Former WWE Superstar Marc Mero has taken to social media to shed light on how WWE royalty payments work for former talent — and the numbers raised eyebrows across the wrestling world.
In a post shared on X (formerly Twitter), Mero published a royalty statement dated December 19, 2019, offering a concrete example of the disparity between revenue generated by WWE content and what performers ultimately receive in compensation.
According to the statement, Mero was credited as being partly responsible for $39,590.81 in revenue during the reporting period. Despite that figure, the actual royalty check issued to him for the quarter totaled just $71.47.
The attached documents provided a detailed line-item breakdown of video sales and licensing revenue under the category “WWE Earned Royalties,” alongside the corresponding “Talent Royalty Earned.” Several examples stood out:
“The Evolution of WWE”
- WWE Earned Royalties: $13,067.05
- Mero’s Royalty: $20.04
“The Evolution of WWE’s W”
- WWE Earned Royalties: $7,678.00
- Mero’s Royalty: $11.78
“Monday Night War Vol. 2”
- WWE Earned Royalties: $1,933.25
- Mero’s Royalty: $2.26
The summary page showed that the $71.47 total consisted of $42.71 earned during the current quarter and $28.76 classified as “previously unpaid royalties earned.”
Mero, who last wrestled for WWE more than 20 years ago under the “Wildman” Marc Mero persona, used the post to answer frequent questions he receives about how wrestlers are compensated long after their in-ring careers end.
“That’s the reality for a lot of wrestlers,” Mero wrote. “We helped build the brand, the characters, and the moments fans still watch today, yet the compensation rarely reflects the value that was created.”
The post reignited long-standing discussions within the wrestling community regarding legacy revenue, talent rights, and how performers are paid for archival footage that continues to generate income decades after they leave the company.
I’ve been asked many times what wrestlers actually make in royalties from the WWE, so let me give you a real example.
I left the WWE years ago, and more than 20 years later, in 2019, I came across an old royalty statement. When you look at how much money many wrestlers help… pic.twitter.com/AKy5330YXv
— Marc Mero (@MarcMero) January 22, 2026
