Wrestling Entrances That Didn't Go As Planned
If you have any hope of succeeding in the world of professional wrestling, you'll want to focus on fleshing out a few key areas. First and foremost is your in-ring skills, because if you can't carry yourself to a decent match, you won't get very far in this line of work. Then, of course, is your overall presentation, which encompasses a handful of important things. The ability to cut a good promo is paramount, as is building an attention-grabbing character that fans can connect with. Putting together a memorable entrance is crucial as well when it comes to fleshing out your persona.
Across numerous companies and eras, wrestlers have gone out of their way to craft entrances applicable to their characters and capable of hyping up audiences. From Triple H shooting water out of his mouth while standing on the ring apron to the Ultimate Warrior sprinting at full speed before shaking the ring ropes with all his might, it's clear that a good entrance can leave a lasting impression on fans. With that said, entrances, much like virtually every other aspect of wrestling, can go off the rails and live on in fans' collective memory for the unexpected moments they create.
Sometimes, wrestling entrances don't go as planned. Some cases are hilarious, while others are a bit worrisome, but there's no denying that they're all equally unforgettable. Here are a few particularly well-remembered ones.
Lilian Garcia - WWE SmackDown 4/18/2012
Many folks have held a microphone and served as a WWE ring announcer over the years, but only a small handful have reached icon status. Alongside the likes of the late Howard Finkel and current All Elite Wrestling announcer Justin Roberts is Lilian Garcia, who got her start in the company in 1999. As the years went on, she became the voice of "Raw" and "SmackDown," engaged in a handful of on-screen feuds, and even serenaded audiences with her incredible singing voice from time to time. She also famously botched her ring entrance during the April 18, 2012 edition of "SmackDown."
Compared to much of WWE's talent roster, Lilian Garcia's entrance was as simple as they come. Her music would hit, her name would be announced over the arena's speakers, and she'd smile and wave to the fans in attendance before taking up the microphone for the evening. However, the aforementioned episode of "SmackDown" saw her emerge from the backstage area only to trip, stumble, and eventually fall to the ground. Garcia visibly took it in stride with a smile on her face as she shrugged it off and got to her feet — all while commentators Michael Cole, Josh Mathews, and Booker T had a good laugh.
Worse yet for Lilian Garcia, this mishap came not long after another entrance flub where her high heel came apart as she walked down the ramp. As WWE's YouTube channel put it, Garcia simply couldn't catch a break.
Matt Hardy - WWE Superstars 4/15/2010
Before it became the developmental brand it is today, "WWE NXT" initially looked much different. In a game show-like format, the series was created to showcase up-and-coming wrestling stars as they pursued a main roster WWE contract. To help them along, each "rookie," as they were referred, was paired with a "pro" — an established WWE star. In the case of Justin Gabriel (aka P.J. Black), he was paired with Matt Hardy throughout his time on the show. Overall, they didn't get much to do as a team preceding Gabriel's elimination, but they did unintentionally offer fans a hilarious entrance botch.
Not unlike most other "NXT" pros of the era, Matt Hardy brought Justin Gabriel along for some of his main roster endeavors. On the April 15, 2010 edition of "WWE Superstars," the two athletes made their way to the ring like they would any other night. Things went awry went Hardy attempted his trademark pose on the ropes facing the hard camera. Hardy's left foot seemed to slip from the bottom rope, causing him to go head over heels to the ground below. He quickly stood up and couldn't help but crack a smile as Gabriel watched on with a smile of his own plastered across his face.
Matt Hardy tried his pose again and succeeded, somewhat making up for this moment that had fans in attendance and at home in stitches. He'd go on to defeat Carlito, who had his "NXT" rookie, Michael Tarver, observe the match from ringside.
William Regal - WWE Superstars 11/10/2011
William Regal is widely regarded as one of the all-time greats, and it's a difficult point to dispute. He could wrestle with the best of them, cut a scathing promo, and do comedy when the time came. For much of his WWE run, he was a reliable heel that excelled when it came to getting audiences to boo him. Of course, his tenure in the company did have its missteps. Case in point: his first WWE (then-WWF) gimmick, the "Real Man's Man." This character saw Regal dress in jeans and a flannel, touting how manly and rugged he was. Safe to say it was a poor character choice, and thankfully, it didn't last long.
