WrestleMania will be a little different this year.
WWE has moved its marquee event to its training facility in Orlando, where WrestleMania 36 will be showcased without fans in attendance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This means there will be no opportunities for any trademark WrestleMania entrances. So, in the absence of spectacular, grandiose entrances this year, we’re taking a look back at some of the best entrances from WrestleMania’s past.
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Note: The only rule is that a wrestler can only appear once on the list.
5) Macho Man & Bobby Heenan – WrestleMania 9 (1993)
Macho Man Randy Savage wasn’t long for the WWE at this point in his career, as he would depart for WCW not too long after this WrestleMania. However, Macho Man was still featured at WrestleMania 9, even if it was in just a commentary role.
Don’t let the change in role fool you though, as the Macho Man still played the part of a larger-than-life superstar with an emperor-like entrance.
Fellow commentator Bobby Heenan came out right after Savage, in almost the exact opposite way. It was hilarious, while also classic Bobby Heenan.
4) Shawn Michaels – WrestleMania 12 (1996)
Of course, we needed to put Mr. WrestleMania on the list.
There were a few options for HBK, including a particularly divine entrance at WrestleMania 25, but we’re giving the nod to his entrance at WrestleMania 12.
First of all, the match that proceeded the entrance was very, very good. Michaels challenged Bret Hart for the WWE Championship in an iron man match. Despite having never exhibited an iron man match on PPV before this, WWE went ahead and booked the 60-minute match for the main event of WrestleMania.
Shawn Michaels was the perfect superstar to showcase this new and unique match by way of his performance, and his entrance.
Michaels zip-lined from the top of Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim down to the floor with Vince McMahon, on commentary, shouting bewildered phrases from his seat at ringside. The visuals of Michaels on the zipline are staples in WWE history and will continue to live on for as long as the sports entrainment giant is around.
3) Sasha Banks – WrestleMania 32 (2016)
When a music icon assists in your entrance, you definitely get a spot on the list.
Sasha Banks was played out to the WrestleMania stage with some help from legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, who also happens to be her cousin. Snoop was a busy man that weekend, not only performing in front of over 100,000 people at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, but also taking his place in the WWE Hall of Fame’s celebrity wing.
Banks went on to compete in what many considered to be the match of the night at WrestleMania 32, taking on Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch for the newly rechristened WWE Women’s Championship.
2) The Undertaker – WrestleMania 20 (2004)
How do you pick just one Undertaker ‘Mania entrance? They’ve all been memorable. Even his entrance before that terrible match with Giant Gonzalez at WrestleMania 9 was pretty good.
If Shawn Michaels is known as Mr. WrestleMania, then Undertaker should just be included in the definition of WrestleMania. The Undertaker has missed just three WrestleManias since 1991, and has lost only twice (Brock Lesnar in 2014, Roman Reigns in 2017).
We’re giving the best-entrance nod to WrestleMania 20, where ‘Taker hit on multiple levels of nostalgia.
First of all, Undertaker’s “American Bad Ass” motorcycle gimmick was over. The Undertaker made his return to his Deadman persona, which also marked the return of the traditional “gong” sound that would echo before Undertaker’s walk to the ring.
Meanwhile, another familiar sound also returned at WrestleMania 20 as Undertaker’s old manager Paul Bearer appeared on WWE screens for the first time in about four years to serve as Undertaker’s manager. The return to the familiar for Undertaker worked, as he would go on to pin Kane in under 10 minutes.
It was a chilling, goosebump-inducing moment. Long live The Deadman.
1) Triple H – WrestleMania 30 (2014)
Triple H gives us another case of, “How do you pick just one?”
Triple H’s wrestling career will always conjure up memories of WrestleMania performances and entrances. “The Game” has always brought some sort of breathtaking imagery or unique music to ‘Mania.
For instance, he’s been played to the ring multiple times by Motörhead, who sang his most notable theme song, “The Game.” Motörhead’s lead singer Lemmy introduced his band at WrestleMania 17 by saying, “We are Motörhead, and we gonna kick your ass.”
He’s also driven to the ring on a motorcycle alongside a police escort, he’s come out as The Terminator, he’s been unveiled behind an army of shielded soldiers, he’s been accompanied down the aisle by masked men, and he’s sat on numerous thrones.
We’re picking one of the throne entrances, specifically the one from WrestleMania 30.
Trips kicked off the 30th edition with a singles match against Daniel Bryan. Stephanie McMahon stood in the middle of the ring to introduce her husband, a role she’s played to perfection more than once. Triple H sat on a throne at the top of the ramp, draped in golden shoulder pads with a skull crown/mask.
Triple H’s gear looked familiar to what Deontay Wilder wore to the boxing ring in his match against Tyson Fury in February, which he blamed for his loss. That recently led to Triple H to poke fun at Wilder on Twitter.
Hunter was also surrounded by three women who just so happened to be future WWE Superstars in Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Alexa Bliss. The match that followed this entrance would be one of the better matches in the later stages of Triple H’s career.
Triple H’s WrestleMania entrances are the game. His entrances are that damn good.
