Theme song downgrades

[RedTwoster]

Yes, I know the easy response to this thread is ‘every current WWE theme song’ - but that’s not what I’m looking for here.

I’m looking for times when a wrestling theme song has been replaced by something that is clearly not awful, but not quite as good as what came before it, in your opinion.

Times like…

John Cena switched from Basic Thuganomics 

To The Time is Now

For me, John Cena’s original theme song is sorely missed. I can’t see how it would work for his new heel character, but I’d still love to see it return. It’s fantastic.

And…

When Orange Cassidy switched from Where is my mind

To Jane

I suspect Orange himself wouldn’t agree with me, but I think this was an enormous downgrade. The first time Cassidy came out to The Pixies was the first time he felt like a megastar to me. Jane felt too light-hearted, and made OC lose a bit of his cool factor. He was still great, but there is something about Where is My Mind that made him that little bit greater - the sign of a perfect theme song.

[air_raid]

Controversial take, and copyright-wary ones are an easy target but.... Hogan stopping using Eye Of The Tiger? Yes, Real American is a banger but... c'mon, Eye Of The Tiger, Jess! At least he went full circle and used it in his last ever match. I was there.

Christian's actually a shout for this one twice over. The pomposity of his first "Christiannnnnn...... Christiannnnnn...... at last you're on your own!" theme was dramatically better than the generic dirge they replaced it with. Then later, the Waterproof Blonde version of his 2005 theme was a million times better than the one he used when he came back.

Edge having to revert to his old "Edge & Christian" theme for a bit when the deal with Rob Zombie ran out, that was pretty limp too, until he debuted Metalingus.

[RedTwoster]

7 minutes ago, air_raid said:

Controversial take, and copyright-wary ones are an easy target but.... Hogan stopping using Eye Of The Tiger? Yes, Real American is a banger but... c'mon, Eye Of The Tiger, Jess! At least he went full circle and used it in his last ever match. I was there.

Christian's actually a shout for this one twice over. The pomposity of his first "Christiannnnnn...... Christiannnnnn...... at last you're on your own!" theme was dramatically better than the generic dirge they replaced it with. Then later, the Waterproof Blonde version of his 2005 theme was a million times better than the one he used when he came back.

Funnily enough, I was going to include Eye of the Tiger (which admittedly came to mind through your Wrestlemania thread) and Waterproof Blonde, which is one of my favourite theme songs of all time. I’ve no idea what the situation is as far as its license is concerned, but I’d love for it to replace the TNA theme Christian is using in AEW. It’s another example of a theme that elevates a wrestler, it made him feel like such a star.

[Sphinx]

I had this thought in my mind yesterday actually. Was listening to Tazz's theme and I reckon that it's better than Just Another Victim.

I'm a bit torn on the Dudley's WWF themes. I'm pretty sure I prefer their first, which I found out was stock music, but I think the one they use now is good too.

[Carbomb]

24 minutes ago, air_raid said:

Controversial take, and copyright-wary ones are an easy target but.... Hogan stopping using Eye Of The Tiger? Yes, Real American is a banger but... c'mon, Eye Of The Tiger, Jess! At least he went full circle and used it in his last ever match. I was there.

Hogan's had some bangers, to be fair. Voodoo Chile (Slight Return) was good, and I can see why they went with that instead of Real American at the time; I think audiences were still a bit too cynical to accept it back then. But then American Made is also really good - I think I might prefer to Real American, but there's not much in it.

24 minutes ago, air_raid said:

Christian's actually a shout for this one twice over. The pomposity of his first "Christiannnnnn...... Christiannnnnn...... at last you're on your own!" theme was dramatically better than the generic dirge they replaced it with. Then later, the Waterproof Blonde version of his 2005 theme was a million times better than the one he used when he came back.

I have to disagree; whilst I liked the distinctiveness of that Bohemian Rhapsody-style one, it seemed to just lack something in terms of impact, whilst the second one had something about it that, for me, fit the "Creepy Little Bastard" moniker.

But I agree about Just Close Your Eyes - I liked the second version, but the Waterproof Blonde one was the absolute best theme he's ever had. I'd even go so far as to say it's one of the best themes any wrestler has ever had.

