Often overlooked, a wrestler’s entrance is often a key contributor to getting him over… or keeping him in the undercard. From the entrance music setting the right tone, to ring attire and mannerisms establishing character, to allowing for crowd interaction, quite a lot goes into an effective entrance. This week, we’ll take a look at the entrance of every major wrestler on the roster.
Brent Albright “I Don’t Wana Stop†by Ozzie Osbourne. Albright has a good crowd interaction song that gets fans hitting the guard rails. This was definitely a detriment to him as a heel as after pounding the rails for him fans didn’t want to really want to boo him, but wouldn’t cheer either and chose to sit on their hands instead. With his hyped mannerisms coming out with the executioners’ hood, the music getting the crowd hyped, Albright’s music and entrance have contributed greatly to his becoming a breakout main eventer. When he gets in the ring a huge scream, pose, and ripping off of the mask make it all come together. *** ½ because overall while it’s effective, besides the hood it isn’t really memorable.
Austin Aries “Personal Jesus†by Marilyn Manson. Ultimately, this song was a very important switch to his gimmick as head of Generation Next and dethroner of Samoa Joe at Final Battle 2004 and then wasn’t relevant again for years. In 2006 when he returned to save the Resilience and currently with his saving of Necro Butcher and destruction of Age of the Fall, it is fitting once again, but has never been referenced. Still, it’s catchy and instantly notable, with good crowd interaction, so at least it does its job. *** but it’d go up if they mentioned the song’s relevance here or there.
Tyler Black “Haunted†by Walls of Jericho. So long as he’s a member of the Age of the Fall, the song fits, but we all know by now that he won’t be forever and will be a breakout star. That means to help his identity, when not with Jacobs he should really have his own song. Coming out to AOTF music in singles doesn’t really cause any crowd response, as he usually comes out first, leaving the crowd expecting to jeer Jacobs. Since he works face much of the time, this really isn’t at all effective. He has no real notable mannerisms to make him stand out, nor does he have any notable ring attire. I realize at Take No Prisoners he was the first to use the music, but it being adopted by the group kills its effectiveness. * 1/2 for the lack of it being appropriate for him as a singles worker.
The Briscoes “Gimme Back My Bullets†by Lynrd Skynrd. The definitive current good old boys team has the music from the definitive good old boys band. They come out with confederate flag tights or bandanas over their faces. The Southern tough guy image is served perfectly and even gets the crowd interacting by hitting the guardrails. **** ½ for classic theme music!
Claudio Castagnoli End of “We Will Rock You†by Queen transitioned into “Sledgehammer†by Peter Gabriel. I never really liked it as face music because it felt like background music to a chorus of random “HEY.†As a heel, however, the song is kind of annoying and repetitive, so its more effective. Unfortunately, fans may be so used to “HEY†that it won’t go away and Claudio isn’t great at selling it as annoying as showed by his Kings of Wrestling era antics. * ½ because new music would be more effective in selling his new attitude and maybe get rid of the “HEYs.†If he has new music now, disregard this.
Bryan Danielson “The Final Countdown†by Europe. The best wrestling entrance music ever. It used to be a part of his overblown heel persona, but even since then, with a cocky smirk, he’s claimed it as his own. The crowd claps and sings along, especially with the chorus as Danielson looks upon his fans and urges them on. ***** for Wrestling Entrance Perfection.
Eddie Edwards “Crash†by Methods of Mayhem. It’s not a bad song at all and could get a response, but it’s pretty generic and merely makes Eddie seem moreso. He needs something more. Dud for generic music making Edwards’ biggest flaw stand out.
El Generico “Ole†by the Bouncing Souls. Generico is a white guy playing a luchador gimmick, so he comes out to a bunch of white guys singing about playing soccer while singing a Mexican saying. The crowd adores it and singes the song even after it finishers and Generico has everything timed to it from when he gets in the ring to when he leads the crowd into the big OLE! ***** because somehow this manages to fit even better than the Briscoes music.
Delirious “Hybrid Stigmata†by Dimmu Borgir. The first part of this is absolutely great and really fits Delirious’s character, but once it ends the crowd just kind of watches Delirious run around without much interaction. As a heel maybe this well be less awkward, but as a face, beyond the really cool opening, it probably should have transitioned into a different song long ago. ** for the beginning.
Chris Hero “Holding Out for a Hero†by Bonnie Tyler into “Requiem for a Tower†by Clint Mansell. Well, the music change seems to have stopped fans cheering for Hero, which was the goal, I suppose, but instead he gets next to no reaction. The other “It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane†by Ralph Cardall got great crowd reaction with everyone throwing their hands up and really played to his comedy heel persona. That would have rated quite highly. Unfortunately, the new music doesn’t seem that much more serious, it just takes away the crowd interaction. Hero stopped playing to the crowd, as well, which is a major strength and a clear mistake. * because he had great music and interaction in ROH prior and still does in other companies.
