WWE’s ‘Next Level’ Pay Is Equal To Top Sports

Cody Rhodes believes wrestlers are benefiting from a much stronger financial landscape than previous generations.

During a recent appearance on the Flagrant podcast, Rhodes discussed the current wrestling economy and WWE’s pay structure. He noted that increased competition and the number of places available for talent to work have helped create a lucrative environment for wrestlers.

“The wrestling economy is different now because there’s other places you can go wrestle,” Rhodes said. “The best way to put it, the money in wrestling and sports entertainment is very good.”

Rhodes, who recently revealed that he has signed a new WWE contract, said the guaranteed money available to today’s talent would likely surprise wrestlers from his father Dusty Rhodes’ generation.

“I feel like if you were my dad or any of these wrestlers we talked about on that list, you’d be shocked,” he continued. “My mom didn’t get it when I said, hey, X amount. Now the contracts are guaranteed.”

For Rhodes, the money also comes with increased expectations.

“All that means to me, it’s like, that’s a huge responsibility.”

Rhodes was then asked what a contract might look like for someone just entering WWE. While he declined to provide exact figures, he indicated that even developmental talent can earn significant money.

“I don’t know what our developmental, I mean everything is six figures,” Rhodes said. “You know what, I’ll actually defer to Nick Khan, because Nick has a great quote about these guys are going to do well, these guys are going to do really well, and then these couple guys, he named a few guys, they’re going to do next level.”

Rhodes added that compensation at the highest levels of professional wrestling has reached a point where it can now be compared with salaries in major professional sports.

“That next level pay is now comparable with sports,” Rhodes said. “That’s the part that I’m so proud of being a wrestler because when you hear baseball contracts and NBA contracts and you know as a wrestler that you go all over the world and be known and seen but you weren’t on that level.”

Rhodes said wrestlers historically had the reach and recognition of major sports stars without necessarily receiving comparable compensation.

“You were on the level of penetration but not that level of income,” he continued. “Now, modern TKO and Nick have made it that you are.”

Also during the appearance, Cody Rhodes broke the news that he has re-signed with WWE.