Wrestlemania XXVIII: A Grammy Soundtrack for the Road to Wrestlemania

The music industry packed into the Staples Center to celebrate the 54th annual Grammy awards last Sunday, crowning their champions for the last year in music.

In the spirit of the Rock 'n' Wrestling Connection, including couples like David Otunga and Jennifer Hudson, here is a list of seven Grammy-nominated songs from this year's ceremony and the WWE Superstars who best embody them.

Honorable Mentions

- Big Show, "Perfect" by Pink (Best Pop Solo Performance nominee)

- Mark Henry, "I Need a Doctor" by Dr. Dre ft. Eminem and Skylar Grey (Best Rap/Sung Collaboration nominee)

- Kane, "My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy" by Kanye West (Best Rap Album)

- HHH, "Watch the Throne" by Kanye West and Jay-Z (Best Rap Album nominee)

- Santino, "Hilarious" by Louis C.K. (Best Comedy Album)

Kofi Kingston

"Look at Me Now" by Chris Brown ft. Lil Wayne and Busta Rhymes (Best Rap Song nominee)

"Gotta taste it and I gotta grab it,
and I gotta cut all through this traffic
just to be at the top of the throne.
better know I gotta have it, have it.

Look at me now. look at me now.
Oh, I'm getting paper.
Look at me now. Oh, look at me now.
Yeah, fresher than a mother-----r."

Kofi Kingston has always had an abundance of swagger, but only recently has he found himself in a position to be at the top of the singles throne.

After being forced to move on without tag team partner Evan Bourne, Kofi is ready to cut through all the traffic and take his exciting brand of offense into the Elimination Chamber on Sunday. He has fixed his eyes on the WWE Title and he's gotta taste it, he's gotta grab it. Oh, look at him now.

Brodus Clay

"Moves Like Jagger" by Maroon 5 ft. Christina Aguilera (Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nominee)

"You wanted control, so we waited.
I put on a show, now I make it.
You say I'm a kid. My ego is big.
I don't give a s---, and it goes like this."

We waited (and waited) for the debut of Brodus Clay, and when the moment came, the Funkasuarus definitely put on a show, for a few weeks at least (is the Funkasaurus extinct or what?). His childish exuberance in the ring helped get him over with the fans, and his casual taunting of squashed opponents made it clear that his ego was as big as the rest of him.

And the man can move. It's not pretty, but hey, these days neither is Jagger.

Zack Ryder

"Someone Like You" by Adele (Best Pop Solo Performance)

"Never mind, I'll find someone like you.
I wish nothing but the best for you, too.
Don't forget me, I beg.
I remember you said,
'Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead.'"

Poor Zack. The guy can't seem to catch a break these days. He's being pummeled and tormented week in and week out by a sadistic mad man, and to top it all off, the girl of his dreams just ripped out his heart and stomped on it.

Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes you take a stage dive in a wheel chair while wearing a neck brace. Ouch, bro.

A.J.

"Mean" by Taylor Swift (Best Country Solo Performance)

"You, with your words like knives,
and swords and weapons that you use against me.
You, have knocked me off my feet again;
got me feeling like I'm nothing.
You, with your voice like nails on a chalkboard
calling me out when I'm wounded.
You, picking on the weaker man."

A.J. is as close as the WWE Universe will get to the awkward, goofy, lovable pop superstar that is Taylor Swift. She knows a thing or two about getting knocked off her feet, for sure.

More importantly, Michael Cole, with his voice like nails on a chalkboard, called her out on RAW last week when she was clearly still healing from her injuries.

With a quiet confidence we didn't know she had, she made sure Cole knew that her injuries will heal, but all he'll ever be is mean.

Randy Orton

"The Cave" by Mumford and Sons (Record of the Year and Song of the Year nominee)

"And I'll find strength in pain
and I will change my ways.
I'll know my name as it's called again.

"'Cause I have other things to fill my time.
You take what is yours and I'll take mine.
Now let me at the truth,
which will refresh my broken mind."

Randy Orton is a broken man. Less than a week away from the chance to have his name called again, an injury has left him on the outside looking in, trying to find strength in his pain.

The remaining Superstars at Elimination Chamber will all attempt to take what they believe to be theirs on Sunday, but when Randy Orton finds himself back in the ring, he will be out to take what he believes is his.

The truth is, championship gold may be the only thing that will refresh his broken mind and quell the voices in the head of the Apex Predator.

The Undertaker

"Walk" by Foo Fighters (Best Rock Performance, Best Rock Song)

"I never wanna die.
I'm dancing on my grave.
I'm running through the fire.
Forever, whatever,
I never wanna die.
I never wanna leave.
I'll never say goodbye.
Forever, whatever,
forever, whatever.

I'm learning to walk again.
I believe I've waited long enough.
Where do I begin?
I'm learning to talk again.
Can't you see I've waited long enough?
Where do I begin?"

The Undertaker begins exactly where he left off last year: with a long, slow death march down the WrestleMania ramp to face the King of Kings, Triple H. After being unable to walk under his own power last year, The Undertaker has waited long enough. He is prepared to run through the fire once more at the show he's helped make famous.

Though it's clear that the final bell will soon toll for the Phenom, the mark he has left in WWE over the last 20-plus years, especially at WrestleMania, ensures that the Deadman will never truly die, and his legacy will remain eternal.

The Rock

"All of the Lights" by Kanye West ft. Rihanna, Fergie and Kid Cudi (Best Rap Song, Best Rap/Sung Collaboration)

"Cop lights, flashlights, spotlights, strobe lights, street lights.
All of the lights, all of the lights.
Fast life, drug life, thug life, rock life, every night.
All of the lights."

That's a lot of lights. That many lights must require a great deal of electricity. Who better to power them all than the most electrifying man in all of entertainment?

When the WrestleMania lights come on, when The Rock's music hits, and he walks out to the millions... and millions of fans chanting his name, The People's Champ will bring it like John Cena never imagined. No more lady parts. No more Fruity Pebbles. Just The Rock's boots and Cena's candy ass.

Curtains Close

Thanks for playing along, ladies and gentlemen. Feel free to leave your suggestions for Grammy-nominated tunes and the Superstars or Divas who best embody them in the comments.