WWE ENTRANCES TAKE on a life of their own. Over the last 31 years, ‘The Show of Shows’ has been known as much for its incredible matches as it is for the epic pyro, live performances and all kinds of spectacle that precedes them.
From The Undertaker’s famously long walk to the ring to ‘Mr. Wrestlemania’ Shawn Michaels himself, there is no better way to grab the audiences attention than to do so from the moment a superstar steps through the curtain.
So sit back and relax as we take you through the definitive list of the top 10 entrances ever made on ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All’.
10. John Cena – Wrestlemania 22
There has never been a more divisive figure in WWE history than John Cena. Although we may have grown tired of his “Hustle, Loyalty, Respect” shtick, we can’t deny that WWE’s poster boy has been given some very special Wrestlemania entrances.
From crashing a Mustang through a sheet of glass to walking through a sea of Cena lookalikes, he has had some memorable ones. But one our favourties was his first every Wrestlemania entrance.
Arriving in a 1940s style car filled with ‘gangsters’, Cena arrived clad in an overcoat and fedora. He then revealed a tommy gun and shot it into the sky, much to the delight of the Chicago crowd, before making the walk to defend his WWE title.
9. The Ring Carts – Wrestlemania III & IV
Designed to look like mini-rings complete with turnbuckles and ropes to safely hold the Superstars, these elevated carts were a firm fan favourite.
Who could forget Andre the Giant at Wrestlemania III, hilariously squashed into the cart alongside Bobby “The Brain” Heenan. Or The Rockers (Shawn Michaels again) taking the opportunity to high-five the crowd as they rolled in for the night.
8. Stone Cold Steve Austin – Wrestlemania XIII
Anyone who grew up in the 90s remembers that the thunderous sound of shattered glass signals the entrance of everyone’s favourites beer-drinking SOB. But this was taken to another level at Wrestlemania 13 when the ‘Texas Rattlesnake’ actually smashed through the “Austin 3:16″ inscribed glass himself.
Not to mention that the match against Brett Hart that followed was one of the all-time greats.
7. Edge – Wrestlemania XXIV
Looking back on his Wrestlemania career, we will probably remember the ‘Ultimate Opportunist’ more for his tag-team ladder matches than his singles run. But Edge deserves his place on this list.
His Wrestlemania XXIV entrance was memorable not only for the fact it had the most insane pyro we have ever seen at the event but also for the heat him and Vickie Guerrero had at the time.
6. The Undertaker – Wrestlemania XX
The ‘Brothers of Destruction’ have provided countless memories over the years but the one that tops them all is their Wrestlemania XX match. We had not seen Undertaker since Kane buried him alive at Survivor Series the previous fall.
That was until an urn-carrying Paul Bearer stepped out onto the purple-lit, foggy ramps and announced his return. Down the ramp came The Undertaker, fire-wielding druids in tow. It was one of the most surreal moments in WWE history.
5. John Cena – Wrestlemania XXV
The WWE pulled out all the stops for it’s 25th anniversary, and although not everyone will agree with our choice for number five, John Cena’s second appearance on our list was a great entrance.
The entrance ramp was lined on either side by John Cena clones, saluting him with his “You Can’t See Me” hand gesture. It was a great night overall for the champ as he went on to win the World Heavyweight Championship in a Triple Threat Match.
4. Shawn Michaels – Wrestlemania XII
One of Wrestlemania’s iconic images comes in on our list at number four. Shawn Michaels, not yet known as ‘The Showstopper’ or ‘Mr.Wrestlemania’, made history that night with the first ever 60-minute Iron Man Match. But it is his entrance that people remember most fondly about that night.
When Michael’s music hit, there was no sign of him on the ramp. As people wondered where ‘The HeartBreak Kid’ was, a spotlight appeared in the rafters. There stood Shawn Michaels who then zip-lined his way down into the crowd.
3. Triple H – Wrestlemania XXVII
It was an extremely tough choice between this entrance and the Conan the barbarian styled one from five years previous. At Wrestlemania XXVII, surrounded by a circle of shields while Metallica’s For Whom The Bell Tolls rocked around the arena, ‘The Game’ appeared in a robe and skull mask.
Having already failed to end ‘The Streak’ once, this entrance sent out a clear message — ‘The Cerebral Assassin’ was ready for war.
2. The Undertaker – Wrestlemania XXIX
As we’ve seen earlier, Undertaker is no stranger to iconic Wrestlemania moments. His undefeated streak was consistently the marquee attraction at the annual event. ‘The Deadman’s’ entrances have always been enough to induce goosebumps but at Wrestlemania XXIX it went considerably darker.
As he appeared in characteristic darkness, the only light present illuminated a group of souls off stage attempting to drag him back down to hell. It was eerie, unforgettable and brilliant.
1. Shawn Michaels – Wrestlemania XXV
The best entrance in Wrestlemania history appropriately belongs to ‘Mr Wrestlemania’ himself, Shawn Michaels. The entire story-line between Michaels and his attempt to end The Undertaker’s undefeated streak was focused on the contrast between darkness and light.
The stage was set in blinding white — a stark contrast to the darkness Undertaker cloaks himself in. With angelic singing and plenty of smoke, Shawn Michaels ascended onto the stage.
The match that followed has gone down as one of the greatest of all time and the entrance went a long way in establishing the special feeling behind it.