There’s been plenty of discussion lately about pay in WWE NXT, particularly from recently released talent — but a new report suggests some of those claims may not paint the full picture.
During a recent update, Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline.com pushed back on the idea that NXT wrestlers are drastically underpaid, clarifying what he’s heard about developmental contracts.
According to Alvarez, “confirmed NXT deals start at $75,000,” though he noted that “big-name talent brought in from the outside obviously make more than that.” He also dismissed the notion that anyone currently on the roster is earning an extremely low base salary, writing, “Nobody is making $30,000.”
The $30,000 figure was one quoted by Priscilla Kelly (formerly known as Gigi Dolin in WWE NXT) during a new interview this week with Denisce Salcedo of Instinct Culture.
“The common misconception about, especially NXT performers, is that we’re millionaires, right,” Kelly said. “A lot of fans for some reason think that if you work in WWE, and you’re under that umbrella, you’re a millionaire, you live in a mansion, you’re driving a [Mercedes] Benz, you’ve got it made. That’s not the case. In NXT, there’s contracts as low as $30,000 a year. And they do not go as high as you think.”
Alvarez did, however, acknowledge that one specific group within the system earns far less — WWE’s “ID talent,” who are paid differently from contracted wrestlers. “ID talent make much less than $30,000, but they aren’t under an official TKO contractual salaried deal,” Alvarez explained. “They’re paid a small amount to help upgrade their look, etc.”
The conversation stems from recent comments by former NXT wrestlers, including the former Ridge Holland — who was released earlier this month — and the former Gigi Dolin (Priscilla Kelly), who departed the brand in May. Both have publicly expressed frustration with what they described as low pay, with Dolin alleging that some NXT wrestlers earned as little as $30,000 per year.
Alvarez’s update appears to contradict those figures, providing a clearer look at the typical starting salaries within WWE’s developmental system.
Ridge Holland also spoke in an interview this week about low WWE pay resulting in a foreclose notice on his home.
We will keep you posted here at WrestlingHeadlines.com as updates regarding wrestler pay in WWE and WWE NXT continue to surface.
