WCW Region, Seattle Subregion, First Round: (16) Barry Windham vs. (17) Stan Hansen

[klunderbunker]

This is a first round match in the WCW Region, Seattle Subregion. It is a standard one on one match held under WCW Rules. It will be held at the Key Arena in Seattle, Washington.

#16. Barry Windham

Vs.

#17. Stan Hansen

​

Polls will be open for three days following a one day period for discussion. Voting will be based on who you feel is the greater of the two competitors. Post your reasons for why your pick should win below. Remember that this is non-spam and the most votes in the poll win. Any ties will be broken by the amount of posts of support for each candidate, with one vote per poster.

Also remember that this is a non-spam forum. If you post a response without giving a reason for your selection, it will be penalized for spam and deleted.

 

[Tastycles]

I've said millions of times why I don't like Stan Hansen, and I stick by them. Greatest unprofessional wrestler maybe, but there's nothing professional about him - I've mentioned many of the stories here before, but ultimately, Hansen is a dick. Windham I can take or leave, but I'd probably vote Gobbledygooker over Hansen.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

I can see this match going either way. Hansen's reputation as being one of, if not, the biggest foreigners in Japan historically but Windham's legacy in the four horsemen for that short period of time along with the 'natural ability' people have touted many times means it might be a split decision.

Myself personally have seen both, and I prefer watching Windham.

 

[Kermit]

Disclaimer: I won't pretend that I have in-depth wrestling knowledge about a wide range of superstars. So, I'm going to perform my voting a little differently. There will be 127 matches in total in this tournament. I've comprised a list of 63 random 1v1 events. I'll randomize the list and base my vote off the results of who I think would win the selected event with my odd logic.

This event: Halo 2 Swat

Logic: For the love of god, three randomized picks in a row are video games. Hansen is a notable cowboy, right? He probably is a quick shot. SWAT is all about the quick shot.

Winner: Stan Henson

 

[Pay Per Ghost]

This is a close call, but Hansen takes it for me. Sure he is a fucking dick but JR will tell ya he is nothing but a standup guy. He is a man that took it to Sammartino in his hey day at MSG (like a lot of top territorial heels), and that does count for something.

SO Hansen here.

 

[MrMojoRisin]

I am so on the fence here. To me, this is easily the best match of the first round.

On one hand, you have one of wrestlings great and true 'outlaws' in Stan Hansen. A guy who knew his own value, did things on his terms, and was one of Japan's biggest stars.

On the other, you have a true prodigy in Barry Windham. Someone who at his peak, was simply one of the best wrestlers in the World. A guy who could have had a far bigger, more enduring legacy than he has except for the fact that like Hansen, he did things on his terms, and those terms didn't always prioritize the wrestling business.

I'm on the fence with this one right now. I had to look up and see if they'd ever fought each other, and they have... but only in tags or six man's. Occasionally in 1991 WCW teaming together. There record is pretty equal in tags... the one thing that may sway me towards Windham is the fact that both times they fought in AJPW (Hansen's home turf), they had Windham's team go over. Then again, on overall career accomplishments, you have to give Hansen the edge.

It's a shame they met each other so early. No matter what, someone who deserves to go onto the next round isn't.

 

[justtxyank]

It is one of the more depressing things on this site to me that Stan Hansen is so criminally underrated. I would make an argument for him as one of the 5 greatest workers of all time and many would agree with me, but not here sadly.

Windham was a GREAT worker in his own right, and is likewise underrated, but he doesn't compare to Hansen. The injuries, the bad booking, the laziness at times...Windham didn't have the career he should have had.

Hansen was a God in Japan and was over in the United States. I know people will try to make the case that he couldn't cut it in the US, but that's just not true. He worked Japan because they paid him a TON and because he loved it there. Whenever he would come back to the USA he was instantly put in top programs, whether it was territorial work, the AWA or WCW. It was his CHOICE to be a star abroad rather than a star here.

Hansen's work was tremendous and he has never gotten enough credit for his selling of offense or his cardio. His matches are normally a mile a minute slugfests and he just keeps going. If he had a better body I think he would be seen so much differently than he is by American audiences.

Last point: Guys like Misawa and Kawada and Kobashi, considered some of the best workers by internet fans here in the US, all consider him one of the best ever.