Regal was only the "Real Man's Man" from 1998 into 1999, so by 2011, the gimmick was far behind him. He'd gone from it to a sniveling authority figure, to a ruthless villain, to a respected veteran of the business. He got a great ovation when he came down the ramp for his match against Daniel Bryan on the November 10, 2011 edition of "WWE Superstars," which emanated from Liverpool, England. Although, those cheers soon turned to laughter when the audio department dusted off his "Real Man's Man" theme during his entrance — something he seemed visibly shocked by as that old tune rang through his ears.
Once he processed what was going on, William Regal couldn't help but chuckle at the return of his old entrance music. Even Daniel Bryan got a good laugh out of it while waiting for Regal to make it to the ring. This entrance didn't go as planned at all, but in the best way possible.
Mr. Anderson - TNA Bound for Glory 2015
Ken Anderson made a name for himself on wrestling's biggest stage, WWE, where he debuted on the main roster in 2005. In that time he portrayed the loud-mouthed Mr. Kennedy (Kennedy), who was just as eager to tear apart his opponents on the microphone as he was in the ring. Sadly, for as entertaining as the Mr. Kennedy character was, he wasn't destined for WWE greatness, so what did Anderson do after the company released him in May 2009? He made his way to Impact Wrestling — then known as TNA: Total Nonstop Action — in 2010, which turned out to be a great move for him.
Throughout his run in TNA, the newly-dubbed Mr. Anderson did quite well for himself. He worked with wrestling icons, headlined pay-per-view events, and won the TNA Heavyweight Championship twice before his departure in 2016.
His TNA tenure did bring the odd hiccup, such as one during his entrance at Bound for Glory 2015. As the first entrant in the Bound for Gold gauntlet battle royal, Anderson made his way down the ramp, and as he did countless times before in TNA as well as WWE, he raised his hand in the sky and awaited his microphone. However, on this night, the mic didn't lower.
Mr. Anderson waited for a moment in case the microphone was coming, but it didn't. He eventually made his way to the ring, where he did his usual entrance introduction instead. It was a funny yet poor start to what would become an even worse night for Anderson, who lost his match right at the end thanks to Tyrus.
Shawn Michaels - WWF In Your House: International Incident
In March 1996 at WrestleMania XII, WWF fans witnessed what has gone down as one of the most impressive matches in the company's history. For over 60 minutes, well-documented rivals Bret "Hitman" Hart and "The Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels went to war in an iron man match for the WWF Championship. When it was all said and done, Michaels scored the final pinfall and achieved his boyhood dream of becoming WWF Champion for the first time. Suffice to say, the vast majority of WWF fans couldn't have been happier to see Michaels win the title, and their support of HBK endured as his first run at the top of the promotion unfolded.
For evidence of the rabid fanbase Shawn Michaels had cultivated in 1996, look no further than the In Your House: International Incident pay-per-view event. On that evening, Michaels teamed with Sycho Sid and Ahmed Johnson against Vader, Owen Hart, and the British Bulldog, accompanied by their manager, Jim Cornette. While making his way to the ring, a smiling Michaels took some time to get the crowd hyped and high-fived the lucky folks seated near the entrance walkway. Some of these folks got a little too excited, however, accidentally pushing over the ringside barricade and spilling into the aisle.
A surprised Shawn Michaels stayed back for a moment to help the fans get back to their feet before he and his manager, José Lothario, made their way to the ring. Sadly for HBK and his teammates, fan support doesn't translate to in-ring success. Jim Cornette's trio of heels stood victorious to close out the show.
Batista - WrestleMania 35
Most agree that Batista's WWE return in 2014 was far from a success. The popularity of Daniel Bryan, who fans wanted to see in the main event of WrestleMania XXX, soured Batista's Royal Rumble win, and the reformation of Evolution didn't quite land with WWE audiences either. When "The Animal" quit the company for a second time on the June 2, 2014 edition of "Raw," many wondered if he'd ever return to the squared circle to finish of his career proper. Though it took a few years, the answer to this question finally arrived on the road to WrestleMania 35, when Batista made a stunning WWE comeback.
