Stan Hansen

Last updated

Stan Hansen
Stan Hansen, 1985.jpg
Hansen, c. 1985
Birth nameJohn Stanley Hansen II [1]
Born (1949-08-29) August 29, 1949 (age 74) [1]
Knox City, Texas,
U.S. [2]
Alma mater West Texas State University
Spouse(s)Yumi Hansen
Children4
Professional wrestling career
Ring name(s) Stan Hansen [3] [2]
Billed height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) [3] [2] [4]
Billed weight321 lb (146 kg; 22.9 st) [3] [4] [5]
Billed from Borger, Texas [3]
Trained by Dory Funk [2]
Dory Funk Jr. [2]
Terry Funk [2]
DebutJanuary 1, 1973 [2]
RetiredJanuary 28, 2001 [6] [7] [8]

John Stanley Hansen II [1] (born August 29, 1949), [1] best known as Stan "the Lariat" Hansen, is an American retired professional wrestler.

Contents

Hansen is known for his stiff wrestling style, which he attributed to his poor eyesight, [4] [9] and for his gimmick as a loud, violent cowboy who wanted to fight everybody, [6] [7] which he further emphasized by appearing in interviews with a cowboy hat, leather vest and bullrope while often chewing on tobacco. [8] [10] Considered one of the most successful and popular gaijin in Japanese professional wrestling history, he became more well-known and revered in Japan than in his native United States. [6] [7] In Japan's AJPW promotion, he held seven different championships. [6] [7] Overall he is a ten-time world champion.

Outside of wrestling Hansen played a small role in the movie No Holds Barred in 1989 and in 2011 he released his co-written biography, The Last Outlaw.

Football career

Hansen played college football for the West Texas State Buffaloes. [3] [10]

Professional wrestling career

Early career (1973–1980)

Hansen made his professional wrestling debut in 1973, grappling part-time while trying to make it as an American football player. The following year, he tried out for the Detroit Wheels the short-lived World Football League, but did not make the team, and so began wrestling full-time. [11] [12] In 1975, 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. [13]

World Wide/World Wrestling Federation (1976, 1980–1981)

In 1976, Hansen made his debut for the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) and only two months after he began competing for the company, he began feuding with the WWF Heavyweight Champion Bruno Sammartino over the title. [3] During a title match, Hansen broke Sammartino's neck while they were wrestling [5] and it was from this incident that both Hansen and promoters claimed that Sammartino's injury came about from the enormous power of his lariat. [3] [8] [11] However, a botched powerslam is what actually caused Sammartino's injury. [4] [11]

Hansen (left) wrestling Bob Backlund in a steel cage match, 1981 Bob Backlund and Stan Hansen, circa 1982.png
Hansen (left) wrestling Bob Backlund in a steel cage match, 1981

After Sammartino recovered, Hansen faced him for the WWWF Heavyweight Championship once again, at Showdown at Shea, but was unsuccessful. He left the promotion soon after. [3] He returned in 1980, rekindling his feud with Sammartino and facing Pedro Morales and Andre the Giant on several occasions. He also developed a heated feud with the then-WWF Champion Bob Backlund which culminated in a steel cage match at Madison Square Garden. [14]

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (1977–1981, 1990)

Hansen first came to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in January 1977 through the booking of Vince McMahon Sr. With his "reputation" as the man who broke Bruno Sammartino's neck, Hansen quickly became a top heel, facing Antonio Inoki and other top New Japan stars like Seiji Sakaguchi and Tatsumi Fujinami. In addition, while touring Japan regularly, he faced top American wrestlers including Andre the Giant, Dusty Rhodes, Bob Backlund, and Hulk Hogan. Hansen established himself as a dominant force in Japan by competing in New Japan's MSG (Madison Square Garden) tournament between 1978 and 1981. Hansen would win the NWF World Title from Antonio Inoki on February 8, 1980, one of the only two wrestlers to dethrone Inoki during his seven-year reign. From November 21 to December 13, 1980, Hansen did a tour for NJPW, where he competed in the first MSG Tag League tournament (later renamed the G1 Tag League). He teamed with Hulk Hogan, but they failed to win. He returned that April to wrestle Antonio Inoki in an unsuccessful match. However, he defeated Inoki via countout in a MSG League match on May 20, 1981, after hitting a lariat on Inoki, knocking him off the apron. He returned for several more one-off shows until leaving the promotion in December 1981. [15]

