Music of The Mat

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and guest Lee Malone (Days of Thunder) take a look at the themes of Finn Balor, previously known for many years as Prince Devitt. From the "Irish Captor" who was the best around, to the "Real Rock 'n' Rolla" who was leading Bullet Club, to the Demon Days in WWE, Andrew and Lee dive into Balor's many theme songs over the years.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and Jeff Hawkins (Shake Them Ropes) reunite for another round of real mainstream songs from the territory days of pro wrestling. But this time, there's a twist: The pair discuss songs that DID NOT make for great themes. Artists featured include David Bowie, Bobby McFerrin, Bruce Springsteen, Katrina and the Waves, and more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew takes a look at the themes of the "Heartbreak Kid" Shawn Michaels!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, it's the first installment of the new recurring series Jammin' Around Japan! Andrew and guest John Carroll (Wrestling Omakase) discuss eight themes for eight Japanese wrestlers/groups from eight Japanese wrestling promotions, including Naomichi Marufuji (NOAH), Sanshiro Takagi (DDT), Maki Itoh (TJPW), Daisuke Sekimoto (BJPW), Oedo Tai (STARDOM), and more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Maxwell Baumbach (RBR Weekly Wrestling Talk Podcast) to discuss the theme history of Ray Traylor, better known to many as the Big Boss Man! Andrew and Maxwell talk about what made the Boss Man such a fascinating wrestler and go through his entrance themes in WWF, WCW, All Japan, and beyond.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined once again by Garrett Kidney as they discuss the TNA themes of the "Charismatic Enigma" Jeff Hardy. The two discuss Jeff's TNA career, personal setbacks and triumphs, and most importantly his entrance music, almost all of which is performed by Jeff Hardy himself. It's a wild ride filled with crazy bumps, nonsense lyrics, hidden foreshadowing...

BREAK THE WALLS DOWN!!! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and Sean Sedor (Voices of Wrestling) discuss the theme history of Chris Jericho. Jericho's 30-year career has taken him all over the world and has provided wrestling fans with a bevy of iconic matches, moments, and entrance themes. Andrew and Sean go through the songs that would define the career of the "Ayatollah of Rock 'n' R...

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Andrew Sinclair (Voices of Wrestling) to discuss the many TV themes of Impact Wrestling!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and the returning Duncan Joyce (Then, Now, Whatever) return for a second batch of themes from the history of PROGRESS Wrestling. Wrestlers featured include British Strong Style, Flash Morgan Webster, Toni Storm, Jinny, and more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew takes you on a day-by-day audio tour of his first ever WrestleMania Weekend!

BANG! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and Joe Gagne (5 Star Match Game) discuss the themes of WCW icon and the "Master of the Diamond Cutter," Diamond Dallas Page.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Mike Spears (Open the Voice Gate, Everything Evolves) to discuss the theme songs of some Dragon Gate all-stars! It's a list of DG legends that will satisfy both Dragon Gate casuals and hardcore fanatics alike. Wrestlers include CIMA, Masaaki Mochizuki, Shingo Takagi, Dragon Kid, Masato Yoshino, and many more.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by James Truepenny (The Truepenny Show, Steel Chair Magazine) to discuss some classic Joshi themes. March is International Women's Month, so now is the perfect time to discuss some of Japan's greatest female wrestlers and their entrance music. From 80s legends like the Crush Gals and Jumping Bomb Angels, to 90s all-stars like Akira Hokuto an...

Booyaka Booyaka! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and Rich Kraetsch (Voices of Wrestling) discuss the theme history of Rey Mysterio. From AAA to ECW to WCW to WWE and beyond, Rey is truly one of the all-time greats with a theme history that's as colorful as his masks. We hope you like Mad One because BOY OH BOY is there a lot of Mad One on this episode.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew does a solo dive into the theme songs of WWE's Four Horsewomen: Sasha Banks, Bayley, Charlotte Flair, & Becky Lynch.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is reunited with original co-host Chris Maffei to celebrate the podcast's second anniversary! The topic? WWF Aggression, the album that features some of hip hop's biggest names--Method Man, Run-D.M.C., Ice-T, Snoop Dogg, Kool Keith, Redman, and others--performing songs about WWF superstars.

1, 2... this on? On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Robin Reid (Brit Wres Roundtable) as they discuss the theme history of "The Game" Triple H. From Connecticut blue blood to badass main eventer, from DX to Evolution, from Motörhead to Motörhead, Andrew and Robin delve into the music and career of the "King of Kings." On your knees, dog.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Gran Akuma as they discuss a selection of themes that debuted in wrestling in 2018: "Final Straw" (Rhea Ripley), "Ghost Town Triumph" (Hangman Page), "Party Anthem" (Natural Vibes), "Shadows of a Setting Sun" (Shinsuke Nakamura), "It's Alive!" (PCO), "War Dance" (Strong Hearts), and plenty more!

Wrestling has more than one... royal family. On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and guest co-host Sean Flynn discuss the theme history of Cody Rhodes. Cody may be the talk of the wrestling town in 2018, but it took him many years, gimmicks, and entrance themes to build his kingdom. From Priceless to Stardust, from "Dashing" to, well, "Undashing," let's look back on the songs that forge...

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and returning guest co-host Chris Novembrino (Shake Them Ropes) discuss the theme history of legendary wrestler Bret “The Hitman” Hart. Andrew and Chris delve into all six of the “Excellence of Execution’s” entrance themes, including his iconic WWF themes, his not-so-iconic WCW themes, and more.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and returning guest co-host Jeff Hawkins (Shake Them Ropes) travel back to the days of the wrestling territories. They discuss the mainstream songs and artists that ignited the boom of wrestling music that we have today. Themes include Junkyard Dog (Queen), Road Warriors (Black Sabbath), Midnight Express (Giorgio Moroder), Ric Flair (Richard Strauss),...

Happy Halloween! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined once again by Garrett Kidney for the 2018 Halloween Spooktacular! It's a six-song salute to some of wrestling's spookiest gimmicks and most terrifying tunes, including themes for Papa Shango, Marty Scurll, Mortis, Abyss, and more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and guest co-host JR Goldberg (Who Booked This?) step into the spooky, groovy world of LA Park! With his trusty chair, mastery of the air guitar, and penchant for getting down with his bad self, LA Park made his bones (har dee har har) as "The Chairman of WCW" back in the 90s. But this dancing skeleton has had a long, storied career and an eclectic as...

That's gotta be… THAT'S GOTTA BE KANE!!! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Griffin Peltier (Voices of Wrestling) to open the gates of Hell and discuss the themes of Kane! The Big Red Machine has had a long and storied career, filled with fire, brimstone, and some of the nastiest guitar licks ever committed to record. Oh, and dentist drills. Lots of dentist drills.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, the podcast ventures into the world of wrestling video game music for the first time ever. Andrew takes a look at some of the custom themes from the 1999 game WWF Attitude! It's a wacky solo romp featuring stereotypical music, songs that just sound pretty cool, and some downright bizarre tracks to say the least.

Superkick Partaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!!!!! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and guest co-host Kelly Harrass (Voices of Wrestling, Panels on Pages) discuss the theme history of wrestling's hottest tag team: Matt and Nick Jackson, the Young Bucks. Recorded just a few days before All In, the episode delves into the various rock anthems of the Bucks' career, including "MMMBop," "War of Nerves," ...

Finally! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and fellow VOW contributor Suit Williams discuss the many themes of the Great One himself: The Rock! From blue chipper to Hollywood megastar, The Rock has had a legendary career with some legendary themes. So know your role, shut your mouth, and smell what Music of the Mat is cookin'!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew and guest co-host Tom Batista (The Military Industrial Suplex) discuss the theme history of one of the best and most beloved wrestlers to ever step into the ring: "The King of Harts" Owen Hart!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Damon McDonald (Super J-Cast) to discuss an assortment of theme songs from New Japan Pro Wrestling. They play themes for wrestlers such as KUSHIDA, Jay White, Togi Makabe, Taichi, Jushin Thunder Liger, and many more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Joe Gagne (Five Star Match Game) to discuss WCW Slam Jam, the first wrestling album composed entirely of wrestling themes. Andrew and Joe delve into each and every colorful track, including "Man Called Sting," "Simply Ravishing," "The Natural," "Freebird Forever," "Mr. Bang Bang," and many more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew devotes his attention entirely to one song: "Kaze ni Nare" by Ayumi Nakamura, the entrance music of legendary Japanese wrestler Minoru Suzuki. Andrew discusses the history of "Kaze ni Nare," Suzuki's relationship with Nakamura, the emotional core of the song, and much more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined once again by Rich Kraetsch (Voices of Wrestling) to discuss another selection of hip hop wrestling themes. From 90s classics to contemporary favorites, Andrew and Rich delve into songs by The Fugees, Eminem, Ike Dirty, Insane Clown Posse, and more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Joel Abraham (Super J-Cast) to discuss the theme history of "The Technical Wizard" Zack Sabre Jr. The best way to scare a Tory is to listen to this episode.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by returning guest John Carroll (Wrestling Omakase) to delve into the weird, wonderful world of Dramatic Dream Team! Together they discuss themes for HARASHIMA, Daisuke Sasaki, Ken Ohka, Speedball Mike Bailey, and many more.

