Barefoot Wrestling: Why It’s a Line I Won’t Cross

 

By Joe Clark, Wrestling Promoter & Author

Every promoter has their own standards when it comes to who they’ll book — gear, attitude, locker-room etiquette, and work ethic all matter. But there’s one thing that’s an automatic dealbreaker for me: barefoot wrestling.

I know some "names" did it — Kevin Von Erich, Jimmy Snuka, Umaga, Matt Riddle — and sure, they were talented in their own right. But times change, and so do expectations when it comes to professionalism and hygiene.

Let’s call it like it is: wrestling barefoot is unsanitary, unprofessional, and disrespectful to your opponent.

The Hygiene Problem

Feet carry fungus, bacteria, and disease. Even the cleanest person has sweat, dead skin, and odor issues — it’s biology. Add the fact that most guys don’t properly take care of their feet, and you’re talking about calloused, scaley, dirty, and often smelly skin being rubbed across another person’s body in a match.

It’s gross. And in an industry built on respect and trust between performers, it’s also inconsiderate.

Respecting Your Opponent

Wrestling is intimate by nature — two people telling a story through physical contact, trusting one another not to injure or humiliate the other. That trust gets tested when one wrestler decides to forgo boots or shoes altogether.

I’ve always believed in giving every worker fair treatment, but I’ll be honest: I wouldn’t want someone’s bare feet touching me, and I doubt most wrestlers would either. Unless someone has a particular interest or fetish in feet (and that’s their own business outside the ring), no one wants to roll around with another man’s bare soles pressed against them.

It’s not about style — it’s about respect.

Promoter’s Responsibility

If a promoter books someone who wrestles barefoot, they owe it to the opponent to give them a heads-up before the match is confirmed. Some might not care, but others might have serious objections — and that should be respected. No wrestler should be put in an uncomfortable or potentially unsanitary situation just because the promoter didn’t disclose that detail.

In my case, though, it’s simple: I don’t book barefoot wrestlers, period.

Wrestling Is a Professional Sport — Act Like It

If you want to be taken seriously as a professional, you should look, act, and perform like one. That means clean gear, proper footwear, and respect for the business and the people sharing the ring with you.

The audience might not always see the little things, but the locker room notices — and so do the promoters who sign the checks.

Barefoot wrestling may have a nostalgic place in the history books, but in today’s scene, it’s better left there.