Top MMA & Boxing Ring Entrances [Part I]

Top 4 MMA Ring Entrances

1. Genki Sudo
2. Anderson Silva (in Japan)
3. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal
4. Jason “Mayhem” Miller

*Top MMA Ring Entrances [Part 2]

It isn’t documented as to who exactly should be credited for introducing music and/or dancing to ring entrances from sports such as boxing, mma, and professional wrestling. Hall of Fame pro wrestler (WWF) Sergeant Slaughter has claimed to reinstate the idea of music for ring entrances in the 1970’s for wrestlers making their entrance to the fight. And this idea was further exacerbated in the 1980’s by wrestlers such as Macho Man Savage, the Fabulous Freebirds, and JYD … to name a few.

In the world of boxing, the history of ring entrance color and themes probably goes back to the 1940’s and 1950’s as some boxers wore colorful robes to the ring for their fights. Some say that Larry Holmes was one of the first popular boxers to start playing music upon entering the ring. And of course it was a disco song, seeing that he fought in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s.

As for the showboating aspect of ring entrances, pro boxers seem to take this idea and run with it in the mid to late 1980’s with fighters such as Hector Camacho. I guess Mike Tyson didn’t get the memo, as he simply walked to the ring with no flash at all. Mike’s ring entrances were like pro wrestler The Undertakers’ ring entrance with no music; SCARY!

Nowadays, ring entrances are more and more extravagant. And the most extravagant and flashy ones are probably coming out of Japan and the UK. In the recent past of boxing, fighters such as the Klitschkos and Prince Naseem Hamed took this phenomenon to a new level. But I’d like to differentiate the difference here. Hamed was more of a performer with his entrances, and the Klitschkos simply looked like they had nothing to do with the display to the ring. I tend to like those fighters that put on a show. In mixed martial arts, we’re now seeing more fighters come up with fun ring entrances or what they think are cool looking.

There’s no way to rate the best ring entrances in mma or boxing. But, those fighters that readily come to mind as having memorable ring entrances are Prince Hamed (boxing), Anderson Silva (mma; when with Pride in Japan), Roy Jones, Jr. (boxing), Genki Sudo (mma), Jason “Mayhem” Miller (mma), King Mo Lawal (mma), and a few others. Again, I prefer those ring entrances where the fighter is actually performing. There are many many mma ring entrances that I really enjoy, even if they were subtle by nature, such as Heath Herring and Georges St. Pierre, and even Diego Sanchez.

Perhaps, the best ring entrances from any fighter is Japan’s Genki Sudo. He beats out pro boxer Prince Naseem Hamed. What’s similar of the two is that they both retired early in their career, leaving us wanting more. It’s a shame Sudo retired when he was at his peak as a fighter.

1. Genki Sudo [15-5; 11 submissions]:

1a. Genki Sudo:

2. Anderson Silva [25-4; 15 knockouts]:

doing his rendition of Michael Jackson

3. Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal [5-0; 4 knockouts]:

*Check out King Mo’s video profile

4. Jason “Mayhem” Miller [22-6; 13 submissions]:

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~From Boxing~

Prince Naseem Hamed [36-1; 31 knockouts]:

*Watch the longest ring entrance ever vs. Kevin Kelley, as performed by Prince Naseem

Vitali Klitschko [37-2; 36 knockouts]:

*Top MMA Ring Entrances [Part 2]

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