Hiroshi Tanahashi

Hiroshi Tanahashi widely known as the Ace is a Japanese sports executive and retired professional wrestler signed to New Japan ProWrestling NJPW where he serves as president and representative director He debuted in 1999 after graduating from the NJPW Dojo as a Young Lion and later went on excursion to Total Nonstop Action Wrestling TNA in the United States He had his final match on January 4 2026 against longtime rival Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 20 Across his NJPW career Tanahashi became an eighttime IWGP Heavyweight Champion twotime IWGP Intercontinental Champion threetime IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion onetime NEVER Openweight Champion onetime NJPW World Television Champion twotime IWGP U30 Openweight Champion and sixtime NEVER Openweight SixMan Tag Team Champion In tournament competition he won the G1 Climax three times in 2007 2015 and 2018 and the New Japan Cup twice in 2005 and 2008 He is recognized as the fourth wrestler to complete NJPWs Triple Crown and the second to achieve its Grand Slam Outside NJPW Tanahashi is a onetime RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion a onetime GHC Tag Team Champion with Yuji Nagata a onetime CMLL World Tag Team Champion with Jushin Thunder Liger a onetime CMLL World Trios Champion with Okumura and Taichi as La Ola Amarilla and the winner of the Campeón Universal del CMLL 2013 Tournament Fans journalists and fellow wrestlers often credit Tanahashi as a central figure in NJPWs rebuilding period pointing to his role in helping carry the promotion through the 2000s and early 2010s and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time for his consistency drawing ability and influence on the modern ace role His legacy is further reinforced through major industry recognition Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards include Feud of the Year 20122013 vs Kazuchika Okada Most Charismatic 2013 Most Outstanding Wrestler 20122013 Match of the Year 2012 vs Minoru Suzuki on October 8 Match of the Year 2013 vs Kazuchika Okada on April 7 Match of the Year 2016 vs Kazuchika Okada on January 4 Wrestler of the Year 20112013 Wrestler of the Decade 2010s Most Charismatic of the Decade 2010s and induction into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame Class of 2013 He was ranked No 3 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated PWI 500 in 2013 Tokyo Sports awards include Best Bout Award 2012 vs Kazuchika Okada on June 16 Fighting Spirit Award 2003 2006 MVP Award 2009 2011 2014 2018 and Outstanding Performance Award 2007