10 Mainstream Songs That Made Great Wrestling Entrance Themes
6. The Final Countdown By Europe (Daniel Bryan ROH)
It takes an incredible talent to get one of the most widely-derided, cheesy '80s anthems over with wrestling fans - but Daniel Bryan did just that.
During his Ring of Honor and Indy days, long before his somewhat mindless name change, Bryan Danielson was tearing up the world of wrestling and putting on incredible matches with the likes of Samoa Joe and CM Punk. His work-rate and relentless ambition made him an instant fan favorite in Ring of Honor, ultimately leading him to be considered a founding father in the promotion's history.
The choice to use The Final Countdown added a crucial element to Bryan's persona - fan interaction. During his entrance, fans would pound their feet and clap to the beat before as Bryan climbed the turnbuckle and pointed to the sky. Belting out the famous chorus, fans latched on to the song and somehow made it cool. It was an anthem - a harbinger of quality and reliability.
ROH were known for their down to earth product and the fact that Bryan would join the fans in singing his own theme allowed them to invest in him, no matter how dastardly his actions in the ring may be.
It may have been laced in synthesizers and hairspray, but the song acted as a nudge and a wink to audiences, creating a cult-like status around the song long before the likes of Fandango's theme was similarly embraced by fans.