You know what we love? Walk-outs. They're awesome. When 'Made in America' came blaring through the speakers last week during Dan Henderson's walk out....well, MMA journalist Ben Fowlkes said it best, really.
Why can't more fighters make us feel like that? Fortunately, we're here to bring our questionable music tastes into the equation and there's not a thing you can do about it. Here are songs that we have assigned to fighters for their UFC 167 walk-out's, should they not adhere to this stern list, vengeance will be swift.
Ali Bagautinov
“Work” by Iggy Azalea
Honestly, I don’t know what Russian people listen to, but if highly decorated flyweight Ali “Puncher” Bagautinov came out to this vulgar jam from Iggy Azalea to start off UFC’s 20th anniversary - it’d be amazing. She sounds like Lil’ Kim and looks like Betty Draper from Mad Men with a meth addiction, the Australian rapperess talks a lot about all the work she’s done to get her to this point and the 11-2 Bagautinov is the same way. “Puncher” owns every martial arts title, tournament, medal, and statue one can win in his native Russia and, currently, trains with the revered Jackson’s MMA team in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Fight fans may have not heard of him yet, but Bagautinov has been work, work, workin’ on his s***.
Right now, the UFC flyweight belt revolves around three names: John Dodson, Joseph Benavidez, and current champ Demetrious Johnson. Looking for his 3rd Octagon win in a row, Tim Elliott is hoping he will get the world to notice him. The Grindhouse MMA teammate of Zak Cummings and James Krause, Elliott gave Dodson a run for his money in his debut then earned his first win in a Fight of the Night win, and, recently, dominated Louis Gaudinot in every aspect of the match-up in August. Elliott has thrown cartwheel kicks, jumping kicks, and just about everything inside the Octagon to make everyone notice him and one day get a title shot.
Josh Koscheck is a straight-forward and punch you in the face kind of guy, so is this punk classic from Gray Matter. It’s got a no frills, but heavy bass line that sounds like it is pacing around until the song just picks up and blasts you. The Ultimate Fighter 1 villain has over 20 fights inside the Octagon and has faced just about every guy to ever weigh 170 pounds in the UFC. The NCAA Division I National wrestling champion from Edinboro University is on a two fight losing skid and a win over Woodley would bounce the stalwart back from mild obscurity.
If anyone can pull off walking out to Adele it’s “The Chosen One” Tyron Woodley. Can’t you imagine someone laughing like, “Who just came to Adele?!” And then, they turn to meet the terrifying blank stare of 2x NCAA Division I All-American wrestler Woodley and his overly muscular welterweight frame, and he responds in monotone, “I like Adele. She has a soulful voice and heartfelt lyrics. I love this song. My mother loves this song. What do you want to say about my mother’s taste in music?” And that’s when that original someone relieves themselves in their pants and runs away. Also, Adele sings “You’re going to wish you never met me”, which is how the 11-2 powerhouse’s opponents feel after they battle Woodley in the cage.
“Ruthless” Robbie Lawler is the very definition of old school swagger as he’s been knocking people out in pro fights since 2001 while his opponent, Rory MacDonald, was farting around as a 12 year old. “Ruthless” has been the heavy-handed head-hunter repping Bettendorf, Iowa for over a decade at this point with 18 knockouts in his 21 wins. Now training at American Top Team in Florida, Lawler has looked better than ever since returning to the Octagon this year with back-to-back KO/TKO victories over Josh Koscheck and Bobby Voelker. Opponents have known it for years at this point, if “Ruthless” touches you with his hands or feet, you’ll be down and out in no time.
Let’s be honest, no one likes Rory MacDonald’s nickname “Ares”, except for MacDonald apparently. An excellent alternative has been broached numerous times, FOX Sports’ Ariel Helwani would like the clean-cut, demolisher to go by “Canadian Psycho”. If MacDonald is going to continue with this high-minded fashion sense mixed with his in-cage intensity then “Ares” has got to go. The 24 year old product of Tristar Gym with his dramatically parted hair looks like a 1980’s mod, but inside the Octagon he’s 6-1 and one of greatest forces in the welterweight division.
As the song title suggests, the “fun” of Rashad Evans and Chael Sonnen’s friendship ends once they step into the cage. The FOX Sports co-hosts will leave their microphones in the studio to lace up 4 ounce gloves to battle it inside the Octagon. On top of that, this track has some energy right out of the gate, which has been severely lacking in the former UFC light-heavyweight champion’s performances for - if we’re being truthful - 2 years now. “Suga” has fought to 4 consecutive decisions where his explosiveness that fight fans came to know and love has not been featured. It’s time for Evans to become a serious threat again in the Octagon.
He’s already got the most ridiculous entrance music, so why change it. “The American Gangster” from West Linn, Oregon comes out to one song and one song only and it’s pretty much an upbeat “Dukes of Hazzard” theme song. While as mentioned, Evans needs to get serious, but Chael Sonnen needs to keep doing exactly what he’s doing - having fun. Sonnen hasn’t lost a non-title bout in 4 years and looks like he could keep fighting for another 10. Actually, Sonnen has added submissions to his arsenal over the past few fights scoring sub stoppages over Brian Stann and, most recently, Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, which were his first sub wins in the UFC or the WEC.
If Johny Hendricks beats Georges St-Pierre, he’ll definitely be “Mr. November”. The 2x NCAA Division I National Champion wrestler from Oklahoma State University is attempting to do what no man has been able to accomplish in over 6 years - beat GSP. As a 3x Knockout of the Night winner, everyone is expecting “Bigg Rigg” to try and drop that left hand hammer of his early and often on St-Pierre. UFC fans know him for being a big puncher, but Hendricks did show off his wrestling for the first time in his winning effort over Carlos Condit where he scored on 12 of 15 takedowns. The UFC doesn’t have cheerleaders, but if Hendricks wins maybe the ring girls can carry around “Mr. November” around the Octagon for a victory lap.
He is the man.
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre has been the man ever since he first entered the Octagon in January 2004. The 32 year old has a 24-2 pro record with his two losses being momentary upsets, which St-Pierre atoned for in lopsided rematches. Arguably the best athlete in the sport’s history, St-Pierre can do everything in the cage from Superman punches, spinning heel kicks, double leg takedowns, and be boring. The champ has put up 6 consecutive unanimous decisions wins with a few of those being fairly uneventful kind of like the first 4 minutes of this Patto classic.
Nevertheless, St-Pierre is the man and needs a bombastic entrance song to emphasize that instead of the usual French rap he comes out to. So, “The Man” or maybe Richard Strauss’ “Sunrise” because as Ric Flair said, “To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man” and if Hendricks wants to be the man then he’s got to get through St-Pierre.
