Antonio Inoki vs. Stan Hansen (NWF Title) (9/11/80)

- Hansen tries to hit the lariat immediately but is met with two Inoki dropkicks. After that, INoki frustrates Hansen with a headlock takeover and keeps the Texas grounded. Hansen responds by gaining control on the ground and dropping an elbow on Inoki's neck. Hansen controls the next phase of the match with Inoki occasionally showing flashes of offense, but this is mainly Hansen's run of patented moves. Later in the match, Inoki neutralizes Hansen with the Indian death lock but gets pulled out of the ring. In the stretch run, Hansen goes back and forth between Inoki's gut and neck, trying to get a pin. He keeps swinging him to the ropes but doesn't attmpt a lariat. Instead, he settles for back elbows, jumping knees and even a dropkick. Towards the end, it looks like Hansen is trying to put Inoki ina backbreaker or Torture Rack but Inoki fights him so he dumps Inoki and drops an elbow. Hansen drops an elbow and goes for the same move but Inoki tries to counter with a crucifix pin so Hansen dumps him outside the ring while tumbling out himself. Nice. Inoki wins by countout so Hansen runs in and hits him with a lariat from behind. This was another nomination and maybe the best match I have seen between the two.

 

(NJC 92)

Excellent match. Hansen was Hansen and I like the match-up, because he seemed to force Inoki out of his normal patterns. One Inoki move I liked came after Hansen had dumped him outside. Stan tried to swarm him as he climbed back in, but Inoki dove through the ropes and drilled him with a head thrust to the midsection. I'm actually not sure I liked this better than the February title match but both should go on the set.

This was a bunch of fun, I loved the Inoki in ring tope and the finish was awesome, Inoki kicking Hansen in the face for the countout, and then the lariat to back of the head was brutal. Match should go on for sure.