Oooooooooooh YEAH! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Lee Malone (@Malone_713) to discuss the theme history of one of the greatest pro wrestlers ever, Macho Man Randy Savage. If you think Randy only has a few theme songs to his name, think again. DIG IT!

Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Voices of Wrestling's Sean Sedor to discuss the theme history of one of their favorite wrestlers ever, Daniel Bryan!

Welcome to WrestleMania! Again! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Jeff Hawkins (Shake Them Ropes) to discuss another round of WrestleMania themes. This year's list includes "Who Zoomin' Who?" (III), "Bigtime" (21), "Written in the Stars" (XXVII), and plenty more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Garrett Kidney to discuss the theme history of Low Ki! One of wrestling's more capricious athletes, there can be no doubt that the "World Warrior" has traveled the globe as a truly independent wrestler; Impact, ROH, WWE, New Japan, and NOAH are just a handful of promotions where Low Ki has wrestled. So let's talk about him, his cool kicks...

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Sarah Flannery (Sarah & Sarah) to discuss the theme histories of two of their favorite wrestlers: Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi! If you want to hear lots of gushing and fawning over two amazing wrestlers and their decade-long story arc, you've come to the right place.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Duncan Joyce (Then, Now, Whatever) to discuss a selection of themes that helped make UK promotion PROGRESS Wrestling the phenomenon that it is today. They play themes for Jimmy Havoc, Marty Scurll, Ringkampf, and plenty more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew looks at the theme history of "The Whole F'n Show" Rob Van Dam through a very specific lens: Marijuana! Yes, you read that right. Smoke 'em if you got 'em!

Make some noise! Music of the Mat celebrates its one-year anniversary by reuniting the Power Chords of Pain! Chris and Andrew come together to discuss the theme history of X-Pac. Thank you for supporting Music of the Mat over the past year!

Tranquilo! Assen na yo. On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is once again joined by Chris Novembrino to discuss the themes of New Japan Pro Wrestling's popular stable Los Ingobernables de Japon: Tetsuya Naito, EVIL, SANADA, BUSHI, and Hiromu Takahashi.

Happy New Year! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Voices of Wrestling's Kelly Harrass to play a selection of themes that debuted over the course of the year 2017: "Love & Energy," "Root of All Evil," "I Bring the Darkness," "Come Get It," and many more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew talks about the incredible legacy of Jim Johnston, the man who is undeniably pro wrestling's greatest composer.

OH! HELL! YEAH! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Andrew is joined by Rob McCarron (Shake Them Ropes) as they open up a can chhh of audio whoop-ass and discuss the theme history of Stone Cold Steve Austin. This is a jam-packed episode full of iconic themes, audio clips, and broken glass. And that's the bottom line 'cause Stone Cold said so!

On this bonus episode of Music of the Mat, Chris and Andrew answer some listener questions and deliver an important announcement about the future of the podcast.

Happy Halloween! On this episode of Music of the Mat, Chris and Andrew discuss five of wrestling’s spookiest themes. They also talk Halloween, candy, scary moments in wrestling, and much more!

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Chris, Andrew, and special guest co-host Milo Martinez (Open the Voice Gate) bid a heartfelt adieu to the Dragon Gate unit The Jimmyz. They play their unit and individual themes, as well as discuss what made The Jimmyz so beloved as a group. It's an episode of laughs, love, life, and rubber band attacks.

On this episode of Music of the Mat, Chris and Andrew enthusiastically discuss the band Metallica, their career at large, and their prevalence in the world of pro wrestling music.