5 of the best UFC walkout songs for your workout playlist

The UFC is widely regarded as one of the best combat sports organizations in the world today.

It’s beyond a shadow of a doubt the premier MMA promotion and has been that way since Pride FC’s decline and eventual buyout in 2007.

Considering that, it may not come as a surprise that the UFC features some of the toughest combat sports competitors on the planet. And while the MMA fights are the main attraction at a UFC event, what sets the UFC apart from its current competition is that its presentation and entertainment-quotient are undeniably off the charts.

Right from the video-editing, on-screen personalities, deals with top media networks, to mainstream crossovers and much more, the UFC sets the benchmark for entertainment in the fight game.

Speaking of which, one of the most entertaining parts of a UFC event is the fighters’ respective entrances, as they make the long lonely walk from the backstage area to the octagon. The UFC fighter walkout is accompanied by the entrance music; a song or multiple songs usually selected by the fighter themselves or at times by the UFC personnel.

Today, we take a special look at some of the best UFC walkout songs in a list we’ve compiled that has specifically been tailored for you, dear reader.

It would be impossible to list all the best walkout songs in one discussion, but what we’re going to look at is five of the best UFC walkout songs for your workout playlist. This one is for all the fight fans, martial artists, gym-goers, and even people who may not train at all. These songs will help you with your workout, and even if you don’t train, these tracks will surely give you goosebumps…

#5 Stipe Miocic – “Till I Die” by Machine Gun Kelly

The first song we’ve got on our list is one that’s been a trademark entrance song of reigning UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic.

“Till I Die” by Machine Gun Kelly is an amazing track in and of itself. But with Miocic having contributed to its popularity by using it in some of his most high-profile bouts, MGK’s awesome track has gotten more recognition than ever.

MGK’s Till I Die features beats that perfectly match Miocic’s calm and composed annihilator persona. However, MGK’s vocals on the track are diametrically opposite to Miocic’s demeanor, by which we mean they are chaotic.

Be that as it may, the cool beats and chaotic vocals make for the perfect mixture to hype a person up for a tough workout session. It’s a high energy song and perfectly represents the warrior spirit of Miocic and Machine Gun Kelly – both of whom are known to have immense respect for each other and proudly represent Cleveland, Ohio.

If you’re into combat sports/martial arts training, then this song is most definitely for you. You can add this song to your playlist and get a few good rounds in on the heavy bag, the maize bag, or the speed bag. The beats will help you stay calm and composed whilst simultaneously ensuring that you don’t lose focus. MGK’s fiery vocals won’t let you.

Besides, this track is also great if you are an early bird or even a night owl, getting in that all-important roadwork to toughen up. Till I Die will help you get the miles in and get through your jogs and runs smoothly. Up next, we look at a track that’ll test you, kind of antonymic to the one we just discussed…

#4 Robbie Lawler – “Ain’t No Grave” by Johnny Cash

The second song on our list is the entrance music Robbie Lawler used for his most recent fight. Although Lawler has come up short in his fights over the past few years, he’s indisputably one of the true legends of the sport.

Without getting too into the Ruthless One’s current standing in the sport (lest we go off on a tangent), let’s turn our attention to the song in question: “Ain’t No Grave” by Johnny Cash.

This song rendered by the late great Cash has a more visceral appeal as opposed to MGK’s Till I Die that we’d talked about earlier.

From a workout perspective, this song will challenge you. If MGK’s Till I Die does the job of acting as your friend who helps you through the workout, Cash’s Ain’t No Grave acts like the old-school boxing coach who will challenge you mentally to see how tough and resilient you are.

Cash’s songs are a genre of their own. Nevertheless – and I know this is a sort of oversimplification – many believe that Cash’s golden voice and the country music genre’s vibe that this song carries is what makes it visceral and mesmerizing.

This is a track that’s capable of hypnotizing you. That is if you let it!

Let’s take a quick detour now, shall we? I wasn’t asking. It was a rhetorical question. Life on the road can often be tricky. Ain’t No Grave is the kind of song that even the best of drivers fear, when on the road, especially when up against a lonely highway with no end in sight.

Hold on to that thought, and let’s get back to our song now.

What does a lonely highway have to do with your workout? It’s quite simple. You see, what makes a driver great is to keep one’s eyes on the road and make it to the other end of the lonely highway – don’t fall asleep at the wheel, literally and metaphorically.

What the lonely and seemingly never-ending highway is to a weary driver, Johnny Cash’s Ain’t No Grave is to the exerciser. Add this song to your workout playlist to challenge yourself.

