The origins of wrestlers using music to enhance their entrances are not clear with Glen Stride often cited as being the first wrestler to do so. The early 1950s saw female champion Mildred Burke often utilise music while Gorgeous George associated himself with 'Pomp and Circumstance,' a song which was later used by 'Macho Man' Randy Savage. However, Freebird Michael Hayes is recognised as the man who took the relationship between wrestling and music to the next level. Hayes unwittingly changed the wrestling business for the better as he convinced promoters to put a tape of Lynyrd Skynyrds Freebird into the P.A. system as they made their way to the ring. Before this, the majority wrestlers didn't have entrance songs, relying on their standing with the fan base to make their entrance unique and entertaining. Since then, the MTV age amongst other things has made a wrestler's entrance an integral part to their character. Could you imagine a wrestler simply emerging from a curtain-covered entry way in an area without lights, an entrance video and pyro to boot? Vladimir Kozlov debuted in the WWE without any of the above and it was just weird. Soon enough, he was given a domineering theme song which suited his Moscow Mauler demeanour before he turned all goofy on us with Santino Marella. As we know, Vince McMahon likes to put his own stamp on characters that were successful in other companies. It is very rare you will see a well established star keep all the nuances that made him or her successful in another territory. Here are examples of superstars who would have benefited from keeping an entrance theme that was already so synonymous with them.
