One of the most infamous competitors in WWE history is now officially among the immortals.
After being introduced as “one of the best to ever set foot in the squared circle” by longtime friend and rival Vader, Stan Hansen stepped forward to become the second inductee at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony. “The Lariat” opened his remarks by reminiscing over past encounters with Vader, then changed to a gracious tone as he expressed surprise at receiving the highest honor in sports-entertainment.
Hansen next allowed a rarely seen tender side to come out as he reminisced about the support he has received from his family and friends over the years. Calling upon the many stories he had in his career as a globetrotting toughman, Hansen sustained a humble spirit in his acceptance speech by tipping his 10-gallon cowboy hat to the legendary rivals he battled along the way.
“There’s a thousand opponents that I would love to talk about because it’s so important about the opponent,” Hansen said. “You have to have somebody out there who’s going to give you a run for the money.”