WRESTLING NEWS
Pro Wrestling's All-Time Greatest Babyfaces
By JACK GOODWILLIE
Bruno Sammartino
One of the greatest babyfaces of all time, Sammartino became the driving force of the WWWF's regional popularity in the Tri-State Area throughout the '60s and '70s. Sammartino brought credibility, honor, and respect to the WWWF Championship, holding it in total for more than 11 years, with his 2,803-day first reign being the longest in company history.
Dusty Rhodes
“The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes could reach out to working-class wrestling fans, and he relied on his ability to connect with fans as the main driver of his immense popularity. The “Son of a Plumber,” known to be a perfect foil to the flamboyant Ric Flair, turned face in 1974 and remained so for the rest of his in-ring career.
Eddie Guerrero
During his babyface run in 2004’s “SmackDown,” Guerrero channeled his real-life battle with drug and alcohol addiction in his brief feud with Brock Lesnar. His “No Way Out 2004” promo placed him among the greatest babyfaces, as he explained how he wanted to win the WWE Championship as a way to apologize to his loved ones he had let down in life.
Rey Mysterio
“The Ultimate Underdog” Mysterio managed to rise to the top of WWE thanks to his innovative move-set and his ability to rebound from seemingly insurmountable odds. A three-time world champion, Mysterio is among the few wrestlers who have never changed their alignments in WWE.
Mick Foley
Originally debuting as the twisted and sadistic Mankind, Mick Foley finally got his babyface moment at SummerSlam 1999, when he defeated Steve Austin and Triple H to win the WWF Championship. With his career drawing to a close, Foley endeared himself to the audience by moonlighting as a standup comedian, podcaster, and author.