The Richest WWE Wrestlers Of All Time
Being a wrestler for the WWE isn't easy. You might think it's all theatrics, but professional wrestlers are some of the best athletes in the world. While not every WWE wrestler becomes a star, those who do can make a pretty comfortable living thanks to their salaries and endorsements.
Many of these legendary wrestlers have also been able to carve out a role in other careers and business ventures, which only adds to their fortune. The net worths of these WWE wrestlers might make you consider trying your hand in the ring.
Brock Lesnar — $22 Million
After becoming the youngest WWE Champion at the time at the age of 25, Brock Lesnar's career and net worth have taken off. He began his career as a colligate wrestler and turned pro in 2000. He defeated The Rock to claim the title, but four years later, left wrestling to pursue an NFL career.
Lesnar's football career didn't go very far, so he instead went to fight in the UFC, but by 2008 he was back in the ring. Today, he earns a crisp $5.5 million salary just from WWE.
Hulk Hogan — $25 Million
Hulk Hogan has one of the most recognizable names and faces in wrestling (we can never forget that bleached blonde mustache). He's a six-time WWE champ and earned roughly $13 million between 1996-2000 just from wrestling.
Hogan also had a long-running reality show, Hogan Knows Best, which helped pay the bills, but his biggest win came in 2016 when he won a controversial lawsuit against the tabloid Gawker. The payout to Hogan for Gawker's defamation was a whopping $115 million.
Triple H — $35 Million
Triple H is not only a superstar wrestler, but he's become the face of the WWE. He entered the ring in 1995 and after entering a marriage storyline with Stephanie McMahon, he became one of the most popular wrestlers in America. Triple H and McMahon married in real life in 2003 which made him part of the McMahon family, AKA the but he also make a salary of $2.8 million on top of endorsements.
John Cena — $55 Million
In 2018, John Cena topped Forbes list as the highest paid WWE wrestler. He began in the WWE in 2000 and is still fighting in the ring today. While he's made a lot of money in the ring, he took a page from The Rock and has transitioned to acting.
The wrestler made his film debut in 2006 in The Marine and has since acted in huge films like Bumblebee and Blockers. In 2017 alone, Cena earned $10 million primarily from movie deals.
Chris Jericho — $18 Million
There's nothing Chris Jericho can't do. While he is best known for his wrestling appearances, beginning in WWE in 1999, he's also an accomplished actor, musician, podcaster, and author. During his wrestling career, Jericho became a main eventer after defeating Stone Cold and The Rock in the same night.
Outside of wrestling, he is also the lead singer of the rock back Fozzy. He's been cast in the 2019 reboot of the cult film Jay and Silent Bob, so we expect his net worth to just keep growing.
Big Show — $20 Million
The Big Show (Paul Wight) started his wrestling career after a mutual friend introduced him to none other than Hulk Hogan. Big Show wrestled in the WCW until 1999 when he signed a 10-year contract to be part of Vince McMahon's stable.
Big Show could have had a more successful wrestling career, but being a giant, he never really needed a title in order to draw in the fans. It didn't help that McMahon wanted to make sure The Rock stayed WWE Champion, so the two rarely went up against each other.
Rey Mysterio — $10 Million
The luchador of the WWE got his start when he was only 15 years old in Mexico. By the mid-1990s, he had become a fixture in American wrestling and dominated the cruiserweight division in WCW. Most of his fortune is thanks to his "high flying" luchador techniques and his connection to the SmackDown brand.
In 1999, Mysterio finally took off the mask, but he wasn't happy about it. He was openly against the unmasking and said that losing the mask in a "throwaway match" hurt.
The Rock — $280 Million
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson debuted in the WWE (known back then as the WWF) as Rocky Maivia. When he started, he played a heroic character, but in 1997 turned into a WWE villain. From 1996-2004 he was a nine-time heavyweight champion but most of his money didn't come until after he left the WWE and turned to acting.
The Rock is now one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood. From 2017-2018 alone, he starred in seven different movies and brought in $125 million.
Stone Cold Steve Austin — $45 Million
Stone Cold Steve Austin has made a name (and a fortune) stomping the competition in the WWE ring. While he's now retired from in-ring competition, he is still one of the most recognizable personalities. He has held 19 championships throughout his career and is the only three-time winner of the Royal Rumble.
Most of Stone Cold's massive salary is thanks to all of the pay-per-views he headlined as well as merchandise sales. That's not too bad for a guy who started his wrestling career making $40 a match.
