THE TOP 30 ENTRANCES IN WRESTLEMANIA HISTORY
By Justin Henry

Every year, WrestleMania lives up to its reputation as professional wrestling’s Super Bowl and Academy Awards put together. One way or another, the event etches itself into the patchwork of wrestling history, be it with great matches, memorable spectacles, chill-inducing moments, or a combination of these ideas.

One concept that sets WrestleMania apart from “just another pay per view” are the entrances. In recent years, WWE ups the pageantry of its signature show with live musical performances, altered costumes, and elaborate ways for its superstars to come through the entrance set, as opposed to simply walking out like any other John Q. Public.

The desired effect is to capture the imaginations of fans young and old. Since WrestleMania has the highest price tag of any offering that WWE puts out, it’s imperative that the company go above and beyond to satisfy all of our senses.

Some of these choreographies have done just that; enhanced an already good show the way that a nice dress and new hairstyle make the bride even more beautiful at her wedding. But some of these entrances have, well, given rise to laughter, mockery, and awkward silence.

Here, now, are those entrances in my subjective ranking.

30. John Cena – WrestleMania 23 (The Ford Mustang)
I won’t lie; I hate street racing and the jamokes that like loud exhaust on their cars. If you don’t like where I ranked it, then e-mail Ben Kerin and ask for your own column. But for my list, it goes here. And it’s only here because it won the coin flip over Kid Rock’s unending concert at WrestleMania 25, where random divas grinded up on the loudmouthed rocker like $3-an-hour rats.

29. The Barber’s Chair – WrestleMania 23 (The Simple Float)
It’s here for two reasons: one, it necessitated playing random barbershop quartet music at the biggest show of the year, and, second, it had more personality than Bobby Lashley.

28. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 19 (The Johnny B Badd Impression)
Michaels attempted to win over the Seattle faithful by firing confetti guns into the crowd. Of course, two of them didn’t work. Before he was “saved”, Shawn would have thrown a tantrum and ruined the moment even more. But a more reserved, humble Michaels made a show of praying before the final gun attempt, and it ended up firing without a hitch. Shawn could carry a broomstick to “three stars”, but those confetti guns didn’t know how to work, sadly.

27. John Cena – WrestleMania 25 (The Eminem Ripoff)
Cause he’s John Cena, he’s the real Cena, all you other John Cena’s are….ummm….yeah.

26. Rowdy Roddy Piper – WrestleMania 1 (The Bagpipe Procession)
An oldie but a somewhat-goodie. Piper, Paul Orndorff, and Bob Orton made their way to the ring at Madison Square Garden, simply led by a marching band on bagpipes and drums. For 1985, it was quite revolutionary. Besides, we need to pay tribute to the classics more.

25. Triple H – WrestleMania 25 (The Glassbreaker)
The Game approached a mirror image of himself, silently stood in quiet determination, and then launched his sledgehammer through it. If only his horrible angle with Randy Orton was as understated.

24. The Dudley Boyz – WrestleMania 18 (The Faux Mosh Pit)
Saliva played the Dudleyz new “Turn the Tables” song, so the half-brothers got down with the nu-metal band. This is only of note because Stacy Keibler ended up grinding on lead singer Josey Scott. I guess chicks do dig fat, greasy-looking tattoo-a-philes after all. I just hope she took a chemical shower afterward.

23. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 24 (The 16 Druids)
Just what the title says; sixteen hooded monks (read: local indy workers, and possibly The Brooklyn Brawler) bore torches to signify the Dead Man’s impending sixteenth victory at the ‘Grand Spectacle’. See? Understated.

22. Triple H and John Cena – WrestleMania 22 (The Barbarian and The Anti-Prohibitionist)
Never before has a WrestleMania main event been undercut by a more laughable pair of entrances. One saw Triple H dressed like Genghis Khan meets Vince Neil, and the other saw John Cena dress as the Parkside Flasher. The only benefits of this were Hunter’s “get me out of here” expression, and Cena’s entrance featuring the debut of CM Punk. Which made me wonder: why would CM Punk be AGAINST prohibition?

21. Rhythm and Blues – WrestleMania 6 (The Pink Cadillac)
Honky Tonk Man, Greg Valentine, Jimmy Hart, and two “Honkettes” were driven to the ring in the classic pink Caddy by, of all people, Diamond Dallas Page. Get ready to feel….the….BANG….when he charges you for his driver services.

20. The ECW Originals – WrestleMania 23 (The Crowd Entrance)
Simple, but effective. Portrayed as ‘outsiders’, Rob Van Dam, Sabu, Tommy Dreamer, and The Sandman came from the crowd, amongst the blue collar Detroitites, for their entrance. Like true outsiders, three of them were out of a WWE job in under six months. E-C-DUB!

19. JBL – WrestleMania 22 (The Limo Tunnel)
Mr. Layfield and Jillian Hall came out in JBL’s trademark limo, but with a twist: the entrance ramp was pulled up by cables, and the limo drove straight to the ring with the future United States champion riding in back. The man spared no expense, except on having his saggy pecs lifted.

18. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 21 (The Skateboard from Hell)
Undertaker didn’t walk to the ring, no no no. Instead, the “Demon of Death Valley” simply floated to the ring on some kind of conveyer thing. If you ever wondered what would happen if you mixed Tony Hawk with The Tall Man from Phantasm, you can sleep easier now.

17. MVP – WrestleMania 23 (The Cheering Squad)
MVP burst through his college sports-inspired “paper wall” as he normally would, but was then joined by about twenty cheerleaders in matching colors. That’s coming a long way from serving nearly a decade for armed robbery.

