As we've mentioned countless times, the WWE truly offers the largest stage in Sports Entertainment for professional wrestlers to perform on, and as such, the average salary of a WWE Superstar is fairly hefty or high compared to that of an Indie or smaller promotion wrestler - hence the reason why every wrestler dreams of eventually making it to the WWE and to those big money checks. In recent times, WWE have established themselves as a multi-billion dollar enterprise, and the money seems to just keep on rolling in with Vince's new television deals, their WWE network, and a newfound great working relationship with Saudi Arabia. Some fans may argue that the WWE's going to eventually become extinct like the dinosaurs, but the statistics clearly say otherwise.
As most of you are surely aware, a bulk majority of the WWE's top stars earn millions upon millions of dollars each year. However, at the same time, not all talent end up earning the 'big bucks' despite wrestling for such an enormous promotion. Like every aspect in life, there is always unfairness, and some current WWE stars are being way overpaid for what they're offering the company, where as others are being criminally underpaid. In fact, many stars are currently making less money than doctors, dentists, lawyers and many other professions that seem 'below' that of a 'larger than life' WWE Superstar. Making it the WWE is one thing, but reaching those huge salaries is another challenge all together.
Today, we're going to be looking at 10 WWE stars on the current roster that are being paid way too much money, and 10 not nearly enough.
20 Paid Way Too Much: Bray Wyatt ($1 Million/year)
Perhaps if Bray Wyatt was still amidst his WWE Championship push last year, his hefty annual salary of 1 million dollars (plus bonuses) would make far more sense than it does right now. I sincerely doubt you could find a WWE star whose fallen down the card harder than Bray Wyatt in recent memory, because he resembles a low mid-carder (or 'jobber to the stars') far more than he does a headlining talent earning millions per year. Now as Matt Hardy's accomplice seeing he failed to get the job of defeating Matt done, Bray couldn't be any more irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.
Who knows exactly why Wyatt has suffered such an insurmountable demise in WWE over the past year, but his controversial behavior outside the squared circle regarding JoJo, his wife and kids may be a contributing factor. Regardless, Bray Wyatt is currently being paid way too much money for what he's offering Monday Night Raw, but at the same time, this is entirely WWE's fault. Why Vince has decided to utilize one of his million dollar plus earning wrestlers in such a low profile role is beyond me, and considering Bray is beyond talented, there is so much more the WWE could be doing with Wyatt right now.
19 Not Enough: Nia Jax ($100,000/year)
Speaking of a WWE female wrestler well deserving of a pay raise, Raw's current Women's Champion Nia Jax is definitely a worthy candidate. If you can believe, Nia Jax is only earning a measly $100,000 per year, and this certainly doesn't seem like an appropriate salary for the WWE's flagship show's Women's Champ. Even prior to her big push heading into WrestleMania 34, Nia Jax was worth far more than one hundred thousand dollars, and once this salary was revealed to the public a few months back, it became easy to understand why Nia was frustrated with the WWE for multiple reasons.
However, seeing Nia's signed to a rolling contract like many other Women's Division performers, it can be guaranteed Vince will offer Nia a better salary in the near future.
If not, I have no doubt Nia Jax would have no problem leaving WWE. I'm sure Vince isn't thrilled that the salaries of his Superstars are getting revealed to the public, because it undoubtedly showcases the fact that some talent are truly being undervalued not only on-screen. That being said, regardless of how hard Nia Jax is pushed moving forward, her salary will never match that of a top tier male wrestler, as even the top female wrestler of WWE (Charlotte Flair) is earning roughly half that of an upper mid-card male talent such as Bray Wyatt, Sheamus or Dolph Ziggler.
18 Paid Way Too Much: Brock Lesnar ($10 Million/year)
If the WWE (and Vince specifically) were wise, they'd let 'The Beast Incarnate' Brock Lesnar leave the company if he desires to do so. Not only would fans be pleased about having a full-time Universal Champion on Monday Night Raw, but WWE would also have a whole 10 million more dollars to utilize in more productive ways - potentially bringing back pyro or signing new talent for NXT. Now this is clearly one of the more obvious WWE stars who're being paid way too much money, as Brock is earning well over what he deserves at 10 million dollars per year plus an extra $500,000 for every pay-per-view appearance.
