WWE fans know that their stars get compensated well for the risks they take in the name of entertainment. However, something that casual fans do not know is that only the top talent, the ones with the belts, receive hefty paychecks. Now, one WWE legend reveals that even the top famous names in the WWE are not paid as well as other sports like the NFL. He invoked a comparison between Brock Lesnar to Deshaun Watson to prove his point.

It is a known fact that wrestlers see big paydays when performing at PLEs or having a title to their name. But how is the WWE underpaying them?

Stats reveal the pay difference between Brock Lesnar and Deshaun Watson

Derrick Deshaun Watson is a quarterback of the Cleveland Browns in the NFL. After playing college football at Clemson, where he led his team to the National Championships in 2016, he was part of Houston Texas during the 2017 NFL Draft. He is also the recipient of the Pro Bowl honors for each season from 2018 to 2020.

With accolades like that, his 2022 contract to join the Cleveland Browns earned him $230 million. This was the largest contract in NFL History. But how does this fare with someone like the WWE’s Brock Lesnar?

This is where Dave Meltzer’s post on social media regarding WWE stars being underpaid makes sense. Now that you know Watson’s contract price, let’s look at Lesnar’s contract in the WWE. According to Sportsbrief, Lesnar is the highest earner in the WWE in 2023. So, it is natural to think Lesnar makes quite a reasonable amount for the fame and draw he brings to the WWE.

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However, when compared to Watson, Lesnar’s 2023 salary is just a meager $12 million. John Cena follows behind with $8.5 million. This is why Meltzer claimed on social media that the average mid-carder in the WWE gets paid $7 million on average. Moreover, there have been instances where notable wrestling personalities were let go from the Stamford-based promotion over finances.

The issue with payments and wrestlers leaving the WWE

WWE stars leaving the company or getting released is nothing new. However, what casual fans do not know is that many have been due to budget cuts. The most recent took place right after the UFC and WWE merger. Despite the new TKO Holdings being worth over $20 billion, many WWE stars were released.

These included names like Dolph Ziggler, Shelton Benjamin, and Mustafa Ali. This came as a shock to the WWE fans. What was shocking wasn’t the names of the stars released, but the claim that it was due to budget cuts.

What do you think about Meltzer claiming WWE underpays? Tell us your thoughts down below.

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