2016 has been a monumental year for WWE. The largest Wrestlemania ever, followed by the Brand Split that has changed the landscape of WWE. Accompanying the main roster pay-per-views were the stupendous NXT Takeovers.
We have also had wrestlers debuting, returning or making it to the main roster and all those moments were priceless. Wrestlers’ entrances are one of the integral parts of the connect between them and the fans.
When done right, the entrance sets the mood for the match. With great theme songs, pyros or various special effects, the performer's ability to capture the moment makes an entrance timeless.
Since Wrestlemania 32 was the biggest event in the history of the company, most of the entries in the list are going to be from that show. The extra budget, the wrestlers’ excitement to shine on the grandest stage and the crowd being completely into it made these entrances special.
So without further ado... LET’S GET READY TO RUMBLE!
Honourable mentions
These entrances were surprise returns or debuts so WWE didn’t prepare them in any spectacular fashion for them to make it to our main list. These were the moments that generated a great pop out of the fans, however.
Nikki Bella at Summerslam: When the six-woman tag match was one short at Summerslam this year, the Fearless Bella made a return after being sidelined for almost a year due to a neck injury. This entrance got people pumped up and interested in the women’s match.
Bayley at Battleground: When Sasha Banks had to find a partner to go against Charlotte Flair and Dana Brooke, she turned to none other than Bayley. People were expecting her to show up, but there was some doubt in their minds. WWE played their cards right by delaying the big reveal and letting the fans anticipate.
#10 Shane McMahon on Raw
Probably the biggest surprise of 2016. This return breathed some much needed fresh air into the stale WWE programming. Monday Night RAW just lit up. ‘Here comes the Money’ played in the arena and the audience just lost it.
Also watch: Video: Top 10 Wrestlemania entrances
Shane McMahon, entered the arena back-stepping in his suit and Jordans to confront his father and sister. He didn’t look like he was away from the WWE for even a single moment, either when he was on the stage or while he walked down the ramp.
The ‘Yes’ chants, the ‘Shane O’Mac’ chants, reverberated through the Joe Lewis Area in Detroit. People welcomed him as a messiah who had come to rescue them.
#9 Sasha Banks at Wrestlemania
Whenever you see ‘Legit Boss’ on the screen, people go into frenzy straight away. At Wrestlemania 32, Becky Lynch had already made her way to the ring and the WWE universe already had their spirits uplifted.
Then came the Boss. But unlike her previous entrances where she enters the arena in a black SUV surrounded by her bodyguards, this time she was introduced by a rap song sung by her cousin Snoop Dogg.
That is some VIP level treatment as we have seen these kinds of entrances for the like of The Rock, HHH, Cena amongst others. The newest member of WWE Hall of Fame Snoop Dogg also escorted Sasha to the ring.
What made the entrance even more special was the fact that Sasha Banks came out in an attire that paid tribute to the late great Eddie Guerrero.
#8 AJ Styles at Royal Rumble
Royal Rumble is the show where fans expect at least one return from a superstar of the past. But this year’s Entry No 3 shook the WWE for good. People were introduced to an unfamiliar new tune, the mystery lurked for a couple of seconds.
A hooded man came out with his head low and his arms stretched out, WWE fans got a clue who this guy was, the words ‘I AM PHENOMENAL’ appeared on the titantron and the hottest free agent in the wrestling world AJ Styles was here in the WWE.
What a moment! A moment that could have been better if the ‘monkeys’ in the production truck would focus on the entry more than capturing the expressions of Roman Reigns. Such was the case that WWE had to upload a different video of AJ’s debut captured from a different angle. Nevertheless what a surreal feeling that was.
#7 Rock at Wrestlemania
After the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal concluded, WWE brought out the beautiful Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders for a routine. Little did the 100,000 in attendance know that the Rock would come out immediately after. The crowd went nuts upon seeing the people’s champ.
It was a classic Rock entrance, he comes out, absorbs the energy in the air, and strikes his iconic pose. But this year he went a little further, the Rock goes back and brings out a Brahma Bull faced flamethrower and proceeds to ignite his name (the ROCK structure) in flames.
At Wrestlemania, the ROCK was on fire and I mean that literally! The Rock completed his entrance by walking down the people’s aisle flanked by the hot cheerleaders on either side.
#6 Charlotte Flair at Wrestlemania
The triple threat match for the WWE Women’s Championship was one of the three main events of the show and it got the appropriate treatment. Being the current champion Charlotte Flair entered last preceded by the awesome entrances from Sasha and Becky Lynch.
