The 10 Best WWE Entrance Themes

Winter has come and gone, and the Gorilla Post springs back to life with a guest blogger: Some of you may remember (I like to pretend I have a constant readership) the one and only Abhishek Sen, who has collaborated with me on this blog before (http://from-parts-unknown.blogspot.in/2012/01/new-years-special-12-suggestions-for.html). 

The Shillong City Saint is back for a special appearance, and today he will tell us about his favourite WWE entrance themes of all time. If you wonder why he is an authority on the subject, a look at his excellent music blog should convince you: http://scene-unsorted.blogspot.in/

Here, without further ado, is the man's list in his words, and in no particular order:

Hulk Hogan

The very first instance I can recollect of a gimmick in a song. Hogan's theme of 'Real American' resonated with the character he portrayed in the '80s. When he preached about saying your prayers and eating your vitamins, kids in Reagan's America believed him. And therein lay the influence of the song. It brought in massive mainstream appeal (see the promos of the first two Wrestlemanias) and made wrestling accessible to the 12-20 year demographic, something which was lacking before he came along.

Kurt Angle

Before there was hustle, loyalty and respect, there were the three I's—intelligence, integrity and intensity. It was about winning. It was about glory. And what better way to signify that than the powerful sounds of the trumpet? What's even better is that Angle's theme song allowed crowd participation with the famous "You Suck" chants. But Kurt Angle didn't suck. He went out and gave us some of the best wrestling matches we'll ever see. And when that victory came, he fell to his knees, the trumpets sounded - and it was glorious.

Stone Cold Steve Austin

*Glass Shatters* - Cue all hell breaking loose. The perfect set up for a superstar who defined the Attitude Era and this theme song sets the tone for the beer-drinking, McMahon-stunnering, mudhole-stomping, finger-waving, ass-whooper that he was. He said what he was going to do. He did it. And his theme song is the soundtrack to the chaos that many fans want to relive over and over again. 

Utimate Warrior

Warrior was, in one word, intense. That's the first thought that comes to mind when this theme song hits. The Ultimate Warrior would capture the electricity and excitement of this song by sprinting down the ramp and running around the ring, eventually climbing into it and shaking the ropes in a frenzy that can only be described as ultimate. Perhaps an exaggeration, but it's only fitting of his wildly random interviews. 

Chris Jericho

The countdown, the darkness, the explosions, and then the outstreched arms. I always loved him in WCW and it was a huge moment for the 12-year old me to see Chris Jericho make his debut in WWE. Another example of a wrestler's persona in a theme song. Also I always wondered why Jericho never used any of Fozzy's songs as his theme (even though TNA used 'Enemy' in one of their shite PPVs) and I realised he does not need to. His theme is so iconic, and tongue in cheek, that it says everything about the guy. Sample : "You can be my Judas. I'll be your Priest." (Judas Priest reference. Get it? *nudge nudge wink wink*)

D Generation X / New Age Outlaws

Even though these themes are not really that great from a musical standpoint, this was the very first instance of crowd involvement in the WWE. The crowds sang along, chanted and went completely bonkers when these themes played. Mind you this is before the age of Fandangoing, hashtags and viral marketing. The effectiveness of these themes resonate even in the PG era, as the crowds still go completey insane when either of the themes hit the PA. 

Edge

Everything about Edge screams excitement. I loved his old theme 'You think you know me', as it suited the antihero/vampire thing he had going on. I feel he came into his own as a complete singles wrestler after his heel turn and his self-anointment as the Rated R Superstar. The lyrics says everything that Edge's character was. He had paid his dues for 8 long years and finally he was taking what was his. By any means necessary. Metalingus indeed.

CM Punk

The voice of the voiceless has played an integral part in the rise of indie stars in the WWE. Bringing forward a hard-nosed work ethic and actual wrestling skills, the Second City Saint has been instrumental in changing what a 'wrestler' should be like in this generation. What sets him apart is his briliant choice in music (one of the many things we have in common, love of comic books being another one). Be it the cerebral-sounding 'Miseria Cante' from his ROH days, to 'This Fire Burns' by KSE to his current theme, CM Punk's themes say a lot about the person he is. Zero gimmicks. He is the Cult of Personality and it shows by his frequent 4th-wall breaching pipebombs, his Muay Thai inspired style and his rabid fans. Never to shy away from being a complete awesome dude that he is, the cherry on the cake was getting the notoriously media shy Living Color to actually perform the song for him this Wrestlemania. Says a lot about his drawing power  and, ironically, his popularity in the mainstream media.

