Pro wrestlers are more accessible now than they have ever been. Social media has put them at fans' beck and call essentially 24/7. But for all that fans claim to know about their favorite stars, there is one aspect about them that anyone rarely finds out about; their salary.
Discussions about income, in general, are frowned upon by a lot of people, but in an industry where performers spend over 300 days of the year on the road and put their bodies on the line on a weekly basis, fans deserve to know whether it's worth it for them or not. The source comes courtesy of a leak earlier in the year.
10 Surprising: Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt has been consistently phenomenal ever since he debuted the Firefly Funhouse and The Fiend. He has been the most compelling character in the promotion and has breathed new life into programming whenever he has been involved.
So it is pretty surprising to learn that he currently brings in $1 million per year; this is not a measly sum by any means, but considering his standing in the promotion, the novelty of his character, and his ability to move merchandise, fans would have expected a much higher figure for the former Universal Champion.
9 Not Surprising: Charlotte Flair
"The Queen" Charlotte Flair is one of the most credible and decorated wrestlers in WWE. She is wrestling royalty and there is no doubt that the promotion is setting her up to break her father's record of 16 world championship reigns.
Charlotte has consistently been at the forefront of the Women's Division's marquee storylines and is a massive asset to the promotion. Therefore, it is not surprising to learn that she rakes in $550,000 a year; which is a considerably higher figure than pretty much everyone else in the division but is still much lower than one person who is just on a different level.
8 Surprising: Samoa Joe
For a long time, it looked like fans would never get to see Samoa Joe in a WWE ring. But all of that changed when he signed with the promotion in 2015, embarking on a great run in NXT.
He was one of the biggest threats on the main roster as well but saw his progress halted by several injuries, leaving him relegated to a spot on the Raw announcer's table. Regardless, The Samoan Submission Machine is one of the most experienced and dependable performers when he is healthy. That's why some fans might be surprised to learn that he brings in $800,000 a year, which is lower than someone like Jinder Mahal.
7 Not Surprising: The Miz
"The Hollywood A-Lister" The Miz went from being a reality star turned pro wrestler wannabe, to one of the most respected veterans in the business. He is one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of all time and has been a consistent highlight on programming whenever he has been given something meaningful to do.
He is also a long-term employee and has been integral in WWE making headway in the reality programming space. His annual salary of $2.5 million is justified, considering his wealth of experience and undeniable value to the company.
6 Surprising: Dana Brooke
Dana Brooke has the look of a star and probably has a bright future ahead of her, but the fact remains that WWE has done pretty much nothing with her since she signed with the promotion. She has had no meaningful feuds and has barely developed as an in-ring performer.
But she still makes $200,000 a year, which is the same figure Bayley makes. This is truly shocking, considering Bayley is one of the best in the division, coming off the greatest SmackDown Women's Championship reigns ever, while Brooke has been an afterthought at best.
5 Not Surprising: Kevin Owens
"The Prize Fighter" Kevin Owens does not have the look of a prototypical WWE Superstar, but that does nothing to diminish his talent whatsoever. He is one of the best mic workers in the promotion, has the ability to work as a face and heel, can pull off awesome matches with just about anyone, and is respected by his peers.
It is no surprise that WWE wanted to lock him down with a long term deal that sees him earn $2 million a year. That is no less than what he deserves because he is one of the few performers in WWE that can make pretty much anything work.
4 Surprising: Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss is a great WWE star. She has a marketable look, she is young, which means she has a massive upside, and she is one of the best character workers in the entire industry. Even if her in ring work isn't comparable to the best, Bliss has plenty of other qualities that make up for it.
Bliss makes $350,000 a year, which is more than people like Sasha Banks, Bayley and Asuka. While Bliss is very valuable, it is surprising to see her placed over these three women, who have been the backbone of the Women's Division for a long time.
3 Not Surprising: Seth Rollins
Ever since Seth Rollins turned heel by betraying The Shield, he has been positioned as one of the biggest stars in the company. He has won several championships, worked matches with the best WWE has to offer and has been a main-event mainstay for the last five years.
Considering all the success that The Messiah has achieved in the ring, it is not altogether surprising that he is one of WWE's higher paid performers, bringing in $3 million per year. It reflects his standing in WWE as one of the top guys, just not the top guy who can carry shows on his back.
2 Surprising: Becky Lynch
"The Man" Becky Lynch's ascent to the top of the WWE mountain was a joy to behold, as she won the main event of WrestleMania 35 and solidified her status as the face of the company. In the year that followed, Lynch went from strength to strength, as her popularity surged to new heights.
Lynch is a trailblazer who makes $1 million a year. That figure is pretty surprising as most fans would expect it to be considerably higher. Lynch is marketable, a strong brand ambassador and moves merchandise; her salary is not a reflection of her value to WWE.
1 Not Surprising: Brock Lesnar
When Brock Lesnar left WWE, he proved himself to be one of the most dangerous men in the world, dominating the Octagon before making his way back to the squared circle. Lesnar's reputation preceded him wherever he went, so when Vince McMahon came calling, he could ask for whatever number he wanted.
Lesnar's WWE package saw him bring in $12 million per year, with an additional $500,000 for every PPV main event. Lesnar has meant ratings for WWE and ratings are king, so Vince McMahon has not thought twice about shelling out the big bucks for The Beast Incarnate. The impact he has had since returning in 2012 makes this figure unsurprising to most.