The Contentious Ten 11.21.11: Top 10 Wrestler Entrances

Hello, and welcome to The Contentious Ten! My name is Nick Bazar, and I thank you for clicking.

A memorable wrestling entrance can often overshadow an entire wrestler’s career. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, I don’t know, but it sure says something about the importance of an entrance in wrestling. Remember that magician guy who came out with mime makeup on and pulled a long silver string from his mouth? I forget his name, but that entrance has stuck with me. Anyway, over the years, a number of wrestlers have been saddled with truly memorable entrances. Entrances that you can watch again and again; ones that never get old. This list looks at such wrestler entrances. And so, the Top Ten Best Wrestler Entrances…

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DDPsize=6>

Being that half the WCW roster usually came out to a variation of the nWo porno music as part of the same “cool heel” entrance, there really wasn’t much to say about WCW wrestler entrances. Sure, you had Sting who would propel down the ceiling every once in a while, but that wasn’t a regular part of his entrance. One guy’s entrance who always stood out to me in WCW was Diamond Dallas Page. It was always energetic, always upbeat and always got the crowd on their feet. From the explosive demonstration of the popular “Bang!” hand symbol at the beginning, to the way he would make his way from the entrance ramp, through the crowd and finally to the ring, it was always a sight to see. Many times, he would even stop in the crowd to join them in a collective “Bang!” taunt. It was his unique way of showing he was the People’s Champion.

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Goldustsize=6>

It looks like a scene from a Hollywood movie. How cool is that? From the change to a letterbox format and the flashing of “Shattered Dreams Productions” at the beginning to the golden lighting in the arena and the gold glitter falling from the ceiling, it all fits the Goldust character perfectly. Even the way he makes his way to the ring during his entrance is awesome. The long blonde wig, the big golden robe, the fireworks- it’s brilliant. And who could forget his suggestive gestures as he takes off the wig and robe and poses on the ropes? It’s all a huge part of what made the Goldust character so successful from the beginning, and what continues to make him intriguing every time he comes out for his next WWE comeback. It’s always a fun entrance to watch, and never fails to set the mood for a Goldust match. Let’s hope we get him back in the ring sooner or later.

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Eddie Guerrerosize=6>

We’ve seen wrestlers come to the ring in mobile mini-rings, limousines and even ATVs, but for me, none was cooler than when Eddie Guerrero would show up in a low-rider. It was a staple during the last few years of his wrestling career, and one of those awesome entrances you just never forget about. His music would hit and before you knew it, there was Eddie, cruising in a colorful low-rider, jamming to the beat of his entrance theme. Even if the rearview mirror was adorned with a couple of big fuzzy dice, he still looked cool. Then, once he reached the ramp, he would start working the hydraulics and the low-rider would start bouncing. But obviously, that wasn’t it- Eddie still had to make his way to the ring! He would do it the only way he knew how, waving his arms to the music and getting the crowd to join in with him. Just an awesome entrance that I wish we could still experience today.

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Alberto Del Riosize=6>

This is probably my favorite entrance among the current crop of wrestlers. Everything about it fits the Alberto Del Rio character so well that it’s hard for it not to get some kind of reaction out of you. From the endless number of gorgeous cars he pulls up in and the “golden shower” that goes off behind him as he poses on the ramp, to the annoyingly confident grin that’s plastered on his face the entire time, it’s a simply fantastic entrance for The Mexican Aristocrat. All that alone would make for a terrific entrance, but what really puts it over-the-top is Ricardo Rodriguez- Del Rio’s personal ring announcer. While the entrance is taking place, we have the loud and proud voice of Rodriguez glaring over the elegant music, singing the praises of Del Rio. It’s obnoxious and screams “I’m better than you”- a perfect fit for a great wrestling character. I’m glad they stuck with the pairing because when it first debuted, I didn’t think the WWE would make it a long-term thing.

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Ultimate Warriorsize=6>

This is definitely the simplest entrance on the list, but also one of the most effective. Everything about it works, and it exudes everything the Ultimate Warrior character was about. With the furious roar of his entrance music blasting behind him, Warrior would burst from the curtain and run- seemingly at 100mph- to the ring. It was almost as if there was a flash of whatever color his wrestling gear was that night weaving through the ramp all the way to the ring. Chris Jericho once humorously said that Warrior would be blown up even before his match would start- now that’s intensity. Once inside the ring, he would grab and violently shake the ropes to the crowd’s delight. Say what you want about him as a man, but Warrior “the performer” always brought that raw intensity with him- an intensity that was hard for anyone to match. It’s what made his entrances a true spectacle to watch, and what made him the popular character he became.

