A new report has revealed that multiple WWE wrestlers have agreed to pay cuts after being approached by the company, with the process expected to continue in the coming weeks.

According to Bryan Alvarez on Wrestling Observer Radio, several talents were asked to renegotiate their contracts at lower rates, and some chose to accept those terms.

WWE Wrestlers Pay Cuts Continue

Alvarez confirmed that while some agreed to new deals, others did not.

“I’ve been told there were several people who were asked to take pay cuts and they took them. I don’t know how many. I don’t know who. Obviously, the New Day was asked, and they did not want to renegotiate, and so they got their release. Apparently, there were some others who did end up renegotiating, and probably as time goes on, there will be more of these. In fact, there definitely will be,” Alvarez said.

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods declined to accept revised terms and ultimately parted ways with WWE.

Additional insight from Dave Meltzer suggests that the wrestlers being targeted are often performers who were once positioned at a higher level but are no longer being used in the same way on television.

“I know one guy in this situation, he could go to AEW and he could make a lot of money in AEW, but he did take a pretty big pay cut to stay. The reason you would be asked to renegotiate is because the contract you signed was when they perceived you as being far more valuable than they perceive you as being now,” Meltzer said.

He added that creative direction, rather than ability, has played a role in how some talent is currently valued.

Further reports from Sean Ross Sapp and Mike Johnson back up the claim, with one case involving a wrestler allegedly agreeing to a 50 percent pay cut.

The changes come as TKO Group Holdings continues to report strong financial performance, alongside rising executive compensation.

According to Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics, executive compensation has risen sharply:

• Ari Emanuel saw compensation increase 272 percent, from $18 million to $67 million
• Mark Shapiro rose 33 percent, from $32 million to $43 million
• Nick Khan jumped 304 percent, from $6 million to $24 million

This contrast has drawn attention, as talent pay adjustments are happening alongside significant executive pay increases.

Alvarez emphasized that this is not a one-time situation, with more wrestlers likely to be approached in the near future.

For now, WWE’s contract strategy appears focused on aligning salaries with current creative positioning, even as some performers weigh the risk of leaving versus accepting reduced deals.

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