
Hiroshi Tanahashi
Actor · b. 1976 · Ōgaki, Gifu, Japan
Hiroshi Tanahashi, widely known as the “Ace,” is a Japanese sports executive and retired professional wrestler signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (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 eight-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, two-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, three-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, one-time NEVER Openweight Champion, one-time NJPW World Television Champion, two-time IWGP U-30 Openweight Champion, and six-time NEVER Openweight Six-Man 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 NJPW’s Triple Crown and the second to achieve its Grand Slam. Outside NJPW, Tanahashi is a one-time RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion, a one-time GHC Tag Team Champion with Yuji Nagata, a one-time CMLL World Tag Team Champion with Jushin Thunder Liger, a one-time 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 NJPW’s 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 (2012–2013) vs. Kazuchika Okada, Most Charismatic (2013), Most Outstanding Wrestler (2012–2013), 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 (2011–2013), 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).
Movies6
Movie8.5ActionDominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling that took place on June 9, 2018, at Osaka-jo Hall in Osaka and was headlined by a Best Two-Out-of-Three Falls Match between Kazuchika Okada (c) and Kenny Omega for the IWGP Heavyweight Title.
NJPW Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall 2018
2018 · 2 votes
Movie8.2ActionDramaDominion 6.9 in Osaka-jō Hall was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It took place on June 9, 2019, at the Osaka-jō Hall in Osaka, Japan, and was headlined by Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Chris Jericho for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
NJPW Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall 2019
2019 · 2 votes
Movie9.7ActionNJPW Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jō Hall was a professional wrestling event promoted by New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) that took place on June 11, 2017, at Osaka-jō Hall in Osaka, Japan, and was headlined by Kenny Omega (c) vs. Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
NJPW Dominion 6.11 in Osaka-jo Hall 2017
2017 · 3 votes
Movie8.9ActionDramaAEW x NJPW: Forbidden Door was a co-produced professional wrestling event featuring American promotion AEW and Japanese promotion NJPW. It took place on June 26, 2022 at the United Center in Chicago and featured 13 matches, including 4 on the pre-show. In the main event, Jon Moxley defeated Hiroshi Tanahashi to become the interim AEW World Champion. Other notable matches included Jay White defeating Adam Page, Kazuchika Okada, and Adam Cole in a four-way match to retain the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Pac becoming the inaugural AEW All-Atlantic Champion in a four-way match, and Claudio Castagnoli making his AEW debut by defeating Zack Sabre Jr. The event also featured special appearances by Juice Robinson and Katsuyori Shibata.
AEW x NJPW Presents Forbidden Door 2022
2022 · 9 votes
Movie7.3ActionThe 2024 Forbidden Door was the third annual Forbidden Door professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) event and supershow co-produced by the American promotion All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and the Japan-based New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). It took place on June 30, 2024, at the UBS Arena in the Long Island hamlet of Elmont, New York.
AEW x NJPW Present Forbidden Door 2024
2024 · 6 votes
Movie9.2The 2025 Double or Nothing was a professional wrestling pay-per-view produced by All Elite Wrestling (AEW), held on May 25, 2025, at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona, United States. The event was headlined by Adam Page vs. Will Ospreay in the final match of the Owen Hart Foundation 2025 Men’s Tournament.
AEW Double or Nothing 2025
2025 · 11 votes
Series5
TV7.9Action & AdventureDramaA world-class roster of diverse male and female wrestlers give fans a new wrestling experience for the first time in 20 years.
All Elite Wrestling: Dynamite
2019 · 88 votes
TV8.7Action & AdventureDramaStardom World is the VOD network for World Wonder Ring Stardom. WWR Stardom is a Japanese women's promotion started in 2011 featuring matches of many varieties including high speed octane action, long brutal brawls, and even costume battle royals. In 2019, the promotion was acquired by Bushiroad and has since become one of the top wrestling promotions in Japan.
TV7.7Action & AdventureDramaAn in-ring show featuring more wrestlers, more stories and more action to super-serve fans.
All Elite Wrestling: Collision
2023 · 16 votes
TV6.9CrimeHiroto Miyama is an unconventional young lawyer who dances to his own tune and gets a little obsessive. For one thing, he’s only interested in criminal cases, and he will never give up in his pursuit of the truth even if offers only a 0.1% chance of being discovered. Japan’s 99.9% criminal case conviction rate leads the world, attesting to a “highly reliable” judicial system. In other words, once a crime suspect is indicted, prosecutor arguments tend to be accepted hook, line and sinker. In the face of those 99.9% odds, there’s no money in being a defense lawyer specializing in criminal cases, but for Miyama, that’s where the interest and kernels of truth lie. From unexpected places, the mold-breaking Miyama stakes his reputation on a prayer of a chance as he clashes with hotshot lawyers who’ll go to any lengths to win in this gloriously fun, legal mystery.
TVTalk ShowThe least violent talk show in wrestling.
Hey! (EW)
2022