The ESSENTIALS: The Top 20 Entrances of All Time!

Welcome to part two in this very special edition of the ESSENTIALS.  In the first half, we counted down some of the most memorable entrance themes of all time.  In this half, I'm going to list my top 20 favorite entrances ever.  I could do so by just ranking the superstars who I believe had the most awesome entrances by ring walk and pyrotechnics, but that would be lame.  So to make things a bit more interesting, for the top ten, I am going to include a video with each superstars best performance of their entrance.  At least, my personal favorite.  Each of these entrances are noteworthy, but the one's provided with video, are downright chill inducing.  So without further ado, I give you the 20 greatest ring entrances of all time:

 

Great Entrances That Just Missed The Cut:

Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Taz, Randy Orton, Chris Masters, Drew McIntyre, Ric Flair, Dolph Ziggler, Randy Savage, Sting, Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Jeff Hardy & D-Generation X (HHH & HBK).  All very memorable, but not as much as the next 20:





Number 20: John Cena
Cena's triumphant horns and fast sprint down the aisle are iconic alone, but it's his always memorable Wrestlemania entrances that make him truly special.

Cena's Eminem inspired entrance at Wrestlemania XXV was an instant classic

Number 19: The New Age Outlaws
"Oh you didn't know!?" Road Dogg and Billy Gunn would incite crowds into near riots with their highly original mic assisted ring entrance. 

Seeing them reunite at Raw 1000 was one of the most memorable moments in WWE history

Number 18: Eddie Guerrero
Eddie's untouchable charisma alone would make any entrance memorable, but when arriving in the arena via pimped out Lowrider, he always made you take notice.

Everybody wanted to ride with Latino Heat

Number 17: Gangrel
While most fans who attend live events show up for the wrestling, the fanged phenom had an entrance that was an event all in it's own.

Gangrel's flames and blood spitting have now become the stuff of legend

Number 16: Kane
Who could forget the Big Red Machine's chilling theme, red lighting and flame assisted ring entrance.  One could only imagine standing across the ring from him.

Kane's December 2011 return entrance was possibly his best yet

Number 15: Goldust
A Shattered Dreams Production.  The Hollywood obsessed Goldust's entrance was just as bizarre and over-the-top as the Golden One himself.

Goldust's blonde wig and glorious robe rank amongst the best entrance gear of all time.

Number 14: MNM
Accompanied by their uber hot manager, Melina, Johnny Nitro and Joey Mercury's entrance was in my opinion, the best ever for a tag team.

Melina would ensure that everyone paid....special attention to her arrival

Number 13: The Rock
Sometimes a larger-than-life persona, undeniable swagger and unbelievable charisma, are all you need to make an entrance memorable.

The "One Arm Pose" may be the most iconic turnbuckle pose ever

Number 12: Alberto Del Rio
The Mexican Aristocrat arrives to the arena in a luxury vehicle, accompanied by his own ring announcer.  It doesn't get much better than that in terms of excess.

Del Rio's entrance at Wrestlemania XVI was his most memorable to date

Number 11: The N.W.O.
The legendary black and white screen effect is synonymous with the slow motion bravado of Hogan, Nash and Scott Hall.

The N.W.O. boasts the greatest stable entrance of all time 

And Now the Top Ten Entrances (with video)

Number 10: Sandman
This one may come as a surprise, but the ECW legend's entrance always worked the crowd into a frenzy.  He would arrive amongst them poetically enough to the tune of Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and almost turn the whole damn audience into a giant mosh pit as he spewed beer into the air and whacked himself with a Kendo Stick, Sandman made sure unpredictability was the message sent with his entrance.  One that I will never forget was his entrance at ONS back in 2005.  Seriously if this doesn't get you fired up, I don't think you have a soul.








