A sports entertainer's entrance is their calling card. It is the real life version of Batman's bat signal. You do not have to be a great wrestler to have a great entrance...but it damn sure helps. As WrestleMania 29 continues to draw near, we take a look at some of the most important entrances in the history of the industry. A combination of anticipation, crowd reaction, production and overall cool factor is what separates the good from the great trots to the squared circle.
A sports entertainer's entrance is their calling card. It is the real life version of Batman's bat signal. You do not have to be a great wrestler to have a great entrance...but it damn sure helps. As WrestleMania 29 continues to draw near, we take a look at some of the most important entrances in the history of the industry. A combination of anticipation, crowd reaction, production and overall cool factor is what separates the good from the great trots to the squared circle.
25. Kurt Angle
Event: WrestleMania 22
Date: 4/2/2006
Angle is one of the most decorated athetes ever to compete in a WWE ring. In the Olympic gold medalist's final WrestleMania match, he entered the ring to his familiar and celebratory tune with some added pyro that matched his intensity.
24. Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat
Event: All Day
Date: Every Day
Who are the five greatest wrestlers of all-time? Think about it. Steamboat, Steamboat, Steamboat, Steamboat and Steamboat. Because he spits hot fire. Lawdamercy.
23. Brock Lesnar
Event: Monday Night Raw
Date: 4/2/2012
John Cena returned to Monday Night Raw to offer his WrestleMania opponent from the night before, The Rock, a humble congratulations. What he got instead was the return of the former WWF and UFC Heavyweight Champion, Brock Lesnar. The American Airlines Arena was full to the brim of wrestling stans all over the world still in town from WrestleMania and the crowd reaction to Lesnar's familiar guitar riff caused an eruption rarely heard since the "Attitude Era."
22. Chris Jericho
Event: WCW Fall Brawl
Date: 9/13/1998
Chris Jericho's genius toiled away in the mid-card of the WCW before he finally struck it big in the WWE in 1999. However, this gem of an entrance based off of the movie, Spinal Tap, featured the World Television Champion imitating Bill Goldberg and getting lost on the way to the ring. C'mon baby!
21. New Jack
Event: Unknown
Date: Unknown
New Jack wasn't so much a wrestler as much as he was just a thug who happened to get paid to beat the piss out of people. The "Orignal Gangsta" and former bounty hunter knew about five more wrestling moves than you and I, but he'd head to the ring with a shopping cart full of weapons and cans of whoop-ass. He'd also have "Natural Born Killaz" blaring throughout the entire match. How gangsta is that?
20. Rob Van Dam and John Cena
Event: ECW One Night Stand
Date: 6/11/2006
To truly appreciate this entrance, you have to watch the contrasting wrestlers. Rob Van Dam was the most beloved wrestler in the history of ECW to not win the company's world title. John Cena is pretty much everything that Extreme Championship Wrestling is against. In RVD's first shot at the WWE Championship, he cashed in his "Money In The Bank" contract to fight Cena at ECW's One Night Stand and while Van Dam was showered with adoration, Cena was booed out of the building. This also saw the debut of the now customary "If Cena Wins, We Riot" sign. Something tells us that this was more of a promise than an empty threat that night in the Hammerstein Ballroom.
19. Triple H
Event: WrestleMania 25
Date: 4/5/2009
Triple H's entrance is always pretty intimidating, but he took it next level at WrestleMania 25. Hunter and his trademark hammer broke the glass everywhere, and if it wasn't about the title he just didn't care.
18. Ultimate Warrior
Event: WrestleMania 6
Date: 4/1/1990
The Ultimate Warrior was one of the most popular superstars in the history of pro wrestling. Was he a great wrestler? Hell no. However, the reason you and thousands of people paid to see him was to watch his spastic entrance that included a full mad dash to the ring and wild rope shake. His entrance music matched his frantic sprint through the Toronto Skydome.
17. The Rock
Event: Monday Night Raw
Date: 6/17/2002
The Internet was a buzz shortly before Monday Night Raw as company franchise, Stone Cold Steve Austin abruptly left the company due to creative differences with Vince McMahon. According to reports, Austin was scheduled to job Brock Lesnar on free television, a move that pissed Austin off. Throughout the show, McMahon's cronies searched high and low for Austin only to be met with disappointment. As the show was winding to a close, they had finally told McMahon that he was here.
