During the latest episode of his new podcast, The Kurt Angle Show, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle talked about how much money he made during his first year with WWE.
Angle arguably had one of the best first years in the history of the pro wrestling business and was compensated for it. Here is what he had to say:
“My guarantee was $75,000. I made well over that. What I was surprised about, and I promised JR this when I accepted that contract, he said ‘You’re going to get 75 grand a year for five years.’ I signed the contract and said, ‘Don’t worry about it because I’m going to make a million in my first year.’ He said, ‘Whatever you say.’ I did make a million which I was really proud of. I wasn’t expecting to make a million dollars my first year in the business, especially not having any kind of merchandise. I wasn’t selling merchandise. They weren’t hopping off the shelves. They weren’t buying Kurt Angle stuff because I was a heel. I didn’t make a lot on that. I got paid to wrestle and I got paid very well to do it. Making a million dollars a year without any kind of merchandise, I made 30 or 40 grand in merchandise, that’s about it, but I made a lot of money wrestling. I did exceed the goal that I told JR I would do.”
H/T to WrestlingNews.co