There were several surprising WWE releases in 2021, but perhaps the most shocking was Bray Wyatt.

Thought of by fans as one of the most creative minds wrestling has ever seen, it was surprising when Wyatt was let go by WWE last year.

However, it's undeniable that Wyatt hadn't been booked as a main event star for the majority of his run, and was the victim of several stop-start pushes.

Despite that, given his insane potential, creative mind, and the fact he was one of WWE's top merchandise sellers, the wrestling world was shocked when he was cut last summer.

It's also now emerged, thanks to a new report, just how much Wyatt was earning before to his release.

Wyatt was told his release was down to "budget cuts" according to reports, and his salary may give an indication as to why he was cut.

Dave Meltzer notes in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Wyatt was earning around $4million per year as his base salary prior to his WWE departure.

That figure, if true, would have put Wyatt amongst the top earners in WWE, as Meltzer explains:

At the time he left the company he was believed to be the third or fourth highest-paid performer on the roster with a contract in the $4 million per year range at the time he was cut and was a major merchandise draw.

The likes of Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar were earning more, but amongst the other WWE stars, Wyatt ranked pretty high in terms of pay.

You can see a list of the highest-paid WWE Superstars right now, to apply some context to the aforementioned report, by clicking here.

For more news on what the future holds for Bray Wyatt, especially regarding a potential return, make sure you stay tuned to GiveMeSport.