The Top 10 Walkout Songs of All Time

Walkout songs set the tone in the arena. They’re meant to not only hype up the fighter, but inject energy into the fans, pumping them up as well.

The reality of the fight game: there is always a favorite, and an underdog. However, music unites, and regardless of whether the fans are on one side or the other, an electrifying song can bring everyone to their feet. Whether they’re singing along or clapping loudly to the beat, the song gets them pumped.

Song selection can be very personal for a fighter; it has the ability to provide a window into their personality, culture, or motivations. Fighters try to choose something that is authentic to who they are and where they came from; a song that represents their journey to this moment. Some even use the same song over and over again, until it becomes known as their signature song, signaling to the crowd and their opponent that they have arrived.

You may not be able to see your opponent face-to-face until you meet in the center of the Octagon, but a walkout song can be heard throughout the arena. It is often used to intimidate and light up whatever bit of doubt or worry is sitting in the back of an opponent’s mind.

Original, recognizable, catchy, energetic, intimidating… these are some of the things that go into the selection process. Next time you watch an event, think about why that fighter may have chosen that song. There’s a lot more than meets the eye.