Kurt Angle — $25 Million
Much of Kurt Angle's fame and fortune can be attributed to the fact that he's the only professional wrestler in WWE history to have also won an Olympic gold medal. Not only does Angle sell the storylines in the WWE, but he's technically one of the greatest wrestlers to ever lace up a pair of boots.
John Cena once referred to Angle as "the most gifted all-around performer we have ever had step into a ring."
Daniel Bryan — $8 Million
Bryan Danielson started out his wrestling career under his real name, but had to switch it around to Daniel Bryan when he signed with the WWE. He was known as one of the best wrestlers in the world before ever getting the call from the WWE when he was battling for the indy promotion Ring of Honor.
He retired from wrestling in 2016 after his health took a downturn thanks to multiple concussions, but has since been given a clean bill of health and has returned to the ring.
Bill Goldberg — $14 Million
Goldberg was one of the most popular wrestlers of the '90s thanks to his impressive win streak. He went undefeated for 173 single matches and still holds the record today. He boasted that record when he became the first to ever be an undefeated World Champion. Goldberg is also one of the few to have been a World Champion in WCW as well as in WWE.
Before he turned to wrestling, Goldberg was drafted by the Los Angeles Rams and planned to be a star football player.
Randy Orton — $11 Million
Randy Orton was born and bred into a family of wrestlers. His grandfather, father, and uncle were all wrestlers before him, so he's practically part of a dynasty. He signed to the WWE in 2001 and has since held the WWE Championship title nine times, and has acted in a handful of movies.
His trademark finishing move, the RKO, was named from his initials and became a viral sensation because people can hit it on each other 'out of nowhere.'
Batista — $13 Million
When it comes to making a living being strong, Dave Batista is an expert. The semi-retired professional wrestler has made a fortune with his muscle as a mixed martial artist, bodybuilder, and even as an actor. Batista signed to the WWE in 2000 and became a six-time world champion. He's also won the tag-team championship three times.
In 2006, he began taking acting classes and has shot to fame by playing Drax in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
A.J. Styles — $6 Million
A.J. Styles grew up with a love of wrestling and began training early on to become a professional wrestler. In the late '90s, he worked primarily as an independent wrestler and the first time he tried to sign with the WWE, they rejected him. Instead, he rose to fame and became a fixture on the Total Nonstop Action scene.
From 2002-2013, Styles won six championships. Finally, in 2016, the WWE signed him to a contract and upped his net worth to a whopping $6 million.
JBL — $9 Million
John Charles Layfield has entered the ring by many names of the years. When he first entered the WWE, he was known as Bradshaw, which has since been shortened to JBL. His character was a "wealthy, big mouthed businessman" which was actually based on Layfield's real-life stock market success.
While he only held one heavyweight championship, Layfield has built a career around his character and now works as a financial commentator on Fox News Channel.
Dolph Ziggler — $3 Million
2011 World Heavyweight Champion Dolph Ziggler has created a career that he can be proud of since first signing with the WWE in 2004.
Ziggler has a World Tag Team Championship title, a FCW Florida Tag Team Championship title, and five Intercontinental Championships to his name. With all of those titles you might think his net worth would be more than $3 million.
Roman Reigns — $9 Million
Roman Reigns was born into a wrestling dynasty as part of the Anoa'i family. The American Samoa family of wrestlers have spawned several tag teams and even boast The Rock as a member. Reigns' connection to the family even made WWE want to make him the next "face of the company" but fans never picked up on it.
Despite never quite making it as the face of the company, Reigns has still headlined four straight WrestleManias and appears to be a fixture in the business for a long time.
Ric Flair — $3 Million
He might not have the greatest net worth on this list but Ric Flair has been ranked as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. His career spanned more than 40 years and even today he's still signed to the WWE under its Legends contract.
Flair began wrestling in 1972 under the American Wrestling Association and in the 1980s began wrestling for the WWE. Flair's legacy is so great that he was the first person to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice.
The Undertaker — $17 Million
The Undertaker (AKA Mark Calaway) has been a fixture on the wrestling scene since 1984. He became a member of the WWE in 1990 and gained a massive following by going 21-0 at Wrestlemania until he was defeated by Brock Lesnar.
Wrestling is The Undertaker's primary source of income, as he is the second-highest pay-per-view wrestler in the WWE. He also invests in real estate and runs an animal rescue charity. In 2017, his black hat, gloves, and trenchcoat were left in the center of the ring indicating his retirement, but he's still found a way to wrestle every now and then.
Sheamus — $7 Million
This Irish professional wrestler sure seems to have the luck of the Irish, because after his fifteen-year career he has a net worth of $7 million. The fiery redhead began his career wrestling in European leagues until 2009, when he finally decided to cross the pond and perform in the WWE.