Number 9: CM Punk
Punk in my opinion, has the best entrance of any current WWE superstar.  It's simple, yet highly effective and one of the more passionate entrances of all time.  Specifically, Punk's entrance at MITB 2011 stands alone as my single favorite entrance ever.  The crowd was on fire, the storyline was unforgettable and to top it off Punk made his entrance with the debut of one of the most iconic T-shirts of all time.  I've never got the goosebumps quite like this and I knew that very night that it would be something I would never forget.  Just epic.








Number 8: The Undertaker
The Deadman's cryptic entrance is awe-inspiring.  It's one that you just have to see live because a part of it leaves with you.  From the druid assisted Wrestlemania entrances to the brooding theme of the ministry of darkness, you truly get a sense of history when he appears today.  You know that you're witnessing the arrival of a living legend.  That being said, his entrance at Wrestlemania XXIII was my personal favorite. 








Number 7: JBL
JBL is one of the most underrated superstars of all time.  The same can be said about his amazing entrance.  Making his way to the arena in a custom limousine, the dominant former WWE Champion was ahead of his time in terms of presentation and you always felt as if you were witnessing the arrival of someone of high importance.  While many have done the "wealthy" gimmick, none exuded the politician-esque persona quite like JBL.  I always look to his Wrestlemania 21 entrance as his personal best.  Accompanied by Police escort, Layfield made one of the more grand entrances of all time.  Entrance starts around the 3:55 mark.








Number 6: Edge
The Rated "R" Superstar had one of the most exciting entrances of all time.  Appearing seemingly out of nowhere through a thick cloud of smoke, he hit the ramp with an intensity that no other superstar was able to match.  Although I'm partial to many of his entrances with Lita, my personal favorite Edge entrance is at Wrestlemania XXIV.  You could tell it was the biggest match of Edge's career and it made for an unforgettable atmosphere for me.








Number 5: Shawn Michaels
For years this was my all time favorite and with good reason.  Shawn was the first superstar who's entrance was always a spectacle for me.  From his early years as the Heart-Break-Kid, to his recent appearances today, it always gets me fired up.  His iconic entrance at Wrestlemania XII is a top five on everyone's list and it hard to argue that it's the most memorable entrance ever.








Number 4: Batista
Love him or hate him, you can't deny that Batista had one of the most awesome entrances of all time.  Whether it was his spotlight demanding heel persona or his pyro overload babyface entrance, Big Dave always arrived in style.  My personal favorite Batista entrance was also at Wrestlemania XXIII in his match with Undertaker.  His presence, swagger and charisma are all trademarks and it was damn near impossible to hate the guy even though he would face off against one of the most popular superstars of all time.








Number 3: Chris Jericho
Jericho was a master performer and a true rockstar, so it's only fitting that his iconic entrance showcase his unbelievable stage presence.  And even though i loved his 2012 entrance, it's his Attitude Era Y2J persona that left the greatest impact on me.  Most likely due to the fact that his first appearance in the WWE is the best debut ever.








Number 2: Triple H
When it comes to intensity, it doesn't get more bone chilling than the first few chords of Motorhead's "Time To Play The Game".  Triple H's entrance is another one that for me, never fails to get my blood going and get me pumped for what's in store.  As a matter of fact, when he made his return in 2011, interrupting The Undertaker, I don't think I've ever marked out harder.  It's one of those entrances that you never forget and whether or not you'll admit it, we've all tried to emulate at least once in our living room.








And just who has the single greatest entrance of all time?





Number 1: Goldberg
From the knock on the door, to the security assisted walk through the corridors, to the pyro curtain, to the breathing of smoke, Goldberg was every wrestlers worst nightmare.  No competitor could maintain their cool while awaiting his arrival, often accompanied by an intimidating "Goldberg" chant from the audience.  No one made more of an impact off of an entrance alone.  No other superstar has yet to match it.  It's so good, most of us don't even have a favorite Goldberg entrance because they were all amazing.  Still, for the sake of the countdown, I have selected one of the first that came to my mind when I think of "Da Man".  Enjoy.