5 WWE Superstars who have wrestled barefoot

A WWE superstar’s ring gear is just one of the essential elements whenever they perform inside the squared circle. It is also reflective of the persona that they portray, not to mention that their attire is what makes them distinct from their fellow wrestlers.

They may opt to sport lavish threads or just a minimal getup as long as the promotion allows. Minimal to the extent that they prefer to fight inside the ring, minus some of the typical pieces like ring boots.

The promotion, which includes fans, has seen WWE superstars and legends go at it inside the ring barefoot. Each of them has their own reasons why they prefer such, whether it be for comfort or part of their tradition.

Without further ado, so let's take a look at these wrestling greats and current WWE superstars who brawled it out barefoot.

#5. Sarah Logan/Valhalla

Before being reintroduced as Valhalla upon her return, she was known on the WWE main roster as Sarah Logan. She was also a member of a former faction called The Riott Squad, alongside WWE Superstar Liv Morgan and AEW Superstar Ruby Soho (Ruby Riott).

At the height of the pandemic and due to WWE’s budget cuts, Logan was released from her contract in 2020 and went on to announce her hiatus from professional wrestling.

Come November of this year, she made her comeback alongside her real-life husband Erik, and Ivar of The Viking Raiders. She was repackaged and reintroduced to the aforementioned character, not to mention having that menacing and Viking-inspired look complimenting her two formidable combatants.

Completing such a vibe is her going barefoot for some reason. Whatever the reason, one thing is for certain: Valhalla has arrived.

#4. Umaga

A member of the Anoa’i wrestling family and barefoot sports entertainer, Umaga, had his first run in WWE in 2002 as the other half of the tag team heel 3-Minute Warning didn’t last that long.

The villainous duo went down in infamy, though, as they viciously attacked individuals who were not even wrestlers at the time.

After venturing into other promotions, he returned to WWE and was repackaged as Umaga. He was reintroduced as an out-of-control wrestler with intimidating face paint.

His return to the promotion in 2006 saw significant success as he had a winning streak during that time and had famous feuds against WWE Superstars John Cena, Kane, Triple H, and Shawn Michaels. He even held the WWE Intercontinental Championship on a couple of occasions during his second run in WWE.

#3. Yokozuna

Another member of the Anoa’i wrestling family who fought barefoot was Yokozuna. Yokozuna was one of the most feared WWE Superstars at the time due to his brute strength. Despite the fact that this legend is of Samoan descent, he was best known for his character in WWE as a renowned champion sumo wrestler.

Like the actual sumo wrestlers he portrayed back then, he wore similar attire and wrestled barefoot. He is usually seen alongside Mr Fuji, who, during his prime, also fought barefoot.

During his WWE run, Yokozuna battled other wrestling legends like Bret Hart, Lex Luger, Hulk Hogan, and even The Undertaker. He was also hailed as the first Samoan wrestler to have ever held the WWE World Heavyweight Championship and has captured such a distinction a couple of times.

Yokozuna retired from WWE in 1999, though he continued to wrestle in various promotions until his untimely passing in 2000. In 2012, the former WWE superstar was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame by his cousin Rikishi and The Usos.

#2. WWE Superstar Matt Riddle

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WWE Superstar Matt Riddle’s carefree and friendly persona is one of the reasons why he is liked by most fans. However, his opponents should not be fooled by such a demeanour.

His MMA experience has helped him immensely in dealing with opponents inside the wrestling ring. Riddle’s striking and submission prowess allowed his popularity to rise even higher as he is often times included in numerous WWE pay-per-views.

The former WWE United States Champion has been constantly asked why he opted to wrestle barefoot. According to him, it was due to a bad case of frostbite when he was a kid. The only time he reverts to wearing shoes is whenever he skateboards. Other than that, he was either barefoot or sporting a pair of flops.

#1. Haku/Meng/Kid Tonga is the baddest barefoot brawler

WWE Superstars and Hall of Famers are in unison in hailing Haku/Meng/Kid Tonga as the toughest wrestler they have ever known. The likes of The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Goldberg, Hulk Hogan, and even Ric Flair have put the barefoot brawler on top of their bad*ss list.

This bad*ssery was even showcased outside the wrestling ring on a couple of occasions. One of the most infamous incidents was in 1989 when he got involved in a bar fight inside Baltimore Airport. This was after some folks back then called wrestling fake. Haku was left with no choice but to give those guys a taste of what they deemed to be fake.