TKO Group Holdings has begun utilizing WWE’s in-house music team, Def Rebel, to create entrance themes for UFC stars, according to reports from Puroresu Ongaku.
According to records from French performance rights organization SACEM, UFC Music has already registered over 60 songs, covering not only walkouts but also intermission and show themes. Among the extensive list, two from the recent event in Kansas City — Ian Garry and Randy Brown — stood out by receiving their own custom walkout songs. The naming system for these tracks is straightforward, with each song titled simply as “(Subject) Theme,” such as “Ian Machado Garry Theme” for Garry’s walkout.
This strategic move appears to be part of a cost-cutting initiative by TKO, the parent company that now oversees both WWE and UFC following their merger last year. Traditionally, UFC stars have selected mainstream commercial songs for their walkouts – musical choices that have become an integral part of the combat sports experience.
The walkout song tradition has deep significance in UFC culture. As noted by UFC’s own media team, “Walkout songs set the tone in the arena. They’re meant to not only hype up the stars but inject energy into the fans, pumping them up as well.”
These musical selections often provide insight into a personality, cultural background, and competitive mindset. Many use the same song repeatedly until it becomes their signature entrance theme – instantly recognizable to fans worldwide.
Some of the most iconic walkout songs in UFC history include Conor McGregor’s combination of Sinead O’Connor’s “Foggy Dew” and Notorious B.I.G’s “Hypnotize,” Ronda Rousey’s use of Joan Jett’s “Bad Reputation,” and Israel Adesanya’s entrance to Nipsey Hussle’s “Victory Lap.”
With Def Rebel now creating custom themes for UFC stars, the promotion appears to be following WWE’s model of controlling and monetizing all aspects of presentation. The WWE music team has been responsible for creating entrance themes for professional wrestlers since TKO’s consolidation of music production under one umbrella.
Fan reaction to this change remains to be seen. WWE’s Def Rebel has received mixed reviews from professional wrestling enthusiasts for their musical compositions. Whether UFC purists will embrace custom-created entrance themes over the established tradition of stars selecting commercial tracks will likely become evident in upcoming UFC events.
This move represents another step in the ongoing integration of WWE and UFC operations under TKO Group Holdings as the company looks to maximize synergies between its two premier combat sports properties.
