Aleister Black Says His Iconic Wrestling Entrance Was Inspired by Black Metal and Iron Maiden Shows

Aleister Black’s entrance has always been unforgettable—but according to him, the real inspiration didn’t come from wrestling. It came from black metal, giant puppets, and theatrical rock concerts.

During a recent interview with Popternative, Black opened up about the origins of his dark and powerful presentation, revealing that he’s been crafting his entrance like a heavy metal frontman since his early indie days.

“A big part of me is, you know, the entrances... They were that on the independent scene because I quickly kind of got smart to—it’s the first thing that the audience really sees. So you want to make an impression. You want them to feel something.”

Black said it all clicked for him after reading an old interview with Cradle of Filth frontman Dani Filth, who talked about how theatrical rock shows in the ’70s and ’80s shaped his approach.

“I read this interview with Dani Filth from Cradle of Filth when I was younger... He spoke about how the reason why he does a lot of these theatrics is because he saw—in the early '80s and end of the '70s—Alice Cooper and Iron Maiden having these really big performances... For Iron Maiden having Eddie on stage in a big puppet form. There were theatrics involved and it’s the first thing people see. So it sets the tone.”

That vision carried over to every phase of Black’s career—from the indies to WWE, to AEW, and now back again.

“For me, an entrance was always like a big part of who I was... That went into the indies, that went to WWE, that went into AEW, and obviously back to WWE. The entrances have always been a big part of my presentation. And it’s for those exact reasons.”

Whether walking through smoke in NXT or bringing cinematic violence to AEW, Aleister Black continues to treat every entrance like a ritual—fusing metal, mysticism, and performance into one ominous walk to the ring.

His entrances aren’t just introductions—they’re statements. And it all traces back to a love of music that hits as hard as his kicks.

What do you think makes a wrestling entrance unforgettable—is it the music, the visuals, or something deeper? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know which entrance gave you chills.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.