Two WWE Superstars wore sneakers on the latest edition of Monday Night Raw

Professional wrestling is seeing a bit of a renaissance in 2024. Traditional pro wrestling values will always remain a staple in the business, but times have changed in companies like the WWE, where the vision has shifted greatly from that of previous chairman Vince McMahon. With a visionary like Triple H (real name Paul Levesque) at the helm of creative operations, WWE Superstars have added freedoms and luxuries they may have not been granted back during the McMahon regime. One such trend that pro wrestlers have implemented into their on-screen characters is a love and enthusiasm for sneakers.

As we've covered before on Under the Laces, the sneaker game and the world of professional wrestling seemingly go hand-in-hand in the modern era. Triple H went over this topic as a guest on Complex's Sneaker Shopping program, in the lead-up to WrestleMania XL this past April. He endorsed the sneaker sentiment, noting when Superstars are seen wearing cool shoes, it adds another element to their ability to connect with the fanbase.

On the most recent edition of WWE's Monday Night Raw program, two Superstars were seen rocking flashy sneakers respectively during their on-screen matches and segments. These two Superstars in question are former WWE Champion Kofi Kingston and second-generation talent "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio.

Dirty Dom and Kofi Kingston opted for some hypebeast footwear for their WWE Monday Night Raw activities on June 24th.

Kofi Kingston's love for sneakers is well-known, with the nearly 20-year veteran even calling himself the "WWE's biggest sneakerhead" in a Complex article back in 2019. Kofi is no stranger to donning a set of fire kicks in the ring as opposed to traditional wrestling boots, even having a custom pair of Air Jordan 1s made for him for the 2023 Royal Rumble event.

This time around, the record-setting 15-time tag team champion chose to rock a pair of Jordan 1s in the "Night Vision Joker" colorway for his match against Karrion Kross. Released back in 2013, the Jordan 1 Retro Night Vision Joker sneakers draw inspiration from the iconic cartoon villain, Joker. The shoes feature a unique design with a black mudguard wrapping around the side panel, contrasting with a vibrant purple upper. The lacing system is secured with black eye stays and eyelets. The quarter panels have subtle graffiti accents, while the collar straps and lateral sides have purple Swoosh logos. The back of the shoe features a bright green Wings logo and multiple overlays on the heel, with a pop of green on the counter.

On the other hand, "Dirty" Dominik Mysterio may not have been in action on this week's episode of Monday Night Raw, but his raunchy storyline with Liv Morgan still made him a prominent feature on the show. The dastardly Dom was seen wearing a pair of Jordan Jumpman Jack TR in the “Sail” color variant, both in the ring and in his backstage segments. The silhouette is Travis Scott's first-ever signature shoe under the Air Jordan banner, despite having other collaborative sneaker projects with Nike and Jordan.

WWE Superstars have a long history of rocking high-end kicks, and it's a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. For more style-focused takes on the world of sports, be sure to tune into Under the Laces, where we shine the spotlight on athletes who bring their A-game to the court, and in this case, even the ring.