Image via Complex Original
A professional wrestler’s entrance done right is nothing short of captivating. Stone Cold’s glass shattering. Undertaker’s gong. The pyro shooting off as Shawn Michaels drops to his knees after dancing down the entrance ramp. Each provides an instant shot of adrenaline that fans cannot keep their eyes off of. These days, the catchy music and pyro is still important, but another element of the entrance has become just as important for certain superstars in recent years. What pair of sneakers are they wearing tonight?
Over the past decade or so, sneakers have continued to gain popularity within professional wrestling. Wrestlers aren’t just walking down the ramp in traditional boots anymore. Now, more and more superstars are choosing to add a new layer to their character by wearing rare sneakers. In some cases, it’s a classic Air Jordan, like the “Bred” 4s. In others, wrestlers like Kofi Kingston have laced up custom pairs from Mache for the biggest moments of their careers. In 2022, you even have some people wearing one-of-one hybrids. Liv Morgan’s knee-high Air Jordan 1 customs by Mache are a perfect example.
There’s no denying that sneakers are bigger in pro wrestling right now than they have ever been before. But despite the Young Bucks claiming they started the whole sneakers in wrestling trend, that doesn’t mean this is all new. We know you probably remember John Cena wearing Reebok Pumps throughout the 2000s. But how about Jim Ross interviewing Stone Cold in some Air Jordan 12s or the Killer Bees wearing “Iowa” Dunk Highs back in 1987?
Ahead of the Royal Rumble this weekend, which is sure to feature its fair share of memorable sneakers, we decided to take a deeper look at the history of sneakers in pro wrestling.
Killer Bees
Year(s): 1987
Best Pair: Nike Dunk High
Being the grown age that I am, even I was too young to have seen the Killer Bees—a.k.a. the tag team of “Jumpin” Jim Brunzell and B. Brian Blair—rocking a pair of yellow-and-black Dunks in-ring against the Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff at WrestleMania III. Back then, wrestling in anything but wrestling boots was extremely rare; some would go barefoot, but I don’t think I’d ever seen wrestlers in sneakers fit for a street fight. The Bees likely did it for the aesthetic; they took their ring name seriously, and would stay decked out in yellow and black. With WrestleMania being the biggest night of the pro wrestling year, it’d make sense that they’d want to show up and show out. —khal
Years: 2000-2002
Best Pair: Air Jordan 11 “Bred”
Kevin Nash may not be the first wrestler that you think of when you think about the guys who have been known for lacing up great sneakers in the ring. Part of the reason is that the 7-footer never actually competed in his pairs. The wrestling boots still got put on when Nash needed to hit a jackknife powerbomb or two. But if Nash had no match, there was a chance you would see him break out some pretty great pairs from time to time. Grainy screengrabs have stayed floating around the internet that show Nash pairing his black and white NWO T-shirt with a pair of “Bred” Air Jordan 11s or “Infrared” Air Jordan 6s in the 2000s. He even wore the Black Infrared when the NWO made their official debut in the WWE at No Way Out 2002. It wasn’t just the OG Jordans though. In 2000, he got a bit more obscure with a pair of black and blue Nike Air Garnett 3s. Nash’s out-of-ring style was getting slept on back then. Not only was he staying laced in the best Air Jordans, look at this Coogi sweater. Or this FUBU baseball jersey. Put some respect on his name. —Mike DeStefano
John Cena
Years: 2003-present
Best Pair: Reebok Pumps
In October of 2002, Cena dressed up as Vanilla Ice on SmackDown and kicked a verse. By 2003, Cena was “The Doctor of Thuganomics,” a gimmick that he credits with saving his career, The signature attire included throwback jerseys, jorts, and all kinds of kicks. Cena was seen in many random pairs—some Air Jordan 2009s, some Under Armours, even shoes he’d pick up at K-Mart, which he collaborated with on a pair of kids “Never Give Up” sneakers—but it was him showing up in a pair of Reebok Pumps in 2004 that sealed the deal. They fit perfectly with his gimmick, which was steeped in that kind of nostalgia. —khal
Shane McMahon
Years: 2006-Present
Best Pair: Air Jordan 1 “Chicago”
