UFC 109 walk-in music: The overused, the old school and the new fuel upsets

By Allison Duck (contact)

Sunday, Feb. 7, 2010 | 2:30 p.m.

UFC 109: Couture Submits Coleman

Viewing video requires the latest version of Adobe's Flash Player

Share

• del.icio.us
• digg
• Facebook

E-mail this to a friend »

URL:

Download

• 720p - Quicktime
• iPod

Share

• del.icio.us
• digg
• Facebook

E-mail this to a friend »

URL:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/videos/2010/feb/07/3545/

Embed

Light Heavyweight Randy Couture defies his age yet again with a second round submission of Mark Coleman at Saturday's UFC 109.

UFC 109 - Relentless

Launch slideshow »

UFC 109 featured a well-rounded mix of classic rock, cliché tunes, old-school rap and a touch of country as many fighters earned upset victories.

Matt Serra went with the overused "Gonna Fly Now" by Bill Conti, better known as the "Rocky" theme song, though this safe choice helped to lead him into a victory over Frank Trigg.

In his UFC debut, Joey Beltran chose the classic rap song "Still Dre" by Dr. Dre featuring Snoop Dogg. As Dre sings, "They want to know if he still got it," Beltran entered the Octagon to prove a point. Up against second degree Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt Rolles Gracie, Beltran faced a formidable opponent and had taken the fight on short notice after Mostapha Al-turk pulled out. To the tinkling piano keys in the background of Dre's anthem, Beltran exuded confidence in his walk-in and eventually accomplished his mission in the second round, with an upset victory over Gracie.

It's not a bad idea to let your opponent know you're "Indestructible" before he even gets to look you in the eye in the cage. Brian Stann opted for Disturbed's confident war chant "Indestructible." The powerful growling vocals from singer David Draiman announced to the crowd that Stann felt he was "the indestructible master of war." Unfortunately for him, all of the self-assured lyrics in the world couldn't protect him from opponent Phil Davis's takedowns and submission attempts. Stann proved to be more or less destructible as Davis secured the unanimous decision win.

Dan Miller took a tune from the classic rock songbook not often used as walk-in music. Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Run Through the Jungle" was an intense call to arms as Miller entered battle with Demian Maia. The heavy lyrics warn of the danger of the devil who is "on the loose." Miller eventually succumbed to a decision loss to Maia, who walked in to Lobão's "

Viva Bandida." The Brazilian chose this peppy Portuguese '80s rock song to show his national pride. The song certainly pumped him up with its strong drum beat and chant-like chorus.

Mike Swick's classic rap walk-in was a pleasant change from the Eminem-heavy modern rap choices most fighters choose from that genre. He came down the tunnel to Tupac's "Ambitionz Az A Rida." The song served as a mission statement, proudly proclaiming "I won't deny it, I'm a straight rider / You don't want to f*** with me." If that doesn't say "I know I'm the best," what does? Despite the confident strut into the Octagon, Swick had decidedly more trouble exiting after being choked out by Paulo Thiago in the second round.

Chael Sonnen stuck to his usual walk-in song, Daryle Singletary's "Too Much Fun." The song pumped him up for a victory over Yushin Okami in UFC 104 and it came through for him again. Though from the looks of his face following the fight, his hard-fought and unexpected unanimous decision victory over Nate Marquhardt didn't look like "Too Much Fun." The lyrics proved rather telling: "There was a fight Friday night at the Stumble Inn / Me and old Hardy just had to join in / Next thing you know we were both seeing stars," as both fighters suffered a lot of damage.

Nate Marquhardt was perhaps getting pumped up a little early for the Super Bowl halftime show with his choice of The Who's "Eminence Front." The melodic, guitar-heavy track was a good choice to focus the fighter on the task at hand but his steely composure was slowly broken down by Sonnen as the fight progressed to a loss for the favored fighter.

Mark Coleman chose a timely song, "Drop the World" by Lil Wayne featuring Eminem and Drake, given that the song had just been performed at the Grammy Awards this year. The current rap song seemed a little odd for the veteran Coleman though the lyrics were appropriate for a fighter's entrance. Eminem interrupts the chorus as he raps "This world is my Easter egg, yeah, prepare to die/My head is swole, my confidence is up/This stage is my pedestal / I'm unstoppable, incredible." Though he was stopped in the end, the still confident fighter said this would not be his last fight.

Randy Couture kept to his classic rock customs and marched out to Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold." The steady rhythmic guitar licks at the beginning of the song give the tune plenty of time to build up to the first words, "Here I come again now baby/You know I'm here to stay." His impressive submission victory over Coleman corresponded with the lyrics, "Got you in a stranglehold now baby," as he choked out his opponent to earn a victory far more decisive than his recent decision win over Brandon Vera.