“That’s more than what Cody makes now”: Dwayne Johnson’s Potential WWE Salary From Decades Ago is So Insanely High Fans Are Having a Hard Time Believing It
- Dwayne Johnson recalls negotiating his WWE contract with former CEO, Vince McMahon.
- Johnson asked McMahon to pay him double the salary of Stone Cold Steve Austin.
- Fans believe The Rock has never been able to surpass Stone Cold.
Regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Dwayne Johnson, also known by his ring name The Rock, is an integral part of the development and success of WWE (then WWF). Rock was a full-time wrestler on WWF for eight years before he decided to pursue acting and made a name for himself in the industry.
Johnson is popular for his roles in movies including Jumanji, The Scorpion King, Hercules, Fast & Furious, and more. His movies have grossed over $10.5 billion worldwide, making Dwayne Johnson one of the highest-grossing and highest-paid actors in the industry. In a recent interview, the professional wrestler-turned-actor opened up about his probable salary on WWF during the Attitude Era.
Dwayne Johnson recalls his WWE contract renewal with Vince McMahon
In a recent appearance on Patrick Bet David’s podcast, Dwayne Johnson, very popularly known by his ring name The Rock, revealed the salary he negotiated with Vince McMahon during the WWE Attitude Era. He said,
The relationship between Vince and I was a great one because it was based on my willingness to work for every dollar. Our relationship was about the work, willing to put in the work, and I have a tremendous, boundless respect for the business of pro wrestling that is so deeply important to him. That’s his life. That’s his world. It’s his blood.
Johnson continued that when he joined WWF, he went in with a tremendous amount of respect and reverence and was ready to put in the work needed. He recalled that when things finally started to take off for him, he told McMahon that he’d like to take the brass ring to places it’s never been. He noted that he asked McMahon to join him in his mission. Talking about his contract with WWE, Rock recalled,
I was coming up, and my very first contract with WWE with Vince was a five-year contract for $150,000 a year. Keep in mind that not only taxes but in the world of pro wrestling, I had to pay for everything: hotel, food, transportation. $150 grand per year is great when you’re wrestling 250 dates a year. It was an opportunity for me. I came from seven bucks.
He further mentioned that it was time to renegotiate, and he asked McMahon about the highest-paid wrestler at the time, which was Stone Cold Steve Austin. Johnson told McMahon that if Stone Cold is getting paid a million dollars, he should be paid two. But McMahon, without dismissing his request, put him in contact with one of the executives so that he could learn and understand the expenses.
Dwayne Johnson revealed that he took some time and learned about the costs and, after two weeks, went back to McMahon and asked for a million matching Stone Cold. He said, McMahon told him after a ‘great conversation’ they had,
You’ll make $15 million.
The former CEO of WWE respected and was impressed by Johnson’s efforts to learn about the business and understand the costs. He believed in the wrestler because Rock did not hesitate to put in the work.
Fans react to Dwayne Johnson’s potential WWE salary from decades ago
Johnson decided to reveal about his probable WWE salary from years ago when Vince McMahon was the CEO of WWE and Johnson was a full-time wrestler. The wrestler-turned-actor is now a member of the board of directors of TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of UFC and WWE.
After the podcast premiered, fans took to their social media to share their opinion on the professional wrestler’s probable salary after he became The Rock. One of the users wrote,
That’s more than Cody makes now.
Fans had a hard time believing and accepting that The Rock went ahead to ask for a million dollars more than Stone Cold Steve Austin. One of the users mentioned, ‘Rocky is delusional if he thought he drew like Austin.’ Another one noted, ‘That’s just how strong of a chokehold Stone Cold Steve Austin had on the business—a tide that lifts all boats.’
Another X user mentioned, ‘But The Rock has never surpassed Stone Cold in the WWE.’ Now retired, Steve Austin is known as not only one of the greatest and most beloved professional wrestlers of all time but also as an integral part of the development and success of WWF’s Attitude Era. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2009 and is currently signed as the ambassador of WWE.