At WrestleMania 35, Batista returned to WWE for one final match against none other than Triple H. The two former Evolution members had clashed in previous years, yet "The Game" couldn't defeat his old protégé. To add to the drama of the match, it was contested under no holds barred rules, and if Triple H lost, he'd be forced to retire from in-ring competition. With tensions high, Batista made his ring entrance first, as he had many times at previous WrestleMania events. While Triple H had the more elaborate entrance that night, it was eclipsed by Batista's, all because he tripped over the middle rope and nearly landed on his face.
Barely avoiding a total entrance disaster at "The Show of Shows," Batista's arms shot out to break his fall and he quickly regained his footing. He then made his way to ringside to taunt guest commentator Shawn Michaels and Triple H's father who sat in the crowd. A smiling Batista reentered the ring the same way he entered initially — this time without tripping.
Triple H - WrestleMania 29
Brock Lesnar made a shocking return to WWE in 2012, setting his sights on the biggest star in the company, John Cena. After the two megastars feuded in the wake of WrestleMania XXVIII, "The Beast Incarnate" would next go after Triple H, who had delved further into his corporate responsibilities and largely moved away from in-ring competition. They battled at SummerSlam 2012, and when the final bell rang, Lesnar's hand was raised in victory. This loss sent "The Game" away from WWE television for months, but when he returned, he made it abundantly clear that he wanted to exact some revenge on Lesnar.
With Triple H back in the mix, the table was set for him to face Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 29 in a no holds barred match. The two went all-out in this encounter, and while Triple H secured the victory and rectified his SummerSlam defeat, surely his body didn't feel great in the aftermath. Not only did Lesnar throw everything he had at him, but during his entrance, he wound up covered in dry ice. As he posted on Twitter, it stuck to his torso and arms, leaving him with second-degree burns.
In 2019, Triple H went into further detail about the mishap during an interview for the WWE YouTube channel. "We rehearsed it earlier, it seemed normal. I go to go out for the match where I'm about to get battered by Brock Lesnar — as if that wasn't bad enough — then I get in the smoke and then all of a sudden, I feel like I'm on fire," "The King of Kings" recalled, noting that he attempted to brush the dry ice off of himself to no avail. Still, that didn't stop him from wrestling a full match against one of the most physical wrestlers out there.
Shawn Michaels - WWE Raw 5/9/2005
Shawn Michaels returned to WWE as an active wrestler in 2002, putting on an all-time classic showing against Triple H at SummerSlam. Though this match was intended to be a one-off, "The Heartbreak Kid" soon became a fixture on WWE television for throughout the entirety of the Ruthless Aggression Era. During this period in Michaels' career, which some consider to be the best of his entire time between the ropes, he put on some stellar matches, won championships, and further asserted himself as "Mr. WrestleMania." He even found time to give fans a laugh here and there — intentionally and unintentionally.
One such unexpected example came in May of 2005 during a "Raw" Gold Rush tournament. Then-general manager Eric Bischoff devised the number-one contendership tournament to determine who would next face World Heavyweight Champion Batista for his title. Shawn Michaels made it to the semifinals where he faced "The Rated-R Superstar" Edge on the May 9 edition of "Raw." As he made his way to the ring, Michaels kneeled on the ramp and extended his arms, with a bombastic pyrotechnics display going off behind him. When he tried to pop back up like usual, he didn't initially make it to his feet.
At some point when Shawn Michaels was at ground level, his elaborate entrance gear got caught in the grate of the "Raw" entrance ramp. So, when he tried to spring to his feet, he unexpectedly fell flat on his back. Michaels comedically fidgeted around with his entrance gear before giving up trying to remove it from the floor. He took it off and continued his walk to the ring.