Vince McMahon

El Heffe. The Boss. An interesting fact is that before his feud with Austin, he always walked out to the Raw theme. He changed his theme during the feud to 'No Chance' as a message to Austin that he apparently had no chance in regaining the smoking skull belt (which served as the WWE title back then). The very first instance I can remember where a theme song was in fact created to add an extra dimension to a character and add more color (for a lack of a better word) to the feud.  It was so effective that the theme has stuck with McMahon till this day regardless of whether he is playing a heel or a face.

The Undertaker

The ominous gong. You don't even have to be a wrestling fan to know that the The Phenom is coming and the end is nigh. The theme song alone adds to the aura of what the Deadman is and still sends a chill down the spine of seasoned wrestling fans. Even though he had kickass themes in his various avatars since making his debut in 1991, ranging from the brilliant 'You're Gonna Pay', to the cringe-worthy 'Rollin', it all pales in comparison to that extra dimension that this classic theme adds to his overall persona. The Demon of Death Valley indeed. 

Triple H

Motorhead. Nuff said.

Raw Review: 15th April 2013 - The Ryback Rises

Brief thoughts about each segment on the latest episode of Raw:

• Randy Orton/Sheamus defeat Big Show: It is unusual to see a heel booked on the wrong side of a handicap match, but JBL's commentary sold the story well. This was a good match to start off the show, but I am still wondering where this angle is heading since Sheamus looks set for a feud with Mark Henry. An Orton-Big Show singles rivalry would be a strange way to set up the heel turn that Randy Orton desperately needs. 6/10
• Brock Lesnar decimates 3MB and issues a challenge to Triple H: The execution of this angle was excellent. Lesnar can dish out a beating like nobody else, and Paul Heyman continues to be invaluable in selling ordinary storylines with his mic skills. However, while the segment itself was compelling, I am not among those looking forward to another Lesnar-Triple H match. With Lesnar working 3 to 4 matches a year, I'd rather see him in as many fresh rivalries as possible. 8/10
• Kofi Kingston defeats Antonio Cesaro for the US Championship: Good match, bad decision. I can't believe Kofi Kingston continues to be stuck in the cycle of winning and losing secondary championships, and I can't believe how much Antonio Cesaro's stock continues to fall on television. After repeatedly losing in non-title matches and being left off Wrestlemania, he has now lost his title in such throwaway fashion. I would like to believe that this will be the start of better things for both performers, but I have a feeling it would be too optimistic to do so. 7/10
• Jack Swagger interrupts title match, injures Del Rio: None of this is interesting me. Apart from the cash-in moment, Ziggler as champion has not felt special, and I am tired of Swagger's act. However, the Triple Threat they are building up to should be a good match. 5/10
• Team Hell No defeats Prime Time Players: The same old match. 4/10
• Ryback Explains His Heel Turn: I was surprised how good this was. WWE did a really nice job making it look like this feud has been brewing for months. Ryback's explanation was quite logical, and the video clips added credibility to his words. Full marks to Ryback as well for graduating from simplistic, catchphrase-oriented promos to something more meaningful. 8/10
• R-Truth defeats Wade Barrett: WWE really needs to come up with more creative ways of starting feuds for their secondary titles than having the champion lose non-title matches to new challengers. 4/10
• Teddy Long gives 'Bricky' the idea for Jack Swagger vs. Dolph Ziggler: The strangely interesting Booker-Teddy saga continues. Teddy, Vickie and Brad Maddox did a nice job in this segment. 7/10
• Team Rhodes Scholars defeat The Great Khali/Santino Marella: Damien Sandow and Cody Rhodes must be feeling quite low at this time, having being shunted off Mania and having no visible creative direction. The match itself was standard stuff. 5/10
• Fandango Talks: This was WWE's attempt to maintain the momentum of 'Fandangoing' without turning Fandango into a babyface. I can see what they were going for on paper, but the segment just didn't translate well live. 5/10
• Jack Swagger defeats Dolph Ziggler: Dolph Ziggler continues to lose despite winning the title. I hope he is not booked as a Rey Mysterio-type of vulnerable world champion, although that's what the rumours say. 6/10
• Mark Henry steamrolls Sheamus during backstage interview: That's what Mark Henry does. 7/10
• CM Punk walks off: Even when Punk is taking time off, he does it in the most interesting manner. He deserves the break, and his return should be intriguing to say the least. 8/10
• Booker T continues to lose patience with Teddy Long: And I continue to be interested by this angle. 7/10
• Nikki Bella defeats Kaitlyn: The third champion to lose a non-title match on the same night? You must be joking. 4/10
• John Cena Calls Out Ryback, Gets Attacked by the Shield as Ryback Looks On: This was a very effective segment, although Cena did not logically refute any of Ryback's accusations. However, we got to see the serious and intense Cena, who is exponentially better than goofy Cena. Ryback has undeniable presence, and can get away with not speaking during a promo such as this. His walking away while the Shield pummeled Cena cemented his heel turn. I think he could be compelling as a monster heel, but it will be interesting to see how they handle the 'Feed Me More' chants. 7/10

Overall Rating: 6.12/10

Best Performers: 1) Ryback 2) John Cena 3) Kofi Kingston

Time to Break the Streak?

