May 10
13
Top 10 MMA Entrances Of All Time
The old adage goes, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” When a fighter walks into the arena, it’s sometimes part of a ritual they go through to prepare for a fight. Sometimes, it’s psychological warfare, designed to get under the skin of the opponent. And on occasion, the fighter just wants to make a huge splash. The smart fighter realizes that if you make a memorable impact coming into the arena, win or lose, fans will pay to see you fight again.
The following are my picks for the top 10 best MMA entrances of all time. Some goofy, some impressive, and some just downright fun.
Number 10
Tom Lawlor, UFC 113
It’s a shame this was an undercard fight, because while the Lawlor fight made it onto the UFC broadcast, his epic entrance did not. Borrowing from Rocky IV, Lawlor channeled his inner Apollo Creed, walking out to James Brown’s Living in America and wearing an American flag robe. The crowd was definitely feeling it, as you can gather from the fuzzy video captured at the live event. Unfortunately, life imitated art once again as Lawlor lost his fight, though not as badly as Apollo Creed did. (Spoiler Alert: Creed died.)
Number 9
Kimo Leopoldo, UFC 3
Divisive at the time, Kimo paved the way for theatrical MMA entrances when he came to the Octagon for his fight with legendary Royce Gracie … carrying a full-size cross on his back. Kimo was proud of his faith (“JESUS” tattooed on his stomach, and a cross on his back), and wanted to show respect to his Savior as he came out for his fight. Some thought it was way too over the top, either because of the religious aspect, or because it was distracting. Either way, Kimo deserves respect for holding true to his beliefs.
Sadly, there is no video available online for this entrance. If you find one, let me know in the comments and I’ll add it!
Number 8
Jason Miller, Dream 9
OK, I’m not a “Mayhem” Miller fan, and certainly not after instigating a fight at Strikeforce: Nashville. I think the guy is more bark than bite. But you absolutely can’t deny that the guy’s bark is loud and proud. Coming out with Japanese schoolgirls and dancing a choreographed routine with a big smile on his face made me laugh out loud.
Number 7
Muhammed Lawal, Sengoku Seventh Battle
“King Mo” Lawal is a lot of things. Humble isn’t one of them. It takes a lot of guts to call yourself a King, but watching his entrance at Sengoku Seventh Battle, you can almost believe it. Almost, because those are the least sexy dancers I have ever seen in my life. If that’s the best the “King” can afford, it’s a pretty small kingdom.
Number 6
Genki Sudo, K-1 Premium 2005 Dynamite
If you could intimidate a fighter into submission just through the amount of money you spent to make your way to the arena, Genki Sudo would be undefeated and destitute. One of only many of his amazing walk-out spectacles, Sudo puts on some sort of a kabuki pageant before coming out on a Segway. You have to see it to believe it.
Number 5
Yoshihiro Akiyama, Dream 5
The man known as “Sexyama” couldn’t possibly let himself be outdone when it comes to the persona he portrays on his way to the ring. Sure enough, Akiyama pulled out the stops … only to get booed mercilessly by the crowd. Akiyama was playing the heel to perfection.
Number 4
Akihiro Gono, Dynamite! 2009
You really can’t have a post talking about gigantic, overblown MMA entrances without getting Akihiro Gono on the list. This man is known for two things, being a great fighter, and making a massive splash when he comes out. This entrance at Dynamite! 2009 was no exception. He comes out, singing LIVE with Japanese band Kishidan. I don’t think anyone has come out singing with a full band before or since.
Number 3
Wanderlei Silva, Pride 2003 Grand Prix
There are a lot of things people miss in MMA since the UFC acquired Pride (besides soccer stomps), and a major one is the production value that went into the fighter entrances. Pride always made these guys seem larger than life. Below is the entrance of Wanderlei Silva, the man who’s name has become synonymous with Darude’s Sandstorm.
Number 2
Anderson Silva, Pride 21
Recently, Anderson Silva has taken to dancing around and humiliating his opponents during a fight. But it wasn’t long ago that he was leaving the theatrics to his entrances. Coming out to the Michael Jackson dance anthem “Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough”, Anderson evokes the King of Pop in a way that would certainly bring a smile to the late superstar’s face.
Number 1
Fedor Emelianenko, YARENNOKA 31
It doesn’t get any more epic than this. Fedor “The Last Emperor” Emelianenko is considered by many to be the top MMA Heavyweight of all time, and the uncrowned champion of all promotions. So if you’re going to pull out all the stops for an entrance worthy of the WWE, Fedor is the guy you do it for. Of course, what puts this entrance over the top is the reaction by the fans. Watch it in HD and be awed.