For most of his wrestling career, Sheamus has played a villain character. He will often come out wearing green and playing up his Irish heritage for the crowd.
CM Punk — $8 Million
Phillip Jack Brooks is a UFC fighter, but he's better known by his ring name CM Punk and his career in the WWE. He began his career as an independent wrestler with Ring of Honor and in 2005 signed with WWE. He wrestled for 15 years and won numerous titles.
CM Punk was a huge draw for the WWE and advocated for straight edge culture. He could have had an even longer career but he became disgruntled with the organization and walked away from the company in 2014.
Kane — $7 Million
Glenn Thomas Jacobs was one of the biggest wrestlers of the '90s. He played Kane, the "demonic" younger half-brother of The Undertaker. In his first ever pay-per-view event, Kane defeated Stone Cold and cemented himself in WWE history.
Born in Spain, and now settled in Tennessee, Kane has dabbled in acting and is also an experienced businessman. A man of many talents, he still makes wrestling appearances every once in a while.
Seth Rollins — $4 Million
Colby Lopez wrestled on the independent circuit for five years before finally being signed to the WWE and taking on the ring name Seth Rollins. Once he was signed, he immediately became a star. He wrestled as a team called The Shield with Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, which made all three of them hugely popular.
Rollins has wrestled in several WrestleMania's, which always have a huge payout, but much of his net worth comes from merchandise sales which have been hugely popular with fans.
Dean Ambrose — $6 Million
The third member of The Shield tag team with Rollins and Reigns is Dean Ambrose. Although he spent years wrestling on the independent circuit under the name Jon Moxley, he signed to WWE in 2011 and has been one of their most reliable stars ever since.
Ambrose is best known for his "wildcard" temperament and many thought he wouldn't go far in the WWE. Fans disagreed and loved him so much that he was voted "Most Popular Wrestler" in 2014 and 2015.
Kevin Owens — $10 Million
Kevin Owens rise to wrestling fame was fast and furious. He's had an interest in wrestling since 2000 but didn't pursue it professionally until years later. In 2014, he joined the WWE and quickly became a fan favorite. He made his debut in 2016 and in 2017, he was listed as a headliner for 60 wrestling events.
His $10 million net worth is thanks in large part due to his captivating skills both in the ring and on the mic. He always seems to be in a big-name feud, usually against his longtime friend Sami Zayn.
Wade Barrett — $7 Million
Wade Barrett has been a fighter all his life. He grew up England and his idol was wrestler Davey Boy Smith. He wrestled his way through school and in his early twenties became a bare-knuckle boxer.
Barrett boxed around Europe until 2004 when he decided to train as a wrestler instead. He tried out for the WWE twice until he was finally signed in 2007. Since then, he's been a wrestling fixture and now works as a commentator for World of Sport Wrestling.
Jeff Hardy — $12 Million
Early on in life, Jeff Hardy was forced to choose between his love of wrestling and football. He (obviously) ended up choosing wrestling and set in motion an incredible career. Hardy and his older brother Matt actually started their own wrestling league as teenagers until they signed contracts with the WWE.
After signing, Hardy gained popularity for doing high-risk stunts. He's wrestled in various promotions over the years and has become so synonymous with wrestling that he even earned a guest spot on That '70s Show.
Jeff Jarrett — $15 Million
You may not see Jeff Jarrett taking part in the action anymore, but he's still a major figure in wrestling. He began his career in his father's Continental Wrestling Association then signed to the WWE in 1992.
While he had a successful wrestling career, he quickly turned his focus to the business side of wrestling. Jarrett was an investor for Total Nonstop Action and started Global Force Wrestling in 2014. A majority of his net worth is thanks to those business efforts.
Mick Foley — $18 Million
Mick Foley has spent nearly 30 years as a wrestler. He's a four-time world champion but you might recognize him from his other ring names: Dude Love, Cactus Jack, and Mankind. He's worked for nearly every wrestling promotion out there as well as some in Japan.
In 2013, Foley was inducted to the WWE Hall of Fame and labeled as one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the WWE.
Shawn Michaels — $17 Million
It's no surprise that "Mr. WrestleMania" has a net worth of $17 million. He's known for being one of the greatest wrestlers in history and had a career that spanned over thirty years. Even after his retirement in 2010, he returned as a trainer for the WWE to grow the next batch of wrestling greats.
He's only grown his net worth since retiring by publishing an autobiography and hosting the outdoors television show Shawn Michaels' MacMillan River Adventures.
