Professional wrestling is a dangerous sport, but the wrestlers generally do not make a huge amount of money in comparison to the risk they take. Only the top wrestlers make big bucks, while the others in the roster have to contend with average paychecks.
Looking at the top of the roster, few WWE wrestlers have becomes multi-millionaires in a span of 10 to 20 years. They have earned from WWE contracts, endorsement deals, movie productions, and other financial ventures.
Most of them retire below the age of 40, so they need to invest their money wisely to last a lifetime. Here is a list of five WWE wrestlers who made it to the richest list in 2019.
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#5 Big Show
Big Show is 7’0″ tall which makes him an intimidating opponent for any wrestler. He has been a multi-time world champion and has used his wrestling career to amass a wealth of $20 million. Besides wrestling, The Giant has also acted in movies Reggie's Prayer, Knucklehead, and other productions, while appearing in TV shows like Figure It Out, The Weakest Link, and other shows. This has earned him even more fan following and another source of income.
His popularity has also earned him huge endorsement deals that has further added to his massive fortune. Big Show can safely retire by investing his fortune in safe investments. As they say, he has earned it.
#4 Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle has been wrestling professionally since 1996 and has wrestled in several promotions including ECW, WWF/WWE, TNA, NJPW, and other independent promotions. He is an iconic performer, playing both heel and face with aplomb. Most of his wealth has come from wrestling contracts.
Angle has also worked in TV shows and movies like End Game, Warrior, The Weakest Link, and other productions. The endorsement deals, entertainment productions, and lucrative contract with WWE have made him the fourth richest person on this list. His estimated net worth is $20 million.
3 Brock Lesnar
It would not be an exaggeration to say that Brock Lesnar was born be a wrestler. He tried his luck in NFL but it didn't work, and is currently juggling his career between the UFC and WWE. The Beast Incarnate has created a niche in wrestling and the MMA world with his towering personality, aggressive technique, and winning attitude.
Lesnar is a favorite of Vince McMahon and enjoys major perks along with a base salary of $12 million. His estimated net worth is $22 million. Lesnar has also appeared in TV shows and movies like True Giants, Rome Is Burning, and other productions.
#2 Triple H
Triple H has been a professional wrestler for more than 25 years. He made the transition from being a legendary wrestler to a fine business leader in no time. The Game is an Executive Vice President in WWE and is a first ballot future Hall of Famer.
Triple H still wrestles occasionally and earned a salary of $3.2 million in 2018. According to estimates, his net worth is $40 million. This will grow significantly as the WWE stocks he owns, gains traction in future. He has also appeared in movies like The Chaperone, Inside Out, and other productions which have added to his income.
#1 John Cena
John Cena is one of the most celebrated wrestlers in WWE history. He has won 16 world titles, three U.S. Championships, and two WWE tag team Championships. Apart from having an illustrious wrestling career, he has dabbled in fashion, movies, TV, and music. Besides being a part-time WWE wrestler, Cena is also one of the leading merchandise sellers in WWE.
The Cenation Leader ventured into the movie business by producing and acting in The Marine which was a moderate success. Since then, he has produced, acted and lent his voice in more than 15 movies including Bumblebee and Blockers. This has been a massive source of his income.
Cena has guest-starred and co-hosted several TV shows like CNN Special Investigations Unit, Psych, Today, and several other shows. As a rapper, The Champ has made a music album titled You Can't See Me and has collaborated with other artists in their albums like Still Cool. These endeavors have been an additional source of income for him.
His estimated net worth is $55 million which includes $8.5 million from his WWE contract. The future of his movie career looks bright, so we can hope that Cena tops the list in 2020 too. Obviously, money from endorsements and video games will further add to his fortune.