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Hiroshi Tanahashi
Let’s begin with the man credited with bringing the company back to prominence and into arguably their hottest period in many, many years. Tanahashi is often referred to as “the Japanese John Cena”, which is true in some ways as he is the man the company has been built around for many, many years and his popularity is hard to match.
However, the John Cena comparisons end there, as Tanahashi is considered one of the finest pro wrestlers in the world and will go down as one of the best in history. I like to think of him in the same vein as Shawn Michaels, Kurt Angle and Bret Hart in that he can work with any guy of any style, ability or size and always manage to have the best match on the show.
Tanahashi is a seven time and the current IWGP Heavyweight champion and holds the record for most reigns, most title defenses and most combined days as champion. He is a one time IWGP Intercontinental champion, and two time IWGP Tag Team champion and has won the G1 Climax in 2007, as well as the New Japan Cup twice.
His most notable rival over the past couple of years has been with Kazuchika Okada in who Tanahashi effectively passed the torch to, and in the process has had five bonafide classic matches that can be ranked up there with any series of matches in pro wrestling history. Tanahashi also had a similar series of matches this year with Shinsuke Nakamura over the IWGP Intercontinental championship that produced several belting matches proving that at 37 years old, with mileage and niggling injuries mounting, Tanahashi is still one of the finest on the planet.
Tanahashi recently regained his spot at the very top by dethroning AJ Styles of the Heavyweight championship on October 13th. He will now go on to reprise his legendary feud with Okada when they meet on January 4th at Wrestle Kingdom at the Tokyo Dome. The Tanahashi/Okada series scarily got better with every match and I expect nothing short of a classic this coming January on PPV as part of Jeff Jarrett’s GFW.
What to look out for?
Aside from playing some breathtaking air guitar, Tanahashi uses the High Fly Flow as his finisher, which is a frog splash. He will sometimes hit it multiple times on an opponent to different body parts.
Also look out for his Sling Blade, Dragon suplex, Straightjacket German suplex, Texas Cloverleaf and Dragon Screw legwhip. Tanahashi’s real talent is not what moves he performs, but where he positions them to always create a hot finish.
So that’s enough talking, you just need to watch and enjoy to see what all the fuss is about!
Hiroshi Tanahashi (c) vs Minoru Suzuki IWGP Heavyweight championship
Here is Tanahashi defending the IWPG heavyweight championship against Minoru Suzuki at the King of Pro Wrestling event in 2012. Many people have called this the most perfect match they have ever seen and it’s without a doubt one of the best matches anywhere in the last decade. Just watch and you’ll see why at this link.
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Kazuchika Okada IWGP heavyweight championship
It’s only right to include a match from the Tanahashi/Okada series, this match is from Wrestle Kingdom 7 as Tanahashi goes in as champion to defend against Okada who had won that years G1 Climax to earn his opportunity to regain the title that he had lost to Tanahashi months earlier. Sit back and soak in the big show atmosphere as WWE aren’t the only ones that can put on big time production at this link.
Hiroshi Tanahashi vs Shinsuke Nakamura G1 Climax Block A Match
How about a more recent match? My personal favorite from this years Tanahashi vs Nakamura series and one of my favorites of this years G1 Climax. The rivalry is renewed as two of the favorites in the tournament clash at this link.
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