Hulk Hogan vs. Stan Hansen (WWF/AJPW 4/13/1990) Review

Hulk Hogan vs. Stan Hansen (WWF/AJPW 4/13/1990)

You know what? I have never seen this match before :o Of course I knew about it, but just never got around to actually watching it, so here it goes. This was of course in All Japan but was a cross promotion event with the WWF and took place just over a week after Wrestlemania 6. This was supposed to be Hogan/Gordy, but Gordy refused to do the job (could have been because Hogan lost the WWF title just a week prior, and Gordy didn't want to put Hogan over after that – irony for Mr.Hulk, here). So Hansen stepped in his place. Savage/Tenryu, Warrior/DiBiase and Bret/Tiger Mask also took place on this card.

This is what Hansen said in his book about this;

"The day before the show, Gordy decided he wasn't going to "do business" with Hogan. He knew he was in line for a top spot with the company, and he didn't think it would be a good career move. Finding himself in a tough spot without a top talent for Hogan, Baba called my home in Mississippi and asked my dad if he knew how to get in touch with me. I was enjoying time off at my wife's house in Japan. Baba got the necessary information from my dad and called me.....He explained that Terry had backed out and asked if I would take the spot. Baba said he was in a bad position since Gordy was one of the boys, and it made him look bad to both New Japan and the WWF. I was happy to take the match."

So, let's get started.

First of all, they show Hogan backstage by a monitor warming up and getting ready for the battle.

Hansen is out next and starts thrashing away at fans with the bullrope on his way to the ring, and gives the camera a volley too for good measure.

Oh, big Stan is not finished there, he gets in the ring and POLAXES the poor announcer to the mat and whips him too

'Real American' hits the stereo so it must mean Hogan is on his way down and gets a good pop from the crowd. Oh God, just realised good 'ol Earl Hebner is the ref; Stan even gives him a sly whack with the rope, too. Cheers, Stan.

You can already feel this has got 'big match feel' to it before they even get started. They both start tentatively as they share brief lock ups, before Hogan puts on arm bar. Hansen breaks this off and they both shove each other in a 'yeah, what you got' way. Hulk gives Hansen a drop toe hold before applying a front face lock (remember, this is Japan Hogan). Stan shoves Hogan into the corner to break the hold and shouts something at him (hopefully it was something like “That all you got, boy?”). Hogan again goes for the drop toe hold (tad sloppy) and reapplies the front face lock.

Hansen quickly breaks out of this and they're back to even stevens. Hansen gives Hogan a chop and Hulk replies with a big punch to the head of Stan, as if to say “Well if that's what you want to do, bring it”. They then end up trading chops/punches and eye rakes (which they both no sell), before Hansen just has enough of this shit and dumps Hogan through the ropes and onto the outside. He goes right after Hogan ans tries sending his head off the post, but Hulk blocks it and Hansen ends up head first into it. Hulk briefly gets back in the ring to break the count out, before going back after Hansen with some punches before planting his face over the guardrail and onto a desk.

Yup, the Hulkster isn't messing around, here.

He continues to pound on Hansen's head and Stan is now 

BUSTED OPEN

Both back in the ring and Hulk picks Stan up for a back body drop and gets the first 2 count of the match. He then goes right after the open wound as he continues to close punch Hansen's head and gets another 2 count. Hogan is pretty relentless here as he sees the vulnerable part of Hansen and just goes onto to exploit it with more punches to the head before kicking at it as Hansen stumbles onto the outside. Hulk makes sure as he gives Hansen a big kick to send him down onto the mat.

Man, Hogan really in control here.

He throws Hansen right back into the ring and quickly applies a abdominal stretch as Stan is literally red in the face.

Stan manages to break out of this with a hip toss to Hogan. Hulk though, goes right back after Stan and gets him in the corner and starts hitting him with some BIIIIIIIIIIG CHOPS to the chest and punches to that open wound, before Hansen again decides to roll to the outside. Both on the outside again now as Hogan again gibes Stan a hard right, which sends him over the guardrail and into the announcers table. Hulk then picks him up and dumps him through the table with a powerslam

Hansen at this point is dead on the floor and bleeding like the proverbial stuffed pig. Hogan picks him back up and sends his head right back into the same post he busted it open, on.

Now that's just fucking mean, Hogan.

Hogan puts him back into the ring and covers for another 2 count. Hulk still in control as he sends Hansen into the corner and follows it up with a clothesline and some kicks to the face. Both still in the corner and Hogan is just punishing Stan at this point (well, that sounds weird), with some more chops. He whips Hansen into the opposite corner and runs at him, but is met by a BIG BOOT TO THE FACE from Stan.

This could be the comeback.

Stan follows this up by running at Hogan with a shoulder tackle that sends them both down to the mat. Phew, time for a short breather perhaps. Hansen quickly tries for a cover, but only gets a 2 count of his own. Now it's Stan's turn to stick it to Hogan, as he sends him to the outside and over the guardrail and into the same table area where he was just put through. He literally shoves a poor bloke off his chair and picks that up and whacks Hogan over the head with it.

He then gives Hogan a sly dig of the knee to his face and gets back into the ring. He goes right back after Hulk by jumping over the rail onto him and shoeing some fans away in just brilliant style

:lol I love this bloke

Back in the ring, and Hansen stiffs Hogan with one of his infamous knees before getting s 2 count. But what is this?

DOUBLE JUICE

HOGAN IS BUST OPEN NOW, TOO

Hansen is now showing no mercy and he's inflicting some of his own revenge by potatoing Hulk with some strikes and clubs to the freshly opened wound, which sends Hogan down to the mat for another 2 count. Hogan bails to the outside, but is immediately followed by Hansen. Hulk picks up the rope and tries to strangle Hansen with it, but is quickly shoved off and gets a whip to the back for his troubles.

Hansen is now firmly in the 'No fucks given' mode, as he continues to used closed fist punches to Hogan's head, before planting his knee right down on his chest. Hogan gets whipped off the ropes, but comes back and hits Hansen with a forearm and has a 'Hulk Up' moment, He then tries for the BIG LEG DROP, but Hansen moves out the way and tries to score a quick win, but only gets a 2 count. He again whips Hogan off the ropes, but is again caught by Hulk coming back, this time with a crossbody, and Hulk gets a 2 count.

Then Hogan blocks Stan by the ropes and hits him with a BIG BOOT, before hitting him with the AXE BOMBER for the WIN. Well, that come out of nowhere, TBH.

Hansen gets his rope and leaves immediately as Hogan is left alone to gloat up the victory in the ring.

Well, that was certainly a big match that felt like a big match. They both bought out an aggressive side that further intensified the match, esp when they both juiced. You have to remember there are pretty much two Hogan's in wrestling rings; Japan Hulk and American Hulk and this match is another example of that. He was as aggressive as Hansen here in exploiting the open wound and taking that apart. The finish did come out of pretty much nowhere though TBH, and not something I was quite ready for. But other than that, this is an excellent match that built and built with both guys getting their big shit it.

Hansen was just tremendous in how dickish he was to the crowd and was a joy to watch, again.

Recommended.