Great entrance music, death-defying stunts, and Air Jordans. These are the three things that have helped make Shane McMahon a fan favorite over the years. Since his return to WWE programming back in 2016 in a pair of “Chicago” 1s, it is pretty much a guarantee that you will see Shane O Mac in some fresh pair of Air Jordans whenever he is on the television screen. It isn’t just limited to the classics. He’s also worn some of Jordan Brand’s newer performance models like the Air Jordan 30 and Travis Scott’s Air Jordan 33 collab in the ring. Give credit where credit is due. Shane wasn’t just following a new trend. He was delivering elbow drops in “True Blue” Air Jordan 3s back in 2006. Whenever you discuss sneakers and wrestling, Shane should be one of the first names that comes to mind. —Mike DeStefano
Kofi Kingston
Years: 2012-Present
Best Pair: Custom Nike Adapt BBs by Mache
Before people really started to notice, Kofi Kingston was the man with the kicks. In true sneakerhead fashion, he stayed coordinating his kicks and his outfits; he even had the internet going nuts back in 2016 when he wrestled in a pair of Steph Currys. That said, Kofi knew that when he was to face Daniel Bryan for the WWE Championship, and sent a pair of Nike Adapt BBs that Mache flipped with a Basquiat theme that likely became one of the most prized pairs of kicks in Kofi’s closet. A rotation that frequently features dope kicks has helped him cement his spot as one of the WWE’s sneaker gods. —khal
Years: 2013-2014
Best Pair: Air Jordan 3 “Crimson”
Hulkamaniacs from the ‘80s will remember Hulk Hogan for his signature red and yellow attire and telling them to eat their vitamins. But for anyone who grew up watching wrestling in the 2000s, they may more quickly remember Hogan’s infatuation with Air Jordans. Seemingly out of nowhere in 2013, it felt like Hogan was getting every single new pair of Air Jordan retros. Apparently, the collection was started with the help of noted sneakerhead Fat Joe and Macho of the Terror Squad. Pairs like the “Bel-Air” Air Jordan 5s and “Gamma” Air Jordan 11s got photographed beside his 24-inch pythons and posted to Twitter. For his hosting duties at WrestleMania 30, he even decided to wear the “Crimson” Air Jordan 3s in the ring. —Mike DeStefano
Batista
Year: 2014
Best Pair: Air Jordan 28
Batista didn’t wear sneakers his entire career. But when he returned for a brief stint in 2014, he pretty much exclusively wrestled in the Air Jordan 28. From his return at the Royal Rumble in January 2014, which he won, to his main event match against Daniel Bryan and Randy Orton at WrestleMania 30 later that year, the zip-up performance basketball model was worn by him in a variety of colorways. It makes sense when you think about it. The high-cut design looked fairly similar to a wrestling boot. If Air Jordans are as good in the ring as they are on the court, it’s obvious why the 28s were a go-to for Batista at the time. Some people may think of Russell Westbrook or Michael Jordan when they see the Air Jordan 28. If you’re a wrestling fan, though, Batista will forever be its unofficial ambassador. —Mike DeStefano
Year: 2014-Present
Best Pair: Air Jordan 14 “Ferrari”
Enzo Amore had an unceremonious departure from the WWE, but during his time with the company he was a fan-favorite known for his entertaining promos, energetic dance moves, and giant sneaker collection. Enzo wrestled his matches in numerous pairs of Air Jordans to match his ring gear during his tenure. The first time he ever laced up a pair in the ring was during his days in NXT, it was a pair of red suede “Ferrari” 14s. He initially made the switch from traditional wrestling boots to sneakers after suffering a broken leg. In his appearance on Sneaker Shopping back in 2017 he said, “After that day I swore I would never wear wrestling boots again because I snapped [my leg] in some boots.” The decision seemed to pay off for Enzo Amore. His penchant for sneakers became a signature element of his character. —Mike DeStefano
Year: 2014-2019
Best Pair: Nike Dunk High (Mache Custom)
Nikki Bella deserves credit for her accolades in the ring. She’s the longest reigning Divas Champion of all time and helped usher in the era of women’s wrestling we see today. But she also needs credit for introducing custom sneakers to the WWE. In 2015, Nikki Bella made her way to the ring in a pair of Dunk Highs customized by Mache that featured her logo on the tongue tags and side panels. Nowadays, it seems like half of the locker room has been delivered their own one-of-one customs by the noted sneaker designer. Nikki Bella also wore Dunk Highs in the ring before debuting her various Mache customs. Most notably, she would frequently wear the “Red Devil” SB Dunk High to match her signature red and black ring gear in 2014.
