The Lariat - Who Did It Best?

#1 Stan Hansen

The golden rule of pro wrestling: you do not mess with Stan Hansen...EVER

Stan Hansen’s Western Lariat is widely regarded as the most vicious striking attack in wrestling history. Due to Hansen’s poor eyesight in the ring, he often threw his lariat with little precision. He swung it with devastating force, seemingly apathetic to his opponent’s well-being.

That aura of danger catapulted Hansen into wrestling legend, as his lariat became known for being more brutal than any other wrestler’s lariat before or since. Taking Hansen’s Western Lariat was considered something of an ultimate test of endurance, and if you survived it, people respected your toughness much more.

Go watch any of Hansen’s old matches. He swings either of his arms with such force that he looks like he’s going to break someone’s neck with it. That brutality is an important factor in Hansen’s legendary reputation, especially in Japan.

With toughness being a huge part of puroresu, taking and surviving one of the most legitimately-painful attacks in history was met with admiration and respect from Japanese wrestling fans and critics.

Even though Hansen played the stereotypical ‘evil foreigner’ for many years, by the end of the late 1990s he was beloved and respected by Japanese wrestling fans because of his toughness and brutality, and especially because of his legendary Western Lariat.