Fightful Select has released an extensive report detailing the aggressive payroll reduction measures recently carried out by World Wrestling Entertainment and TKO Group Holdings, including mass releases, major pay cut requests, and growing frustration from within the wrestling industry.
According to the report, WWE was tasked over the past month with reducing payroll by millions of dollars, with the roster cuts and renegotiation attempts over recent weeks directly tied to that initiative. The situation reportedly generated significant backlash internally and externally, particularly as the cuts coincided with reports of record-high TKO stock prices and major executive compensation increases.
Fightful noted that while many within wrestling accept roster cuts as part of modern WWE business operations, requests for substantial pay reductions — in some cases reportedly reaching seven figures — were heavily criticised behind the scenes.
The report also raised concerns regarding how WWE approached talent about new contracts and revised deals. According to Sean Ross Sapp, several wrestlers in recent years were approached about extensions while overseas, often earlier than they expected negotiations to begin. Some viewed this as an attempt to encourage talent to sign quickly before legal representatives could fully review terms, though Fightful stressed that perception was opinion-based rather than confirmed policy.
On the day of the recent mass releases, numerous wrestlers were reportedly approached and given just 48 hours to decide whether they would accept reduced terms to remain with the company.
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods ultimately chose to leave rather than accept the revised offers, despite reportedly walking away from millions of dollars remaining across the final years of their contracts. Fightful compared the situation to comments previously made by Karrion Kross, who claimed he had been given only one day to decide on his own deal last year.
Another point of frustration reportedly involved talent who had recently re-signed with WWE without seriously exploring offers from competing promotions such as All Elite Wrestling. According to several talent representatives cited in the report, cutting or reducing the salaries of those performers shortly after re-signing effectively damages their leverage and market value outside WWE.
Some agents also argued that from a competitive standpoint, WWE would theoretically benefit more from forcing AEW to spend larger amounts to secure released stars rather than making them available at reduced market value.
Fightful stated that no specific names were confirmed as having accepted pay cuts. However, the departures of Kingston and Woods became easier to verify once both were moved to WWE’s alumni section online.
The report also noted that several longtime veterans — including some currently recovering from injuries — were among those asked to reduce their salaries.
Internally, some within WWE reportedly expressed disappointment that Kingston and Woods were not publicly acknowledged by the company following their departures. One source described the situation as “disgusting,” while another claimed that praise for the duo was communicated privately and that a formal joint announcement had originally been expected. Why such a statement never materialised publicly remains unclear.
Fightful additionally reported that several individuals within AEW have already pushed internally for the company to pursue The New Day stars following their exit from WWE.
The situation has quickly become one of the most heavily discussed business stories in wrestling, with wider conversations now emerging regarding talent leverage, contract negotiation tactics, and WWE’s evolving corporate structure under TKO.
Stay tuned to PWMania.com for more updates.