Everything about this entrance was classy, elegant and beautiful to watch. The floor showed her tagline ‘If you are gonna do it... Do it with Flair’ with such sophistication. Charlotte graced us with her presence accompanied by her father Ric Flair.
She wore the beautiful robe cut out from Ric’s robe that he wore in his retirement match. The best part of the entrance, though, came at the very end after she walked down the ramp. She stood and spread her wings with fireworks going off in the background. Such a majestic sight and hence a Queen was born.
#5 The New Day at Wrestlemania
OHHHH WRESTLEMANIA….! Echoes through the Arena and the crowd knows they are in for a BootyO’s treat.
For the fans watching on their screen, the camera pans and we see the biggest box of BootyO cereals ever. The music hits and the three unicorn wearing members of the New Day pop out of the box. Much to the amusements of anime fans all around the world the two-time WWE tag champs come out dressed as characters from DragonBall Z.
The larger than life spectacle that Wrestlemania is, it surely was made memorable by these special entrances. It feels good seeing the WWE machine getting behind such a good entertaining team.
#4 Shinsuke Nakamura at NXT: Takeover Brooklyn II
What happens when a superstar who is over as hell with the WWE Universe has a kickass theme song? You get a superb entrance. A night before Summerslam at NXT Takeover Brooklyn II, an already awesome entrance just got better.
The lights went off and spots focused on a guy standing with a violin in his hands. The violinist starts playing Japanese tunes setting up the mood perfectly. Then the white light turns red and the King of Strong Style appeared through the strobing lights.
The entrance just turned into a live performance, people singing along and Shinsuke Nakamura just enjoying his own theme with his whacky arm movements and hand gestures.
The third act nails the entrance perfectly where Nakamura builds up the crowd’s anticipation to the iconic spot when the violin stops and he runs back to the ropes and completely submits himself to the music. Just one word, Goosebumps!
#3 Goldberg at Survivor series
People didn’t think that this day would ever come, they waited 12 long years for the moment. Finally, Goldberg returned to the WWE. Kudos to the WWE production team for executing such a stupendous entrance perfectly.
Firstly, they used Goldberg’s WCW theme rather that his WWE theme. Then the traditional knocks on the door, Goldberg’s storming out of the room and his determined walk towards the entrance while being escorted by security personnel. Oh, sweet nostalgia!
Goldberg coming out on the stage standing right in the middle engulfed by the pyro and breathing out the smoke is definitely the best part of the whole freaking entrance.
Also Goldberg, Goldberg, Goldberg, Goldberg, Goldberg, Goldberg, Goldberg, Goldberg…
P.S : Goldberg’s entrance, was longer than the match!
#2 Bobby Roode at NXT Takeover: Toronto
NXT Takeover: Toronto started with about a 100 choir students from the Wexford Collegiate School for the Arts, singing Glorious, Glorious, Glorious, Glorious, Domination to introduce the hometown wrestler Bobby Roode.
The Glorious one rose through the fog and into the bright light in true noble fashion. Bobby Roode carried the Ric Flairesque gown with such a panache, which would have even made the Nature Boy proud.
The upbeat crowd singing the lyrics of his theme song in unison was such a treat to watch. The whole entrance revives you in such a manner that you are left elevated, inspired for a significant amount of time.
I must admit straight away that ‘Glorious Domination’ undoubtedly is one of the best works by CFO$.
#1 Triple H at Wrestlemania
When it comes to over-the-top entrances Triple H is your guy. See the awesome NXT entrances, even any of his own previous Wrestlemania entrances will do, they all are great. All thanks to the iconic Motorhead song, that does about half the job.
The main event of Wrestlemania started with the champ entering first. The culmination of the Authority angle had to be big. The video package of the voiceless, oppressed people followed by the monologue of the evil queen Stephanie McMahon. Stephanie’s look was on point and the epic background theme did total justice to her one take speech.
Then it was the time to play the game and there stood the king of kings Triple H. The Queen and The King walked towards the ring trailed by their skull wearing knights in an intimidating fashion.
Triple H timed his walk so perfectly that he reached the ring just in time the guitar solo hits, to do his famous water-spitting bit.
Triple H’s entrance ended much like the Rock’s entrances end, at the ring post where he stood in a barbaric pose and demanded the crowd to bow down staying true to his character. Love him or hate him but the fans surely enjoy his entrances.
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