 

I'm on the fence about Test's theme - his original gibberish one was cool, I liked the Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This) style of his second one. But I find myself wavering.

I think we can all agree that Stone Cold's Alliance leader theme was absolutely terrible, but that was probably the point.

Always preferred The Rock's older The Rock Says theme to the one he took on when he became the main event face after Stone Cold.

 

EDIT: @Sphinx has cited a good one - I much preferred War Machine and the other ECW variant of it to his WWE themes.

 

And Daniel Bryan using the original Flight of the Valkyries felt much more big-time than the predictable rock guitars version they for some reason just had to give him.

Edited March 14, 2025 by Carbomb
Filippo Inzaghi

[FUM]

Stone Cold has to be up there for this. I liked the Disturbed theme but he needs the original.

The general tune of Billy Gunn’s “Ass Man” theme was better than “The One” theme by a mile.

Also always thought the “Turn It Up” theme was worse for Too Cool than the original one they danced to - I’d guess it was probably stock music.

[Chico Torres]

Evil Doink had the amazing circus intro transitioning into the sinister and menacing theme. Then he turned face and just had the shit circus tune as his entire theme.

Ricky Steamboat in WCW going from the epic orchestral theme to the Family Man song from the Slam Jam album.

[Chili]

If you were going to induct someone to the Hall of Fame of bad entrance theme downgrades, then Demolition are first ballot nominees.

[hallicks]

The way WWE (at least used to) constantly tinker with themes was annoying, like a stealth downgrade. The Shield’s theme when they started was cool & gritty. By the end they’d fucked around with the guitar so much it was just a mess. Jericho’s theme from when he started in WWE compared to its gradual de-evolvement into another messy shitfest of appallingly re-recorded guitar. The Rock’s theme from 2000-2001 was peak but slowly morphed into a massive pile of MOR shit. 

[Merzbow]

It likely doesn't count but Sting's absolutely gorgeous 2K15 advert theme just before he debuts to finally getting one of Jim Johnston's absolute worst attempts.

[The Gaffer]

15 minutes ago, FUM said:

Also always thought the “Turn It Up” theme was worse for Too Cool than the original one they danced to - I’d guess it was probably stock music.

This is a great shout. I remember one of my friends in school back in the day astutely pointing out "There's something weirdly sad about Too Cool's music" and there was! The g funk vibe of it has this weird melancholy going on. The bouncier porn techno they replaced it with (See also: Val Venis, 2000) was way worse. 

Going to comfortably speak for the whole forum here and go with Sting's absolute nightmare re-tooling of Undertaker & Big Show's hokey evil magicians waltz:

 

Their rubbish attempt at old-schooling Kane's theme instead of just using his original was also a massive downgrade on both the OG and Slow Chemical:

 

And just to hat trick the trend - what was it with them during this period? - I can understand using it for the Hart Foundation but giving this theme to poor Bret during his 2010 Smiling Politely run was one of the biggest crimes in the history of the business:

 

[The King Of Swing]

Orange Cassidy is an odd one. Seems to randomly switch between entrance themes one week to the next, lately. 

No idea why.

But I agree that Where is My Mind, is much better. Also fit really well with Alien era Statlander, imo. 

[Statto]

FWIW, I'm the opposite on Orange - I don't mind Pixies, but Jane is the theme I prefer. I think maybe solely because it reminds me of his 1st International Championship run when he was the best opening match wrestler in history for a few months. 

I think the recent switch back to Where is my Mind coincided with him switching to black shirt & denim because he was angry at the Death Riders & therefore more serious, but now he's gone back to Jane & blue denim / white shirt as he's got over the attempted murder. 

I think sometimes they just push the wrong button, though. 

[SaitoRyo]

Shelton Benjamin going from Ain't No Stoppin' Me to this piece of shit.

He hated it, too, and asked them to change it back constantly during his second run, but they never did.

I would also add Victoria going from Tatu's All The Things She Said to I Ain't The Lady To Mess With (performed by a then-unknown Nicki Minaj) as it really didn't suit her at all. 

Edited March 14, 2025 by SaitoRyo

[RedTwoster]

Drew McIntyre going from Broken Dreams to his current theme is a massive drop. I don’t mind his current tune, but this has a real feel of ‘megastar’ about it - even though he didn’t achieve those heights while using it: