UFC 130: A breath of fresh air in walk-in music choices

By Allison Duck

Sunday, May 29, 2011 | 2:06 p.m.

Though the music at UFC 130 could support the idea of “out with the old, in with the new,” it was the veteran fighters who stood their ground against the younger up-and-comers as Frank Mir and Quinton Jackson emerged victorious.

As opposed to the typical stranglehold classic rock and rap have over the UFC’s airwaves, there were several new artists featured this time around. Ke$ha, Black Label Society, Tinie Tempah, Kevin Rudolf and DJ Khaled were all featured.

With a song that might have been more appropriate for the weigh-ins when fighters often have to strip down to their skivvies, Cole Escovedo walked in to Ke$ha’s “Take It Off.” The electronic sounding club anthem seemed an odd fit for a walk-in song but select lyrics were fitting like, “There’s a place I know/If you’re looking for a show/Where they go hardcore.” Of course this line is followed by “And there’s glitter on the floor.” Perhaps not the most tailored to a fight, but a crowd pleaser and breath of fresh air, nonetheless.

Unfortunately for Cole, his more creative pick wasn’t enough to bolster him to victory. He succumbed to a unanimous decision loss to Renan Barao, who came in to one of the two DJ Khaled songs of the night, the appropriately titled “All I Do Is Win.” The song, which features T-Pain, Ludacris, Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross, is another popular club tune. The confident song proclaims, “All I do is win, win, win no matter what.” Luckily for Barao, he could back up that claim.

Brian Stann opted for Shinedown’s “Diamond Eyes.” The shouting chorus of “Boom-lay, boom-lay boom” was reminiscent of boot camp chants, fitting for the Marine. Lyrics like, “I say goodbye to my weakness/ So long to the regret” clearly state Stann’s confidence and determination, which helped him on to a knockout victory over Jorge Santiago.

Santiago walked in to T.I.’s “I’m Back”, but he really wasn’t. Not at least until he had a chance to regain his faculties after a flurry of punches from Stann, which ended the fight. An odd fight song choice as raps go, this song centers on the singer’s experiences in jail and lacks the in-your-face confidence of other songs from the genre.

Skyscraper Stefan Struve came down the tunnel to British rapper Tinie Tempah’s “Written in the Stars,” featuring Eric Turner. Tempah had just been in town performing at the Palms Pool this past Friday. A victory was not written in the stars for the 6’11” fighter, who was knocked out by fellow tall man, Travis Browne, who is 6-feet-7.

Browne walked in to DJ Khaled’s “We Takin’ Over” featuring Rick Ross, Fat Joe, Birdman, Lil Wayne and Akon. The bouncy rap track says, “They won’t shoot you, unless you try to/ Come around and stomp on our ground/ ’Cause we’re taking over, one city at a time.” Browne made his point as he continues to try to take over, one fight at a time.

Rick Story went the rock route with “Overlord” by Black Label Society. The song is all about fighting and the “chaos of war.” Lyrics like, “Kings of this world/ The servants shall serve” show Story’s confidence. He proved to indeed be the overlord of opponent Thiago Alves, who walked in to T.I.’s “Big Things Poppin’.”

Michael McDonald opted for a country tune from a legend. He walked out to “The River,” a soothing ballad by Garth Brooks. The slow instrumental intro doesn’t really lend itself to a pump-you-up fight song, though the powerful lyrics like, “So don’t you sit upon the shoreline/ And say you’re satisfied/ Choose to chance the rapids/ And dare to dance the tides” are motivational.

McDonald was victorious over Chris Cariaso in a split decision. Cariaso came in to Eminem’s “Not Afraid” though he probably should have been as McDonald landed far more strikes throughout the fight.

Matt Hamill showed he has no qualms about his hearing impairment with the choice of The Rolling Stone’s “Can’t You Hear Me Knocking? A humorous choice, the song might have made fans wonder if they were allowed to chuckle at such a song title, but with Hamill’s good-natured attitude about his disability, he probably chose the tongue-in-cheek song with levity in mind. With lyrics like “Hear me howlin’,” it was almost a challenge to his opponent, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, who is known for his own howling habits after victories.

Jackson emerged victorious again, winning a decision over Hamill. Jackson came out to the DMX track “One More Road to Cross.” Jackson has said in recent interviews that he looks at fights without much excitement, viewing them as a way to make money, and viewing opponents as merely “one more road to cross.” In this case, crossing the Hamill road might just be enough to earn him a title shot against Jon Jones.

Roy Nelson walked out to his traditional “I’m Fat” by Weird Al. The first time he walked out to this at "The Ultimate Fighter" finale fight, he had the novelty factor, but now it just points out the obvious, in a bad way. While there is no doubt Nelson has knockout power, the bottom line is his walk-in song says it all.

Frank Mir changed things up and skipped Kanye West’s “Amazing” in lieu of Kevin Rudolf’s “In the City.” Perhaps in a nod to his celebrity status in Las Vegas, Mir’s song stated, “Every day I’m a star in the city…. / Motherf*****s know who I am… / Give it all up for me, city boy life.” If for some strange reason viewers didn’t know the former heavyweight champ before, they surely do now after his decisive victory over Nelson.