Sherdog’s Top 10: Greatest Entrances

4. Akihiro Gono

Perhaps even more than the legendary Kazushi Sakuraba, Gono embodied the spirit and spectacle of Japanese MMA in its heyday. A fine fighter in the ring or the cage, Gono’s dedication to choreographed dance numbers truly set him apart from most of his contemporaries.

Donning an Afro wig, a brightly colored suit and sunglasses, Gono sashayed his way to the ring surrounded by a coterie of cornermen/backup dancers with whom he might have a faux shoving match before reaching the ring. This continued even during his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship: For example, at UFC 94, where Gono was set to fight Jon Fitch, he and his cornermen came out in dresses for a brief number before the bout. Now competing in regional shows, Gono still has not lost a step with his entrances, even if his performances are not what they once were.

Number 3 » He was once of the most terrifying men on the face of the planet. His dead-eyed stare, pathological aggression, wild barrages of hooks and devastating knees in the clinch constituted a powerful personal brand, and his commitment to Darude’s “Sandstorm” as his entrance music reinforced the perception of the Brazilian as a fighter to be remembered.