Chris Jericho Reveals How Much He Made on His First WWE Contract

Chris Jericho recently opened up about the details of his first WWE contract during an episode of his podcast, Talk is Jericho.

When Jericho made his WWE debut in 1999, he was already an established global star but sought to elevate his career by joining WWE during the height of the Monday Night Wars between WWE and WCW.

Jericho revealed that his first WWE contract guaranteed him $450,000 per year. Although this was less than what WCW offered him, Jericho was more interested in the opportunities WWE could provide rather than the money. However, this significant guarantee placed him in a unique position within WWE, as many established stars in the company were earning less, creating a sense of tension.

“Walking into that dressing room, I had a fairly good guarantee: I got paid $450 grand a year guaranteed to come in, which was a lot less than WCW was offering me, but I didn’t care about the money. I just cared about the opportunity. It was a lot more than a lot of people were making in WWE so at the time, guaranteed contracts were just starting to become a thing, which is so laughable when you think about it now. “

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“I have kind of a target on my back of this ‘hot young upstart coming in, he’s interrupting The Rock, he’s got this big push, this big contract.’ There were kind of a lot of odds stacked against me when I first walked into the dressing room.”

Jericho’s successful WWE career spanned two decades before he became a key figure in the launch of AEW, where he continues to work today. Jericho’s journey in WWE, including his rise to stardom and the challenges he faced, remains an inspiring story in the world of professional wrestling.

What do you think about Chris Jericho’s decision to prioritize opportunities over a higher salary when joining WWE? How do you think this choice impacted his career trajectory, and what lessons can emerging wrestlers learn from Jericho’s strategic move into WWE during the Monday Night Wars? Share your thoughts on the implications of his choice and his overall impact on the wrestling industry.