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The Broodsize=6>

If there was ever a really creepy wrestling entrance, it belonged to The Brood. Led by Gangrel, he and his minions would literally emerge from a ring of fire on the entrance stage floor. That’s the kind of description that even sounds cool in written words. Describe that to a non-wrestling fan without showing them the video and they would still agree it was cool. Even better, that was only the first few seconds of the entrance! What followed was the group making their way down the ramp under harsh deep red lighting, almost foreshadowing what was coming next. Once at the ring steps, Gangrel would raise his goblet to his mouth, drink and spit blood into the audience. Was it really blood? Who cares. The imagery was there, and it was a sight that stuck with you- one you wanted to see again. It was without a doubt one of the most memorable entrances of not only the Attitude Era, but of all time. Quite the accomplishment for a relatively short-lived vampire group.

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D-Generation Xsize=6>

In my opinion, this is best group/tag team entrance in wrestling. It never fails to get me hyped up, which is one of the main purposes of a good entrance. The entrance itself builds with the musical theme in the background. You get the “calm before the storm” so to speak with the quiet drums in the beginning as the audience is showered in green and black lighting. It eventually breaks down and the members of D-Generation X come out. The entrance video is spliced into live video footage of the members making their way to the ring- it’s pretty intense and really, one of those Epilepsy warnings beforehand wouldn’t be out of place. Still, it’s awesomely unique. The best part is still to come though, as the group enters the ring and performs the infamous crotch chops with green “X” fireworks shooting off behind them. Again, freaking awesome. If Triple H was there, he would then finish off the entrance with a classic “Let’s get ready to Suck It!” followed by another member doing the “Two words for ya” shtick. How can a wrestling fan not like this?

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The Sandmansize=6>

While most of the entrances listed above exemplified the character they belonged to, this entrance exemplified an entire wrestling organization. If anyone were to ask me what ECW was about, one of the first things I’d show them would be The Sandman’s entrance. It showed off the kind of personalities that made ECW unique, the grungy atmosphere present at all ECW shows and the extreme rabid nature of the hardcore ECW fans. Speaking of the fans, they would sing along with Sandman’s “Enter Sandman” theme music during his entrance. I mean come on, that along should justify this entrance’s position on the list. On top of that, you have a slightly (?) intoxicated Sandman making his way through the crowd with a kendo stick and several beers in hand. Some of the beers would be shared with other fans, some would be taken back by Sandman himself but all of the cans would end up bashed over his forehead. The result? A bloody Sandman before the opening bell.

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Hulk Hogansize=6>

Arguably the most classic wrestling entrance of all time. I’ve said it before, the stuff he does during his entrance is about 75% of what makes Hulk Hogan, Hulk Hogan. It’s the epitome of showmanship. I know it’s easy to pick on Hogan these days, but how jaded a wrestling fan do you have to be to hate the Hogan entrance? The intense walk, the finger waving, the ripping of the shirt, the ear cupping- absolutely classic. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is what the majority of people around the world associate with wrestling. A lot of people don’t know a thing about wrestling, but they know Hogan; they know the Hogan entrance. Because of that, it’s hard to overstate the importance and the popularity of this entrance. It singlehandedly brings many wrestling fans back to the 80s when they were a child; back to when “wrestling was good.” That has to be worth something.

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The Undertakersize=6>

While the Hulk Hogan entrance is likely the most well-known in all of wrestling, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best. For me, nothing beats The Undertaker’s entrance. Every bit as classic as Hogan’s, Taker’s entrance is the first thing many wrestling fans think of when they think of The Phenom. Sure, he’s got the undefeated streak at Wrestlemania, the legendary Tombstone piledriver, Paul Bearer, the urn, the stint as an American Badass- all of that is a huge part of his legacy, but his entrance is just as important, if not more so. I don’t think any entrance in wrestling will ever top it. Hell, can you think of any entrance, anywhere, that’s more epic? If you’ve never experienced it live, you’re missing out. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still fantastic on television, but nothing compares to watching it live. It sends chills up your spine. It’s an experience unlike anything you’ll feel in wrestling. I don’t know how else to put it, it’s spectacular. You have the dark purple lighting, the fog, the intimidating walk, the bursts of fire, the hat, the trenchcoat and even a slew of creepy ass druids on special occasions. What more could you ask for out of a wrestling entrance? Please, this is epic. It is, in my opinion, the best wrestling entrance of all time.

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