Top 10: Entrances

A wrestler having a memorable entrance is one of the most important parts of building a total character. In the first few minutes we see a performer, we should be able to know what he or she is all about. This is conveyed through music, the performer's physical cues,  and if there are announcers, what is being said about him or her. Some of the performers on this list might not be the greatest in the ring, but they have an entrance and an air about them that supersedes the need to put on five star matches. You become invested in their stories even before they hit the ring. Here are my ten favorite entrances of all time.

10) The Sandman - Many of the current crop of superstars suffer from too similar sounding of an entrance song, and not much individuality to their movements. Compare that to the ECW legend, The Sandman, who was nothing but an entrance. Although on the WWE Network it has been dubbed over, The Sandman would come to the ring to "Enter Sandman" by Metallica. It was very on the nose.  A true man of the people, the Sandman would stumble through the crowd, pounding back beers while posing with his signature Singapore cane raised into the air. Other than cane shots and his Russian leg sweep, I don't remember much about the guy's in ring ability, but he had the crowd eating out of his hand from the initial guitar lick.

9) John Cena - From the second the horns hit, the crowd erupts. Whether it's more cheers or boos tends to depend on the city, but the volume is undeniable. The salute and run down the ramp, throwing the Kerch to the crowd, everything about John Cena's entrance is memorable. Whether you think it is a cool entrance or a tacky one is probably a pretty accurate description of how you feel about the character, a huge part of why he cannot be omitted from this list.

8) Goldberg - Goldberg entrances were so intense that you had to buy into the character. From the ominous march blaring through the speakers, to the team of security escorting him to the ring, to even his pyro effects, every Goldberg match came with a big fight feel. That all starts with, and many would argue ends with, his entrance.

7) The Rock - Starting with his most popular catch phrase, The Rock's theme alone is one of the most iconic of all time. Then, when he hits the stage, no energy is wasted. Every movement has meaning. The energy coursing through everyone's veins becomes sheer electricity, and you feel like he can take down the world. This is why he will be our next president. Compare that to all of Donald Trump's entrances on WWE programming and there's no contest, we all know which one of them will be laying the Smackdown.

6) Shinsuke Nakamura - Shinsuke Nakamura simply oozes charisma. His song is great, and his movements are just so interesting. It is hard to capture in words how charismatic and engaging a Shinsuke performance is, and it gets no better than his entrance.

5) Stone Cold Steve Austin - Stone Cold had such a simple entrance. Glass shatters, generic crunchy distorted riff plays, and he speed walks to the ring to open up a can of whoopass, running his mouth the entire time. It fit so perfectly with his no nonsense gimmick.

4) Finn Balor - Finn Balor benefits from having two separate entrances. His normal entrance is fine for what it is, but what everyone really wants to see is The Demon. When Finn has to channel his inner demon, it is meant as literally as possible. He gets an extended mix on his entrance, crawling on all fours down to the ring. The lighting and fog take you to a completely different place, and the special paint that he wears really stand out on a roster filled with sports entertainers moreso than true characters. Normal Finn might feel like any other guy, but when he has to dig deep, everyone is in for a treat.

3) Hulk Hogan - Hogan is the king of miming. All of his movements feel so big, it doesn't matter if you're in the front row or the nose bleeds, when the Hulkster's music hits, you felt like a part of something huge. And that's what Hulkamania is all about.

2) Triple H - When those distorted chords hit and ring out, you know business is about to pick up. Now a mainstay at professional sports games, Motörhead performed one of the greatest entrance songs of all time. Adding killer lighting, an action figure's physique, and the iconic water spit, Triple H is a no brainer for this list.

1) The Undertaker - The Undertaker may be the greatest character the WWE has ever seen. Such a surreal character only works if the audience is fully immersed from the get go. The gong hit, the dark lighting, the fog, The Undertaker has one of the most visually stunning spectacles in the world of sports entertainment. As a child, I remember the chill cutting through the arena when he entered. Whether as a child, an adult, or otherwise, I've never had as unique of an experience in the world of professional wrestling as watching The Undertaker making his way to the ring.