In addition to having the strongest pool of talent, one of the approaches that the UFC takes that both separates itself from its competitors and endears itself to its fans, is the underselling and limited production that goes into fighters entrances. I was never a fan of the big flashy entrances with pyrotechnics, similar to that of the WWE. I liked the idea of the fighter pushing his way through the crowd, surrounded by security, with their favorite song on in the background and heading into the octagon to take on their waiting opponent.
Over the years, this minimalist approach to an aspect of the broadcast that allows the fighters to sell themselves and personality, it has grown and I feel some fighters have really perfected it.
Below are a list of a few of my favorites of current and ex-UFC stars and you can vote for your favorite. If your favorite hasn’t been listed, please write it in the comments and let me know who I may have missed.
Tito Ortiz – (Eminem – Mosh)
The Huntington Beach Bad Boy is one of the most recognizable names and faces in the history of the UFC. The long-time reigning light heavyweight champion sat atop the MMA world at a time when the sport was growing very rapidly. Ortiz had multiple songs that he entered the octagon to over the years but none better than Eminem’s “Mosh”. Ortiz, being a bit of an anarchist himself where he repeatedly spoke out against the UFC and its President Dana White, the Mosh song really fit him and his personality well. Ortiz endeared himself to his American audience regularly being draped in the American flag and coming to the octagon in his signature bounce.
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Chael Sonnen – (Daryle Singletary – Too Much Fun)
This is one of the most difficult ones to really explain why he is a personal favorite. It really is more to do with the character and shtick that Sonnen has created for himself leading up to his fights. He is this over-the-top caricature who speaks with a level of bravado that is regularly compared to Muhammad Ali. Yet when he enters the octagon, he comes in stoic with a hardened face and absolute focus on the task at hand. I’m not sure if any UFC fighter, past or present, has a song that seems to suit them better. Chael Sonnen knows how to sell himself and he fully understands that when it comes to his entrance to the octagon, less is more. And for him, it is about the only time he seems to feel that way.
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Wanderlei Silva – (Darude – Sandstorm)
Ten years ago I remember sitting on my computer watching videos online of different compilations of Wanderlei Silva knock-outs. It was almost surreal to see what this man was doing to opponent after opponent. The guy is synonymous with MMA and has consistently come out to one song. YouTube is littered with entrance videos of Silva coming to the ring and the moments of darkness as the song starts and as the anticipation builds as fans wait to see Silva appear on the screens entering the ring, few entrances can generate this sort of reaction before the fighter even enters the arena.
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Chris Leben – (Ohio Players – Love Rollercoaster)
Each entry to this point has been a collection of entrances and elevates theirs to some of the best of all-time, as I see them. Chris Leben makes the list for UFC 116 specifically. Leben who has had some well-documented ups and downs with the UFC, but has always had a fan in Dana White, had an eventful couple weeks back in late June and early July of 2010. After defeating Aaron Simpson with a second round stoppage, Leben went home with Knockout of the Night honors and had put back-to-back wins together. Less than two weeks later, he was back in the octagon again on short-notice to face Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 116, a fight in which he had a third round stoppage victory and took home Fight of the Night honors. This fight remains one of my personal favorites of all-time. Leben came into the ring like a madman, clearly loving the opportunity to continue to perform his craft and climb the ladder of the middleweight division. The entrance is great on its own, but given the circumstances that surrounded it, I put it in the all-time category.
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(Note: the video is not from the actual pay-per-view broadcast and is a fan video. It barely does the entrance justice, however you get a small sample)
Forrest Griffin – (Dropkick Murphys – I’m Shipping up to Boston)
I’ve got to be honest on this; I’m a sucker for Forrest Griffin and this song. I think they are the perfect combination. It’s a gritty song that seems to really personify Forrest Griffin and his approach to the octagon. Griffin always operated with a no BS approach and between the music and his jog to the octagon, I probably upgrade his entrance more than most.
I never said I was that good or that pretty but baby I make it exciting. What more can you ask for? – Forrest Griffin
He didn’t go out on the best of terms and by the end of it all, a once fan favorite and UFC company guy, was being booed by the fans and had Dana White chasing him to the locker room and demanding his return to the octagon for the results. I remain a fan and his entrance was and is a personal favorite.
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(Note: Griffin’s entrance begins at 2:30)
Urijah Faber – (Dr Dre – California Love)
The California Kid had one of the best MMA entrances long before he ever entered the UFC. Once the UFC bought the now defunct WEC, Faber was regularly headlining events in his hometown of Sacramento, California and much larger television audiences were being introduced to the talented Faber. Coming out to the octagon to the iconic California Love song, singing along with the lyrics and his usual “hi mom!” wave, Faber creates a first impression that doesn’t jive with his devastating abilities that we see inside of the octagon.
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Tom Lawlor – (James Brown – Living in America)
There’s no shortage of entrances to pick from with Lawlor, but I put one ahead of them all. Lawlor coming out to Brown’s Living in America as Apollo Creed from Rocky IV was as entertaining as entrances come, however there was a degree of foreshadowing involved. And while Lawlor fared better than Creed did in his fight with Drago, he still left with a loss to Joe Doerksen. Nonetheless, win or lose, this singlehandedly puts him on the all-time list for creativity and embracing it. It only would have worked if he fully bought into it and he did; mustache and all.
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Honorable Mentions:
Johny Hendricks – (Bleu Edmondson – 50$ and a Flask of Crown)
Brock Lesnar – (Metallica – Enter Sandman)
Cast your vote for who you think has the best or leave a comment below with who you would vote for.
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