This is not about whether The Undertaker's 20-match Wrestlemania winning streak will be broken this Sunday by CM Punk, because it won't. WWE has all but extinguished any doubt about the result by making this rivalry an extended tribute to the recently deceased Paul Bearer. Punk has plumbed the depths of villainy to dishonour the memory of the Undertaker's former manager. Taker has fumed and seethed, but much to his frustration has not been able to give Punk the beating he deserves. There is no way this storyline doesn't end with the disrespectful villain getting his comeuppance at the hands of the furious legend. So this is not about whether Undertaker will lose to Punk - this is about whether he should.

Not since Randy Orton squared off against the Deadman eight Wrestlemanias ago has there been such a strong calling from hardcore fans to end the most famous streak in wrestling history. Since then, The Undertaker has faced Mark Henry, Batista and Edge on the grandest stage, and famously taken on Shawn Michaels and Triple H twice each. We knew Undertaker would win those matches, and accepted it without fuss. So what is different about Punk?

Professional wrestling works on a well-established model. Over time, a series of victories over increasingly high-profile opponents gives a wrestler credibility in the audience's eyes. When the wrestler has proven his ability to draw crowds, he becomes a star. He will be featured in main events where he will mostly win to protect his stardom. But after a while, he does not need victories because the audience has come to respect him for his tenure. He can now lose matches, and does so - usually to elevate new performers and build their credibility so they can be future stars. The cycle continues.

In such an environment, winning streaks are wasted opportunities. This is not a real sport. For example, it is of little use for a wrestler to win his retirement match and go out on top when he can lose and give someone the opportunity of bragging about ending his career. He can help make a star on his way out. Personal records have no meaning in pro wrestling.

And so, the greatest personal record is also the greatest opportunity. In his 22-year career in WWE, the Undertaker has won 20 matches at Wrestlemania, and lost none. It is an incredible figure that will probably never again be matched. "The Streak" is arguably WWE's best ever storyline and certainly its longest-running: It has played out over twenty years as one challenger after another have tried and failed to make a name for themselves by ending the Undertaker's dominance at Wrestlemania. But if the Undertaker retires with the Streak intact, who benefits from it? The Undertaker's legacy is already immortal, and is bigger than the Streak. His mystique is too massive to be diminished by one loss, even if it is the loss that ends his Streak. Won't WWE be squandering the chance to create a star for life? The person breaking the Streak would not only become a main eventer for the rest of his career and make WWE pots of money, he would probably instantly punch his ticket to the Hall of Fame.

But here's the tricky part. Whom can WWE rely on to shoulder the enormous responsibility of breaking the Streak? Veterans can be trusted, but they do not need the victory. Can the company ever put that much faith in any youngster? What if the audience rejects him? What if he decides to leave WWE for movies or mixed martial arts, as some who achieved early stardom have done? What if he makes poor personal choices and embarrasses the company? Ending the Streak is an enormous risk. Who can possibly be worth it?

If there is anyone, it just might be this man.

CM Punk is the most extraordinary talent to emerge in WWE in years. He calls himself "The Best in the World", and it is a very fair claim. He is definitely several miles ahead of anyone else in WWE at the moment. He is one of the very best in-ring performers in the world, and he is truly in a league of his own with the microphone. He will be remembered as one of the best talkers in history, maybe even the best. He is so brilliant with his acting that it doesn't even look like acting. He truly makes the audience believe that he means every word and gesture. In the 3-hour RAW episodes that abound with dull storylines, flat writing and one-dimensional characters, CM Punk is consistently the shining highlight. He is an artist who never disappoints.

Punk has long been an Internet darling, but after his famous "pipe-bomb" promo in 2011, he has caught fire with the larger WWE audience as well. When he was a babyface, he was cheered as much as John Cena, often more. He was the first person in a decade to beat Cena in merchandise sales - nobody had even come close for years. Now that he's a heel, nobody else gets nearly as much heat from the audience as he does. He can manipulate crowds at will. In short, CM Punk is over with the audience - he has established his credibility beyond doubt.