It's no wonder why Lesnar has continued to re-sign with WWE over the past few years despite having other career aspirations, because he's making huge money doing very little in the grande scheme of things. Perhaps for the first two year or so following Brock's return to WWE, he'd be worth close to 10 million (still a stretch), but now in 2018 when 'The Beast' is stale beyond belief, Vince is literally burning the money. I think most fans would agree on the fact that Lesnar's more of a burden to WWE than a profitable asset right now, and if anything, WWE should offer Brock Lesnar a 'pay per appearance' contract moving forward.
17 Not Enough: The Usos ($250,000 each/year)
Whether you love or hate The Usos, how could you possibly deny the fact they are arguably the top tag team in WWE, and one of top tag team acts currently in all of professional wrestling. Although The Usos have always been a talented duo, they've truly stepped up their game over the past two years since turning heel on SmackDown Live, and they've undoubtedly become one of the highlights for me personally on The Blue Brand. However, despite the fact The Usos are arguably the WWE's top tag team act, their annual salaries would leave you shocked and surprised. Jimmy and Jey Uso are only earning $250,000 each per year, and this comes across as incredibly low for what they're offering the WWE in general.
Considering Luke Harper and Erick Rowan are earning over double what The Usos are earning each year, it's clear Jimmy and Jey are well deserving of a significant raise in pay. Heck, even Titus O'Neil and Apollo Crews are earning fifty more thousand each per year than The Usos. Apparently, The Usos are currently signed to a one year deal with WWE, so when the times comes to renew their contracts, let's hope Jimmy and Jey assert themselves to Vince McMahon and ask for better pay which they fully deserve at this point.
16 Paid Way Too Much: Dana Brooke ($200,000/year)
As we've hinted towards in the past, Dana Brooke is certainly one of the WWE's Women's Division wrestlers at risk of getting released in the not-so-distant future. Dana has been given quite a few opportunities to find a suitable role in WWE, and up to this point, Brooke's failed to do so unfortunately. Now as a member of Titus Worldwide, it's clear Dana's heading towards the tail end of her WWE run. If you weren't aware, most WWE women are signed to 'rolling contracts', and this basically sums up the fact that their contracts are usually much shorter than the men's roster (usually one year), and they automatically renew unless WWE or the Superstar decides otherwise.
In Dana Brooke's case, it's likely Vince will opt out of renewing her contract in favour of bringing over other women's wrestlers who would add more to the company.
However, until that day comes, the simple fact remains Dana's being paid way too much money given her position on the card. Quite surprisingly, Dana's earning $200,000 per year - more than the likes of Naomi, Nia Jax, Carmella and Tamina. If the WWE does decide to opt out of renewing Dana's contract, her salary could also be used to increase the checks of other female wrestlers who are well deserving of a raise in pay.
15 Not Enough: Naomi ($180,000/year)
Out of the entire WWE Women's Division, Naomi has had one of the best career resurgences in recent memory. Going from a midcard glorified enhancement talent to the top face of SmackDown Live's women's roster, it's been quite an interesting journey for Naomi and her fans alike to say the least. However, as happy as we truly are for Naomi, it's clear her salary doesn't reflect her position on the card. Unlike many of the other top Women's Division wrestlers who earn in the range of $250,000 to $600,000 per year, Naomi is only earning $180,000 per year. While she hasn't been on the hunt for the SmackDown Women's Championship as of late, she did win the inaugural Women's Battle Royal at WrestleMania 34 last month, so Naomi's salary does seem incredibly low.
Considering the likes of Dana Brooke (who we'll be discussing later) is earning over $200,000 per year, Naomi's annual pay seems rather outrageous if you ask me. That being said, at least the WWE have realized Naomi's talent in recent times, and they're certainly utilizing the former two-time Women's Champion closer to her fullest potential than before. Naomi is currently signed to a five year deal with WWE, and when her contract does expire, let's hope she asks Vince or Triple H for more money this time around.
