The 20 greatest babyfaces in WWE history – ranked

Not everyone can be the villain. In WWE, the best babyfaces are the ones fans genuinely want to root for—whether it’s the underdog fighting against the system, the charismatic fan favorite, or the superhero-like figure who just always comes out on top. Here’s our ranking of the 20 greatest babyfaces in WWE history.

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WWE spent over a decade treating Kofi as a fun midcard act, but when the fans demanded KofiMania, he proved he was more than that. His WrestleMania 35 win was pure feel-good energy, even if WWE immediately ruined it with that Brock squash.

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After being forced into retirement in 2011, Edge’s shocking return at the 2020 Royal Rumble was one of WWE’s greatest moments. His redemption story, emotional promos, and ability to still deliver in the ring made him one of the most beloved babyfaces of the modern era.

Jeff Hardy was chaos personified, and fans loved every second of it. He was reckless, unpredictable, and constantly felt like he was one big dive away from ending himself, but that’s exactly why people adored him.

Punk was technically an antihero, but fans worshipped him once he cut the Pipebomb promo. For a while, he was the only reason people even watched WWE, though his falling out with the company made that love turn sour later on.

Steamboat was the kind of babyface WWE wishes they had today—clean-cut, insanely skilled, and never needing a character shift to stay relevant. His match with Savage at WrestleMania III is still a masterclass in how to be a hero in the ring.

Shawn was despised in the 90s, but after his comeback in 2002, he became one of WWE’s most beloved faces. He put on some of the greatest matches ever, and his feud with The Undertaker gave us two of the best WrestleMania moments of all time.

No one took more punishment just to entertain fans than Mick Foley. Whether he was Mankind, Cactus Jack, or just himself, Foley’s willingness to get thrown off a cage for our entertainment made him an all-time fan favorite.

The Rock was a natural heel, but once he turned babyface, fans couldn’t get enough. He had the catchphrases, the charisma, and the undeniable presence—though let’s be real, he was at his best when he was trash-talking people.

Latino Heat was a different kind of babyface—he cheated, lied, and stole his way to victories, but people loved him for it. His WWE Championship win over Brock in 2004 is still one of the most satisfying moments in wrestling.

Dusty was proof that you didn’t need the body of a Greek god to be a wrestling hero. He was relatable, passionate, and his Hard Times promo still hits hard decades later.

Few babyface stories have ever felt as organic as Bryan’s rise to the top. The "Yes Movement" was so powerful that WWE had no choice but to let him main event WrestleMania 30.

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Becky Lynch's rise was the stuff of wrestling folklore, turning a real-life broken nose into a career-defining moment. Fans couldn’t get enough of her swagger, sharp wit, and ability to back it all up in the ring. By the time she headlined WrestleMania 35, she was the biggest babyface in the business—whether WWE wanted her to be or not.

Savage was the perfect mix of charisma and technical excellence. His reunion with Miss Elizabeth at WrestleMania VII was actual cinema, and his WrestleMania IV title win was as feel-good as it gets.

Taker was never supposed to be a babyface, but fans respected him too much not to cheer him. By the time he hit his legendary WrestleMania streak, he was basically WWE’s final boss—fans loved him, even when he wasn’t supposed to be the good guy.

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Look, Cena is polarizing, but you can’t deny how over he was as a face. WWE forced him down fans’ throats, but to his credit, he carried the company for over a decade and made millions of kids believe in "Never Give Up."

Bret wasn’t great at promos and mic work, but he didn’t need to be. He let his wrestling do the talking, and that was enough. Fans trusted Bret because he was just that good, and WWE’s decision to screw him over in Montreal only made fans side with him more and helped cement his place in wrestling folklore.

Rey’s entire career has been about proving that size doesn’t matter in wrestling. No one sold an underdog story better, and fans have never stopped loving him—even when WWE constantly feeds him to younger stars.

Bruno was WWE before Hulk Hogan. He held the title for nearly eight years (let that sink in), and fans treated him like a literal superhero. He might not be flashy by today’s standards, but back then, Bruno was wrestling.

On that note, Hogan was wrestling in the 80s. He had kids believing in the power of Hulkamania, and his WrestleMania III body slam on Andre the Giant is still one of the most iconic moments in wrestling history.

Not your traditional face by any stretch: Austin was a beer-drinking, authority-hating antihero, and the fans absolutely loved him for it. His war against Vince McMahon was peak wrestling storytelling, and his brilliant trash-talking and surprise stunners never failed to get a crowd frothing, making him arguably the most universally beloved star WWE has ever had.

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