WWE: Ziggler, Bryan & 5 More Superstars Who Need New Entrance Themes

Disclaimer: Upon publishing this article, I did notice an article with a similar topic. My sincere apologies go out to the author and I wish to assure you this is no copy. I skimmed through that article and found that our options differ, so not much harm done. Once again, sincere apologies.

In the world of sports entertainment, be it a person meant to be booed, cheered or even ignored, they all need to be what this entire field is about: entertaining.

Entrance themes have gone on to symbolize stars, heels and babyfaces alike. I personally believe they have a huge impact on a star's success: a reason why Michael Cole failed at wrestling.

And of course, because he had no wrestling talent, either.

Good music can easily turn a star into something interesting, thus rendering the two minutes of soul-searching we do when Hunico painfully rides down on a bike to music that doesn't make anyone tap their feet (Not even Rosa Mendes, geez) void.

All in all, there's a reason A-Ry was liked at first, and that has everything to do with 'Say It To My Face!' and his amateur dancing skills shown in a Funkasaurus showdown, and nothing to do with in-ring ability. It got him a feud with Miz, so that'll show you the importance of themes.

It also got him a spot in the WWE doghouse, but I'm peacefully ignoring that.

7. Justin Gabriel: Need More to Be a 'Rising' Star

The former Nexus member is surely carving a spot into relevancy with his feud (or I think it is a feud... it is? Right, guys?) with Cody Rhodes. We clearly haven't seen the best of him yet, but whatever we have seen is good, so it's safe to say that for now it's a good decision.

High-fliers provide the excitement in shows full of Aksana-Teddy Long segments. They're meant to get the crowd behind them no matter what, and they put their bodies on the line for the very same.

High-fliers have the potential to become your biggest heroes, because every wrestling fan would prefer seeing a Jeff Hardy Swanton Bomb from a 15-foot ladder rather than a John Cena Five-Knuckle Shuffle.

Sorry, John, that's just how the Universe works. (Both universes...actual and WWE)

I'm not saying Gabriel's music, "Rising," is bad (or anyone else on this slide, unless elaborately specified), but it isn't pop-worthy, either.

6. Jinder Mahal and 5. Hunico: Going the Khali Route

I'm placing both Hunico and Jinder Mahal in one slide because they're pretty much at the same level in audience's interest in them and their impact on the WWE. And also because I can.

The level, if you're curious by the way, is very, very low. Even lower than their interest in Mason Ryan's rumoured push, and that's saying something. 

Somewhere between giving both of them ethnic themes to suit their gimmicks, they lost out on excitement.

Don't give me the thing that they're heels and if their music doesn't make me happy, then they're doing their job because this is first and foremost, above everything else, entertainment.

You can be the slyest heel on Earth in the form of Chris Jericho or Ric Flair, but only if you've got music will the audience will embrace you in your role. Kurt Angle got the audience riled up right from his entrance and consequently, this affected the boos he got.

If you can't get the audience to open their mouth and just boo you the moment you come on, something that should happen naturally for a credible heel and for a man who is famously known as a Fruity Pebble, then you probably won't make them exert any emotion during the rest of your segment.

On that note, I was watching Hulk Hogan's return at WrestleMania 21 again last night, and I've got to give credit to Muhammed Hassan's entrance theme. Like him, hate him or use eight wrestlers to throw him out of a Royal Rumble, his theme was killer.

4. Dolph Ziggler: I Am Close to Perfection, Though Still Not There Yet

This has been rather gradual, but I've metamorphosed into a Dolph Ziggler fan, largely due to his ability to sell off a Rough Ryder like he's been Stunned into a Rock Bottom and then picked and mangled completely by five back-to-back F5s and finally decimated with the ultimate finisher: The Cobra.

His prancing and just showing off antics in general are television-worthy and it may or may not have been done before, but as long as he's doing it well, I don't care.

But somehow, his theme song doesn't cut it. We all have our tastes in music, and just like you all I have mine, so I don't see him walking out to a sea of cheers/boos at a WrestleMania with a theme like this. I repeat, good stars or bad: you need a great entrance theme to enhance your character.

He's got everything right: ability, style, attire (#HEEL trunks and a furry hoodie, what more do you want), a heat-magnet of a manager and even a partner who is dumb, gets bonked everywhere and doesn't interfere a lot in his matches.