Hansen returned at NJPW's Super Fight In Tokyo Dome event in 1990, where he had an infamous inter-promotional match against Vader. The match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship saw Big Van Vader (representing New Japan, while Hansen represented All Japan) get struck in the nose during the entrances by Hansen's Bullrope, breaking it. Both men were known to use a stiff style of wrestling, resulting in a nasty exchange where each man threw legitimate punches, during which Hansen unintentionally poked Vader's left eye with his thumb during their brawl, causing the eye to pop out of its socket. After removing his mask, Vader pushed the eye back into its socket and held it in place with his eyelid. The match ended in a draw. [16] Hansen returned in June for a few more matches, teaming twice with Riki Choshu and once with The Pegasus Kid. [17]

All Japan Pro Wrestling (1981–1990)

In 1981, Hansen abruptly left NJPW to join All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW). While in AJPW, Hansen became the only man to pin Antonio Inoki and Giant Baba in championship singles matches. He continued wrestling from 1982 to 1999 in World's Strongest Tag Determination League. He 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., and Big Van Vader. Hansen also engaged in a renowned brawl with André the Giant in Japan.

On April 13, 1990, the World Wrestling Federation and AJPW held a supershow called Wrestling Summit at the Tokyo Dome in Tokyo, in which Hansen lost to Hulk Hogan in the main event. [18] 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. [19]

American Wrestling Association (1985–1986)

Hansen competed in the American Wrestling Association (AWA) from 1985 to 1986. He won the World Heavyweight Championship on December 29, 1985, from Rick Martel. [3] On June 29, 1986, he no-showed a title defense against the number one contender Nick Bockwinkel due to disagreements with management, forcing the AWA to default the title to Bockwinkel. [4] Rumors suggest that Hansen was actually in the building that evening and had been informed by AWA promoter Verne Gagne of the pending loss to Bockwinkel. Hansen allegedly called All Japan Pro Wrestling president Giant Baba to ask if losing the championship was acceptable, but Baba had already lined up challengers for Hansen and did not permit Hansen to drop the championship. In the end, Hansen refused to drop the title to Bockwinkel and was stripped of the championship; Bockwinkel was given one of the tag team belts, which was then billed as the AWA World Heavyweight Championship due to Hansen still possessing the true title belt. Hansen immediately returned to Japan and defended the AWA World Heavyweight Championship, despite being stripped of it. [3] [11] The AWA threatened legal action if Hansen continued to carry the belt and refer to himself as the organization's champion, so Hansen responded by running over the belt with his truck and mailing it back with the mud tracks still on it. [3] [4] [11] This chain of events was reviewed in an interview with Hansen at an NWA Legends convention, in which he expressed regret over the way he handled the situation and ultimately complimented Gagne. [11]

World Championship Wrestling (1990–1991)

In late 1990, Hansen began appearing in World Championship Wrestling (WCW), feuding with Lex Luger over the NWA United States Heavyweight Championship. On October 27 at Halloween Havoc, Hansen defeated Luger to win the title, ending Luger's record-setting reign at 523 days. [3] [20] On December 16 at Starrcade, Hansen lost the title back to Luger in a bullrope match. During this period, Hansen continued working tours for All Japan, teaming with Dan Spivey to finish second in the World's Strongest Tag Determination League in November and December. Hansen wrestled another rematch with Vader at the WrestleWar pay-per-view in February 1991. On April 18, Hansen and Spivey won the AJPW World Tag Team Championship from Terry Gordy and Steve Williams, and teamed occasionally upon their return to WCW. In June, Hansen left WCW and returned full-time to All Japan after a disagreement over an idea to group him with The Desperados, a trio of bumbling cowboys looking for Hansen through a series of vignettes. [11] His last WCW match occurred on June 23 in Atlanta. [21] As a result of his departure, The Desperados' angle was dropped and the trio was quickly dissolved. [11]

Eastern Championship Wrestling (1993)

In August 1993 Hansen made his Eastern Championship Wrestling (ECW) debut in Philadelphia. His first match he defeated ECW TV Champion Jimmy Snuka by disqualification. Hansen's last ECW appearance was at ECW UltraClash 1993 where he teamed with Terry Funk defeating Abdullah the Butcher and Kevin Sullivan by disqualification.

Return to AJPW (1991–2001)

Upon his return to AJPW, Hansen began a major feud with Mitsuharu Misawa, during which time they traded the Triple Crown Championship between one another. [3] Following Giant Baba's death, Misawa became the new booker and quickly began de-emphasizing Hansen and other foreign talent, in favor of new native recruits such as Takao Omori and Yoshihiro Takayama.

In 2000, Misawa and all but two natives defected from the promotion and formed Pro Wrestling Noah (NOAH), although Hansen chose to remain loyal to AJPW instead of joining the talent exodus. Despite remaining with AJPW, Hansen's ongoing lumbago at the time began to worsen, which ultimately lead him to wrestle his final singles match on October 21, 2000, as part of a tournament for the vacant Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship. [11] Hansen lost the semi-final match to old partner Genichiro Tenryu, who went on to win the tournament and the title. His 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.

Hansen announced his retirement on January 28, 2001, during the Giant Baba Memorial Spectacular event. [6] [7] [8] [22]

Post-retirement

Hansen in 2015 Stan Hansen 2015 (cropped).jpg
Hansen in 2015

Soon after retiring, Hansen successfully underwent surgery on his back and knees, the latter of which were both replaced. [22] After recovering, he became the commissioner of AJPW's Pacific Wrestling Federation championship governing body, which saw him appear during Triple Crown and World Tag Team Championship matches to issue proclamations of the matches. [11] In July 2007, Hansen voluntarily resigned from the position, with Hiroshi Hase replacing him. [11]

On April 2, 2016, Hansen was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his rival and friend Vader.

Personal life

In 1989, Hansen had a small role in the World Wrestling Federation-produced movie No Holds Barred , which starred Hulk Hogan. [23]

Although he famously stated during his wrestling career that he has "9 kids", [24] Hansen has four children. He has an elder son John III, and daughter Elizabeth Hardee, from his first marriage. [10] [22] He had two more children with his current wife Yumi: Shaver (born December 19, 1987), who played baseball at Baylor University before being drafted by the Seattle Mariners as the second pick in the sixth round of the 2009 MLB Draft, [13] [25] and Samuel (born February 21, 1991), who is also a baseball player and played for the University of Texas at Arlington. [13] [26]

Other media

Filmography

Books

Championships and accomplishments

Stan Hansen in the WWE Hall of Fame. Stan Hansen HOF 2016.jpg
Stan Hansen in the WWE Hall of Fame.

1 Hansen won the championship after Ted Turner purchased Mid-Atlantic Championship Wrestling from Jim Crockett Jr. and renamed the promotion World Championship Wrestling. Hansen's reign was also prior to the championship being renamed the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bruiser Brody</span> American professional wrestler and homicide victim (1946–1988)

Frank Donald Goodish was an American professional wrestler who earned his greatest fame under the ring name Bruiser Brody. He also worked as King Kong Brody, the Masked Marauder, and Red River Jack. Over the years Brody became synonymous with the hardcore wrestling brawling style that often saw one or more of the participants bleeding by the time the match was over. In his prime he worked as a "special attraction" wrestler in North America, making select appearances for various promotions such as World Class Championship Wrestling (WCCW), World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF), Central States Wrestling (CSW), Championship Wrestling from Florida (CWF), and the American Wrestling Association (AWA) among other events. He worked regularly in Japan for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Wrestling Association</span> American professional wrestling promotion

The American Wrestling Association (AWA) was an American professional wrestling promotion based in Minneapolis, Minnesota that ran from 1960 until 1991. It was owned and founded by Verne Gagne and Wally Karbo. The promotion was born out of the Minneapolis Boxing & Wrestling Club, originally the Minnesota-based territory of the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA), breaking away from the NWA and becoming an independent territory in 1960.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stan Stasiak</span> Canadian professional wrestler

George Emile Stipich was a Canadian professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, Stan Stasiak. He is best known for his appearances with the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF) in the 1970s, where he won the WWWF Heavyweight Championship in 1973. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Verne Gagne</span> American professional wrestler and football player (1926–2015)

Laverne Clarence Gagne was an American amateur and professional wrestler, football player, wrestling trainer and wrestling promoter. He was the owner and promoter of the Minneapolis-based American Wrestling Association (AWA), the predominant promotion throughout the Midwest and Manitoba for many years. He remained in this position until 1991, when the company folded.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big Van Vader</span> American professional wrestler and football player (1955–2018)

Leon Allen White, better known by his ring names Big Van Vader or simply Vader, was an American professional wrestler and professional football player. Throughout his career, he performed for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), World Championship Wrestling (WCW), the World Wrestling Federation (WWF), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and Pro Wrestling Noah (NOAH) during the 1990s and 2000s. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest super-heavyweight professional wrestlers of all time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harley Race</span> American professional wrestler, promoter and trainer

Harley Leland Race was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and trainer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Giant Baba</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Shohei Baba, best known by his ring name Giant Baba, was a Japanese professional wrestler, promoter, and professional baseball player. He is best known as a co-founder of All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), a promotion he founded in 1972 along with Mitsuo Momota and Yoshihiro Momota, the sons of his mentor Rikidōzan. For the first 10 years of its existence, Baba was the top star of All-Japan, while also serving as the booker, promoter, head trainer and president of the promotion from its inception in 1972 till his death in 1999. Baba was also responsible for recruiting much of the talent for All Japan, and was the public face of the promotion for much of his lifetime.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Zbyszko</span> American professional wrestler

Lawrence Whistler, better known by the ring name Larry Zbyszko, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is perhaps best known for his feud with his mentor, Bruno Sammartino, during the early 1980s as well as his work as a wrestler and color commentator for World Championship Wrestling. Among other accolades, he is a two-time world champion having twice held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship. Zbyszko was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on March 28, 2015 by Sammartino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Gordy</span> American professional wrestler

Terry Ray Gordy Sr. was an American professional wrestler. Gordy appeared in the United States with promotions such as Mid-South Wrestling, Georgia Championship Wrestling, World Class Championship Wrestling, Jim Crockett Promotions/World Championship Wrestling and the Universal Wrestling Federation as a member of The Fabulous Freebirds. He also appeared in Japan with All Japan Pro Wrestling as one-half of The Miracle Violence Connection.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blackjack Mulligan</span> American professional wrestler and American football player (1942–2016)

Robert Deroy Windham, better known by his ring name Blackjack Mulligan, was an American professional wrestler and American football player. He was the father of wrestlers Barry and Kendall Windham, father-in-law of Mike Rotunda, and the maternal grandfather of Bo Dallas and Bray Wyatt.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dick the Bruiser</span> American football player professional wrestler (1929–1991)

William Fritz Afflis was an American professional wrestler, promoter, and NFL player, better known by his ring name, Dick the Bruiser. During his NFL days he played four seasons with the Green Bay Packers. In addition to that he was also hugely successful in professional wrestling being a fifteen-time world champion, having held the AWA World Heavyweight Championship once, the WWA World Heavyweight Championship thirteen times and the WWA World Heavyweight Championship once. He also excelled at Tag-Team wrestling having won 20 Tag Team championships, having held the AWA tag team championship five times and the WWA tag team championship a record 15 times in his career. 11 of these championships were won alongside his long-time Tag-Team partner Crusher Lisowski. He was one of the most hated as well as well known heels from the mid 50s till the early 80s. He was famous for his feuds with the likes of such stalwarts such as Lou Thesz, Bobo Brazil, Angelo Poffo and "Classie" Freddie Blassie. For his achievements he would be inducted into the WWE hall of fame class of 2021. He was also inducted into the 2005 International Wrestling Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AWA World Tag Team Championship</span> Professional wrestling tag team championship

