The Beginner's Guide to Japan Part 94: The Life & Times of Stan The Lariat Hansen Part 2

·1 hr 25 min·5 clips

Host James True Penny and Marcus Green return to dissect Stan Hansen's career through a curated playlist of his biggest matches.

The episode is part two of 'The Life & Times of Stan The Lariat Hansen' on The Truepenny Show. Host James True Penny and guest Marcus Green, a wrestling fan from Baton Rouge, analyze a YouTube playlist of Hansen's matches curated by the host, featuring at least one match from each year. They begin with Hansen's stint in Puerto Rico's World Wrestling Council (WWC), examining his bloody brawls with local hero Carlos Colón. The hosts explain the simple, effective formula of WWC: a beloved, bleeding babyface against a monstrous heel. They discuss the tragic 1988 murder of Bruiser Brody in Puerto Rico and how it ended many American stars' tours there while transforming Hansen into a beloved figure in Japan due to his friendship with Brody. The analysis shifts to Hansen's career in All Japan Pro Wrestling. The hosts detail the evolution of the 'King's Road' style, which Hansen helped architect, based on grinding down an opponent to make a finisher work. They review specific matches: a 1987 title defense against Yoshiaki Yatsu, a 1990 match against Terry Gordy, and Hansen's 1990 WCW stint feuding with Lex Luger. The episode touches on Hansen's physicality, his ability to adapt, and his dual personas as a pure heel in America and a respected, vicious competitor in Japan. Key matches discussed include his intense rivalries with Jumbo Tsuruta and Mitsuharu Misawa for the Triple Crown championship. The hosts also briefly mention tag team matches involving Hansen with partners like John Nord (The Berserker) and against teams like the Holy Demon Army (Toshiaki Kawada & Akira Taue). The episode concludes abruptly as the host explains the recording file corrupted, cutting off about 40 minutes of planned discussion, with a promise to continue Hansen's story another time.

As heard by us

A Puerto Rican brawl opens a detailed but unfinished look at Stan Hansen's wrestling logic.

Stan Hansen's career leads James True Penny and Marcus Green into a second-part discussion that begins with World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico.

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Why you'd press play

You want Stan Hansen history that moves from a Puerto Rican stadium brawl into All Japan toughness, strategy, and one disputed Tokyo Dome story.

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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