14 Paid Way Too Much: Ronda Rousey ($1.5 Million/year)
Whether you love or hate the WWE's latest big signing, Ronda Rousey is definitely worthy of a big paycheque - though nowhere near what she's currently earning. It was revealed not too long ago that Ronda signed to WWE with a 1.5 million dollar per year contract, and this unquestionably seems incredibly high for a 'rookie' who has yet to prove her worth to the company. While Ronda Rousey proved to some extent following her WrestleMania 34 match that she's going to be adding a lot to the roster moving forwards, Ronda's still being paid way more than she should be.
Considering Ronda Rousey's earning nearly three times more than the WWE's previous top earning female star Charlotte Flair, Rousey's contract must upset a bulk majority of the women's locker room despite the fact recent rumours have suggested most female wrestlers have warmed up to Ronda backstage. Although I'm all for the WWE heading towards a more equal pay structure between male and female wrestlers, the likes of Ronda Rousey being the first female to earn more than many male wrestlers isn't quite deserved at this point despite her name value. However, Ronda has lots of time to prove her worth to the WWE, and in two years time, Rousey may prove to be worth far more than 1.5 million - until then though, Ronda's being far overpaid.
13 Not Enough: Kevin Owens ($750,000/year)
Despite the fact Kevin Owens' position within the WWE has been downgraded quite severely over the past couple of years, I think it's safe to say Owens doesn't make nearly enough money - especially compared to other WWE stars of the same caliber. Kevin Owens roughly makes $750,000 per year with his new contract, and while this sounds like a fairly hefty salary, don't forget that Kevin Owens is a former Universal, United States and Intercontinental Champion whose a focal point of whichever show he resides on. Considering the likes of Sheamus, The Miz and Bray Wyatt are earning far more despite not being any higher on the card reflects that Owens isn't being paid nearly enough.
However, it's clear Kevin is happy with the money he's making, as 'The Prizefighter' recently signed a new five-year deal with WWE.
Perhaps Owens will receive a bit of a raise in pay if he's once again thrust into Raw's main event scene in the future, but even if he's not, Kevin Owens is still one of Vince's top merchandise sellers, so you'd definitely expect Kevin to at least be hitting that one million per year salary like Sheamus and Bray. Regardless, seeing Kevin's locked into a new contract with WWE, it's likely Vince will start pushing Owens significantly in the near future.
12 Paid Way Too Much: Sin Cara ($700,000/year)
No, that sum of money showcased in the heading is not a mirage, and if you can believe, Sin Cara aka Hunico is currently bringing in the insanely high salary of $700,000 - just fifty thousand shy of what Kevin Owens' earning which is rather unfathomable in all honesty. I'm not exactly sure what Vince McMahon's thinking handing well over half a million dollars to the low midcard (and not to mention irrelevant) Sin Cara, as he's certainly not drawing in the Hispanic crowds Vinnie Mac's hoping for. Even if Sin Cara was utilized as a full-time week to week competitor, you'd probably expect the luchador to have a salary in the $200,000-$250,000 range.
That being said, Sin Cara's got to be one happy man, as he's making tons of money wrestling in nothing but filler matches every now and then. On top of all this, Hunico reportedly makes an extra $250,000 for his main card pay-per-view appearances. Out of all the WWE stars featured on this list who're being paid way too much money, Sin Cara's undoubtedly one of the most shocking and downright surprising examples. However, all good things do eventually come to an end, and it's very likely Vince will opt out of renewing Sin Cara contract when his current two-year deal expires.
11 Not Enough: Tamina ($80,000/year)
While many fans believe WWE veterans have great salaries given their seniority and contributions to the business, the simple fact remains that isn't always the case. Despite wrestling nearly a decade for WWE, Tamina Snuka is shockingly earning the meager salary of just $80,000. Although Tamina has never captured championship gold in WWE, she's still been a fairly prominent figure in the companies Women's Division over the past number of years, and Tamina's salary is equivalent to that of a 'rookie' such as Liv Morgan, Ruby Riott, Sarah Logan or Mandy Rose.
