Theme song downgrades

[RedTwoster]

2 hours ago, Tim Healys Chutney Spoon said:

Hangman Pages new theme just doesn't sit well with me compared to the one we all know and love. Wonder if it may be part of a larger plan of 'this is my face theme and this is my heel/tweener theme'

Yeah, I totally agree with this. His original theme is fantastic, and fits his babyface character so well; it really gives you that feel of the cowboy riding in to save the day - and allowed for goosebump-inducing entrances like this one:

And I’d not actually noticed this before, but someone in the comments points out that they lit up an extra spot for the late Brodie Lee, which makes this entrance even more special for me. 

Totally off-topic, but every time I watch this it, I end up thinking that Hangman might be the best character I’ve ever seen in wrestling - he’s always involved in something fantastic, and his story arc is tremendous. If AEW ever lost the guy, they’d lose the soul of that promotion. 

[Statto]

Upvote for the fact the last paragraph is absolutely true and the posting of possibly my favourite entrance ever (and I like entrances a lot, maybe more than actual wrestling) but... I'm on the fence about which Hangman theme I like more (even factoring in the super special version used for that entrance). 

And in terms of the old one coming back ever... I think of it a bit like the oft-rumored switch back to trunks (when it seemed likely they were going to rip off the Okada "my confidence is back lads, no need to cover up anymore" reveal). At first I was really excited for it to happen one day, but now I think what he switched to suits him maybe just a little better and I'd be kinda sad to see a reversion. 

[RedTwoster]

53 minutes ago, Statto said:

And in terms of the old one coming back ever... I think of it a bit like the oft-rumored switch back to trunks (when it seemed likely they were going to rip off the Okada "my confidence is back lads, no need to cover up anymore" reveal). At first I was really excited for it to happen one day, but now I think what he switched to suits him maybe just a little better and I'd be kinda sad to see a reversion

Honestly, I have visions of him challenging for the title and coming out to the old theme, which would pump me up to no end. It would be even more effective if the Death Riders weren’t so crap, but you play with the hand of cards you’re dealt.

And yeah, that Hangman/Dark Order entrance is probably my favourite ever entrance too. I do miss the Dark Order, the fact they’ve not wrestled a match on Dynamite since - as best as I can tell - 2023 just makes me sad.

[Olly1984]

On 3/14/2025 at 3:14 PM, LaGoosh said:

I'm going to go with an entire promotion. PROGRESS felt like some kind of British reincarnation of ECW with all the great proper music that would play throughout the shows. Once they got too much attention and they had to switch to original themes (all of which were terrible and generic sludge) I lost interest immediately. 

Absolutely relate to this. Bought a ticket when Takeshita came over, 2 things i wanted to see. Takeshita forearm someone( does sound like a gun shot BTW) and Gene Munny's entrance. Imagine my disgust when some shit generic music came on, I looked up and Gene is walking to the ring!! Yeah so Progress can fuck right off now

[SwayWays]

On 3/14/2025 at 12:30 PM, The Gaffer said:

 

 

poor Bret during his 2010 Smiling Politely run was one of the biggest crimes in the history of the business:

 

The bret one for me is boarding on war crime, it had Paul fucking with John's tracks for the sake of it tension-Beatles era all over it. I even prefer aews sound a like to this, as it nails the "schools out" rift in parts 

Edited March 15, 2025 by SwayWays

[wandshogun09]

Saw the thread title and immediately thought of Demolition. Going from one of the greatest entrance songs of all time to some generic shite and going from the face paint to the gimp masks? They might as well have cut Bill and Barry’s bollocks off while they were at it. No wonder Ax couldn’t even be arsed to gel his hair by the end. 

Everything Owen had after this was a downgrade…

I also prefer Bret’s first theme he used from the original Hart Foundation days up to 94 when they remixed it. Something about that first one for me. Maybe it’s just that I associate it with so many of my favourite matches of his from when I was a kid though. The 94-97 one is great as well but still a slight downgrade from this to me…

While I’m here…

On 3/14/2025 at 9:48 PM, davertfnewman said:

To this when he comes back as part of the worst Horsemen group ever with Roma...

Even Flair was having to come out to it at Worldwide tapings in his purple robe for six-mans.

This takes me back. The 93 Horsemen were so shit. Even as a 7/8 year old kid I knew that. Didn’t help that they didn’t even have four active members in the Four Horsemen. Ole stood around in a suit once on that Flair For The Gold where they revealed Roma as the newest member and I don’t think he was seen again. So it was the Three Horsemen for months on end until it quietly just went away until the Pillman/Benoit version in 95. The 93 version was the dregs though and saw Roma dragging Arn to some of the worst matches of his career. All set to that cack entrance theme. It was rotten. 

Edited March 16, 2025 by wandshogun09

[HarmonicGenerator]

Maybe he never would have amounted to anything regardless, but I remember how excited we were here about Adam Rose when we heard his NXT music. And then he got to the main roster and they did change it, and the character just didn’t work anymore. Other stuff at play, of course, but I’m sure messing with the music was part of that.

Also, Nakamura. We’re pretty much agreed on here that he peaked on night 1 of his WWE career, but that music was a big part of him feeling like an absolute god at Takeover Dallas. I watched that match again recently and even though he’s not got the timing down yet it’s still absolutely thrilling. Contrast to that Mr Fuji Kenzo Suzuki era dirge he had at the Royal Rumble this year. No wonder he can’t be bothered anymore.

 

[TibBo]

Roma went from this

to having no theme for about 3 years?

To eventually getting this lazy Brutus knockoff

and then he got the aforementioned horseman theme…

[Statto]

1 hour ago, HarmonicGenerator said:

Maybe he never would have amounted to anything regardless, but I remember how excited we were here about Adam Rose when we heard his NXT music. And then he got to the main roster and they did change it, and the character just didn’t work anymore. Other stuff at play, of course, but I’m sure messing with the music was part of that.

It was quicker than that - it was week 2, maybe 3. IIRC there was issues over a licensing agreement that resulted in them doing an inferior knock-off. 

He was definitely the most exciting wrestler in the world for 7 days, though. 

[davertfnewman]

Roma did at least get to share this before he was done:

The one taping Power and Glory music is also a downgrade for Herc too:

 

Edited March 16, 2025 by davertfnewman

[Carbomb]

Have to disagree slightly about Bret's theme, @wandshogun09 - I mean, the original is definitely superb, and I associate that with the era where Bret became my favourite, but the new one just feels like the WWF properly acknowledging him as the main event ace of the company. That sting at the beginning doesn't feel tacked on, like they did when they just lazily stuck a catchphrase before the original theme ("How Do You Like Me Now?"), it felt like it fit with the style of the music. Plus, it had lots of ornamentation, and wasn't just the same thing over and over again.

[RedTwoster]

Triple H, for me, has been a in continual theme song decline.

I prefer this…

To this…

Which I definitely prefer to this…

 

[gmoney]

I think King of Kings is the best of the that bunch. Sounds like Orgasmatron era Motorhead. My Time is a close second though. 

[Carbomb]

I always preferred "The Game", but for me it's suffered from overplay, essentially. The other two are excellent as well. HHH from DX onwards has always had bangers.

[boshealecta]

I know a few said Lex had a downgrade. But just watching IYH and love his Allied Powers tune

https://youtu.be/aW9lLw-h_Kw?si=QW6Am4V4VKwasIu_