When it comes to formulating and crafting a wrestling gimmick, it’s all about how you enter and exit the ring. Everything inside the ring during a match is of course the meat and potatoes of why we all love wrestling. But the sizzle that gets put on the steak goes to the flashy ring entrances.
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Sometimes there are some unique stories behind some of our favorite WWE and AEW superstars' entrances. Considering there are plenty of fans who also enjoy learning as much about how the sauce gets made almost as much as they love the in-ring action, there’s also going to be interesting Easter Egg stories to tell.
9 Seth Rollins - The Joker Stair Dance
One of the most nearly instantly iconic scenes in recent movie history was Joaquin Phoenix as The Joker strutting his stuff, dancing down the steps at Shakespeare and Anderson avenues at West 167th Street in the Bronx.
Several years ago when current World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins started laughing maniacally, plenty of fans immediately thought this was the look and gimmick he was going for as he entered the ring. It was all but confirmed during this past WrestleMania trailer featuring The Drip God letting loose doing his own version of the Joker Dance.
8 Rey Mysterio - Asking The Kids For Help
For over twenty years, Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio has been jumpin’ out of the sky on his way to WWE rings all across the world. As he comes to the ring, Mysterio makes a huge connection with little Rey-Rey fans who are wearing a mask of him.
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But it’s not just putting mask to mask together. Rey has said in interviews that he’s asking those young fans for help to overcome whatever obstacles he’s about to face.
7 CM Punk - It’s Clobberin’ Time
To the initiated fans of both comic books and wrestling, it’s easy to notice that CM Punk is a huge comic book fan. He’s even written a few during his career. As Cult Of Personality beams out through arenas across the globe, the iconoclastic Punk would bellow “It's Clobberin' Time!”
Similar to Marvel Comics’ ever-loving blue-eyed Thing. But there is a second meaning near and dear to Punk’s heart as well - it’s also a song from Punk Rock band Sick Of It All.
6 Orange Cassidy - Parody Of Entrance Videos
At first glance, Orange Cassidy is just a gimmick, and a gimmick fans either find amazing or incredibly annoying. But while plenty of commentators and storylines in AEW have been revolving around The Pillars - Orange is the real foundation at this point. His laid-back character works, solely because in the ring, he is anything but a comedy character.
He’s actually an accomplished wrestler and one who really knows his gimmick. Even the entrance video plays into how lackadaisical Orange is. His entrance video is just as lazily put together as his character with “put a cool move here” here title cards where cool moves should be.
5 The Macho Man - Pomp And Circumstance (Gorgeous George)
Every late spring around the neighborhoods of America, if you listen hard enough you can hear the entrance theme of The Macho Man, Pomp And Circumstance.
Well, you’re actually hearing the song because it is generally played during graduation ceremonies for nearly every school in the land. Randy isn’t even the first wrestler to use the song either. Years earlier, an idol of Savage’s, wrestling first flamboyant heel Gorgeous George had used it during his saunter to the ring.
4 The Elite - Fyter Fest Batista Parody
Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks simply do things their way. Sometimes that rubs old-school wrestling fans and insiders the wrong way. But that also could mean that The Elite is doing something right. Cosplay for example.
The Elite are avid video game fans and when they made their appearance at Fyter Fest, they were decked out in their best Street Fighter gear. An extra stormed the stage and did Batista’s old ring entrance before the lights went out and Kenny-as-Akuma delivered the Instant Hell Murder super move.
3 William Regal - Man’s Man Rib
While seldom seen together on screen, his Lordship William Regal and Bryan Danielson are very good friends. The mentor and mentee relationship became part of an AEW storyline for a short time before Regal headed back to WWE. When both men were part of the WWE years ago, they had squared off against each other at several House Shows.
During one of these instances, the playful American Dragon had the production truck fire up Regal's original “Man’s Man” theme for Regal as he headed to the ring.
2 Dijak - Sin City
DIjak is someone who has spent much of his entire run in NXT right on the cusp of hitting the upper echelon. He was called to the main roster before that could happen and floundered before heading back to the Black and Gold.
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He’s been rebuilding his reputation ever since. Part of that rep is building him up as a man of street justice, and that plays out through his new entrance. The TV screen goes black and white and rain starts to fall in the Performance Center. Looking like a cross between Marv and Hartigan, Dijak looks ready to dish out his brand of justice, Sin City style.
1 Finn Balor - Triple H Minion At WrestleMania 32
One of the most cinematic images in WrestleMania history comes from WrestleMania 32. Across a barren landscape, stiffing atop a throne made of the skulls and bones of the enemies he had slain, Triple H ruled.
The Authority demanded fealty from each and every single member of The WWE Universe. As he stomped to the ring the then WWE Champion was flanked by plenty of minions, each with their own WWE Title. One of those minions was actually none other than the then-current NXT Champion Finn Balor.
