Mike Bailey’s barefoot presentation has long been one of the most recognizable elements of the “Speedball” persona. In an industry built on visual identity, wrestlers’ boots are often as much a part of their image as their gear, entrance music or finishing move. Bailey has taken a markedly different route. Rather than wrestling in conventional boots or shoes, he competes with kickpads strapped around the bottoms of his feet.
That choice is not simply an aesthetic decision. Bailey has explained that going barefoot provides a real in-ring benefit, particularly when he is climbing the ropes or using them as part of his fast-paced offense. At the same time, he acknowledged that the approach comes with a few risks and limitations, from toe injuries to the varying conditions of wrestling canvases.
For Bailey, though, the advantages continue to outweigh the disadvantages. And he sees AEW as a place where a wrestler’s individual presentation can be embraced rather than treated as something that needs to be changed.
Bailey says foot injuries have been manageable
A frequent question surrounding Bailey’s wrestling style is whether competing without shoes has caused major damage to his feet. His answer was straightforward: while he has dealt with some pain and likely broken toes over the years, he has not experienced significant ongoing foot issues.
For more background on this topic, read Samoa Joe Says His Retirement Timeline Is Not Set as He Focuses on Creating Memories.
“No, I don’t. I have very few feet issues. I mean, I’ve hurt some toes. I think I’ve broken some toes, but I just pop them back in. It’s the kind of thing where it’s not gonna get worse. If you break a toe and you snap it back, you can’t break it more. It’s just gonna heal and be fine.”
Bailey’s comfort with that level of physical punishment is rooted in his martial arts history. Before making his name in professional wrestling, Bailey trained in Taekwondo, a background that remains visible in his striking-heavy ring style. His kicks, rapid-fire combinations and flexibility have become central parts of his matches, whether he is working singles bouts or operating in the tag-team environment.
That earlier experience also meant he was familiar with injuries and soreness involving his feet. Bailey recalled dealing with chronic turf toe and bruised feet during his Taekwondo days, especially after throwing kicks that landed on elbows. In that context, the occasional toe problem associated with wrestling barefoot has not been enough to push him toward a more traditional choice of footwear.
The ropes are the biggest advantage
The clearest athletic advantage, in Bailey’s view, comes from the ropes. A wrestler standing on the top rope must manage balance, positioning and timing within a matter of seconds, often while preparing to launch into a high-risk maneuver. Bailey believes his bare feet give him a level of grip that booted wrestlers cannot replicate in the same way.
“But it is easily outweighed by the advantages of wrestling barefoot for me. The main one that people don’t think of is ropes. When I’m standing on the top rope and I can grab the rope with my toes and when I do a springboard, you can see my feet curl around the rope and I get extra balance that way.”
That detail helps explain why Bailey’s footwear—or lack of it—fits his offense so naturally. He is a wrestler who frequently moves at a frantic pace, attacks from unusual angles and uses the ropes as a launching point. The ability to curl his toes around a rope is not merely a visual quirk; it is an extra point of control during sequences where a slight loss of balance can change everything.
Springboards are particularly demanding because the wrestler has to plant, load their body weight and push off in one fluid motion. Ring ropes can vary from venue to venue, while the canvas and surrounding conditions can also affect traction. Bailey’s approach gives him a tactile connection to the rope that he values, especially as someone whose style depends on speed, precision and agility.
He also made clear that he genuinely enjoys wrestling barefoot. The presentation has become inseparable from his identity, but it is also a practical preference developed through years of work in the ring.
AEW’s emphasis on individuality matters to “Speedball”
Bailey connected his barefoot style to a broader point about creative individuality. He praised AEW for providing an environment where wrestlers can lean into the elements that make them distinct, instead of conforming to one standard look or presentation.
“I love wrestling barefoot and I’m glad that I get to do it in a place like All Elite Wrestling that actually embraces the individuality of the wrestlers and that’s something that’s very important for me. Again, the emphasis is on letting the wrestlers be the best and that includes being the best versions of themselves, which, in my case, is wrestling without boots or shoes.”
