WWE: 10 Best Classic TV/PPV Theme Songs

Remember the good ole days? How a wrestling program would put you in front of a television, and envisioning yourself inside the ring?

Or how about watching the culmination of a cliffhanger that happened the week before? Or hoping that your favorite wrestler gains the advantage this week?

Whatever the case that caused you to be a classic wrestling fan, every program started with one thing.

Theme music.

These theme songs from television programs and pay-per-views has left an indelible mark of nostalgia in many of our hearts. Oftentimes, the songs during this era are the standard-bearer of what many wish wrestling would become again.

Here are the 10 best classic TV/PPV theme songs.

Feel free to comment on your best theme song of old. Of course, keep it civil and respectful, or it will be flagged and reported.

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10. Superstars of Wrestling

Before Monday Night Raw, WW(F) Superstars of Wrestling was one of the main programs of the WWE. In the 80's the broadcast team mainly consisted of Vince McMahon and Jesse "The Body" Ventura.

The show consisted of title matches, recaps and of course, the typical "popular wrestling beats jobber" matches.

Great show to watch.

9. Clash of the Champions

In the NWA, Clash of the Champions was the televised version of a pay-per-view. The card was usually stacked from top to bottom, and there were many moments that are memorable.

At first, this programming series would run quarterly, but as pay-per-views became more frequent, it became more sporadic. Eventually, the program ceased altogether in 1997.

Clash of the Champions was one of the frontrunners to the "Supershow" concept we see today.

8. WorldWide

It is hard to believe, but WCW WorldWide had a televised run for over 25 years. Of course, with Nitro and Thunder eventually becoming the top two shows, WorldWide became relegated to a match recap show.

In its heyday, we saw some great matches on the program, and concepts such as the "Top Ten."

From 1993 to 1996 the show was housed inside the MGM studios in Orlando, FL. The ring was on top of a revolving floor.

7. SummerSlam

One of the "Big Four" pay-per-views, SummerSlam began in 1988. SummerSlam will be celebrating its 25th anniversary this coming August, so the expectations are high for the WWE to deliver a memorable show.

Most recently, SummerSlam 2011 was the culmination of the CM Punk/John Cena feud that had the wrestling world buzzing all throughout the summer.

For a number of years—in addition to its marquee matches—SummerSlam was known for its theme music.

6. Survivor Series

Another "Big Four" pay-per-view, Survivor Series presented the unique concept of marquee 8-10 man matchups. Although this concept has greatly faded, WWE still gives us at least one or two traditional matches.

What I loved about pay-per-views like this was that the ongoing theme song really put a stamp on the PPV. Sean Mooney, Lord Alfred Hayes or Gene Okerlund would usually be the faces of the "Events Center," giving viewers the match lineup with wrestlers' promos to help the buildup.

No matter what, the theme music played in the background to add a level of anticipation for the PPV.

5. World Championship Wrestling

From 1982-1987, this song was the theme for the NWA World Championship Wrestling TV show.

During this time, the most popular tandem of broadcast members were Tony Schiavone and David Crockett.

So many great memories came out of this show. Although the studio was quite small, the impact that this show leaves on classic wrestling fans is enormous.

One of the most memorable moments of this show was the evolution of arguably the best faction of all time—The Four Horsemen.

Whether it was Ric Flair, Sting, Nikita Koloff, the Road Warriors or Dusty Rhodes, the interviews and promos on this show were amazing.

4. WCCW

World Class Championship Wrestling—popularly known as WCCW—was one of the best weekly wrestling programs of the 1980s. Many WWE World Champions had a stint in the WCCW at one time.

One of the most notable wrestling families of all time—the WWE Hall of Famed Von Erichs—had one of the more heated rivalries in wrestling history against the Fabulous Freebirds.

The stampede-sounding theme song was a perfect introduction to the show.

3. Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble is WWE's third-oldest pay-per-view. With one of the most unique stipulations in wrestling, it took the classic battle royal to greater heights. Not only does the winner receive bragging rights, but he also becomes the No. 1 contender for the World Title on the "grandest stage of them all."

The Royal Rumble theme song of old was indeed a great one. With many interviews leading up to the event, it created an even bigger buzz to see who would win the 30-man over-the-top rope match.

1992 has been the only exception to the Royal Rumble concept. For the first and only time in Royal Rumble history, the title was actually up for grabs due to it being vacant during the current storyline.

The winner—as most of us know—was Ric Flair.

In a bit of trivia history, this theme was also used briefly for SummerSlam.

2. Saturday Night's Main Event

Amazing memories from this show. Similar to NWA/WCW's Clash of the Champions, this show was the "Supershow" of the 1980s for the WWE.

Saturday Night's Main Event was the lair of Hulk Hogan. Most of the storylines revolved around his character. In typical old-school Hulk Hogan fashion, he honed his "larger than life" character by defying all odds against the "villains."

The new version of Saturday Night's Main Event that ran from 2006-2008 was a valiant attempt to revive those great moments, but unfortunately it just wasn't the same.

1. WrestleMania

Undoubtedly, the best television investment that Vince McMahon has ever made. Since its inception in 1985, WrestleMania has reached popularity levels compared to the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, NBA Finals and World Series.

The classic WrestleMania theme song was electrifying, and created a chart-busting level of excitement for the biggest pay-per-view of the year. Vince McMahon's screaming during the intro leading to the PPV definitely added to the excitement.

Although theme songs of the modern era are mostly used for marketing, promotion and sponsorships, songs like the old WrestleMania theme always leave that reminiscent feeling in wrestling fans' hearts and minds.

Hope you enjoyed a small piece of wrestling history.