Jimmy Jacobs “Haunted†by Walls of Jericho. First off, so I get it off my chest, the “Ballad of Lacey†would have been the first ever ****** entrance music. This current music fits his serious heel leader role perfectly. The screeches at the start are unnerving and annoying, and then they lead into a dark music and screaming metal which parallels the crowd’s anger and disgust at Jacobs. This really fits Age of the Fall well. **** for fitting Jacobs and the Age’s message perfectly.
Jigsaw “Oh My God†by Jay-Z. Jigsaw may be incredibly street in real life, but he still looks too damn goofy to use this as his music, especially since it doesn’t fit his name or gimmick, no matter how hard ROH push it. Dud until he develops a persona that could reasonable use this music.
Kenny King “This is Why I’m Hot†by Mims. Well, he’s young, rich and ready for action… this song gets that across as well as making him seem like an arrogant ass, which he is, and helping him draw heat. And he’s got a really cocky look and walk. All around, this works. *** until I see it in person on the East coast.
Nigel McGuinness London Bridge intro into “Fucking in the Bushes†by Oasis. Well, Oasis is very British as are the British style middle fingers Nigel throws to the crowd as he comes out. The London Bridge intro into the rest of the music lets fans know immediately that they can begin reacting and the extremely… strange way he gets into the ring really works for a heel and makes him that much more unlikable. Add in that he wears the belt backwards so you can see he’s champ and kiss his ass, everything fits… except the lyrics to the song. Oh well, they aren’t said often and don’t kick in until late so this is still *** ½.
The Necro Butcher “Won’t Back Down†by Tom Petty. I don’t care if this is his regular music or if he ever uses it again, but he’s used it twice now (A New Level and recently against Jacobs) so I’m counting it. It’s perfect for the hillbilly hardcore brawler and strikes the perfect chord between toughness and silliness for a face Necro Butcher. **** and only so low until it’s definitely his regular music. Book it Gabe!
Adam Pearce “Black Betty†by Ram Jam. This is a cool song and Pearce, with his smug general heelishness draws great heat, but it really has no character importance whatsoever. At least it sounds good and Pearce sells the heelishness well regardless. It could be better, but it could be a lot worse (see Jigsaw). It’s an old school southern rock song for an old school southern heel. *** Bam-a-lam.
Davey Richards “Running with the Devil†by Van Halen Intro into “Charisma†by WASP. The intro is immediately recognizable and breaks into an solid rocksong that seems to compliment Davey’s charisma well, creating a buzz as he comes out intensely looking about to the song’s tense singing. All of this creates a really cool effect for good, if not immediately memorable theme music. *** ½ because as a heel he needs it to draw a response without cheers and it does that.
Ruckus “We Fly High†by Jim Jones. Giving this to Ruckus would have made a lot of sense and been awesome and fitting for many reasons, not least of which is that he’s a high flier who smokes a lot of weed, but for ROH fans it will always be the song Homicide used when he finally dethroned Bryan Danielson at Final Battle 2006 and the song has to lose points for that. ** ½ because even though it works, I still think of Homicide every time.
Kevin Steen “Tear Away†by Drowning Pool. This intense rock song fits Steen really well, but it isn’t immediately notable how. That’s because the lyrics are rather muffled and Steen, at first, didn’t do anything to emphasize the chorus of “I don’t care about anyone else but me!†which fits his heel-in-face’s-clothing persona to a tee. It’s obviously not entirely true, as he cares about Generico, but only begrudgingly and with an attitude. He wants attention at all times and this song fits that, I just wish it was more focused. ***.
Erick Stevens “Cowboys from Hell†by Pantera. The guitar in this is really good and should get the crowd riled up, but doesn’t. Stevens comes out a ball of barely pent-up fire, and the crowd remains lukewarm. Perhaps something more distinctive would help this formerly badass mo-hawked warrior connect with the fans. * ½ because this song and his entrance should go really well, but sadly, it just doesn’t come together.
Roderick Strong Boondock Saints intro into “The Fighter†by Jim Klein and Scott Schreer. Well, the entire song is wildly generic as is the rest of Roderick’s entrance besides the Boondock Saints intro. For a top guy, he really needs something more. ** and those two are because IT WAS A FIRE FIGHT!
Larry Sweeney “More More More†by the Andrea True Connection. Sweeney is all about “More More More†and this cheesy 80s tune fits him like a glove. It allows for his strutting around and corny attire to seem fitting. He’s a loud agent with greasy hair and a sports jacket. What does he want? More More More. **** because even if you don’t find it hilarious (I do), you’ll find it terribly annoying, like Sweeney himself.
Rhett Titus Rhett Titus mix of “Addicted to Love†by Robert Palmer. Titus with his arrogant, Rick Rude-esque gimmick has the absolute perfect song. After addicted to love, voiced over the track is a hilarious sounding “Rhett Titus†and it fits his egocentrism so perfectly that “Addicted to Love†became is nickname. **** for doing such a superb job helping him be the most over student.