Bret Hart — $14 Million
Bret Hart wasn't just a popular wrestler in the '90s. He is credited with bringing technicality to the in-ring performance. Hart is frequently referred to as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time because he pioneered many of today's common moves.
Hart's $14 million net worth is largely due to his continued legacy. Wrestlers weren't paid much in the '70s and '80s and had to rely on promotional appearances. He's also appeared as an actor in Natural Born Killers and The Simpsons.
Sting — $8 Million
The singer Sting has a net worth of about $400 million. The wrestler Sting has to setlle for a net worth of only $8 million. Also known as Steven Borden, Sting gained his net worth thanks to being a 15-time world heavyweight champion. In the nineties, Sting was primarily the face of the WCW.
Finally, in 2015, Sting wrestled in his first ever WWE pay-per-view event. Unfortunately, he suffered a career-ending injury in that fight and was forced to announce his retirement the following year.
Edge — $14 Million
He might be retired now but this Rated-R superstar is still a fan favorite WWE. Edge AKA Adam Copeland began his wrestling career in the nineties training under Sweet Daddy Siki. He wrestled independently until 1997 when he signed with the WWE. During his wrestling career, he became known for his success in the TLC matches.
While Edge made his fair share of wealth in the ring, since 2000 he's worked primarily as an actor. Most notably, he appeared as Kentill Flatnose in the fifth season of Vikings.
Kevin Nash — $8 Million
Standing at the impressive height of 6-foot 10-inches, Kevin Nash originally set out to be a basketball player. He played college basketball for the University of Tennessee and played on a professional German team until a knee injury ended his career.
When he returned to America, he decided to give wrestling a shot and quickly became one of WCW's highest-paid wrestlers. In 2000 alone, he pulled in $1.8 million for wrestling deals. Since his semi-retirement from wrestling, he's also kept up his cash flow by appearing in films like John Wick and Magic Mike.
Diamond Dallas Page — $10 Million
Dallas Page began his wrestling career behind the scenes. He worked as a manager for the AWA and then the WCW from 1988-1991. Page just couldn't resist the itch to get in the ring himself and in 1991 he became a wrestler too.
He wrestled in the WWE for only one year before shifting his focus for creating a yoga business. A majority of his net work is thanks to DDP Yoga, which brought in $3 million in revenue in its first three years.
The Miz — $9 Million
Born Michael Mizanin, The Miz gained his fame as a frequent reality show contestant. He was a cast member on MTV's The Real World, The Inferno, The Gauntlet, and even won an episode of Fear Factor. His reality fame launched his WWE career and in 2006.
Since 2006, The Miz has become a bonafide WWE A-lister. Alongside his $2.5 million annual salary, he can also thank his own reality show Miz & Mrs for contributing to his net worth.
David Otunga — $10 Million
He might have the shortest WWE career on this list but David Otunga has definitely made a name for himself as a wrestler and actor. Otunga also got his start on reality TV in 2007 as a contestant on I Love New York 2, and one year later he ventured into the WWE. Otunga debuted in 2009 under the ring name Dawson Alexander.
He wrestled until 2015 and retired to become a color commentator. You might also recognize him as the former spouse of powerhouse singer Jennifer Hudson.
Eddie Guerrero — $6 Million
The "Latino Heat" of the WWE is part of a long line of wrestlers. Guerrero comes from the Guerrero wrestling family and got his early start wrestling as a family tag team in Mexico. Even though he was a heel for most of his WWE career, he was still beloved by fans. By 2004, Guerrero was one of the top wrestlers for the SmackDown brand.
Sadly, substance abuse of alcohol and painkillers cause his untimely death in 2005. He was only 38 at the time but left behind a legacy and a $6 million fortune.
Rob Van Dam — $5 Million
Also known by his abbreviated RVD ring name, Rob Van Dam began his wrestling career in the early nineties in the WCW. Much of his net worth came from headlining multiple pay-per-view events over the course of his 30-year career.
Over his career, Van Dam won 21 championships and is the only wrestler to have held the WWE Championship, ECW Championship, and TNA Championship. In 2002, Van Dam was ranked the number one wrestler in the world.
Matt Hardy — $5 Million
The other half of the Hardy tag team, Matt Hardy also began his wrestling career at a young age when he created his own wrestling league with his brother Jeff. Hardy began wrestling as a tag team in the late nineties but by 2002, he ventured out into a solo wrestling career.
Matt Hardy is best known for his various gimmicks. His "Version 1" persona was awarded Best Gimmick in 2002 and in 2017, he won the award again with his "Woken" gimmick.
