansen” and “Japan” – and let the term “LARIATOOOOO!” become part of your vocabulary.
