Ex-WWE Star Matt Riddle Reveals Reason Behind Not Wearing Wrestling Boots

Matt Riddle’s time in WWE was filled with controversies and personal issues, which eventually led to his surprising release last year. While Riddle remains an active in-ring competitor right now, he has now revealed why he never wears wrestling boots.

The King of Bros is one of the few wrestlers who wrestles without wearing any kind of shoes as he prefers competing while barefoot. He usually wears flip flops during his entrances but ditches them as soon as a match begins.

While speaking on Barstool Rasslin‘, Matt Riddle was asked if he ever wore wrestling boots. Matt revealed why he doesn’t wear wrestling boots or pads. He used to wear wrestling shoes but noticed they made him take hits differently. With pads, he would land on his knees, elbows, or heels. Without the pads, he has to be more careful when taking slams or falls. He also feels his kicks and knees look more real because there’s no padding to soften them.

“I started off wearing wrestling shoes, but I noticed that when I wore them, I wouldn’t take hits the same way. That’s also why I don’t wear knee pads or elbow pads. With the padding, I would take bumps and falls differently—I’d land on my knees or elbows, or my heels would hit the mat. But when I take all the padding off, I can’t make any mistakes when I’m taking slams, falls, or executing moves.

Advertising

Advertising

Also, when I kick or knee people, it adds a bit more believability because there’s no cushion for the pushing.”

Riddle then revealed that he has no feeling in his toes due to frostbite he suffered as a kid during a winter visit to Wisconsin. Wearing only Vans sneakers, he spent the day outside in the snow and ended up with frostbite on his toes, which permanently numbed the surface skin. While he can feel if he breaks a bone in his foot, anything on the surface, like kicks or slaps, goes unnoticed.

This numbness even made foot stomps ineffective against him, whether in UFC or wrestling—unless someone stomps with serious force, he doesn’t feel a thing. Still, for professional wrestling, if a match storyline requires a reaction, he’s prepared to “sell” the move for the show.

“Funny story—the toes have no feeling. Yeah, my toes have no feeling. I got frostbite on them when I was a kid visiting Wisconsin in the winter. I was wearing, like, Vans sneakers in the snow, played outside all day, and then ended up with frostbite on my toes. I lost feeling in them after that. So, like, the skin on the surface—I won’t feel anything. If I break my foot, I’ll feel that, but when I kick, slap, or whatever, I don’t feel anything. Yeah, unless you really stomp hard. Even in the UFC, people would stomp on my feet all the time, and nothing. So, yeah, I got numb feet. But if we’re in a match, and that’s the story, I’ll sell it.“

Matt Riddle will keep competing barefoot, and fans now understand the reason behind it. Many will likely agree that it’s for the best, as it adds to his unique character inside the ring.

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