At 34, Punk is probably in the optimal phase of his career - he is neither too old to be considered the old guard, nor too young to be a rookie. He probably has 7 to 8 years of wrestling left in him, and that's a conservative estimate going by average career spans. And although CM Punk may be a rebel, he is a very good employee. He can be brash and outspoken, but with his clean lifestyle he will never be pulled over for drunk driving, suspended for drug abuse or found unconscious in a hotel room. He is not likely to be a liability to the company. If ever WWE had to bet on someone to beat the Streak and be able live up to it, they would have to bet on CM Punk.

But should WWE take this bet? The Undertaker's Streak was always a formidable thing, but it has taken on mythical proportions in the last four years with his awe-inspiring series of matches with Shawn Michaels and Triple H, which culminated in the spectacular Hell in a Cell encounter last year. CM Punk is many things, but he is not nearly as big a name as Michaels or Triple H. There is a very real possibility that a CM Punk victory would seem like an anticlimax to a story that probably peaked last year with the "End of an Era" match. This has been the best argument I have come across so far in favour of keeping the Streak alive. But I believe there is another, more important reason why the Streak shouldn't die - the Undertaker himself.

Many names are thrown around when the greatest WWE wrestlers of all time are discussed. Bruno Sammartino was WWF Champion for a total of around eight years. Hulk Hogan was the first to truly capture the imagination of a mass audience. Stone Cold Steve Austin was the hottest star at the hottest time in the industry's history. The Rock has achieved more crossover appeal than any other wrestler. The all-round abilities talents of Ric Flair, Randy Savage, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Kurt Angle, Chris Jericho and now CM Punk have seen them feature as regulars in the discussion.

I am a big fan of these great performers, but in my opinion nobody has come close to encapsulating what it means to be a professional wrestler more than the Undertaker.

Since his debut in 1990, the Undertaker has been a towering presence spanning multiple phases in wrestling- the colourful, over-the-top early 1990s, the Attitude Era that followed, the transition period in the early 2000s and the current PG Era - and he has been the one constant factor in all of them, without ever seeming anachronistic or out of date. He has portrayed two drastically different gimmicks - "The Deadman" and "The American Badass" with equal skill. He has won seven  world championships, seven tag team championships and a Royal Rumble. He has faced mat technicians, luchadors, high fliers and giants - and had great matches with them all. He moves with incredible speed and agility for a man standing 6 feet 10 inches tall and weighing 300 pounds. He has actually gotten better with age - wrestling one of the greatest Wrestlemania matches in history at the age of 47 last year. In addition to all this, he possesses unparalleled in-ring presence and definitely the best entrance in wrestling history.

But the Undertaker is not just a wrestler, he is a professional wrestler. This is one of the few men who stuck with WWE when Ted Turner's money was luring the biggest talent to rival company WCW in the 1990s. He is the only wrestler to have wrestled on the very 1st episode of Monday Night Raw (twenty years ago) to remain an active performer to this day. His contemporaries have retired (or been forced to), departed for other promotions or left to try their luck in Hollywood at other forms of entertainment. The Undertaker has been unwavering - a WWE wrestler through and through. He is renowned as a locker room leader, a rock for his peers to lean on and look up to during the ugliest moments in the company's history - the steroid trial in the 1990s, the Montreal Screwjob, the Chris Benoit tragedy. Stories of his physical toughness are legendary. To quote one - In the 2010 Elimination Chamber, his coat caught fire during his entrance. After dousing himself with water, he wrestled an intensely physical, 35-minute match with bad burns on his chest.

In his 23rd year with WWE, the Undertaker has not been associated with one single illicit affair, drug scandal, DUI arrest, bar brawl or backstage fight. He has never so much as given a controversial interview or taken a shot at a celebrity. He has as many incidences of unprofessional conduct on his record as he has losses at Wrestlemania - zero. Each of his peers has had at least some detractors - Ric Flair is crtiticized for his lifestyle, Shawn Michaels for his early drug problems, Bret Hart for taking himself too seriously, Steve Austin for his lack of longevity, and so on - The Undertaker is arguably the only wrestler in history to have commanded universal respect - from his employers, his peers and the fans.

I said earlier how the Streak would logically have to end given the traditions of professional wrestling, but the normal rules don't apply here. It's not that the Undertaker is bigger than wrestling, but he truly does encompass it. In a sense the Undertaker really is undefeated, because no other performer approaches his achievements. Just as Paul Bearer's urn symbolizes the Undertaker's soul, the Undertaker and his Streak have come to symbolize the soul of professional wrestling -unmarred by its creaking bones and scarred flesh. We fans spend the large part of our time complaining about all of wrestling's warts and moles - lackluster rosters, poorly written storylines, idiotic gimmicks or real-life controversies. But once a year, when that gong sounds, we are transported to the last surviving corner of purity in the industry, and we get to witness the very heights of what professional wrestling can be.

And so, the Streak must live on. Rest in peace, Punk.