10. Yoshihiro Akiyama
In a sport where most fighters’ walkout songs grace a recent top-40 list and tend to fall into the most popular genres, Akiyama stands out for his consistent choice of the collaboration between Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman: “Time to Say Goodbye.” It is a unique choice and it has become iconic for Akiyama, who doubles as a pop star and model in his home country.
“Sexyama” has a flair for the dramatic -- his flashy striking repertoire and slick judo throws speak to that -- which also extends to his entrances. His habit of stopping, kneeling and joining hands with his team as he walks out to the ring or cage lends a measured tension to his fights. The pageantry of Japanese MMA in the post-Pride Fighting Championships era was the perfect venue for this, far more so than the modern Ultimate Fighting Championship, but even there, he stands out from the pack.
Akiyama is and has always been as much showman as fighter, and nothing sums that up better than his consistently awesome entrances.
Number 9 » Consistency matters when it comes to entrances, and few have been more reliably intimidating in their walks to the cage than this Brazilian. Even before he became the world’s best 185-pounder in the UFC, his sense of showmanship played out through creative walkouts, like his Michael Jackson dance back in Pride.