One of the many Air Jordan 3 pairs that sneakerheads have been looking forward to this year was the once-rumoured “El Vuelo” Mex design. However, Jordan Brand has finally confirmed the arrival of this Summit White, Metallic Gold, Pine Green, Dragon Red, and Sail colourway with the release of official pictures.
For those who haven’t previously seen the leaked photos from @sneakerhomms, the colourway appears to be inspired by the popular Mexican wrestling style better known as Lucha Libre. What is probably the most obvious reference to the theme is the jagged snakeskin overlays at the sides of the shoe, which mimic the patterns often found on Lucha Libre wrestler masks.
The snakeskin material can also be spotted on the red toe and heel, filling in for the standard elephant print detailing, as well as on the green collar. The chosen white, red, and green palette is intended to be a nod to the Mexican flag, but not every sneakerhead feels that JB nailed the execution of this concept.
One Instagram user joked, “As a representative of Mexico we would like to pass these on to the Italianos”, while another commented, “Poor design for a rich culture”. But in defence of the design, there are other details that highlight the inspiration.
Also included behind the tongue is the embroidered inscription “más vale maña que fuerza”. The term loosely translates to “skill is more important than strength”, which is evident in all forms of wrestling. The shoe packaging is equally on point, with the Jumpman crew designing a special “Jordan vs Jordan” box that nods to the wrestling posters you’d see advertising an upcoming match.
So, yes, while there are plenty of hate comments flying around the internet, bodyslamming the design of this shoe, there are also people (like us) who can appreciate just how unique this AJ3 looks.
MellowMaxx on Reddit says, “FIRE pair of 3’s,” while IcyFalcon007 comments, “I dig these.” Continuing, “I hope all the Mexicanos that want them are able to cop.”
So, if you’re looking for a pair of AJ3s unlike any other, Jordan’s new Lucha Libre sneaker (the Air Jordan 3 “El Vuelo”) will make its debut in the sneaker arena in September 2025. Make sure to follow Sneaker Fortress for more updates.
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