Although Tamina may not be the most relevant female wrestler in 2018, considering the likes of Dana Brooke are earning well over three times the salary of Tamina, it begins to settle in that Snuka's being criminally underpaid. Apparently, Tamina's current deal with WWE is set to expire sometime this year, and it's unknown up to this point if she plans on resigning or if she's going to retire from the squared circle at 40 years of age. Whatever the case may be, if Tamina does choose to resign with WWE, let's hope she asserts herself with Vince and demands a reasonable salary that reflects her seniority in the company.
10 Paid Way Too Much: Sheamus ($1 Million/year)
Though Sheamus is a true veteran of WWE whose had multiple World Championship reigns, it's clear 'The Celtic Warrior' is being paid way too much money for his current position in the company. While Sheamus' tag team with Cesaro has been successful, I doubt you could claim they're deserving of million dollar plus annual salaries. Sheamus has not been a relevant top tier star for quite some time now, and his salary's pretty much equivalent to that of a consistent main eventer. Shockingly, Sheamus is making way more than the likes of Kevin Owens, Braun Strowman, Rusev, Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura.
While Sheamus has indeed contributed a lot to business over the past decade in WWE, it still seems like Vince is shelling out slightly too much money.
A salary in the $650,000-$750,000 range would undoubtedly make a ton more sense. However, once Sheamus and Cesaro go their separate ways in the not-so-distant future, if The Celtic Warrior continues to wrestle, there's a good chance he'd be pushed once again so a salary in the one million range would make sense. While seniority doesn't always matter in Vince McMahon's empire (just look at Tamina), in Sheamus' case, it certainly does and he's reaping the rewards as we speak.
9 Not Enough: Cesaro ($500,000/year)
Despite the fact we listed Cesaro's tag team partner Sheamus as a WWE star whose being paid way too much money, the same certainly cannot be said for 'The Swiss Superman'. Though we shouldn't expect Cesaro's salary to match that of a consistent top tier star, the fact that Cesaro's only earning $500,000 per year is quite astonishing. Now we all know Cesaro isn't a former multi-time World Champion like Sheamus is, but in all honesty, I'd say Cesaro's the lead man in 'The Bar' tag team - not to mention the fact Cesaro is one of the WWE's most reliable and consistent performers on the roster.
While 'The Swiss Cyborg' isn't quite a 'veteran' yet, he definitely still does have lots of seniority compared to many of the WWE's current top stars, and you'd expect Cesaro to be compensated accordingly. Whether or not Vince utilizes Cesaro as the main eventer he undoubtedly could be is irrelevant, because he deserves to be on the upper pay scale of WWE by now. To think that wrestlers such as Erick Rowan, Sin Cara, Matt Hardy and R-Truth are earning well over Cesaro's current salary, it truly begins to settle in that Vince is not only undervaluing Cesaro on-screen, but backstage as well.
8 Paid Way Too Much: Dolph Ziggler ($1.4 Million/year)
Now this is a salary that's sure to boggle most fans minds. If you can believe, 'The Showoff' Dolph Ziggler is shockingly earning a salary of 1.4 million dollars plus bonuses per year with his current contract, and this definitely took me personally by surprise. While Ziggler has been one of WWE's most reliable talents over much of the past decade, considering how Dolph's been utilized the past four years, it's incredibly hard to fathom the fact that he's earning well over one million dollars every year. When news broke out regarding Ziggler's outrageous salary, it became clear as to why Dolph Ziggler continues to put up with Vince's lackluster booking and portrayal of him, because he's earning the big main event bucks regardless.
Dolph is undoubtedly being paid way too much money, and his salary would seem fitting for a talent consistently featured in Raw or SmackDown's main event scene - many top tier stars aren't even hitting that one million mark. On top of Ziggler's insane salary, Dolph also has many side 'perks', as he's earning 3.5% on merchandise sales, as well as up to $250,000 from his occasional main event appearances. I guess you could say Dolph's got it made in WWE, and it's definitely understandable why he's decided to stick with Vince despite all of his on-screen mistreatment over the years.
