If you were to break down the traits of a good babyface, what would be on that list?
For me, they would have to be likable. They would also have to be courageous, but not to the point of being foolish — no one likes a coward but people will be quick to point and laugh at a fool.
And they also need to have what fans call good “babyface fire.”
Yet somehow, one of the best babyfaces in wrestling today is a guy that basically doesn’t care about anything. And because of it, Orange Cassidy has somehow become one the hottest commodities in AEW and in all of pro wrestling.
Cassidy doesn’t walk around with the bravado that is typically required of a pro wrestler. But he has managed to get over with the fans by being as understated as possible, which is a slap in the face to the 100-year-old carny business in the eyes of people that have been around for about half of it.
How could such an anomaly occur after all of this time? I think I know how: The outcome of his matches actually matter.
Granted, Cassidy defends his AEW International Championship every time he steps into the ring, essentially making it the promotion’s version of a television title, but fans hang onto every move. That is because that particular match could be the one where Cassidy finally loses.
Some may tell you the outcome of wrestling matches really doesn’t matter, but you can’t tell that to the fans watching in person every single week. The outcome of Cassidy’s matches really matters to them.
AEW leans into that by having Cassidy feel the toll of his frequent title defenses because he possesses another great babyface trait: the ability to sell.
Cassidy is basically selling before his matches even start, instantly garnering him sympathy with the fans. They feel his pain. It registers with them. It weighs on them as much as it does on Cassidy when he takes a big move from his opponent. His body couldn’t possibly take any more, right?
But then he kicks out. And then he finds a way to win, which he does without cheating, by the way. That leads me to another good babyface trait: integrity.
Above all, fans can see what winning truly means to Cassidy’s character. It is probably the only thing he actually cares about. Hailing from wherever and weighing in at whatever, Cassidy has turned laissez faire into an artform. He begins all of his matches by calmly putting his hands in his pockets before lightly kicking his opponents.
Then, seemingly out of nowhere, he quickens the pace and showcases his athletic ability — and he can keep his hands in pockets while doing so. Despite the most laid-back wrestler of all time, his matches carry so much urgency.
It’s strange yet unique. Fans have never seen anything like him before yet they can’t take their eyes off him. None of this is in the curriculum at any wrestling academy, yet it is working in front of a national television audience.
When he eventually triumphs and successfully defends his title, which has done an AEW record 25 times, the fans are sent into a euphoric state.
When will Cassidy’s run end? Who knows? In the meantime, let’s sit back and enjoy it while it is still freshly squeezed.