WWE Makes $39,590 Off Ex-Champion, Pays Him Just $71
A former champion in WWE has laid bare the realities of how the company pays its ex-stars.
Roman Reigns, Steve Austin, Hulk Hogan, The Rock, Brock Lesnar, and John Cena are among those who are likely to have created generational wealth for themselves and their families from their runs in WWE. But for most people who step into the wrestling ring, that’s just not the case.
Many former WWE stars, when the company was generating nowhere near the revenue that it does today, had to look for other work when their time in the ring came to an end. Although for NXT talents, it seems that money is still a major issue.
A lot of former stars also receive royalty payments as a result of their work for WWE. But it seems there’s not a lot of money to be made from them.
Marc Mero Reveals Reality Of WWE Royalties
Taking to social media, former Intercontinental Champion Marc Mero shared his royalty statements and explained just how little former stars of the company get paid in relation to how much WWE is still making from them:
I’ve been asked many times what wrestlers actually make in royalties from the WWE, so let me give you a real example.
I left the WWE years ago, and more than 20 years later, in 2019, I came across an old royalty statement. When you look at how much money many wrestlers help generate versus how little they’re actually paid, it’s honestly hard to believe.
On this statement, even after being out of wrestling for over two decades, I was still partly responsible for $39,590.81 in revenue.
My royalty payment for that?
$71.47.
That’s the reality for a lot of wrestlers. We helped build the brand, the characters, and the moments fans still watch today, yet the compensation rarely reflects the value that was created.
I’ve been asked many times what wrestlers actually make in royalties from the WWE, so let me give you a real example.
I left the WWE years ago, and more than 20 years later, in 2019, I came across an old royalty statement. When you look at how much money many wrestlers help… pic.twitter.com/AKy5330YXv
— Marc Mero (@MarcMero) January 22, 2026
This means Mero’s take-home royalty pay is just a pitiful 0.18% from the amount generated by WWE for still using his likeness.