Released star's shocking WWE salary disclosed
A former WWE star has disclosed some details about how much he earned when he first joined the company. Mojo Rawley recently disclosed that his first contract with the Stamford-based promotion was worth a mere $39,000 a year.
Rawley had a close to a decade-long tenure with WWE from 2012 to 2021. Though he never managed to rise up the cards to become a top star, he became a seven-time 24/7 Champion. Mojo Rawley was among the many performers to be shown the door by the company in April 2021 as part of the budget cuts.
Rawley hasn't stepped foot inside the squared circle since leaving WWE and is instead focusing on his talent management business. Appearing on Mandy Rose and Tino Sabbatelli's podcast, Power Alphas, Mojo Rawley revealed that after his football career stalled, he chose to make a move to the wrestling business.
The 37-year-old star also disclosed that his first deal with the company was worth just $39,000.
“I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do, but I had this opportunity to check out what was going on with WWE because the Gronkowski brothers were some of my best friends and their dad was college roommates with Mike Rotunda. They made a phone call, we talked to Mike, he set up an interview tryout thing. That was it. I got the offer and I left football to come to wrestling," said Rawley.
The 37-year-old continued:
"I spent my entire career to make it to football, I got to that level, I would’ve been compensated as such. I would have been making somewhere in the neighborhood of [$400,000 to $500,000] a year with football, if I made the team, which those are big ifs. I had the opportunity to come to WWE, making $39,000 a year, started from scratch in an industry that I had only watched on TV and had done nothing in." [H/T - Ringside News]
Former WWE star Mojo Rawley is open to wrestling again
In an interview last year, Rawley spoke about how he was eager to step inside the ring again. Mojo Rawley explained that though sickness kept him away from competing for a while, he was now looking forward to making his comeback.
"Man, I'm getting that itch brother. And I've had that itch since my last match with WWE, which as crazy as it is to say, was almost three years ago. Obviously that first year I was knocked flat on my back with COVID." Rawley added, "You're not meant to be on the side-lines when you're a competitor. So, it's challenging to watch others when you're not at that time. But I am getting that itch."
It remains to be seen what lies ahead for Mojo Rawley and whether his desire to get back in the ring comes true down the line.