Why Def Rebel Leaving WWE is a Good Thing

From 2012 until 2019, the duo CFO$ produced all of the theme music for WWE wrestlers. Before that, Jim Johnston produced theme music from 1985 until his release from the company in 2017. CFO$ and Johnston were responsible for many theme songs, such as Drew McIntyre’s “Broken Dreams”, Robert Roode’s “Glorious Domination”, and Sheamus’ “Written in My Face”. These songs are synonymous with the wrestler for many reasons, including longevity and rhythmic qualities.

Since 2019, Def Rebel has been making theme music. They have been a wide source of criticism throughout the wrestling world. From not-well-received theme changes to an AI controversy and wrestlers wanting their old themes back, people are tired of them. It was recently reported that the group is on their final contract, and WWE will collaborate with outside artists. This is a huge sigh of relief for both WWE and its fans.

Def Rebel Took Away Iconic Themes

Mark Henry’s theme “Some Bodies Gonna Get It” made him into a star. If that song was suddenly replaced after years of being his theme, fans would be mad. That’s exactly what happened with many wrestlers over the past couple of years.

A big example would be AJ Styles at WrestleMania 40. His theme song “Phenomenal” has been playing since his WWE debut. However, a new song titled “You Don’t Want None (feat. Stevie Stone)” played while he walked to the ring at WrestleMania 40. There was negative reception online, and Styles himself later said that he hated it. Sure enough, after a few months, “Phenomenal” was back.

This has happened to several wrestlers, such as Jordynne Grace and Shinsuke Nakamura. Over the past couple of weeks, wrestlers have gotten their old themes back. This is a big clue that Def Rebel’s time in WWE may be over soon.

Their Low Effort Has Been Noticeable

Lyrics tell fans about the wrestler as they enter the ring to wrestle. A great example would be Henry’s. Three Six Mafia rapped about how he was a monster capable of destroying everyone. Music with upbeat tempo creates a singalong environment that can get wrestlers over. Some recent examples would be Roman Reigns’ “I am Greatness” and Seth Rollins’ “The Vision”. Those are good themes, but the majority of them haven’t worked out.

They were in hot water this summer, when vocalist Ellie Price discovered her vocal samples were used without permission for Fatal Influence’s theme “The Chosen”. They just slapped vocals on an instrumental and called it a day, obviously avoiding hard work. Fans rightly called them out and connected the dots with their subpar music quality. If they used samples this whole time, that would explain why their music hasn’t connected with the fans or wrestlers.

It is Time to Move on from Def Rebel

Def Rebel has been the primary music producer for WWE since 2019. Since then, they have been an immense source of controversy for many reasons. Many wrestlers have iconic theme songs that embody who they are and are synonymous with them after many years of use. Def Rebel created subpar replacement themes that are nowhere near the level of their predecessors. Many wrestlers lobbied for their old songs back, which has been happening recently.

A number of WWE talent that @FightfulSelect spoke to have expressed frustration over their Def Rebel themes and say they’ve actively tried to get their old ones back.

We have a full story up for subscribers. pic.twitter.com/oVj33jQG4D

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) February 7, 2025

They’ve also been exposed for their lazy work ethic. If they used samples for one song, there’s no telling how many songs have been created with that technique. This criticism hasn’t just concerned fans. Many wrestlers haven’t been happy with their theme music and Def Rebel’s changes. The latest report on them has been met with widespread approval. Given their practices, it makes sense why moving on from Def Rebel is the right choice for everyone.