She made her love for the Dunks known on a 2018 episode of Sneaker Shopping. “The Dunks are sexy,” she said. “That’s the sexy sneaker in my eyes.” —Mike DeStefano
Year: 2015-Present
Best Pair: Nike Adapt BB custom for Kofi Kingston
Since Nikki Bella debuted her custom Dunks in 2015, Mache has developed a tightknit relationship with plenty of WWE superstars. It’s impossible to tell the story of sneakers in pro wrestling without acknowledging his work. He’s made countless customs for Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, Kofi Kingston, Sasha Banks, Carmella, Alexa Bliss, and plenty more since 2015. Usually, Mache’s go-to sneakers to customize are Dunks and Jordan 1s, but occasionally he has put his twist on performance models for Kofi Kingston like the Adapt BB or LeBron Solider 10. When speaking to Complex about Mache, Bliss said: “He’s made a lot of cool sneakers for everyone. We were at Madison Square Garden and he was hanging out backstage and he just said, ‘Hey, I want to design a pair of shoes for you.’ I didn’t think anything of it and he brings me this pair of custom Vans that have my logo hand-painted on them. The scratch writing was really cool and I wear them all the time for appearances. I just told him to do whatever he wanted, and he over-delivered.” —Mike DeStefano
Usos
Years: 2016-present
Best Pair: Air Force 1 High
Jimmy and Jey Uso have had a few switches to their gimmick. When they first debuted back in 2010, they paid homage to their family and heritage but were more straight-laced mean guys. As they evolved, more of their Samoan heritage was introduced. Their ring gear still featured wrestling boots. In 2016, as the Usos started to evolve once again (right before they firmly got into that DAY ONE ISH), they lost the long shorts and face paint and adopted rocking mostly black, save for their all-white or all-red Nike Air Force 1 Highs and Mids. You can’t miss those kicks, especially when superkicks are such a big part of their offense. They have to be comfortable—and probably add more support than regular kicks—and put a stamp on their evolution, blending the streets and the culture with their impressive in-ring ability. It may be one of the more low-key pairs of sneakers we see weekly, but they actually feel more like the Usos than some of the other kicks choices. —khal
The Rock
Years: 2016-Present
Best Pair: Under Armour Project Rock 4
The Rock’s full-time wrestling career ended nearly two decades ago. And at that time, he certainly wasn’t wearing sneakers in the ring. But he is such an iconic wrestler that it is impossible not to discuss his long-standing performance line with Under Armour. The line kicked off in 2016 and has been going strong ever since with various workout apparel and the Project Rock footwear line that’s currently on its fourth installment. Of course, each features his signature Brahma Bull logo plastered on it, usually alongside a fair share of motivational jargon. More recently, Dana White told Joe La Puma on Complex’s Sneaker Shopping that The Rock signed a multi-year deal with the UFC making the Project Rock 4 the sneaker that every fighter will walk to the octagon in, a sign of just how strong the Rock x UA partnership has been. Given all of the headlines pertaining to The Rock’s freakish workout routine over the years, it makes sense why the workout-focused line has been such a success. —Mike DeStefano
WWE Sneaker Collabs
Year(s): 2017-Present
Best Pair: Puma Clyde “Undertaker”
In 2017, ahead of WrestleMania 33, the WWE partnered up with Puma to release limited-edition Puma Clydes dedicated to five pro wrestling icons, including the Undertaker, Andre the Giant, and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. They were all in white, although a unique all-black pair was done with the Undertaker in mind. Each shoe came with special laces and an insole dedicated to that superstar, as well a line of T-shirts, sold through Foot Lockers across the country. This was followed by a Money In the Bank-inspired pair of shiny gold Puma Clydes with dollar signs on the tongue that came with your very own Money In the Bank briefcase. Their collaboration continued with a release of Clydes and the Puma Shinsei inspired by the WWF ice cream bars that were all the rage in the ‘80s, with ice cream sandwich-colored camo dropping on all-white Pumas.
By 2019, the WWE had formed a new partnership, this time with Fila, giving Sasha Banks and The New Day their own inspired kicks: Disruptor 2s for Sasha and the Original Fitness for The New Day. While sneakerheads may have hoped for something a bit more hypebeast-y, these did the job for the fans who want to show up at the arena with real WWE collaborative kicks.
