10 best walkout songs in UFC history

#5: Anderson Silva – Ain’t No Sunshine by DMX

For the best part of a decade, when the lights dimmed and UFC fans heard the voice of DMX mumble “It’s dark, and hell is hot” before the famous refrain of Ain’t No Sunshine – a cover of an old song by Bill Withers – everyone knew what was about to go down. A fighter competing in the 185lbs division – or sometimes at 205lbs – was about to get their ass kicked by Anderson Silva.

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The legendary former Middleweight champion used the song for the majority of his UFC career – particularly during his legendary title reign from 2006 to 2013 – and the lyrics, which were changed by DMX to state “ain’t no sunshine when it’s on” fit ‘The Spider’ perfectly. Strangely chilling, but somehow still massively intimidating.

When Silva surprisingly decided to “retire” the song for his fight with Derek Brunson in favour of a rap track written and performed by his son Kalyl, MMA fans were up in arms. Usually, changing a walkout track wouldn’t be a big deal – the fact that this change was a big deal simply showed how iconic Ain’t No Sunshine had become.

About the author

Scott is a veteran MMA writer with over two decades of experience, including his ongoing tenure in Sportskeeda, which began seven years ago. He has written over 3000 pieces for the organization, while also covering football. Before joining Sportskeeda, Scott wrote articles for websites like The Oratory and Inside Pulse MMA.

Scott has a degree in history, which drives his research skills and helps him compile accurate information. His long stint in the field helps Scott provide a clear take on important topics, such as the criticism of promotions regarding fighter pay. While he feels fighters deserve a bigger revenue share, he doesn’t want MMA to suffer with purse-split issues.

Scott’s work has been previously reshared by the former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman. He uses credible sources, such as the UFC’s official website, during the writing process.

His dedication to MMA writing won him the Feature Writer of the Month award for Sportskeeda in November 2021.

Outside of work, Scott likes to go to the gym, walk his dog, and travel.

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Edited by Arvind Sriram