Maybe it’s possible to teach an old Texas Rattlesnake some new tricks, at least when it comes to sneakers.
Complex has had a number of WWE stars on its Sneaker Shopping series, including Liv Morgan, Roman Reigns and The New Day. But in its most recent episode, host Joe La Puma caught up with Stone Cold Steve Austin at Global Goods in Reno and helped the WWE Hall of Famer branch out a bit in terms of his footwear.
As the two discussed, Austin wore boots in the ring, but has been seen in some classic kicks over the years, including Nike Shox back in the Attitude Era and various Asics and Brooks models during his more recent appearances. He even held out for a deal with Nike at one point, blaming his agent for passing on a deal with Hi-Tec, maker of the Magnum boots he favored.
Stone Cold talked about the appreciation he has for top athletes in other sports and how much it means when they pay homage to him. La Puma noted how strong his personal brand is, even years after the end of his pro wrestling career.
Austin gave John Cena credit for being one of the first to really elevate sneakers within WWE. In the end, Austin went a little outside his personal sneaker comfort zone, picking out several pairs of retro Air Jordans and a pair of Nike Zoom Kobe 5s (“Kobe is one of my all-time favorites”). Total bill? $1883.81, which Stone Cold cracked was the most he’d ever paid for shoes in his life.
You can watch the entire episode below, including some discussion about how Bret Hart helped truly put him on the map.