16. Snoop Dogg – WrestleMania 24 (The Parade of Cheesecake)
Ol’ Snizzle Dizzle upped MVP’s efforts from one year prior by riding a tricked-out dune buggy to the ring, while a host of WWE divas danced alongside his ride. Maryse and Layla showed some rather hot grooving skills, while Victoria….well, let’s just say she kept the spirit of Elaine Benes alive.

15. John Cena – WrestleMania 26 (The Air Force Guard)
Several members of the United States Air Force performed a gun tossing drill to precede Cena’s entrance, which was booed by the fans. Next time we’re at war, if karma exists, some of these people will be “drafted”. Yes, I’m kidding. Sort of.

14. Kane – WrestleMania 20 (The City in Flames)
With a set of New York City skyscrapers as the basis for video-ized entrance set, Kane lurched toward the ring while the buildings were shown to be “on fire”. Very vivid looking, and gave a good insight to Kane’s character without words. Of course, a friend of mine complained that having the Big Apple “on fire” made him think of 9/11, so I guess there was a drawback.

13. Kane – WrestleMania 21 (The Ladders in Flames)
One year later, Kane appeared for his Money in the Bank ladder match with several of the ladders by the entrance way “in flames”. At least this one won’t offend anyone, except maybe Bob Vila.

12. Lawrence Taylor and Bam Bam Bigelow’s Entourages – WrestleMania 11 (The Football Introductions)
Vince McMahon put his raspy voice to use, barking out statistics and names while the likes of Ted Dibiase, Tatanka, and NFL players such as Reggie White ran to the ring, like the introductions for a football game. It was a true highlight on an otherwise boring show. That and the fact that Steve “Mongo” McMichael was there.

11. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 9 (The Chariot)
Undertaker appeared on a Roman chariot, complete with vulture. If I wrote anything more, it would diminish how cool it looked.

10. Rey Mysterio – WrestleMania 25 (The Why So Serious?)
Keeping in his theme of comic book tributes, Mysterio arrived in Houston doing his best Heath Ledger impression. I didn’t include any of his other costumes on this list, but this one gets a nod for his Joker-esque “lip licking”, and for handing out joker playing cards to random fans. Good to see someone stick to a character with such dedication.

9. John Cena – WrestleMania 24 (The Drumline)
A lot of people didn’t like this, but the college football fan in me loves the fact that Cena showed up for his World Title match to a marching band banging drums and blaring trombones and tubas with their rendition of “The Time is Now”. Certainly unique, and, as a former band geek, I can appreciate it. I think the pathological hatred of Cena results in no love for this.

8. Triple H – WrestleMania 17 (The Motorhead)
It’s Motorhead. Lemmy sang. Do I need to include anything else? Oh yeah, Trips making his appearance during a subdued part of the song as “START / GAME” flashed on the screen gives me chills.

7. JBL – WrestleMania 21 (The Motorcade)
WWE Champion John Bradshaw Layfield arrived in Los Angeles with his normal limo ride, but kicked things up by having a four-motorcycle police escort add to the showiness. Sometimes, it’s the little things that make something work.

6. Triple H – WrestleMania 21 (The Motorhead, Part II)
This one topped the effort from four years prior, as Lemmy grew his beard back, remembered more of the words, and Triple H stole Gangrel’s entrance by rising up through the stage, right next to Mr. Kilmister himself. But Gangrel was overrated anyway.

5. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 14 (The Dramatic Druids)
Undertaker’s first Druid-based entrance at WrestleMania preceded his long-awaited first showdown (of a million) with demented brother Kane. The haunting “O Fortuna” played as torch-wielding Druids emerged under a demonic red light. Undertaker vs. Kane was a big match, so they got the big match entrance. It felt like a happening.

4. Rowdy Roddy Piper – WrestleMania 3 (The Long Walk)
Kinda tame, but gets such high consideration. While everyone else on the show made their way to the ring in the modified carts designed to look like a wrestling ring, Piper, in his “retirement match” simply chose to walk, and then run, the length of the concourse. It seemed appropriate for his last hurrah, and it stands out from a loaded show.

3. The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 25 (The Angel and The Devil)
Real simple: Shawn Michaels descended by the entrance way in a large bucket while bedecked in all white, with harp music playing, indicating a descent from Heaven. Undertaker, meanwhile, horrifyingly rose from the stage, as if he was burrowing up from the depths of Hell. Great parallel, and it gave way to a classic match.

2. The Undertaker – WrestleMania 20 (The Return)
Over four years since his last flirtation with “the dark side”, Undertaker returned at Madison Square Garden to confront Kane. With Paul Bearer leading the way, those Druids returned to Gregorian chants, bearing their torches once more. At the sound of the first “GONG” of Undertaker’s music, New York City lost their collective mind. One of those “you remember where you were when you saw it” moments.

1. Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 12 (The Zipline)
Michaels set a new standard before his World Title match with Bret Hart by donning a harness, standing at the apex of the Arrowhead Pond, and descending via zipliner in one of the riskiest entrances of all time. Michaels ended up in the crowd amongst a sea of humanity, made it to the ring, survived over an hour with the Hitman, and captured his first World Title in one of the WWE’s greatest moments.

With WrestleMania 27 lurking just weeks away, many fans wonder just what majesties are planned for the biggest show of the year.

All that’s left to do is wait, watch, and revel.

(Justin Henry is a freelance writer whose interests are rooted in NFL, MLB, NBA, wrestling, MMA, and entertainment. He can be found on Twitter at https://twitter.com/cynicjrh and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/notoriousjrh so check him out)