Condition your mind. If you can get through a workout with a track as hypnotic as this, you truly are passionate about your training. Speaking of which, we’ll now look at the most energetic track on our list…

#3 Ronda Rousey – “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts

This one’s short and sweet, folks! Ronda Rousey is a pioneer of women’s MMA and one of the biggest combat sports stars of all time. Rousey subsequently went on to achieve great success in the WWE too.

Despite certain sections of the MMA world criticizing her for what they perceive to be her ‘Rowdy’ (no pun intended) trash talk and attitude, her impact on the fight game is undeniable.

One could say that the Rowdy one’s rowdy style has earned her a ‘bad reputation’. (Had to get that one in, didn’t we?) Rousey’s signature entrance song in both the UFC and WWE – “Bad Reputation” by Joan Jett and The Blackhearts – is an awesome track.

This track is a must-have in every workout playlist. It’s one of the most energetic tracks ever and perfectly highlights Rousey’s unparalleled passion for whatever she does.

Perhaps the best way to use this track to its fullest potential would be to place this one right after Johnny Cash’s Ain’t No Grave. The sheer shock value one‘s subconscious would experience, going from the hypnotic slow song to the thunderous track that is Bad Reputation, will bring even the most exhausted individuals back to their workout.

Shock your subconscious with the blazing track that is Bad Reputation and train like the Rowdy One does. That brings us to our next song, or rather should I say one of the best remixes of all time…

#2 Conor McGregor – The Foggy Dew by Sinead O’Connor and The Chieftains, Notorious by Duran Duran, Hypnotize by Notorious B.I.G.

The Foggy Dew by Sinead O’Connor and The Chieftains, Notorious by Duran Duran, and Hypnotize by Notorious B.I.G. are three amazing tracks on their own. Should you blend all three, what you’d get is pure magic!

MMA megastar and UFC icon Conor McGregor made his entrance in his January 2020 matchup against Donald ‘Cowboy’ Cerrone to a remix of the aforementioned songs.

Each song symbolizes a different facet of McGregor’s personality. Every song in the trio is as brilliant as the other.

You can add each individual song to your workout playlist, or use the McGregor entrance remixes that are available on the internet.

Foggy Dew by Sinead O’Connor and The Chieftains inspires you and motivates you to push harder to achieve legendary status like the man, the myth, the legend that is McGregor.

Meanwhile, Duran Duran is a musical group that holds a special place in the hearts of fight fans worldwide. (You didn’t think I’d leave Mirko Cro Cop completely off this list, did you?)

Duran Duran’s track “Wild Boys” has made so many MMA playlists that it doesn’t really need to be expounded upon separately over here. However, we tip our hats to the legendary track “Wild Boys”, the iconic band “Duran Duran”, and one of the all-time-greats in the fight game who used this as his entrance music: Mirko ‘Cro Cop’ Filipovic.

That said, another awesome workout track courtesy of Duran Duran is “Notorious”, used by “The Notorious” Conor McGregor. The song is breathtaking and will paradoxically motivate you to catch your breath, enjoy, and push forward in your workout.

The third song is “Hypnotize” by Biggie. This song is a perfect match with McGregor’s relaxed yet aggressive fighting style. It would also be an excellent addition to your workout playlist.

Our final track is one that’s been performed by a bona fide legend…

#1 Anderson Silva – “Ain’t No Sunshine” by DMX

The legendary Anderson “The Spider” Silva is one of the greatest MMA fighters of all time. Silva is also one of the most revered martial artists ever, and considering that, it’s no surprise that his choice of music too is quite impressive.

“Ain’t No Sunshine” by the legendary DMX has served as Silva’s entrance music for years and would be an excellent addition to your workout playlist.

This song has a serious tone without ever losing its entertainment quality. It has a slow-burn effect, in the sense that it grows on you. This track’s beats are perfect to get through a tough training session.

It’s particularly motivating when it comes to combat and martial arts training, as it does a great job getting you hyped up and keeping you on your toes throughout the song’s runtime.

DMX songs tend to do that. The hip hop legend is known for creating songs that fit perfectly for workouts, fighter entrances, and anything related to martial arts and combat in general.

Truth be told, Ain’t No Sunshine is a must-have in your workout playlist. Add this track to your daily workout playlist and front-kick that Muay Thai bag into oblivion like Anderson Silva would.

Which UFC walkout songs do you believe would be best for a workout playlist? Sound off in the comments.

Edited by James McGlade