The American Wrestling Association (AWA) World Tag Team Championship was a professional wrestling world tag team championship in the American Wrestling Association from 1960 until the promotion folded in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Bockwinkel</span> American wrestler (1934–2015)

Nicholas Warren Francis "Nick" Bockwinkel was an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances with the American Wrestling Association (AWA) in the 1970s and 1980s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gene Kiniski</span> Canadian professional wrestler

Eugene Nicholas Kiniski was a Canadian athlete who played football for the Edmonton Eskimos and then became a three-time professional wrestling world heavyweight champion. "Canada's Greatest Athlete", as he billed himself for promotional purposes, was born in Edmonton, Alberta. Like Bronko Nagurski before him, Kiniski was one of the first world champions in professional wrestling to have a previous background in football. He is the father of professional wrestler Kelly Kiniski and international amateur and professional wrestler Nick Kiniski.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tatsumi Fujinami</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Tatsumi Fujinami is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE on a legend's contract. Fujinami is most well known for his long tenure with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he was a six-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He was famously nicknamed "The Dragon", and is credited for inventing the dragon sleeper and the dragon suplex.

David Lugogo Sammartino is an American personal trainer and retired professional wrestler. He is the son of former WWWF/WWF World Heavyweight Champion, Bruno Sammartino.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ray Stevens (wrestler)</span> American professional wrestler

Carl Raymond Stevens, better known as Ray "the Crippler" Stevens or Ray "Blond Bomber" Stevens, was an American professional wrestler. Stevens was a wrestling superstar since the early years of the television era until his retirement during the early 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jumbo Tsuruta</span> Japanese professional wrestler

Tomomi "Tommy" Tsuruta, better known by his ring name Jumbo Tsuruta, was a Japanese professional wrestler who wrestled for All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) for most of his career, and is well known for being the first ever Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion, having won the PWF Heavyweight Championship, the NWA United National Championship, and the NWA International Heavyweight Championship, and unifying the three titles. He is also known for being one-half of the first World Tag Team Champions with Yoshiaki Yatsu, having won the NWA International Tag Team Championship and the PWF Tag Team Championship, and unifying the two titles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Larry Hennig</span> American professional wrestler (1936–2018)

Larry Hennig was an American professional wrestler. He was the father of "Mr. Perfect" Curt Hennig, and the grandfather of Curtis Axel and Amy "Ms. Perfect" Hennig. He worked in the American Wrestling Association, National Wrestling Alliance, and the World Wide Wrestling Federation. Hennig was known by the nickname, "The Axe", a nickname he had because of his signature, often finishing move of dropping a full weight elbow onto his prone opponents.