However, the he they were talking about wasn't Stone Cold, but the returning Dwayne Johnson. Rock wasn't scheduled to return for another month while he was out promoting his latest movie, The Scorpion King. However, the suddenly depleted roster needed Rock's star power and he came through to the surprise of everyone.
16. D-Generation X
Event: Summerslam
Date: 8/23/2009
D-Generation X made their triumphant return to action at the 2009 Survivor Series. The old timers rounded up the troops and entered the Staples Center in Los Angeles on a tank and a ton of firepower behind them. Bow to the masters.
15. Triple H
Event: WrestleMania 27
Date: 4/3/2011
The Game took his second shot at ending The Undertaker's undefeated WrestleMania streak with a bad ass gladiator entrance courtesy of Metallica's "For Whom The Bell Tolls."
14. Shawn Michaels and DX
Event: WrestleMania 14
Date: 3/29/1998
Michaels, Hunter and Chyna would grace WWE camera's as a trio for the final time at WrestleMania 14. HBK dedicated the match to Earl Hebner (see: The Montreal Screwjob), as "The Showstopper" was wrestling on a broken back, a match that was supposed to be his final one. Grimacing in pain (and hopped up on multiple pain killers according to DVDs) HBK gutted out one last performance while being introduced by the DX Band.
13. The Sandman
Event: ECW Arena
Date: 10/23/1999
The most electric entrance in the history of Extreme Championship Wrestling belonged to The Sandman. He made his return to the company in late 1999 with his cane and his beer prepared to kick ass and take names. The Sandman swung for the fences as he hit the ring as the crowd sung Metallica's biggest single in loud unison. "Off to Never Neverland."
12. Stone Cold Steve Austin
Event: WrestleMania 17
Date: 4/1/2001
In the greatest main event in the greatest pay-per-view of all-time, arguably the company's greatest star entered Houston's Reliant Astrodome with one of the biggest home-field advantages in 'Mania history. The Victoria, TX native entered the staidum in typical badass fashion with an aggressive Disturbed-performed version of his familiar theme music.
11. Goldberg
Event: WCW Monday Nitro
Date: 7/6/1998
Former Atlanta Falcon and undefeated United States Champion, BIll Goldberg, was the main attraction at what would be the biggest episode of Monday Nitro in history. "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan was to defend his WCW World Heavyweight Championship against Goldberg in a nearly sold-out Georgia Dome. Roughly 40,000 wrestling fans packed in the stadium to watch Goldberg's 108th match. The rare world championship bout on free television set ratings records and solidified Goldberg's run as one of the biggest draws in pro wrestling history.
10. The Miz
Event: WrestleMania 27
Date: 4/3/2011
The WrestleMania 27 main event was among one of the wackest in history. What is long forgotten though is that this event had some of the best entrances in the company's history. Former Real World cast member and WWE Champion at the time, The Miz, entered the Georgia Dome to one of the most brilliantly made vignettes in recent memory. Over Nas' "Hate Me Now," Mizanin's journey from fan to reality star to champion is showcased in this awesome (pun) video.
9. The Undertaker
Event: WrestleMania 25
Date: 4/5/2009
A contrast to Shawn Michaels' born again lifestyle and descending from the heavens with his entrance, Undertaker rose from the depths of Hell as he entered the ring. Going for his 17th straight victory at WrestleMania, "The Deadman's" deliberate march to the ring will forever be one of the coolest things in all of sports entertainment.
8. Shawn Michaels
Event: WrestleMania 25
Date: 4/5/2009
Mr. WrestleMania had been playing mind games with The Deadman during the weeks heading into the 25th installement of the "Showcase of the Immortals." Aiming to end "The Streak," Shawn capped it all off dressed as the Alpha to Taker's Omega in a white themed Undertaker outfit as he descended from the heavens for another memorable entrance. The Heartbreak Kid and The Undertaker would go on to put on one of the greatest 'Mania matches of all-time.
7. John Cena
Event: WrestleMania 27
Date: 4/3/2011
John Cena always comes correct when he makes his entrance to WrestleMania. Whether he came dressed as a mobster, had help from US Marines, led by a marching band or slammed through glass at Ford Field, Cena always goes big at the "Showcase of the Immortals." Sparked by a prayer from DMX's And Then There Was X album, an Atlanta gospel choir took us to church before the Chain Gang leader sprinted to the ring. The best of the best.
