Steve Austin’s very first WCW contract in 1991, paid him $75,000 per year. After proving his value he signed one in 1994 for $275,000 per year. It is estimated that he earned over $5 miilion a year in 1998 and 1999. His wife at that time claimed he made ”as much as $12 million per year” from 1998-2001. Steve Austin would be the highest paid wrestler per year if that were true.
Vader earned $625,000 per year in 1993.
Lex Luger pulled in an astounding $500,000 per year as WCW champion in 1991-Feb 1992. Luger made more then $350,000 per year for most of his 1993-1994 run in the WWF. In WCW he commanded a $500,000-a-year range in 1995. His annual WCW rocketed to $750,000 a few years later and hit 1.25 million by 2000.
Big Show took in $1 million a year as a WWF/WWE wrestler. The downside guarantee was $950,000 a year.
Randy Savage earned approx $1 million a year back in 1989. That was an astonishing number unheard of at the time. He matched that ten years later in WCW.
Paul Heyman signed a five-year contract with the WWF/WWE in spring 2001. Which him a basic salary of $250,000 per year with an additional $60K when he was pulling double duty as a manager making a total of $310,000.
Chicago Bull’s star Dennis Rodman took in $1.5 million in 1997 to make several appearances.
Brock Lesnar pulled $250,000 per annum which was the largest developmental deal in company history. Lesnar walked away from a one million dollar deal in 2004 to go the NFL.
Mike Tyson got $3.5 million for his handful of appearances. Mark Henry signed a ten year deal for $250,000-per-year. He would later regret locking in his salary at so little.
Buff’ Bagwell made upwards of $600,000 per year in WCW in the late 90’s.
Sting back 1992-1993, he was earning $750,000 per year as WCW’s top good guy. He ended up pulling in $1.25 million per year at the end of his run there. In 2005 TNA paid him $500K to compete,
Juventud Guererra made $200,000 per year in WCW.
HHH now earns nearly $2 million base salary as booker and wrestler. He also makes undisclosed amounts of income for other duties – probably burying up and coming wrestlers.
The Ultimate Warrior got $2 million per year in 1991 and received a one-night payoff of $650,000 for his match with Hulk Hogan at Wrestlemania VI, in 1998 WCW had to pay him $1 MIL for his salary.
Ric Flair got $700,000 a year as NWA world Champion in 1987-1988. Later in WCW he earned $730,000 per year. Near 2000 he took in $750,000.
WCW paid Jeff Jarrett $425,000 per year.
Booker T was paid a hefty $750K in WCW.
Roddy Piper in WCW got $1.1 million.
Kurt Angle had a $1 milliondownside guarantee in 2006 by WWE. In 2000 he earned $3 million a year.
Bam Bam Bigelow earned in the region of $500,000 as a WWF wrestler in 1995 (the year of his famous Wrestlemania XI match with Lawrence Taylor), $2,0000 per week in ECW from 1997-1998, and $450,000 per year in WCW from 1998-2001.
Trish Stratus got more than $400,000 per year at her peak in the WWE.
Joanie ‘Chyna’ Laurer made over the $1 million mark the year she posed for Playboy.
Kevin Nash booked his way to $1.625 million per year in WCW from 2000-2001. Nash made a downside of $700K in WWE when they signed him.
Vince Russo made $350,000 as booker in 1999.
Chris Benoit signed a $400,000 annual downside guarantee. Eddie Guerrero, Dean Malenko and Perry Saturn each recieved $250,000 per year when they jumped ship with Chris in 2000. Bill Goldberg made $2 million per year in 2001.
Bubba Ray and D-Von Dudley were earning $600 per match a piece for ECW in August 1999.
In WCW Bret Hart reportedly was gun shy at first in signing for $2.5 million per year.
Diamond Dallas Page was earning a staggering $1.25 million per year when WCW folded in 2001.
WWE offered Mike Goldberg a three-year contract, worth $500,000 a year, in October 2005 to become the lead announcer on Raw."
Subject: Crazy WWE salaries revealed 