The Miracle Violence Connection was a professional wrestling tag team consisting of "Dr. Death" Steve Williams and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Texas Births, 1926-1995". FamilyTreeLegends. Archived from the original on May 26, 2013. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Cagematch profile".
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "Stan Hansen". WWE . Retrieved October 25, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Puroresu Central profile".
  5. 1 2 Shields, Brian; Sullivan, Kevin (2009). WWE Encyclopedia . Dorling Kindersley. p.  284. ISBN   978-0-7566-4190-0.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Stan Hansen announces retirement".
  7. 1 2 3 4 5 "SLAM! Wrestling Editorial: Stan Hansen's fight will continue".
  8. 1 2 3 4 "Hansen, WWE salute Inoki's courage, innovations". March 17, 2010.
  9. 1 2 "A verbose Stan Hansen highlight of Hall of Fame induction".
  10. 1 2 3 "Mat Matters: Still intimidated by The Lariat".
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Pulse Wrestling's Top 100 Wrestlers of the Modern Era: #35 – Stan Hansen". Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  12. "Gunslinger Hon Ya!". Archived from the original on November 5, 1999. Retrieved July 11, 2013.
  13. 1 2 3 "J.R. visits Stan Hansen, Q&As are updated, Misawa's death". Archived from the original on August 15, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2013.
  14. "1981 WWF results". January 16, 2023.
  15. "Stan Hansen".
  16. "Stan Hansen's Puroresu Central profile". Archived from the original on October 22, 2013.
  17. "411MANIA - Furious Flashbacks: New Japan Super Fight in Tokyo Dome". Furious Flashbacks: New Japan Super Fight in Tokyo Dome.
  18. "WWE / AJPW Wrestling Summit results".
  19. "NJPW Battle Line Kyushu 1990 - Tag 1".
  20. "WCW HALLOWEEN HAVOC FLASHBACK - 20 Yrs. Ago (10-27-90): Sting vs. Sid strange finish, Steiners vs. Nastys, Master Blaster Nash, Top Ten Things - Who's in WWE and TNA in 2010?".
  21. "1991 WCW results". January 16, 2023.
  22. 1 2 3 "Stan Hansen enjoying retirement". August 11, 2001.
  23. 1 2 "IMDB profile". IMDb .
  24. Gomez, M. (November 17, 2023). "Title meets tractor: Stan Hansen and his epic fallout with the AWA". Cageside Seats . Retrieved November 27, 2023.
  25. "6th Round of the 2009 MLB June Amateur Draft". Baseball Reference. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  26. "Player Bio: Sam Hansen". UT Arlington Mavericks. Archived from the original on March 17, 2012. Retrieved April 28, 2012.
  27. "The Last Outlaw by Stan Hansen".
  28. "NWA International Heavyweight Championship history".
  29. "NWA International Heavyweight Championship history".
  30. "NWA United National Heavyweight Championship history".
  31. "PWF World Heavyweight Championship history".
  32. "PWF World Tag Team Championship history".
  33. "AJPW Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship history".
  34. "AJPW Unified World Tag Team Championship history".
  35. "Champion Carnival history". Archived from the original on November 9, 2013.
  36. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "AJPW tournament winners".
  37. "PUROLOVE.com". www.purolove.com.
  38. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Real World Tag League 1990 « Tournaments Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  39. Kreikenbohm, Philip. "Real World Tag League 1991 « Tournaments Database « CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database". www.cagematch.net. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  40. "AWA World Heavyweight Championship history".
  41. "Cauliflower Alley Club's past honorees". Archived from the original on April 11, 2009. Retrieved August 13, 2011.
  42. "CWA International Heavyweight Championship history".
  43. Johnson, Mike (April 9, 2017). "Complete details on 2017 Thesz/Tragos Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame class of 2017". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
  44. "NWA Columbus Heavyweight Championship history".
  45. "NWA Georgia Heavyweight Championship history".
  46. "NWA Georgia Tag Team Championship history".
  47. "Stan Hansen's first WCW United States Heavyweight Championship reign". Archived from the original on January 21, 2016. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
  48. "WWE United States Championship" . Retrieved May 25, 2020.
  49. "NWA World Tag Team Championship (Mid-Atlantic version) history".
  50. Will, Gary; Duncan, Royal (2000). "Texas: NWA Texas Tag Team Title [Von Erich]". Wrestling Title Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 275–276. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  51. "NWA Texas Tag Team Title [E. Texas]". wrestling-titles.com. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
  52. Will, Gary; Duncan, Royal (2000). "Texas: NWA Texas Heavyweight Title [Von Erich]". Wrestling Title Histories: professional wrestling champions around the world from the 19th century to the present. Pennsylvania: Archeus Communications. pp. 268–269. ISBN   0-9698161-5-4.
  53. "NWA Texas Heavyweight Title". Wrestling-Titles. Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  54. "Mid-South North American Heavyweight Championship history".
  55. "NWA United States Tag Team Championship (Tri-State version) history".
  56. "NWF Heavyweight Championship history".
  57. "Stan Hansen's Hall of Fame profile". Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum. Archived from the original on September 10, 2010. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  58. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Awards".
  59. "Texas Wrestling Hall of Fame at Cagematch.net".
  60. 東京スポーツ プロレス大賞. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  61. 1 2 3 東京スポーツ プロレス大賞. Tokyo Sports (in Japanese). Retrieved January 20, 2014.