7 Not Enough: Tyler Breeze (Starting Package Around $100,000/year)
Tyler Breeze's salary is proof that just because you make it to the 'big leagues' aka WWE, that certainly doesn't mean you're going to be making the big dinero many fans naturally expect the stars earn. Tyler is a WWE star whose definitely not being paid nearly enough, as Breeze's salary is somewhere in the $100,000 range - a little more, or a little less. Now we all clearly know Tyler Breeze isn't much of a 'Superstar' in WWE, but he's still regularly featured on television with his 'Fashion Files' gimmick alongside Fandango, and considering Fandango, a guy of the same caliber as Tyler has a salary slightly above $400,000, Tyler Breeze is being far too undervalued by Vince.
While some of you may make the argument that one hundred thousand dollars is still quite a lot of money, when you take into account the fact that there are many expenses that go along with being a WWE wrestler (travel, accommodations, food et cetera), the amount of money Breeze is left with after taxes is far, far too low. WWE Superstars live extremely hectic lives with absolutely gruelling schedules, and the full-time Tyler Breeze unquestionably deserves a big pay raise. When Tyler's current contract expires, let's hope he asks Vince for a more reasonable salary - hopefully closer to that of Fandango.
6 Paid Way Too Much: Randy Orton ($4.5 Million/year)
Before we even get started with 'The Viper', let me make it fully clear that Randy Orton is indeed a veteran (and legend) of WWE, and he definitely deserves a main event level salary. However, with that out of the way, the simple fact remains Randy Orton is being paid way too much money given his current position on the card. Perhaps when Orton was heavily featured in the main event scene a couple years back, a 4.5 million dollar (plus bonuses) per year salary would seem appropriate, but considering Randy has been stuck in the midcard scene for much of the past couple years, his salary is honestly pretty shocking.
Randy Orton is definitely nowhere near as relevant as he once was, and he's definitely what many fans would describe as being 'stale' in the grand scheme of things.
If you can believe, Randy is the fourth highest paid WWE wrestler as of 2018, well above the salaries of current main eventers such as Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Braun Strowman and Shinsuke Nakamura - heck, even Triple H and The Undertaker. When you take Randy Orton's salary into consideration, it becomes clear as to why Orton hasn't been too upset with his downgraded position, because whether he's main eventing pay-per-views with the likes of John Cena and Brock Lesnar or losing to the likes of Jinder Mahal and Shelton Benjamin, he'll still be paid that top of the line salary.
5 Not Enough: Carmella ($120,000/year)
Comparable to Raw's Nia Jax, the SmackDown Live Women's Champion Carmella is earning nowhere near what she should be right now. 'The Princess Of Staten Island' currently has a salary of $120,000 per year, and while this does seem like a fairly reasonable salary for a relatively new female wrestler on the main roster, that's definitely not the case for a Women's Champion. However like most other WWE women's wrestlers, Carmella's signed to a rolling contract, and this time next year, it's highly likely Carmella will either ask for or be offered a bigger salary with more 'perks'.
That said, Carmella's still being very underpaid right now given her position on the card, and it's crazy to think female talents such as Lana, Dana Brooke and Mickie James are earning double that of Carmella. But as we've mentioned before, no matter how hard Carmella is pushed on The Blue Brand moving forward, her salary will never match that of a top male star, because even the likes of Charlotte Flair are earning well below half that of someone like The Miz or Seth Rollins for example. However, with the WWE's 'Women's Revolution' in full swing, over the next couple of years, it's highly likely Stephanie McMahon will push for Vince to raise the overall salary of every female performer, and even more so for the top level stars.
4 Paid Way Too Much: Jinder Mahal ($900,000/year)
Jinder Mahal has not only transformed into a main eventer on-screen in WWE, but he's clearly being treated as such backstage as well surprisingly enough. With some fans dubbing Jinder 'The Cinderella Story' of WWE, 'The Modern Day Maharajas' rise in Vince McMahon's empire has been a truly interesting story to say the least, and one that hasn't avoided backlash from fans. Over the course of the past year, we've clearly come to the conclusion that Jinder Mahal is not quite a main event caliber performer (to put it nicely), and for a short period of time, Mahal had been demoted. However, now residing on Monday Night Raw, Jinder is set to feud with 'The Big Dog' Roman Reigns moving forward, and who knows what Vince's plans are for Mahal afterwards.