Wale’s Asics collaboration from 2016 also deserves an honorable mention here. The gold Gel-Lyte III was made to resemble the Intercontinental championship belt from the ‘90s. While not officially tied to the WWE, it was a great way for the rapper to fuse two of his biggest passions. He’s developed a great relationship with the WWE in the years that have followed. You may have seen him performing Big E’s entrance theme at WrestleMania last year. —khal
Roman Reigns
Years: 2017-Present
Best Pair: Air Jordan 4 “Bred”
There may not be a better pro wrestler on the planet right now than Roman Reigns. And while the Universal Championship belt that he has been carrying around for 512 days and counting is certainly a fine accessory, Reigns has also taken to wearing sneakers to the ring for his promos in recent years. We have seen the Tribal Chief in everything from “Black Cat” 4s to Adidas Yeezy Boost 350 V2s during his current title reign. Some may remember Reigns actually wrestling in Nikes before he began wearing some of these more notable pairs. He has competed in a handful of matches in the Nike SFB Boot with a black upper and white sole. Roman may not have the best sneaker collection in the entire WWE, but it still shouldn’t be slept on. Acknowledge him. —Mike DeStefano
Edge
Years: 2019-present
Best Pair: Air Jordan 1 “Bred”
The Rated R Superstar had been gone from the WWE ring since 2011. His 2019 return to the squared circle in a pair of Jordan 1 “Clay Green” to spear Elias during his musical performance shocked the world. After his in-ring return in 2020, most of Edge’s promos would be cut in street clothes, and he’d be rocking some kind of Jordan 1 or Jordan 3, usually in more lowkey colorways. He showed up in the Pine Green 3s in December of 2021, but we’ve seen him in Stealth 3s, Black Satin Gym Red 1s (a lot of his colorways play on the red/black theme) and other pairs you thought were hot but may have left on the shelf. We’re not sure if he ever plans on wrestling in sneakers, but we do want to see what his collection really looks like. —khal
Years: 2021-Present
Best Pair: Air Jordan 1 ‘85 “Black/Red”
Sneakers aren’t just limited to WWE these days. In fact, some of the biggest sneaker-related wrestling headlines as of late have been coming from AEW. Most of the time, it has to do with the pairs being worn by the Young Bucks tag team. They have been seen in questionably authentic pairs of Dior x Air Jordan 1s and Fragment x Travis Scott x Air Jordan 1s to name a few. The latter pair was even modified by them during a match by sticking thumbtacks to the soles. When discussing the critics who are saying they were fakes on Sneaker Shopping, Young Bucks member Matt Jackson said, “We’re bad guys. So, if you’re going to accuse us of wearing replicas or fakes, bring it. That actually adds to our personalities. Believe what you want to believe, but I’m spending a lot of money on these.”
The Young Bucks may not have been the first wrestlers to wear sneakers during matches, but they seem to have started a trend in the locker room over at AEW. Other stars like Kenny Omega and Adam Cole have worn Air Jordan 1s in the ring for promos in recent months. One of the more wholesome sneaker moments in AEW came when CM Punk decided to give a pair of Air Jordan 1 Mids to a lucky fan sitting ringside. —Mike DeStefano
Liv Morgan
Years: 2014-present
Best Pair: Mache Custom Air Morgan
Liv Morgan kicked off her WWE career reppin’ the 201 and always rocking 1s. She’s another one who stayed fresh—whatever gear she had on was always topped off with a dope pair of sneakers. Her sneaker game was so impressive that she started hosting the Champs Sports Sneaker Watch series on their social media back in 2018. As her career in the WWE evolved, so did her look. Sadly, that meant that her sneakers were left in their boxes as she went back to rocking ring boots. That is until she got into it with Becky Lynch, eventually challenging her for the WWE Raw Women’s Championship at their Day 1 premium event.
Morgan told Complex in 2020 that she’d been working on a special project with Mache. “I’m working with Mache on a little collaboration,” Morgan said, “because I love wrestling in the Jordans. I really do. I’m most comfortable in Jordans, specifically the 1. I switched to the wrestling boots, but I definitely favor the sneakers. I was telling him about it and we’re going to try to work something up. I think it’s going to be awesome.” That collaboration, dubbed the Air Morgan, are a pair of custom Mache Jordan 1s that go all the way up to her knee. Similar to other wrestlers, that love for sneakers is implemented perfectly, with Morgan getting to rock her 1s but have them match the evolution her character has gone through over the last year. —khal