Yeah, I got done with my job searching, went for a walk did some yoga, and now I want to do this to keep my head occupied.
So I wanted to do the top Wrestler Entrance themes, the Themes that were creative, made people jump up to their feet to cheer or boo, sounded cool, sounded intimidating or just fit the wrestlers personalities. Some were written by the companies for the wrestlers, some were songs that we knew well that just worked. In this shortened list, I'll include some thoughts on the entrances themselves.
1) The Undertaker - Rest in Piece
this one is unique, the reason why I say that is it wouldn't work without the entrance, the smoke, the slow walk, the rising of the hands to raise the house lights. Many wrestlers have talked about standing in the ring while getting for real and actual goose bumps or feeling intimidated.
2) Stone Cold Steve Austin - Glass Shattered/Rattlesnake/I won't do what you tell me
One of the most suited theme songs that I think was created, and it reflected Steve Austin so well. His entrance was uniquely suited to it with a Cold Eyed Steve Austin coming through the curtains to the smashing glass and crushing guitar and base, and he simply marched to the ring glaring at his next victim.
3) CM Punk - Cult of Personality
Originally when Wrestler themes started happening Wrestlers used to just use established songs. Stampede Wrestling really lead the way, and they had Bruce Hart coming out to Heartbreak tonight. But the WWE went away from it as they hired talented song writers like Jimmy Johnson. When CM Punk did his I guit angle, he made his return to Cult of Personality and it worked so well for him.
4) Harlem Heat/booker T - Rap Sheet
Usually WCW just got theme songs wrong, Jericho pointed it out as he got generic boy band theme in his book. But once in a while they got it right and the Harlem Heat Theme created great pops, especially at the start with the Yes No and manical laughter
5) Ricky Steamboat - Sirius
While not designing Lasers for the moon, the Alan Parsons Project created some great themes, and I always loved this song, Also if you watch this video the pop that Steamboat receives and the music just work (starting at 4:15)
6) The Rock - Electrifying
Again a theme that matches the wrestler perfectly. The whole arena errupts if you smell what the wrong is cooking, and the whole music line reflects the cool factor of the Rock so well. His return as host of wrestlemania was so perfect.
7) Chris Jericho - Break the wall down.
Chris Jericho's debut was smoking hot from the countdown clocks for the months leading up to it, to his actual debut. But Jericho who is talented musically always seems to have great themes. I love the countdown or the solve the code, followed by the shouting Break the Walls down.
8) Bret Hart - Hart Attack
There have been a lot of versions of Hart Attack and it continues to change. But his mid solo late 90's version was great and again worked for Bret's someone business like approach to wrestling. But the duh duh duh guitar squeal was amazing.
9) Legion of Doom - What a Rush
I was torn on this one because in AWA Legion of Doom came to the ring to Iron Man, but their WWF theme was iconic with the Oh what a Rush followed by a almost bluesy guitar attack. At one point this was one of the most intimidating entrances in all of wrestling
10) Sandman - Enter Sandman
ECW either used well known music, or fairly generic themes but nothing made the fans jump like Enter Sandman. Sandman himself wasn't much of a wrestler, and was a sub par brawler but he was like Jake the Snake in that he understood how the fans work.
Honorable mentions
Jake the Snake - Slither
I just loved this theme song and it was iconic for its time and just sounded like a Snake slithering under your bed
Brock Lesnar
I love its entrance the start of it is completely bad ass, and its deep baseline makes your heart pound, and you know that #### is about to go down.
Paul Heyman - ECW theme
It wasn't his entrance music per say, but the ECW theme is ultimately Iconic and it makes your heart beat through your chest, it is bad ass to those that think they are bad ass. I dare you to listen to this and not want to power bomb your dad through a table
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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My Dad took me to a WWF house show, with a Hulk - Macho main event. Maybe the second live wrestling show I'd ever been to.
I'll never forget the crowd reaction when Hogan's music hit. I was not a big Hogan guy, but I'll never forget the electricity, everyone standing to see him when he walked out. Maybe beacuse he didn't come to Calgary often but that was so memorable.
Neither of these guys were the greatest wrestlers, but they were the class of the tag team division for a long time, do in part to the ability of Road Dogg on the mic. They didn't even really have a theme, but one of the most memorable entrances.
Whenever I go into a meeting, I have an almost uncontrollable urge to belt out the opening line.
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God damn I forgot about the Brood, that was such an awesome song, but their entrance really made it happen with the rising from under the stage through the fire.
I forgot also I love Aleister Blacks entrance and music.
His rising from the earth just sells it for me
Oh and I'm going to have some fun.
Bayley doing Fin's entrance. Finn's entrance music with its high beats is awesome.
Finn returns the favor
Can't forget their dirty dancing
__________________
My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!
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Okay, here's my top 10 list (in no particular order); it may be different than others for sure - I'm a fan of Japanese wrestling have seen some these live in person over there. I'm making it based on my own favourite themes of all time, based on the way it fit the character, the consistency it delivered, and the importance of its presence in establishing the anticipation and atmosphere.
1. Shinsuke Nakamura - Subconcious
Just iconic in Japan. This theme defined the King of Strong Style in the 2010's. Hearing this live at Wrestle Kingdom 10 as he walked to face AJ was ridiculous.
2. Kenta Kobashi - Grand Sword
A goddamn wrestling god in his own right, the chants of 'KO-BA-SHI' as he makes his way to the ring are must-watch vids on YouTube.
3. KENTA - Art & Life
KENTA / Hideo Itami's theme in NOAH slapped like no other theme at the time, this guy was legit dangerous and this music oddly fitted him too.
4. The Four Horsemen
A passive guitar riff with no lyrics makes this one arrogantly great, which is what the Horsemen were.