It's time he gets good music. Or if this is good, then he gets killer music. Since he's ripping off Ric Flair's movements lately, take his music too. I don't mind, and I don't think TNA has the guts to do anything about it.

They have bigger issues anyway. Like signing up all old and retired WWE stars and then realizing that they are...well...old.  

3. R-Truth: Krunk It Up!

Let's get Krunked! 

R-Truth got boring a long time ago in his babyface run, and that was somewhat the story of his forgettable career. A career-changing heel turn led to more relevancy and much more entertainment from a man who is filled with it, but his music remained the same. Why Lil' Jimmy, why?

With his humour and antics (and aversion for spiders and heights), he has the potential to be a big face in the company for the number of years left in him. Give us music that makes us like him and want to cheer him more and more. Please.

But don't let us get Krunked. He'll probably get booed like a Cena.

2. Wade Barrett: Barrett Blues

Truth be told, I wasn't one of the biggest haters of "End of Days;" it was decent and at times I found it apt. What I did hate was his coat whose sleeves were as useful as Hornswoggle's mouth (Before that Holiday special episode, anyway).

His new theme is, however, bad. If you're going to book him as a WrestleMania main-eventer, and trust me when I say his feud with Orton has almost made him one, then he needs to have all the elements of a superstar.

Maybe bring back the Nexus theme until they can finally decide on something extraordinary. Maybe get rid of the coat. Maybe put no tune, but just plaster the words BARRETT BARRAGE on the Titantron.

Or better put Wade Baraaaat Garage, because Santino Marella is awesome.

1. Daniel Bryan: Of and About Appreciation

For a guy who is taking years to figure out AJ's love for him, or pretending he doesn't while he's secretly scheming the hell out of her, he sure is taking a while to notice that his entrance theme has been horrible and stayed horrible for his entire career.

No seriously, he is the World Heavyweight Champion. His heel turn made him one interesting character on SmackDown. This is the moment to make another star in the WWE, so ahead and put forward all the elements and do that. 

Mark Henry was and will remain the top heel on SmackDown, and no one can do anything about it lest they want to get World's Strongest Slammed.

There's a different feel in watching this imposing Hall Of Fame inductor walk out to the words "Somebody's gonna get their ass kicked!" because not only do those words hold true, but they also sound good. This is entertainment.

We need that from our champion. I want Daniel Bryan to become a big thing, and I also want to mark out whenever he makes a surprise entry, and this entrance theme won't do any of those.

Heck, even David Otunga has a better theme than Daniel Bryan. Personal opinion, but still.

Special Mention: Johnny Ace, Mr. Exciting

Our EVP of TR & IGM of MNR needs no introduction, despite having just got one. It's a mood-kill to see him take ages to walk down the ramp and into the ring. Give him some music, anything good. Or make him walk out to "No Chance In Hell" just to poke fun at Vince McMahon. 

He's an authority figure and soon-to-be prominent figure on RAW. Give him all the elements he requires (This includes promo skills, though they're improving, no doubt).

Big Johnny is a brilliant character, they can easily expand it to become something as hated as Eric Bischoff. Paralleling McMahon will be hard, because Johnny will never be the head of the WWE, but it's still a good character to play with.

The only people who can get more heat than him in authority positions would be McMahon himself, daughter Stephanie McMahon herself and Mr. Hunter Hearst Helmsley if he chooses to turn heel.

His "I am yada yada.." is the new "Excuse Me!" of heat-lines in the Hall of Heat.

Conclusion

As I mentioned, I expect to get comments which state these dull themes are a ploy to play up to their heel character and to that I've already answered an answer that has entertainment at it's crux.

I'd also like to add that that's asking WWE Creative to give too much depth to characters, something extremely generous of you.

I also expect to get a few denials that say Ziggler's music is okay, or Bryan's is a melody masterpiece, and to that I'll just ask you whether it brings out the same emotion in you that let's say, Diesel's theme or the nWo theme did.

I don't know whose idea it was, but CM Punk upgrading from Fire Burns to Cult Of Personality has really helped him get over a lot. Themes matter.

I give a lot of importance to entrance themes, because I know that I'd prefer Kane walking out to his Slow Chemical rather than Kelly Kelly's Holla.

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