20 most epic entrances of all time (2024)

Every Superstar makes an entrance, but these 20 turned a walk to the ring into an awe-inspiring experience.Presented by DiGiorno.

20

Gangrel

Vampires are pretty scary on their own, right? But Gangrel took everything about the vampire lifestyle and cranked it up.

As his eerie gothic music started up, the arena turned a gory shade of red and a ring of fire formed on the stage. Soon, the mysterious Gangrel rose up from the flames.

In some sort of mystic ceremony, he stood at the top of the ring steps, spitting out a viscous red liquid into the WWE Universe, dribbling some onto his white shirt.

If that’s not enough to make someone think twice about agreeing to the match, then what is?

19

Rey Mysterio

Rey Mysterio dazzled crowds all over the world with his high-flying style, so it’s only fitting that he entered in similar fashion.

Before matches, Mysterio was launched from the depths of the arena, up through the air before landing on the stage while fireworks simultaneously lit up the building.

What made his entrance stand out from his fellow Superstars, however, is the connection he made with the younger fans. Before he steps into battle, Mysterio seeks out children wearing his trademark masks and puts his head up against theirs, creating a very personal moment that the youngsters definitely remembered forever.

18

The Hardy Boyz

There’s comfort in the familiar. When those drums and bassline hit, purple light will bathe the arena and Jeff Hardy will come bounding through the curtain like his 20-year-old self while a wild-eyed Matt Hardy throws up the V1 and spreads his arms like a particularly ravenous beast.

It’s an entrance that hasn’t changed all that much since The Hardy Boyz first burst on the scene in The Attitude Era, but therein lies its power. Much like The Hardys themselves, it’s oft-imitated, but never duplicated, because there will always, only be two men who could ever do it right.

17

Bayley

Only Bayley’s opponents can watch her entrance without at least smirking a little bit, and she can’t help but have an ear-to-ear smile of her own. After all, she lives out a lifelong dream every time she walks through the curtain.

As her bubbly theme songs plays, Bayley bounces onto the stage, dancing happily before summoning a collection of wacky, waving, inflatable, arm-flailing tubemen — nicknamed “Bayley buddies.”

Bayley doesn’t need smoke or fire to intimidate opponents. That’s not even her mission. She’s living her dream, surpassing it and inspiring the next generation to dream just as big.

16

Bobby Roode

A blackened arena. A ringing piano chord. Actually, make that two piano chords. Actually, make that 1,000 piano chords, one million chords, chords beyond numeration and comprehension — or at least, that’s what it sounds like. Then, light. Blinding, inescapable light, the shimmering form of Bobby Roode on a spinning pedestal, and what sounds like a heavenly host bellowing the word “GLOOOOOORIOUS” with enough force to bring the house down.

It’s a simplistic entrance at its core — “man emerges from darkness” could apply to almost everyone on this list — but between Roode’s glistening swagger, the bombast of the theme and audience participation, it’s elevated into something more.

15

The Rock

From the moment The Rock’s catchphrase — “If ya smellllll … what The Rock is cookin’ ” — echoed throughout the arena, all eyes were on The Brahma Bull.

He walked down the aisle with more swagger than all of your favorite rappers combined before making a beeline for the ring post. He then climbed to the top rope and simply raised his arm, sending the millions and millions of his fans into a frenzy as flashbulbs lit up the ring.

Clearly, The Rock’s entrance played a huge part in his earning the nickname “The Most Electrifying Man in All of Entertainment.”

14

Shinsuke Nakamura

Some entrances just give you chills. From the moment the lights dim and the first chords of Shinsuke Nakamura’s theme erupt, you can feel the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.

Once the violin kicks in, the energy in the arena is so overwhelming that the crowd feels the need to sing-along — even though the song lacks lyrics. As WWE’s Rockstar glides down the aisle before hitting his signature pose at the perfect moment, you can sense the “big fight” feel.

Nakamura is still early into his WWE tenure, but it’s already clear that his arrivals will stand the test of time.

13

Naomi

From competing on the third season of WWE NXT to dancing as a Funkadactyl, Naomi had a long, hard-fought journey to becoming one of the most innovative champions in Women’s division history. Her entrance proves it.

The lights in the arena go out as the song builds, then the beat drops, and Naomi appears with her neon gear and green hair providing the only light in the building, which suddenly looks more like a nightclub than a sports arena, complete with glow sticks and flashing lights as Naomi dances, slides and splits to the ring. It’s impossible to not tap your toes to the beat.

12

The Ultimate Warrior

From the moment that iconic guitar riff and drum beat hit, the WWE Universe found itself in a frenzy. It was the only appropriate reaction considering the man making his way to the ring acted equally bananas.

The Ultimate Warrior charged out of the entranceway, rushing toward the ring at his highest gear with his right fist pumping. With his tassels blowing in the wind, Warrior would spin onto the apron and shake the ropes in a fit of rage as the WWE Universe went bonkers.

Quite frankly, it’s baffling how he had any energy left to actually wrestle, let alone dominate his competition.

11

The Shield

Sierra. Hotel. India. Echo. Lima. Delta. SHIELD.

From the moment The Shield’s iconic theme blared, opponents would feel a stinging combination of anxiety and claustrophobia. Whether from the concourse or a helicopter, Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns could arrive from anywhere at any time.

The Hounds of Justice closed in on their opponents through the crowd. It was all crippling long before any of the in-ring action began.

It wasn’t an entrance full of flashy lights or pomp and circ*mstance, but what it lacked in those areas, it made up for in mind games.

