Int Region, Minn Subregion, Second Round: (5) Antonio Inoki vs. (12) Stan Hansen

[klunderbunker]

This is a second round match in the International Region, Minneapolis Subregion. It is a standard one on one match. It will be held at the Target Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota

#5. Antonio Inoki

Vs.

#12 Stan Hansen

​

This match takes place 1 week after round 1.

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]

Well, they were both more popular in Japan than in the USA, though Inoki moreso. In the USA, neither of them are exactly household names, so I'm going with the man who has actually influenced wrestling the most, and that's Inoki. This would be a stiff match, but I think ultimately it comes down to the body of success, and Inoki has more of it.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Stan Hansen's beaten Antonio Inoki. In Japan. Numerous times. Now, Inoki's beaten Hansen, too... but in ONE match, to decide it all, I go with Hansen.

Hansen and Inoki's matches go something like this. Hansen dominates for what seems like hours, Inoki makes a comeback, tries to submit Hansen, is unsuccessful, and either Hansen catches Inoki off guard with a Lariat and beats Inoki, or Inoki pulls a move out of nowhere and rolls up Hansen for a three count.

But in Minneapolis, Inoki's also out of his element...Hansen's not. I'll go with Hansen in a classic bout with a Lariat.

 

[klunderbunker]

I'll go with Hansen. Inoki is a guy I've never gotten the appeal of but I know he's a legend in Japan. Hansen is as well, although to a lesser extent. As has been pointed out though, Hansen's greatest success in America was in Minneapolis and that's where he'll take Inoki's head off with a lariat for the pin. Hansen wins but it's a close one.

 

[Bernkastel]

Tough call, as I'm big fans of both of these guys. The Lariat is my favorite wrestling move, as I see it quite in different places in Japanese culture, live action, and anime.

That being said, Inoki was simply a bigger star than Hansen in Japan. In fact it's arguable that he was THE most recognizable star in Japanese history. So many legendary feuds and angles. Of course Hansen was a big star in his own right; big tough, and rugged. He was even strong enough to slam Andre.

That aside, Inoki would go over; he's beaten Hansen in the past in New Japan, and its arguable that Inoki was even more well known in the States than Hansen was, let alone Japan.

 

[It's...Baylariat!]

Tough call, as I'm big fans of both of these guys. The Lariat is my favorite wrestling move, as I see it quite in different places in Japanese culture, live action, and anime.

That being said, Inoki was simply a bigger star than Hansen in Japan. In fact it's arguable that he was THE most recognizable star in Japanese history. So many legendary feuds and angles. Of course Hansen was a big star in his own right; big tough, and rugged. He was even strong enough to slam Andre.

That aside, Inoki would go over; he's beaten Hansen in the past in New Japan, and its arguable that Inoki was even more well known in the States than Hansen was, let alone Japan.

All of these arguments are valid points. But Hansen's beaten Inoki, too. And Hansen's the only 'gaijin' to have beaten both Inoki AND Giant Baba during their heyday. And that's no small feat. Hansen was revered as a mad man in Japan and was the most well-known non-Japanese wrestler in their proud history.

Hansen countered Inoki's MMA background by knocking him silly when he got close to him. Inoki bested Hansen on a few occasions, but many of those times, Inoki couldn't walk out under his own power. Hansen could... albeit staggering and hitting Japanese people on his way to the locker room.

Inoki's well known and even owns a few victories over Hansen, but the same can be said about the Lariat. Hansen should win.

 

[Bernkastel]

All of these arguments are valid points. But Hansen's beaten Inoki, too. And Hansen's the only 'gaijin' to have beaten both Inoki AND Giant Baba during their heyday. And that's no small feat. Hansen was revered as a mad man in Japan and was the most well-known non-Japanese wrestler in their proud history.

Hansen countered Inoki's MMA background by knocking him silly when he got close to him. Inoki bested Hansen on a few occasions, but many of those times, Inoki couldn't walk out under his own power. Hansen could... albeit staggering and hitting Japanese people on his way to the locker room.

Inoki's well known and even owns a few victories over Hansen, but the same can be said about the Lariat. Hansen should win.

I realize that in a kayfabe match the outcome could literally go either way. It one of those match ups where the two guys are so evenly matched in booking that kayfabe alone can't really determine a winner [Christian vs Booker was another example.]

That aside Inoki was a bigger star, in both the US and in Japan, then Hansen was. While the Japanese are proud and traditional, their audiences are generally more acceptable of Western influence in their media and entertainment then US audiences would be vice versa. The fact that Inoki went in the WWE Hall of Fame first and Hansen isn't already there; that should speak volumes.

Hell, Inoki even beat Bob Buckland for the WWF title in the 70's while he was touring Japan. A feat Hansen never got close to.

 

[The Brain]

Stan Hansen's beaten Antonio Inoki. In Japan. Numerous times. Now, Inoki's beaten Hansen, too... but in ONE match, to decide it all, I go with Hansen.

Hansen and Inoki's matches go something like this. Hansen dominates for what seems like hours, Inoki makes a comeback, tries to submit Hansen, is unsuccessful, and either Hansen catches Inoki off guard with a Lariat and beats Inoki, or Inoki pulls a move out of nowhere and rolls up Hansen for a three count.

But in Minneapolis, Inoki's also out of his element...Hansen's not. I'll go with Hansen in a classic bout with a Lariat.

I think this sums it up. Stan Hansen might be the most successful American wrestler to compete regularly in Japan. Considering he's beaten Inoki in Japan I think he would beat Inoki in Minneapolis, another place where Hansen enjoyed a lot of success.