John Cena Shares Shockingly Low Pay of His First WWE Contract

John Cena is a 16-time World Champion and carried the company on his back throughout the PG era. He is now a worldwide name as people know him from all corners of the world. Cena had humble beginnings prior to making it big in WWE and he has now revealed the shockingly low amount he used to be paid for his first WWE contract.

When John Cena debuted on the main roster in 2002, his future was uncertain in the company as many felt he didn’t have what it takes to make it in the business. It didn’t help his character had no depth to it.

During an appearance on the Club Shay Shay podcast with NFL legend Shannon Sharpe, John Cena revealed the shockingly low amount he earned from his first WWE contract.

Cena’s annual salary was $12,500, which was nearly equivalent to his monthly rent of $1,200. Cena explained that he left his job to pursue a career in wrestling, even though he was already operating at a loss. He relied on credit cards to cover expenses and get by, taking a gamble on his future in the industry.

“My contract was for $12,500 a year and my rent was for $1,200 a month. I quit my job immediately to become a professional. I was already operating at a loss but the good thing about credit cards is they’ll mail you more opportunities to get more credit cards. So I just like, ‘Yeah, I’ll just take more of the plastic pieces that get me free food and all that. This is going to be great.’ So I bet on myself.”

John Cena is currently focused on his upcoming WWE retirement tour and fans are simply preparing themselves to say goodbye to his in-ring career. Cena has amassed a ton of wealth during his time in WWE and now Hollywood and he couldn’t have been happier with the results of his hard work.

Do you have more respect for John Cena now after learning the shockingly low amount of money he was paid with his first WWE contract? Sound off in the comments section below!