Why Wrestlers Wipe Their Boots Before Stepping Into The Ring

Professional wrestling is a form of sports entertainment rooted deeply in tradition, and there are a few time-honored customs that have stuck around through many eras. One of those is wrestlers wiping their boots on the ring apron before stepping inside the ropes. While sometimes hard to catch before a match if a star is more subtle about it, it's a tradition not only meant to keep things clean, but also a sign of respect.

When a wrestler wipes their feet outside of the ring before a match, it's meant in part to keep debris and dirt out that could have made its way from the back on a wrestler's boots. It's also meant to be a sign of honor and respect for both professional wrestling as a sport, and to the performer's opponent. "Stone Cold" Steve Austin wasn't known for this etiquette, as his character motivations didn't exactly call for it, but he spoke about it on an episode of "The Steve Austin Show."

"It's a show of respect to the guy or gal you're about to wrestle and showing respect for the people who are going to come after you and wrestle in that same ring," Austin said. "What you've done is trek from all of the dreadful bathrooms, through the showers, through the dressing room floors, down the way to the ring, just beer, p***, germs like a motherf*****. Everything you can think of is on the bottom of that boot."

Austin said he was never officially taught this, but the first person he saw consistently wipe his feet before getting in the ring was his old travel partner, William Regal. Former NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez is one of the most recent examples of a talent showing consistent respect to the canvas before a match.