10 Most Effective Wrestling Babyfaces Of The 21st Century
2. Hiroshi Tanahashi
Hiroshi Tanahashi emerged as New Japan Pro Wrestling's Ace at the turn of the decade, which not coincidentally coincided with the company's golden period.
The company was in disarray before he was anointed as 'the man'. Years of MMA misadventures and a fractured identity - as innovative and far superior groups, like Dragon Gate and Pro Wrestling NOAH surpassed its match quality and live gates, respectively - threatened to submerge the oldest active puroresu company to the depths.
Enter Tanahashi. The man elevated New Japan by simply becoming the best performer on the planet - an expert babyface who restored what it meant to be a babyface while popularising (and perfecting) the reversal-stuffed finishing sequence beloved by companies the world over in 2017. You could believe in the charismatic and good-looking Tanahashi - his strategy always won out. A true babyface should be clever; Tanahashi successfully wrestled a near parade of classic matches against all manner of opponents in his record-setting fifth reign with the IWGP Heavyweight Title. Each of his 11 defences were different from the next. He could be counted on to deliver a classic match and much-needed reassurance for fans conditioned to expect bullsh*t and chicanery years earlier.
He was Ace in both name and standing; never had the likes of Toru Yano been taken so seriously. All below Tanahashi were hoisted to his level.