The 10 highest paid WWE stars for 2017 revealed

Other than imagining what it’s like to be a WWE star winning championships and being in the main event of WrestleMania, the ordinary fan also wonders just how much money they’re paid for being a part of the business.

It’s obvious that the bigger star you are and the more you’re featured on television on a weekly basis, you’re going to earn a higher salary because you include things like merchandise sales in those figures as well.

SALARY

For example, John Cena is definitely going to earn a higher amount than Jinder Mahal will – that’s just the way it works.

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However, now we know how much 10 of the best WWE stars have earned thanks to a recent report from Forbes.

WWE is unlike other sports where salaries are public knowledge.

The way Forbes have worked this out is that their earnings estimates are for the 2016 calendar year and they’re based on WWE’s public filings, booking contracts and pay documents, as well as interviews with the industry insiders.

The important thing to note is that their pay is comprised of a base salary as well as a bonus payout for both live performances and merchandise sales.

10. RANDY ORTON - $1.9 MILLION

Despite being out with injury, Orton returned to suffer a brutal loss to Brock Lesnar before going on to win the Royal Rumble and then claim the WWE Championship against Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania.

Orton is still a big name in WWE, so it comes as no surprise that he’s featured in the top 10.

9. SETH ROLLINS - $2 MILLION

WWE still values Rollins highly, and although he has had his injury troubles he’s still a popular star among WWE fans.

What’s more surprising, though, is that he earns the least from his former Shield stablemates.

8. THE UNDERTAKER - $2 MILLION

The Undertaker was always going to make the list because of his success and longevity, but with his part-time schedule, $2 million is perhaps what you’d expect him to earn.

7. SHANE MCMAHON - $2.2 MILLION

Shane McMahon has had three matches since 2016, one against The Undertaker, then in the Survivor Series main event and most recently, he lost to AJ Styles at WrestleMania while also acting as the SmackDown LIVE commissioner.

6. AJ STYLES - $2.4 MILLION

Probably the most surprising name on the list, AJ has had an incredible year in the WWE and although not many would have assumed he’d make the top 10, he certainly deserves it.

5. DEAN AMBROSE - $2.7 MILLION

You wouldn’t have assumed Ambrose would be making more than Rollins, but it seems as if his merchandise sales as a face, along with the fact that he’s the most active star in live events has helped him earn an amazing contract.

4. ROMAN REIGNS - $3.5 MILLION

It comes as no surprise that Reigns is earning this amount, and he’s the highest-paid full-time athlete in the WWE as well with the top three only competing on a part-time basis.

He’s going to be the face of WWE whether fans like it or not, he has strong merchandise sales and his salary reflects on that.

3. TRIPLE H - $ 3.8 MILLION

$1.3 million of Triple H’s salary comes from his work as an executive in the WWE, so it’s no surprise that he still earns a lot of money from there, as well as the sporadic in-ring appearance.

2. JOHN CENA - $8 MILLION

Still the WWE’s biggest star – but he doesn’t have the highest salary.

He’s bound to earn the most as he sells out the arenas and is far and above anyone in the merchandise department.

1. BROCK LESNAR - $12 MILLION

Lesnar is a star attraction. People pay to see him and he knows that.

He’s a valuable asset to the company and Vince McMahon seems to be happy to pay this much to keep him around, making him not only the highest paid star – by far – in WWE, but he’s also the current Universal Champion.