Don't be too surprised if Jinder's holding the Universal Championship before long. However, if there's one thing for certain about Jinder Mahal, it's the fact he's being paid way too much money. Despite only becoming a legitimate 'WWE Superstar' less than a year ago, Mahal is already earning the big main event money, as Jinder's salary is currently $900,000 per year plus a reported $350,000 bonus for pay-per-view appearances. Considering Jinder was on a 'starting package' deal like Tyler Breeze not long ago, Jinder's salary is undoubtedly one of the most shocking seeing he's now earning more than many established top stars.
3 Not Enough: Shinsuke Nakamura ($400,000/year)
Personally, Shinsuke Nakamura's current WWE salary is one of the most shocking on this entire list. Despite already being an established wrestling 'Superstar' from NJPW and a guy who consistently main events pay-per-views in WWE, Shinsuke's salary is only $400,000. As I'm sure most of you would agree, Nakamura's isn't being paid nearly enough given his position in the WWE, and it's rather surprising Shinsuke's not complained to management about his salary (perhaps he has, we just don't know about it). Whether you love or hate 'The King Of Strong Style', it's impossible to deny the fact that Nakamura's a bonafide star, and one deserving of a much more significant salary than a typical WWE mid-card wrestler.
There are many low midcard stars earning well over what Nakamura's currently making, wrestlers such as Rhyno, R-Truth, Matt Hardy, Sin Cara and Erick Rowan. If we weren't aware of many WWE Superstars' salaries, we'd probably assume the 2018 Royal Rumble winners yearly earning was in the 1-2 million per year range. It doesn't seem as though WWE are going to be demoting Shinsuke Nakamura into a midcard role which would match his current salary anytime soon, so it'd definitely make sense if he's compensated accordingly moving forward. If not, I have no doubt Nakamura would have no issue leaving WWE for NJPW when his contract expires.
2 Paid Way Too Much: Kane ($900,000/year)
Now before we even get started with 'The Big Red Machine', let me make it clear to all the diehard Kane fans that we respect him for what he's contributed to the WWE, and that he's a veteran deserving of a hefty annual salary. With that being said, to think that Kane is earning just shy of 1 million dollars in 2018 is quite ludicrous in all honesty. Up until a couple of years ago, Kane would've undoubtedly deserved this salary (or a bit more) seeing he's a veteran and was working a full-time gruelling schedule, but in 2018, Kane's working less than a part-timer - he's also offering little to the roster at this point.
Kane has other focuses in life right now aside from professional wrestling, and it would probably make more sense for the WWE to offer Kane a 'pay per appearance' type of contract moving forwards if 'The Devil's Favorite Demon' wishes to continue performing inside the squared circle. While Kane is definitely a legend of the business, it's clear his best days are long, long behind him now, and for Vince to be paying Kane a near full-time main eventer's salary isn't quite right. Especially when far more deserving wrestlers who're adding way more to the WWE are being paid peanuts in comparison.
1 Not Enough: Braun Strowman ($300,000/year)
Braun Strowman has slowly become the WWE's top star regardless of what Vince thinks, and he's truly the companies biggest asset and draw. Since splitting up from The Wyatt Family, Braun has improved dramatically in the ring and on the mic, and he's definitely come into his own as an overall performer. Despite not being pushed quite as heavily as Roman Reigns, Braun is still clearly the 'second biggest star' behind Reigns in Vince's skewed eyes, and he's a regular (or constant) in Raw's main event scene. However, as surprising as the following information may seem, Braun Strowman is only earning the meager sum of $300,000 per year with no reported bonuses.
For a man whose arguably WWE's most popular Superstar, to be paid the salary of someone below the midcard scene is absolutely ludicrous.
The sorry excuse of Braun being a 'rookie' and not having seniority over the top earners is irrelevant. WWE stars should definitely be paid accordingly to where they fit in on the 'pecking order', and in Braun's case, he should be earning somewhere in the range of 1-3 million dollars (at the very least). Vince clearly sees the value in Braun Strowman, so it'd only make sense if 'The Monster Among Men' is paid accordingly. Braun should undoubtedly be in the same pay class as Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, AJ Styles and Seth Rollins.