In Bailey’s case, that individuality is easy to see from the moment he steps through the curtain. His kickpads, martial arts-inspired gear and barefoot stance immediately separate him from much of the roster. More importantly, the visual is consistent with the way he wrestles. Bailey does not simply wear gear that suggests a striker’s background; he builds his matches around kicks, evasions, rapid transitions and high-impact bursts that reinforce that image.
Professional wrestling has always included performers whose gear choices serve a functional purpose as well as a character one. Some wear heavy boots for stability and the appearance of power. Others prefer lighter shoes to complement a quicker, more athletic style. Bailey’s choice is another version of that principle, tailored to the specific mechanics of his wrestling.
Why barefoot does not always mean faster
Although Bailey sees major benefits in working without shoes, he does not believe barefoot wrestling is automatically the fastest possible option. In fact, he said that footwear with particularly grippy soles can offer an advantage when a wrestler is trying to run across the ring.
“This is absolutely correct. However, one issue, I don’t think I can run as fast. I think I can run faster barefoot than the people in the thick boots. But I think people who wrestle in running shoes, some wrestling shoes with very grippy soles, I think that can help, especially depending on the canvas.”
That distinction reflects the reality that a wrestling ring is not always a uniform surface. The condition of the canvas can make a major difference. Bailey specifically noted that new canvases, painted logos and vinyl surfaces can all create traction problems. A canvas that looks pristine to viewers may be challenging for performers trying to plant their feet, hit the ropes or execute a sudden change of direction at full speed.
Vinyl canvases can become especially difficult. Bailey noted that they may turn slippery as a show goes on, with cooler conditions and condensation contributing to a wet surface. For a barefoot wrestler, those variables are impossible to ignore. For any wrestler, a slick ring can affect safety and execution. But Bailey’s style puts him in direct contact with the surface on every step, making the issue especially immediate.
He also recalled an outdoor match during blistering summer weather that demonstrated the other extreme. The ring had a black vinyl canvas, which absorbed the heat. Bailey initially entered the ring barefoot, only to decide the surface was too hot to work on safely.
“But it was outside in the summer on a black vinyl canvas, and I got in the ring barefoot, and I was like, ‘Nope, not gonna do it,’ and I just wrestled with kick pads and running shoes that day.”
Bailey identified that bout as the last match in which he wore shoes. It was the debut match of Quebec wrestler Zak Patterson. The story underscores that Bailey’s commitment to wrestling barefoot is not reckless or absolute. He will adjust when circumstances demand it, particularly when the ring itself creates an obvious problem.
Bailey pushes back on hygiene assumptions
Another concern that comes up around barefoot wrestling is sanitation. Bailey said he does not walk around backstage without footwear. Instead, he generally wears flip-flops when he is not in the ring, while also making a point of keeping his feet clean.
He also questioned the idea that bare feet are necessarily less sanitary than wrestling boots. Bailey pointed out the commonplace reality of wrestlers wearing their boots around backstage areas, including restrooms, before using those same boots during a match.
“I don’t take off my shoes backstage. I’m usually in flip flops. I try to try to keep my best, and of course, you have to keep them clean. But also it’s funny because I think what I’m doing is a lot more sanitary than the wrestlers who will wear their boots backstage, go to the urinal in boots and then stomp you in the face in the middle of the ring and no one bats an eye.”
Bailey’s larger point is that professional wrestling is a physically close environment, and concerns about cleanliness cannot be limited to one wrestler’s choice to compete barefoot. He said he has not had facial infections from opponents’ boots and does not see a reason his clean bare feet should be treated as a uniquely serious concern.
For “Speedball,” wrestling barefoot remains a calculated decision built around comfort, rope control and personal authenticity. There are risks, and there are surfaces where shoes make sense. But Bailey’s explanation makes it clear why the kickpads have endured as part of his look: they are not a gimmick added after the fact. They are an extension of how he moves, how he strikes and how he sees himself as a wrestler in AEW.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.