Kane - WWE Raw 11/28/2005
After making his unforgettable debut at the 1997 Badd Blood pay-per-view, Kane proved himself to be one of WWE's most terrifying entities. "The Devil's Favorite Demon" — with or without one of his masks on — would terrify his fellow wrestlers and WWE audiences alike with his unsettling promos and his diverse in-ring arsenal. Not to mention, he has a fascination with fire, which he used to inflict pain on his enemies on several occasions. If he's wasn't lighting people on fire, though, he was using flames to intimidate his opponents by prompting them to shoot out of all four corner ring posts before his matches began.
On the November 28, 2005 episode of "Raw," it was a safe bet that when Kane made his entrance, he'd continue his manipulation of flames. Sure enough, when he entered the Quicken Loans Arena that night to team with fellow World Tag Team Champion the Big Show in a title defense against Tyson Tomko and Snitsky, Hellfire shot from the "Raw" stage. Kane's signature red lighting flooded the arena and the monster approached the squared circle. Once in it, he dropped his championship, slowly raised his arms, and whipped them back down with a look of intensity on his face. The only thing missing was the corner pyro.
For moment, Kane stood and waited for the pyro to go off, but it never came. The "Raw" camera crew caught a look of annoyance and confusion on the face of "The Big Red Machine" and the Big Show laughing at his tag team partner's entrance mishap. At least they successfully defended their championships in a match spanning only a minute and 30 seconds.
Titus O'Neil - WWE Greatest Royal Rumble
Traditionally, WWE Royal Rumble matches have consisted of 30 competitors all vying for a championship opportunity at WrestleMania. However, the 2011 Royal Rumble event took this to the next level by upping the number of wrestlers to 40. Beyond this instance, though, WWE returned the match to its 30-person roots with only one exception. From King Abdullah International Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, WWE put on the Greatest Royal Rumble event in 2018, putting on the first-ever 50-man Royal Rumble match.
To pull off this mammoth match, stars from "Raw," "SmackDown," "NXT," and more participated, but only one could win. Braun Strowman did so in the end, but he was far from the most talked-about person coming out of the event. That honor went to Titus Worldwide member Titus O'Neil, who entered at the number 39 position and ran down the ramp eager to try and win it all. As he approached the ring, he tripped, and his momentum caused him to slide underneath the ring. O'Neil scrambled to his feet and entered the fray, but the damage was done. In mere moments, "Titus World Slide" became the biggest meme in wrestling.
While it may have hurt his pride initially, Titus O'Neil soon realized that his infamous slide would soon come to work in his favor. "Probably a day after it happened, I realized I'm about to make a lot of money. And I did ... It's the greatest, most lucrative fall I ever had in my life," he told "Beckles & Recher" in 2022, so there's clearly a silver lining to this whole incident.
Undertaker - WWE Elimination Chamber 2010
At Elimination Chamber 2010, the Undertaker had a serious challenge ahead of him. Within the unforgiving structure the event derives its name from, he'd have to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Chris Jericho, Rey Mysterio, CM Punk, R-Truth, and John Morrison. As if that weren't a daunting enough task on its own considering the talent involved and the dangerous environment, "The Deadman" would have to do it with burns on his body. The culprit? His entrance pyrotechnics, which he'd walked past time and time again for years without even the slightest issue.
On this particular occasion, as Taker made his way to the Elimination Chamber, one of the pyro bursts was far too close to the walkway. When it shot flames, it caught his jacket and, in turn, his body on fire. As he revealed during his "Broken Skull Sessions" appearance, he was not happy about the incident, and rightfully so. "All the time [I'm in the pod] there are people checking on me. I was saying, 'That pyro guy, he needs to be gone when I get back.' My intentions were to make it right," "The Phenom" told host "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, going as far as to say that, in the moment, he wanted to kill the pyro guy responsible.
As he went on with the match with pure rage in his mind, the Undertaker was in rough physical shape due to the mishap. He recalled, "I am beside myself, I'm looking down at my chest because my chest is just bubbling up right now. My flesh is just rolling up." Nevertheless, he tried his best to ignore the pain and went on with the match, where he'd lose the World Heavyweight Championship to Chris Jericho in the end. Entrance botches don't get much worse than that.