Hello. I've been a fan since TheSmark days when I discovered all the insider websites. Anyways, as I was watching The Rock DVD (The Rock: The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment), I was able to see the whole WMXVIII match between The Rock and Hollywood Hogan for the first time (I was in Iraq at the time). I haven't really watched any wrestling in a while now because it's stale and I like to relive the best moments from the past. With that being said, Hogan's entrance is now my favorite entrance of all time. The crowd, the electricity, his return to WWF(E). It made hairs on my arms stand up. I thought the match from technical standpoint was crap, but it did tell a great story and I enjoyed the hell out of it.
My question is, have you ever done the list of Top 5 or Top 10 hair raising entrances in the history of the sport? Thanks
p.s. Did you do a rant of this DVD, I can't seem to find it in your archives.
Never done that list, no, although I have done the WM 18 rant.
http://www.rspwfaq.com/2009/03/wrestlemania-repost-countdown-18/
I’m pretty seriously considering doing my Book of Lists this summer, so I’ll add that one to my list of potential lists. Off the top of my head I’ll say Ric Flair’s return in 1999, but I’d have to think about it further.
Off the top of my head, Ric Flair’s return to Nitro in 1998 (amazing stuff), Undertaker’s entrance at WM14, Shawn Michaels at WM12, and the Hart Foundation’s separate entrances at Canadian Stampede.
I always loved Shawn Michaels’ entrances on the whole. My favorites being the Summerslam 2002 one and at Survivor Series 1997 when he raped the Canadian flag.
Jericho’s debut on raw. Incredible.
Ahmed Johnson at King of the Ring 1996. At the top of the ramp, they had double doors with “guards” opening the doors for every wrestler’s entrance. But when Ahmed entered, he threw the doors open, which sent both guards flying, and really sold how pissed off Ahmed was. Plus, it was funny as hell.
Loudest pop i ever heard was Kurt Angle’s entrance at Invasion in 2001. Not only was i there(regrets, i’ve had a few…) but even on the DVD the announcers acknowledge what a unusual loud pop he got. It blew away what Austin got a few minutes later.
One of my favorites just at happened at WrestleMania where Shawn came down in the white suit…everything about that match, the building was awesome but that entrance along had me amped up for the match.
I also thoroughly enjoyed Rocky’s entrance at WrestleMania 19 where they debuted the extended intro with the helicopter and the slowed down version of his song….so f’in awesome. Kinda sad though because I realized almost at that exact moment he was too big of a star. He just had that aura.
100% agree these are two of my favourites.
WM19 was indeed the moment I realised the Rock was far and away beyond anything wrestling could offer him.
I think Rock’s slowed down theme and new video debuted when he fought Hogan at No Way Out 03.
I always liked that, in an effort to sell the seriousness of what was at stake, the Ultimate Warrior walked slowly to the ring to face Savage at WrestleMania. That said, I also love every Warrior entrance; that dude got me marking out like no one’s business when I was a kid.
Bret Hart limping his way to the Rumble after being betrayed by his brother is arguably the definitive Hitman moment, and it got a suitably epic pop from the crowd.
I hate the match, and I hate how fake it is when someone’s music hits when he isn’t expected to be walking down the aisle, but that said, the first time I saw that done was after Giant Gonzalez smothered the Undertaker, who was then carried out on a stretcher. When the gong hit a minute later and ‘Taker stumbled groggily/angrily out of the locker room, it was totally nonsensical because how could the production crew no he’d be returning? That said, it was also kickass.
The best example of “Let my music deafen the entire arena, that I might sneak up on you” was when Austin’s shattered glass hit and he came racing to the ring to help Foley win his first world title.
Don’t remember who his opponent was, and maybe he did this more than once, but when Angle stalked his way to the ring while taping his wrists and glaring at his opponent, it was legitimately chilling.
I agree with the Ultimate Warrior point. I also liked how the announcers would play it up as him conserving energy for the match, since it was such a big match.
As for the Undertaker point, I’ve learned to just ignore stuff like that for Taker. He’s an undead zombie who can shoot lightning out of his hands (although the lightning thing would come much later), so I just chalk that up to “his music played automatically because he willed it so.”
For everyone else, though, you’re right, it’s annoying.
“Don’t remember who his opponent was, and maybe he did this more than once, but when Angle stalked his way to the ring while taping his wrists and glaring at his opponent, it was legitimately chilling.”
That was against Eddy on an episode of Smackdown. He tricked Eddy into believing that he (Angle) wasn’t in the arena so Eddy fought Heyman with one arm tied behind his back. Angle came out and destroyed Eddy who couldn’t defend himself properly.
That was an awesome angle…except for Michael Cole ruining it by his overacting. I noticed the same thing Monday night, well actually my girlfriend did. Cole goes so overboard when someone is getting beat up that it makes everybody look stupid for not helping.
Like when Flair was getting beat up by Orton, Cole is just going on and on about how tough it is to watch, how Flair is getting raped of his dignity blah blah blah…you have to wonder, there’s NO ONE who is going to stop this for 10 minutes? And then Batista comes down after Flair gets locked in the cage…good move doofus.
Like with the Eddie thing…Angle took his sweet time beating up Eddie who was tied up and defenseless…no one thought maybe it was a good time to help?
Its something Ive noticed thanks to the Primetime episodes on 24/7 which showed the SNME where Andre chokes out Hogan…like 10 guys come out almost immediately to try to stop Andre. It didn’t work, but dammit they tried!
“like 10 guys come out almost immediately to try to stop Andre. It didn’t work…”
Well, that’s why no one tries anymore.
Not really entrances, more like returns to TV after being gone for a while……..
Ultimate Warrior WM8 : The Hoosier Dome almost blew off. This saved WM 8 from ending badly.
Undertaker Judgment Day 2000: This was nuts. Undertaker returns and chokeslams nearly everyone and tombstones Triple H.
Lots of great ones here.
Sting’s entrance for the United States title match against Rick Rude at Clash of Champions # 17 is off the charts as well. You can’t even hear Jim Ross screaming as the crowd is drowning him out.