Matt Hardy has shared detailed financial information about the first contracts he and Jeff Hardy signed with WWE, offering a rare look into WWE pay structures during the late 1990s.
Speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, Hardy broke down the progression from enhancement talent pay to developmental contracts and eventually full-time roster deals.
Hardy explained that when he and Jeff first worked WWE television in 1994 through Chief Jay Strongbow, they earned just $150 per night. “We make $150 bucks a night,” Hardy recalled.
At the time, WWE would tape multiple episodes of programming including WWE Raw, Superstars, and Wrestling Challenge across consecutive days. Their first official WWE developmental contracts arrived in early 1998 after meetings with Jim Ross and Bruce Prichard.
According to Hardy, the deal structure was modest but stable:
$300 per week guaranteed
$300 per appearance booked
“That was the first deal that we were on,” Hardy said. “Officially, $300 a week and $300 per appearance.”
Hardy also detailed some of the benefits included in those early developmental agreements.
WWE paid for rental cars and hotel rooms at the time, although the Hardys sometimes struggled to rent vehicles themselves because they were under 25 years old.
Hardy joked that they occasionally had to rely on wrestlers like The Headbangers or The New Age Outlaws for transportation.
The duo’s first major full-time WWE roster contract came in early 1999 after their chemistry with Edge and Christian began turning heads internally.
Hardy revealed the five-year downside guarantee structure of that deal:
Year 1: $75,000
Year 2: $75,000
Year 3: $200,000
Year 4: $125,000
Year 5: $150,000
Hardy explained that the “downside guarantee” protected talent financially if their actual bookings fell below the guaranteed number. “If we made 69,000 at the end of the year, then they owed us $6,000 more.”
Once they moved to full roster contracts, WWE only covered hotel costs during television tapings rather than regular road travel.
The company also eventually stopped covering rental cars entirely. “They were making so much money, they took it away from us,” Hardy said.
Hardy reflected positively overall on the old WWE contract structure, particularly the security downside guarantees provided performers. “When there were actual downside guarantees, where you had a safety net… was great.”
He added, “But then there’s no limit to how much you can make if you’re good and you’re successful.”
