From Dwayne Johnson To John Cena, 10 Pro Wrestlers Who Became Successful Actors, Entrepreneurs and More
From pro wrestling to money making
While a lot of WWE superstars continue as pro wrestlers before retiring, many of them over the years have showcased their multifaceted talents, and monetized them. Wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson entered acting and became one of the highest-paid actors. There are several wrestlers, who eventually branched out, explored different things and found success as entrepreneurs, artists and more. Here are the top 10 pro wrestlers with the highest money-making potential.
1. Vince McMahon
The former owner and CEO and occasional wrestler of the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Vince McMahon is the richest in the world of pro wrestling with a net worth of $3.2 billion. The latest WWE-UFC merger put McMahon back on the billionaire's list. McMahon is the most important figure in the industry's history as he built the multibillion-dollar empire which gave rise to dozens of globally successful wrestlers/entertainers.
2. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
Dwayne Johnson, prominently known by his pro wrestling stage name “The Rock”, is a wrestler-turned-actor and entrepreneur. He is one of the most successful active wrestlers in history who has amassed a net worth of $800 million, thanks to his successful film and WWE career. As an actor, Johnson has starred in a string of box office hits like the “Fast & Furious” franchise, “Jumanji”, DC’s “Black Adam”, “Pain & Gain” and more. He commands a hefty salary of $20 million per movie. He etched his name in history when he received a $50 million paycheck for his role in Netflix's 'Red One' movie.
3. Stephanie McMahon
The daughter of Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, has been a part of WWE for all her life. She worked her way up to an executive role and holds a large stock share of the company. With a net worth of $250 Million, Stephanie McMahon has served as an inspiring leader in the WWE and has been praised for her leadership and collaboration skills over the years. Stephanie McMahon is married to famous wrestler Triple H, who now runs the business alongside her.
4. Triple H
Paul Michael Levesque, also known as Triple H, earned his fortune from the WWE. Starting as a wrestler, he now serves as the chief content officer of WWE. Triple H reportedly netted a large payday for his involvement in the WWE-UFC merger. A top star dating back to the 90s, he is also the creator and executive producer of the NXT brand. His annual salary is estimated to be $3.3 million, as per Sports Brief. He is also rumored to have inherited the business from his father-in-law Vince McMahon.
5. John Cena
John Cena is one of the highest-earning active wrestlers in the WWE. Cena has shown tremendous longevity as the face of WWE in the PG Era and has become a bankable movie star in films, like “The Rock”. He has appeared in films like “Fast & Furious”, “Trainwreck” and “The Suicide Squad” and the series, “Peacemaker”. As per estimates from Sports Brief, Cena roughly earns $8.5 million annually. According to Essentially Sports, he made about 1 million for his work in “Fast 9” and a whopping $2.5 million for “Trainwreck”.
6. Steve Austin
Actor, producer and retired professional wrestler, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin continues to be one of the highest-paid stars of the WWE. With a net worth of $30 million, Austin was the biggest box office attraction during the 90s boom. Further, his “Austin 3:16” shirt is notoriously regarded as the highest-selling piece of merchandise of the WWE. Austin has appeared in several action movies and hosted various TV shows. He was also one of the pioneers of pro wrestling podcasts, reaping tons of sponsorship dollars. With his diverse streams of revenue, Austin continues to earn between $5 and $12 million, as per GiveMeSport.
7. Hulk Hogan
Hulk Hogan was one of the biggest stars of the 80s. Hogan cashed in on his WWE fame to become a successful actor and a TV personality. A sizable chunk of his $25 million net worth comes from his merchandise sales. He has also been involved in several controversies, including the Gawker.com fiasco which resulted in a settlement payout of $31 million before taxes, as per Celebrity Net Worth.
8. Dave Batista
Another wrestler-turned-actor Dave Batista is a professional mixed martial artist, who became one of the biggest stars of the WWE in the 2000s. Being part of the hyper-successful Marvel Cinematic Universe contributed significantly to Batista's $16 million fortune. Batista played the role of Drax in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films earning tens of millions. As per Screenrant, he earned between $2 and $4 million for “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Avengers: Endgame” and made about $15 to $20 million in total for his entire run as “Drax” in the MCU.
9. The Bella Twins
The Bella Twins, Nikki and Brie, are among the most famous woman stars of the WWE. With a combined net worth of $20 million, the duo has been a regular feature in the WWE over the past decade. They have been part of several reality shows. The duo have their own YouTube channel, wine label, and clothing lines. Further, the twins launched their podcast while Bella is a common fixture in wrestling video games appearing in 11 different WWE titles.
10. Chris Jericho
Former WWE wrestler Chris Jericho amassed his impressive $18 million fortune through wrestling and his career as a musician and author. Outside of WWE, Jericho joined the AEW as the highest-paid wrestler making up to $3 million as salary. Jericho was a part of the WCW before it was acquired by WWF (now WWE). He once revealed in a podcast that he made only $350,000 a year during his time in WCW, which rose to $2 million per year with the WWE, as per WWF Old School.