6. Ric Flair
Event: The Great American Bash
Date: 7/5/1986
Ric Flair's "Styling & Profiling" ways wasn't just a gimmick. The OG of swag, Ric Flair, entered the Great American Bash in 1986 for his title defense against Ricky Morton by way of a helicopter after being flanked by some lovely ladies and some flashy pyrotechnics. Wooooooo!
5. The Undertaker
Event: WrestleMania 27
Date: 4/3/2011
The Undertaker has made plenty of memorable WrestleMania entrances, but WrestleMania 27 might be the one that takes the cake. With fans and spectators alike starting to come to grips that Taker really isn't immortal, the veteran superstar made his appearances extra special. No longer an active competitor, Taker only competes to keep his undefeated WrestleMania streak alive. Ditching his familiar ominous theme music for his battle against Triple H, Taker entered the arena to the tune of Johnny Cash's "Ain't No Grave." It was a different, yet fitting theme for the "Last Outlaw."
4. The nWo
Event: WCW Monday Nitro
Date: 6/16/1997
If you want to encapsulate just how real WCW was when they were really riding around and gettin' it, all you have to do is watch this epic entrance and introduction to Monday Nitro on June 16, 1997. The scene starts with Jimi Hendrix's "Voo Doo Child" making it's debut as Hulk Hogan's theme song as a long black limo pulled into Chicago's United Center.
In the limo contained WCW President Eric Bischoff, Hogan, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, Sean Waltman, and..wait, is that Dennis F**king Rodman?! The "rat pack" as Bobby Heenan called them made their way to the arena amidst some epic fireworks and the legendary Michael Buffer announcing their arrival. This was so damn based but in hindsight, as the company went bankrupt, it was totally understandable.
3. CM Punk
Event: Money In The Bank 2011
Date: 7/17/2011
The back story about this entrance goes far in explaining why this entrance was so badass. When real life and pro wrestling life tie into each other, you'll get an unpredictability that is rarely seen in today's know-it-all wrasslin' fan. Weeks before Punk's shot at the WWE title against John Cena, the WWE (for whatever reason) gave Punk a microphone and some live air time to pretty much say whatever the hell he felt like saying before his contract was (legitimately) set to expire. The "E" is known to let some of its top tier stars get their rocks off on the microphone before their release as evident with Jeff Hardy and Batista's recent releases. But this was different.
Punk went to town on everything that pissed him off during his tenure in the WWE and nobody was safe, including Cena, The Rock, The Miz, John Laurinitis, Triple H and the entire McMahon family. He also managed to toss in some shoutouts to Ring of Honor (mark!) and best buddy Colt Cabana. Right before he was about to snap on the 'Be A Star' campaign, his mic cut off. After that, Punk was everywhere from ESPN to Fox News talking about his promo.
Buzz was at an all-time high when Punk entered the ring for his WWE Title match, a bout where he threatened to win the company's biggest prize and walk out of the company. Oh, not to mention the Pay-Per-View was in his hometown of Chicago, a huge wrestling hotbed. The rest, as they say, is history.
2. Chris Jericho
Event: Monday Night Raw
Date: 8/9/1999
It's hard to make a better first impression than Chris Jericho did at his debut for the WWE/F. Perennially held down in WCW while the big dogs like the nWo, Sting and Goldberg ran the company; Jericho's explosive debut shot him directly into the main event scene. With a countdown that lasted weeks before his debut, playing into the Y2K paranoia (remember that?), Y2J interrupted The Rock with intense pyrotechnics, awesome entrance music and a badass pose that evoked a crowd reaction that has still yet to be topped. Pro Wrestling was never, eeeeeeeeeeeeever, the same again.
1. Shawn Michaels
Event: WrestleMania 12
Date: 3/31/1996
The WWF strapped a rocket to Shawn Michaels' back during WrestleMania 12 and never looked back. Right before his classic Iron Man Match with Bret "The Hitman" Hart, HBK jumped off of the Arrowhead Pond and slid all the way down into the crowd in the single most greatest entrance of all time.