5. Rob Van Dam - Walk
Fans chanted along with this awesome Pantera song. Fit Van Dam perfectly, too.
6. AJ Styles - Styles Clash
AJ's Bullet Club theme is 2015/2016 was just f'ing sick.
7. Kenny Omega - Battle Cry
It's new, but I love it and fits Kenny's persona so well.
8. The Great Muta - Trans Magic
Can't make a list like this without my boy Muta's greatest theme ever.
EDIT: Ozy_Flame reminded me of this one. This is my fave Muta theme ever.
9. Legion of Doom - What a Rush
What kid didn't think this was one of the greatest songs ever? LOD was sick as #### in the early 90's.
10. Jake Roberts - Trust Me
Dark and cerebral. Totally ahead of his time.
Other amazing themes I love:
Great Muta - Great Muta Concerto
Hulk Hogan - Real American
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Mistuharu Misawa - Spartan X
Minoru Suzuki - Kaze Ni Nare
Kazuchika Okada - Rainmaker
Silas Young - United Divided / Voodoo Johnson
Kevin Steen - Unsettling Differences / Blue Smock Nancy
Sandman - Enter Sandman
Jushin Liger - Ikari No Jyushin
Jushin Liger - NXT Brooklyn (2015)
Christian - Take Cover (TNA)
Christian - Just Close Your Eyes
Dan Severn - Fighter
Pete Dunne - Bruiserweight
AJ Styles - Demi-Gods (ROH)
.... K, I'm done.
Last edited by Muta; 04-20-2020 at 03:50 PM.
Reason: Switched my fave Muta theme.
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I think it's just an issue of when I was born, but it's hard to beat the over the top 80s excess of wrestling:
Looking back on these guys...they were middle aged men dressed in full on S&M gear marketing themselves to children...not sure how wholesome that was.
I know it's already been mentioned, but you can't beat this...
Also, when in my later teens, when I watched a lot more sparingly, always like these:
Yes....I know ICP....but this was before they went totally off their rockers.
This was probably the most obnoxious thing, anyone has done in wrestling. But it made Michaels such a good heel, that it deserves mention. The funniest was the original version was sung by Sherri, but Michaels decide to record his own version in the first person, which just added to how aggravating he was:
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I'll post my Top 10 personal favs, but won't do a YouTube link for every one (page gets choppy to scroll with too many):
1. Pete Dunne - "Brusierweight" (link already provided) I have listened to this 1000 times and it just doesn't get bad, it fits Dunne like a glove and is one of the best theme's CFO put out.
2. Keiji Mutoh - "Trans Magic"
3. Razor Ramon - "Bad Boy" - Epitome of cool back in the 90's. Dude was over and should have been champion. Match with Michaels at Summerslam is the stuff of legends.
4. Shinsuke Nakamura - "Subconscious" - just a damn good theme that has high replay value.
5. Bret Hart - "Hitman" - such good vibes from the best wrestling product to ever come from Alberta. Gives the feels and pride every time.
6. Doink the Clown - "Evil Behind the Makeup" - One of the most underrated characters during the WWF in the 90's, and his theme was downright creepy, reminiscent of a time when the public was souring on clowns in pop culture.
7. Atsushi Onita - "Wild Thing" - Dude was ape#### in the ring, and had one of the best entrances in NJPW in '95 (and not to be outdone by Masa Chono, driving a Hummer and smoking a cigar to the ring).
8. Tetsuya Naito - "Stardust" - Fantastic theme that lives through his iterations.
9. Keiji Mutoh - "Hold Out" - something about a Rock theme from his Muta persona which gives it a fun modern touch.
10. Hulk Hogan's pre-Real American theme for "Rock 'n Wrestling":
Special mention to Kenney Omegas "Battle Cry", MJF "Salt of the Earth", and Minoru Suzuki's "Kaze Ni Nare".
Last edited by Ozy_Flame; 04-20-2020 at 03:49 PM.
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1. Undertaker
2. Stone Cold
3. NWO
4. Ultimate Warrior
5. DX
6. Hacksaw Jim Dugan
7. Legion of Doom
8. Fin Balor
9. Kane
10. Goldberg
For me I got the ultimate feels from The undertaker when I watched him wrestle koko b ware live in the MTL forum waaaayyyyy back in the day. It got cold, he looked right at me when he took his hat off, I was a kid, it was scary and awesome.
The 2nd biggest rush I got from theme music was the Ultimate warriors return to help the hulkster at an early wrestlemania, like one the the 1st ever times they played the them of another wrestler coming in the match while it was going on. I was so pumped.
Stone Colds should be number 1. How do you know stuffs about to go down or ramp up into a straight brawl? Glass shatters.
Dx because honestly, who doesnt like Rage against the machine, or a close knock off.
NWO because at the time, that music came on and it felt like they script could get tossed out the window.
You know, going back to Demolition, and one point everyone was really clamoring for a LOD vs Demolition matchup that turned into a squash, but the simple fact of the matter is that LOD, were really not good workers, I remember reading that nobody really liked working with them because they were so sloppy that their opponents were scared for their lives.
People tend to forget that Bill Eadie and Barry Darsow in their day were actually really good workers, who probably could have worked rings around Hawk and Animals.
When people remember the LOD, they remember them as good dudes, a great gimmick, awful workers.
I am still a big fan of Darsow who was actually a seriously under rated talent. You could give the guy a gimmick and he would go all in and make it work. His repo man character was brilliant because he went all in. When he went to WCW and became an evil golfer it was hilarious.
At the end of his WCW tenure I remember he took a blow to the head and they gave him amnesia and every week he would role out with one of his old gimmicks, it was brilliant.
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My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;
Top Wrestling entrance themes
