As an AEW fan, when former WWE music maestro Jim Johnston commented that entrance music in wrestling today is just noise, it evoked a sense of justified exceptionalism because too many of Mikey Rukus’ themes slap. I, along with other AEW fans, won’t stand for slander against Mikey Rukus, AEW’s music producer.
It’s not about comparison because, besides context and history, the creative parameters Johnston had as opposed to Rukus are significantly different.
Today, as during Johnston’s prime, it’s right in that songs can elevate a wrestler’s career. Joe Hendry’s chart-climbing likely helped WWE believe in him. A parody of ‘90s grunge, like Steven Flowe’s Pearl Jam-inspired track, gave the young rookie social media attention. But entrance themes are more than that. The power of a great wrestling entrance theme in combat sports is undeniable.
Johnston was right in his interview with The Face False that a memorable, ear-catching theme tells the story; it tells you who the character is, and a bop of a song catches the imagination. There are numerous other effects, as Corey Michael’s explains in his two-parter on wrestling entrance themes.
There is a Def Rebel dilemma in WWE. AEW has had its share of entrance music fumbles. Pointer Sisters. Wild Thing with the ocarina solo. That one week where Mina Shirakawa had a new theme. Plus, a day one complaint that remains for many fans in the building is cranking up the volume so they can get lost in the noise.
Yet picking a top ten Mikey Rukus tracks wasn’t easy. Like when I wrote about 10 wrestlers with better characters in AEW than WWE, ten doesn’t seem enough. But in case you are unaware, here’s what you need to know about Mikey Rukus.
Mikey Rukus: The Only Active and Working Fight Music Producer
Mikey Rukus is an artist, songwriter, composer, instrumentalist, and producer who, long before joining AEW, carved out a niche for himself creating custom entrance music for MMA events.
Rukus created entrance music as a side hustle to supplement his income from working as a retail manager. Networking with local and regional events, the COO of MikeyRukus Music LLC produced music for Invicta FC, Legacy FC, Cage Warriors FC, World Series of Fighting, and more. Eventually, Rukus had his music played at UFC 142 and on NBC.
With experience composing for TV, film, video games, and running another company producing audio commercials for radio spots, it’s surprising Rukus had time to make themes for independent wrestlers before AEW.
Mikey Rukus has created over 400 tracks. First coming to my attention with his custom track “Rarefied Air” for free agent Richard Holliday, it was a surprisingly catchy tune that had to follow up on Holliday’s previous MLW theme of Shirley Bassey’s Diamonds are Forever.
Networking his way via social media to an opportunity with AEW, Rukus’ first track for the company was Nyla Rose’s “Beast Bomb”. Created in under 24 hours, it’s a powerful, tribal and intimidating track. Its guttural lyrics encapsulated the Native Beast before the first minute mark.
With Mikey Rukus, it’s not just the speed and his ability to compose songs quickly that is impressive. Rukus is known for his collaboration and openness with wrestlers, involving them in the process to ensure the music they receive fits their character’s vibe. Regardless of the genre, Rukus has shown versatility in finding many of AEW’s best fits.
Unlike Johnston, Rukus stands out in an ecosystem of more than just licensed themes and wrestlers creating their own tracks, from Chris Jericho to MVP and Swerve Strickland.
