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Professional wrestling might be less profitable than the NBA or NFL, but wrestlers still need to make a lot of money. After all, many individuals dedicated their entire lives to the sport and continue to do well into their later years. Thankfully for fans, we're now in an era where wrestlers can leverage their online presence and cultivate a brand outside the ring. As a result, these athletes are making far more money than ever before. Some wrestlers make millions annually through endorsements, acting gigs, and other ventures. Here are the nine richest wrestlers in the world today:
The Richest Wrestlers in the World: 9 Richest Athletes in the Sport
The sport of wrestling is an interesting one. It's a violent sport where athletes bang each other in the ring for two hours. It's also a sport that is heavily dependent on a gimmick. But for the people who are able to make it to the top, it is incredibly lucrative. Wrestlers have made everything from $50 million to $95 million in their careers. This article has explained how wrestlers make this much money and the nine richest wrestlers in the sport.
9. John Cena
John Cena has been one of the most recognizable wrestlers in the world for a decade. The WWE has relied on him as a top star for over 15 years, and he's been integral to the company's growth into a multi-billion-dollar operation. Cena has made an estimated $95 million in his career, which makes him one of the richest wrestlers on this list.
The majority of this income is derived from his work with the WWE. Cena has been the company's top draw for the majority of his tenure, and he has been the WWE's highest-paid wrestler for six straight years. Cena has also made a significant amount of money outside of wrestling. He's appeared in several movies, made millions as a spokesperson, and has even tried his hand as an investor by investing in multiple startups over the years.
8. Shawn Michaels
Shawn Michaels is one of the richest wrestlers in the sport's history. His career spanned decades, and he is the only wrestler to win the WWE Championship on three occasions. Despite that, he only made an estimated $80 million during his career.
Indeed, Michaels' career was derailed by back problems. He suffered a severe back injury in 1998 that forced him to retire from wrestling. He attempted to make a comeback in 2002 but was in too much pain to continue performing at a high level, which forced him to hang up his boots for good. He has since transitioned into a career as a broadcaster, serving as a color commentator for Monday Night Raw for the last eight years.
7. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar is one of the most terrifying athletes in the history of sports. The former UFC Heavyweight Champion has an ominous presence in and out of the ring. Indeed, Lesnar's reputation as an uncontrollable monster has followed him to the WWE. But despite his imposing stature and hard-hitting style, Lesnar has made an estimated $83.3 million during his wrestling career. This figure is misleading, however, as Lesnar's career earnings largely came during a relatively short period from 2011 to 2014. During that time, Lesnar was the WWE's highest-paid star. He reportedly earned $500,000 per match and reeled in millions per year through merchandise and investments, making him one of the richest wrestlers in the industry.
6. Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns has been one of the WWE's most polarizing wrestlers since his debut in 2012. Fans have been split on his character throughout his career, and his future with the company has been a constant source of speculation. But Reigns will go down in history as one of the richest wrestlers in the sports industry. Indeed,
Reigns earned an estimated $75 million during his wrestling career. A significant portion of his earnings has come from outside ventures, however. Reigns have appeared in multiple movies and television shows, including the soon-to-be-released film, The Big Show. Despite his success outside of the ring, Reigns has remained one of the WWE's top stars. He has performed well in several high-profile matches and has been one of the company's top merchandise sellers for years.
5. Triple H
Triple H is one of the longest-tenured wrestlers on this list and belongs to the list of the richest wrestlers in the world. He first appeared in the WWE in 1995 and has been a part of the organization ever since. While he has been highly successful in and out of the ring, Triple H has made an estimated $82.5 million during his career. Thanks to his role as a WWE executive. He was appointed as the company's Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events, and Creative in 2011 and has been one of the company's top decision-makers ever since.
Triple H has significantly impacted the WWE's worldwide growth in recent years. He has helped recruit top stars from all over the world and has helped oversee the development of the WWE network, it has been one of WWE's most successful ventures in recent years. The service has attracted millions of subscribers and has brought in billions of dollars in revenue for the company over the years., which made Triple H one of the richest wrestlers in WWE.
4. Kurt Angle
Kurt Angle might be one of the most decorated wrestlers in sports history. The Olympic gold medalist won multiple world championships and has been inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. Indeed, Angle made an estimated $72 million during his wrestling career, making him one of the richest wrestlers in the world due to his success as an actor.
Kurt has appeared in several hit movies, including The Wrestler and Guardians of the Galaxy. Angle has also increased his earnings through various endorsements, which helped him become one of the sports industry's richest wrestlers. He has appeared in commercials for Pepsi and General Motors and has been a spokesperson for numerous companies. He has also used his fame to start a wrestling school and a supplement company.
3. Randy Orton
Randy Orton is one of the unique wrestlers in the sport's history and has been a mainstay of the WWE since his debut in 2002. He is also one of the most controversial figures in wrestling.
Orton has been involved in several high-profile scandals during his career. He was suspended for a year after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2007. He was also suspended for ten weeks in 2016 after he was involved in a public altercation with his fiancee and fellow wrestler, Paige. Orton has been able to turn his negative headlines into positive cash. He has made an estimated $72 million during his wrestling career. He has capitalized on his controversial public image with lucrative endorsement deals that made him one of the richest wrestlers in the sports industry.
2. Big Show
The Big Show is the oldest wrestler on this list, but he's still raking in the dough. The former WWE Champion is one of the richest wrestlers in the company and has made an estimated $43 million during his wrestling career. He was the highest-paid wrestler on the roster for several years and has made even more money outside of the ring. The Big Show has appeared in several movies and television shows, including The Simpsons and 2 Fast 2 Furious. Inside the ring, Show has appeared in countless high-profile matches. He has headlined multiple WrestleManias and has been a mainstay of the WWE since 1999.
1. The Rock
The Rock is the richest wrestler today because of his successful career in the sports and entertainment industry. His transition from the WWE to mainstream movies made him a giant star, and he became richer with all his projects and endorsements. He had a lot of successful films, such as The Scorpion King, Gridiron Gang, Walking Tall, The Tooth Fairy, Fast Five, and many more.
The Rock is a versatile entertainer, and it shows with his Disney projects, which pay well for hit movies. His projects in the entertainment industry made him one of the richest wrestlers in the world. There is no question about what he does in the wrestling industry, where he has earned a considerable following since he started this career. His WWE career tested his acting skills by accepting roles as a protagonist or antagonist on many occasions. He is known for his electrifying moves and gestures around the ring, which many WWE fans love.
Conclusion
Wrestling is an exciting sport that can be highly lucrative for the few athletes who reach the top of the mountain. It's also a sport that leads to significant outside endeavors that help boost the finances of the top stars even further, such as betting on some events. Indeed, the nine richest wrestlers on this list have combined to make over $500 million in their careers. That's a lot of money for a sport that doesn't exactly have the highest profile in mainstream society.
The athletes listed here are some of the richest wrestlers in the sports industry. They have earned their fortunes by dedicating their lives to a brutal sport that has been around since ancient times.
