WWE fans aren’t happy with one aspect of today’s product and, for once, a good number of the company’s stars agree with them.
Royal Rumble earlier this month proved a mammoth success, the company’s first Premium Live Event since the $5bn switch to Netflix playing out in front of a packed house of 70,000 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Jey Uso snatched the headlines with a heroic performance in the men’s Rumble match, dispatching of John Cena on his way to victory, while Logan Paul caught the eye with a unique moment of athleticism during the bout.
The positives for WWE coming out of the show were extensive – they’ve trumpeted the epic as most-successful and highest-grossing Royal Rumble event in company history, while it also smashed event sponsorship, merchandise and social media records.
It was not a perfect night, though. Fans watching on Netflix picked up on an unnerving trend during the two Rumble matches – the delayed reaction to the vast majority of wrestlers entering the fray.
Typically, in any arena or stadium, a star’s entrance music will hit, their accompanying entrance video displaying their name a split second later. This, indirectly, was causing the issue.
Wrestling ‘themes’ have been a staple part of the viewing experience for WWE fans since they started using them more extensively in the 1980s, the unmistakable first seconds of tracks signalling the the arrival of Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior and more lifting the roof from venues across the world before video screens became a thing.
It continued apace through the Attitude Era and beyond, thanks chiefly to the efforts of Jim Johnston, the veteran composer behind themes given to The Undertaker, Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock and more.
Fans knew in a heartbeat who was hitting the ring back then but, in 2025, things are a little different – as evidence at the Rumble when fans needed the entrance videos to help them recognise who was being introduced.
The lack of identifiability of the songs, these days mostly made for WWE by production company Def rebel, has long been criticised by fans, but it boiled over in Indianapolis, and not just with those watching, either.
A report from Fightful in has suggested even wrestlers themselves are growing tired of the present landscape of WWE’s entrance music, saying that: “several [stars] have expressed unhappiness with the quality of theme songs, and have made attempts to get their previous themes back.
“WWE has also made requests to change a number of themes that the talent vehemently pushed back on. Some talent have managed to keep their previous themes, while others have not been so lucky.
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“Very few people on the roster that we’ve heard from are happy with the Def Rebel themes. A number of incoming talent also preferred to bring their own themes with them.”
Def rebel have nailed a few hits. The ‘Tribal Chief’ version of Roman Reigns’ theme more than hit the mark, while crowds love singing along to the tunes that thrust Jey Uso and Seth Rollins to the ring.
Sadly it seems those efforts are an exception, with fans on social media appearing to have finally had enough following the Rumble.
One said: “The majority of the songs were atrocious. Very generic and so, so bad. When I watched the Women’s Royal Rumble match for example, I couldn’t recognise who’s coming out, until the graphic shows the name.”
Another stingingly added: “A broken clock is right twice a day,” referencing what they saw as the group’s occasional hits, while another added: “Def rebel and WWE music – has to go.”
One, pining for yesteryear, added: “No one will ever compete with Jim Johnston.”
Since the Netflix switch, WWE has been upping the ante with its production values, so it remains to be seen whether entrance music is another element set for an overhaul or revamp. Should change arrive, it seems a fair few inside and outside the company will be pleased.