The Walkmen: UFC on Fox 15 Walkout Songs

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Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight contender Luke Rockhold might not be the best around -- yet -- but he certainly put himself in the discussion with his performance in the UFC on Fox 15 main event on Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Rockhold was sensational, not only in his dominance of former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida but through his decision to walk to the Octagon to a timeless fight song. He exuded near-invincibility as he entered the cage with Joe Esposito’s all-time classic being pumped into the arena. In “The Karate Kid,” Daniel LaRusso tore through the All-Valley Karate Tournament while “You’re the Best Around” provided the soundtrack to his highlights. Watching Rockhold smash, nearly knockout and ultimately submit Machida, it was if the song never stopped playing; it gave him the same sort of supernatural powers that were manifested whenever Mr. Miyagi clapped and rubbed together his hands.

Meanwhile, Ronaldo Souza provided some memorable moments of his own with his decimation of Chris Camozzi in the co-headliner. The two-time Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist wasted little time snatching an exposed limb, as he finished Camozzi with a perfect armbar in the first round. Souza picked an appropriate song for his walk to the cage, as well, as he opted to go with Fabolous’ “It’s My Time.” It certainly seems like it is Souza’s time. “Jacare” has won eight fights in a row and could be in line for a shot at the middleweight crown.

There was plenty of hype surrounding the women’s strawweight battle between Paige VanZant and Felice Herrig. Team Alpha Male’s VanZant survived a few early submission attempts and turned the match into a lopsided affair, nabbing a unanimous decision. Hip-hop star Trick Daddy’s “Let’s Go” brought the 21-year-old to the cage, but it might not have provided her with the boost she desired. History will instead remember Herrig’s ill-fated choice of “The Warrior,” from Scandal. Anyone who has seen the cheesy video from the 1980s would know why Herrig was doomed from the start.

The presence of other accomplished recording artists was also felt in the Garden State. Beneil Dariush went with Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You” prior to his unanimous decision victory over Jim Miller; Machida elected to go with House of Pain’s “Jump Around,” even though it typically belongs to unoriginal Irish fighters; and Gian Villante chose the late great Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” ahead of his third-round stoppage of “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 17 winner Corey Anderson.

UFC ON FOX 15 WALKOUT SONGS

Luke Rockhold: Joe Esposito “You’re the Best Around”
Lyoto Machida: House of Pain “Jump Around”
Ronaldo Souza: Fabolous “It’s My Time”
Chris Camozzi: X Ambassadors and Jamie N Commons “Jungle”
Max Holloway: Moki Boy “Hawaiian Kickboxer”
Cub Swanson: Dr. Dre feat. Snoop Dogg “Still Dre”
Paige VanZant: Trick Daddy “Let’s Go”
Felice Herrig: Scandal “The Warrior”
Jim Miller: The Hollies “Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress”
Beneil Dariush: Michael Jackson “Rock With You”
Ovince St. Preux: Rick Ross “100 Black Coffins”
Patrick Cummins: Grimes “Oblivion”
Gian Villante: Johnny Cash “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”
Corey Anderson: Big Sean feat. Drake and Kanye West “Blessings”
Aljamain Sterling: Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk”
Takeya Mizugaki: Linkin Park “Numb”
Tim Means: Queen “We Will Rock You”
George Sullivan: Mobb Deep “Survival of the Fittest”
Diego Brandao: Darude “Sandstorm”
Jim Hettes: Damian Marley “Welcome To Jamrock”
Chris Dempsey: Five Finger Death Punch “Bad Company”