10

The Sandman

The Sandman looked more like the kind of guy you’d see in a bar on a weekday afternoon than a Superstar. Embracing his blue-collar look and personality, the ECW Original chose not to make his entrance from the massive stage as his colleagues did. Instead, he walked down arena steps, through the crowd.

With his Kendo stick in hand, Sandman pushed through the cheering masses, stopping to raise his weapon of choice, letting his foes know exactly where he was.

He’d punctuate his entrance by bashing a beer can against his head, making it clear that pain was nothing to him — and that they were in for a long night.

9

Goldust

Everything about Goldust, from his unique ring attire to his unsettling behavior, fascinates competitors and fans alike. That all starts with his unique ring entrance.

As The Bizarre One approaches the ring, the arena takes on a golden hue. Goldust’s opponents were made uneasy as he slowly neared the ring, clad in a glimmering robe. As Goldust removed his blond wig, gold confetti rained down as the WWE Universe wondered what the deal was with the gilded Superstar in front of them.

If everything else about him wasn’t enough to make people remember him, Goldust’s bizarre entrance ensured that they would never forget the name…

8

Hulk Hogan

One of the first Superstars to embrace the entrance as part of his larger-than-life persona, Hulk Hogan’s unmatched energy turned us all into Hulkamaniacs.

As soon as the opening chords of Rick Derringer’s “Real American” blared through arena speakers, The Hulkster was a ball of fire, pointing to his foe in the ring as he marched down the aisle.

As if his opponent didn’t already feel like he was facing the entire world, Hulkster grabbed at the collar of his cut-up yellow T-shirt, using his 24-inch pythons to tear through every fiber as the crowd went wild.

By the time the bell rang, Hogan’s opponents didn’t stand a chance.

7

“The Demon” Finn Bálor

The arena goes completely dark, except for a set of red lights that pulse in the rhythm of a heartbeat. The beats intensify and intensify and intensify as volcanic-like smoke billows onto the stage. Before you can catch your breath, though, The Demon erupts from the fog.

Covered in elaborate body paint and ready for war, The Demon creepily crawls to the ring, occasionally rising in unison with the crowd as a bright flash of light briefly illuminates the arena — partly from the WWE set and partly from the thousands of fans seeking the perfect photo op.

His onlooking opponents soon realize that they’re about to face something inhuman.

6

Goldberg

The rise of Goldberg from unknown WCW rookie to sports-entertainment megastar was unprecedented. As the myth of Goldberg grew with each victory, so too did his entrance.

Goldberg’s battle march began backstage, where security knocked on his door, letting him know it was time to fight. He emerged from his locker room, pacing through the dank hallways with his own security force.

As he emerged into public, fireworks engulfed him. Unfazed by the chaotic pyrotechnics surrounding him, Goldberg stood in solitude. When the smoke cleared, he let out a snarl, clearing the smoke from his nostrils like a bull staring down a matador.

5

Bray Wyatt

If it wasn’t for the terrifying, startling scream that signals his arrival, Bray Wyatt’sentrance would be considered a thing of beauty.

The building is completely dark when Mark Crozer’s “Life in Fear” begins to play, but when Wyatt walks onto the stage with his lantern, he’s greeted to a starlit sky as the fans bathe him in the glow from their phones — nicknamed “fireflies.”

Wyatt stalks to the ring while the crowd claps along to the eerie rhythm like a hypnotized army. The entrance began as something merely spectacular, but now it has become a communal experience.

4

Chris Jericho

A countdown better signal something worth waiting for, and in Chris Jericho’s case, he more than delivers.

As sirens blare throughout the arena, a 10-second countdown signals that Y2J is about to grace them with his presence. The atmosphere builds to a fever pitch with each passing second. As the countdown reaches its crescendo, the arena lights go out, just before a wall of fireworks burst from the stage.

When the smoke clears, Jericho appears with his back to the crowd and his arms spread out. Y2J always absorbs the roaring crowd, before turning around to give them their first glimpse of his grinning mug.

3

Kane

After surviving the inferno that razed his parents’ funeral home to the ground and scarred him for life, Kane embraced the fire.

The Devil’s Favorite Demon first terrified the crowd and opponents alike with an explosion on stage before walking through hellfire to the ring. Once the smoke cleared, he would slowly raise his arms, summoning all the fury within his soul. He then forcefully brought them back down, making towering flames shoot from all four ring posts.

If there were any doubts about the anger contained within the evil soul of Kane, his unforgettable entrance leaves no questions unanswered.

2

Triple H

Triple H made drinking water look cool.

After the opening chords of Motorhead’s “The Game” eerily hushed the crowd, Triple H stood on the stage, pouring water over his head before spitting it out to show the time for peace and serenity was long gone.

No matter the size of the building, Triple H inexplicably always made it to the ring apron in time for Motorhead lead singer Lemmy to scream, “Time to play the game!”

With a spotlight on him, The King of Kings again spit out his water before heading into the ring to climb the turnbuckle and stretch his arms out like a conqueror.

1

The Undertaker

The Undertaker hasn’t changed much about his entrance during his quarter-century of destruction, which made it all the more special.

A chill comes over the building with the toll of a funeral bell. As it reverberates through the arena, The Deadman emerges through a blanket of purple haze, staring a hole through his opposition. When he steps up to the squared circle, The Phenom displays his supernatural abilities, raising his arms to restore light with a thunderous crack.

It was impossible not to feel goosebumps or grip your seat a little tighter when The Deadman’s gong rang throughout the arena, so just imagine what it was like to be the poor soul forced to wait for him in the ring.