Professional wrestling’s biggest secret might not be a storyline twist or a surprise return—it’s the harsh financial reality facing developmental roster performers. Priscilla Kelly, the former Gigi Dolin and two-time NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion, recently pulled back the curtain on WWE’s compensation structure, revealing a truth that challenges the romanticized perception of life under the WWE umbrella.
In a candid conversation with wrestling journalist Denise Salcedo, Kelly discussed the stark disconnect between fan expectations and the actual paychecks earned by NXT wrestlers. Her comments illuminate a growing concern within the wrestling industry about fair compensation for performers working in WWE’s developmental system, where many athletes struggle to make ends meet despite being part of the world’s largest wrestling promotion.
The Million-Dollar Misconception
Fans often harbor a significant misconception about professional wrestlers employed by WWE. The prevailing assumption suggests that any performer with a WWE contract automatically achieves financial stability and wealth. Kelly directly addressed this misbelief during her interview, making clear that the reality is far more complicated.
“Like a lot of fans, for some reason, think that if you work in WWE and you’re under that umbrella, you’re a millionaire, you live in a mansion, you’re driving a Benz, like you’ve got it made,” Kelly explained. “That’s not the case.”[2]
This perception likely stems from the prominence of WWE’s mainstream media presence and the visibility of top-tier talent earning substantial contracts. However, the organization’s internal pay structure creates significant disparities. While main roster stars in prime positions do command impressive salaries, the vast majority of the WWE roster—particularly those in NXT—operate under entirely different financial parameters.
According to sources close to talent relations, WWE’s approach to developmental contracts has remained relatively stagnant over the past several years, with entry-level performers receiving minimal annual compensation despite the demands placed upon them.
NXT Contracts: The Hard Numbers
Perhaps the most shocking revelation in Kelly’s statement concerned the actual salary figures for NXT performers. She disclosed that developmental contracts can start as low as $30,000 annually, a figure that stands in stark contrast to the millionaire lifestyle fans imagine.[2]
This baseline salary becomes particularly troubling when wrestlers must relocate to Florida, where WWE’s Performance Center operates. Florida’s cost of living, particularly in the areas where wrestlers typically reside, has increased substantially in recent years. Rent, utilities, groceries, and other essential expenses can quickly consume a wrestler’s limited income, leaving little room for savings or financial security.
The situation becomes even more precarious when considering the additional expenses wrestlers must cover out-of-pocket. Unlike main roster talent who receive travel allowances and accommodations covered by WWE for televised events, NXT performers often shoulder these costs themselves when required to attend developmental sessions or tryouts.
The Independent Circuit Advantage
What makes Kelly’s revelation particularly significant is her assertion that independent wrestling bookings provide superior financial compensation compared to NXT contracts. This reality has prompted several talented wrestlers to reconsider their career trajectories, weighing the prestige of WWE against the practical need to earn a sustainable living.
The independent circuit offers wrestlers greater control over their earning potential. Performers can negotiate individual booking fees, maintain merchandise sales, and build their own brand without WWE’s restrictive non-compete clauses. For workers like Kelly, who maintained an active independent schedule before joining NXT, the financial comparison became unmistakable.
“And NXT, there’s contracts as low as $30,000 a year, and they don’t they do not go as high as you think. And when you have to live in Florida, which is very expensive to live here… it all adds up, and at the end of the day, especially because you can’t make money outside of what you make in WWE, you don’t make a lot.”[2]
This non-compete restriction proves particularly damaging for developmental talent. While they’re earning modest NXT salaries, they’re simultaneously prohibited from supplementing their income through independent bookings—the very avenue that could provide financial stability.
Main Roster Realities
Kelly also addressed perceptions surrounding main roster compensation, clarifying that while some performers do earn substantial incomes, this represents only a fraction of WWE’s workforce. Even main roster talent face significant expenses that consume considerable portions of their earnings.
“And even main roster talent, like, of course, there are people on the main roster that are making the really big, big, big bucks, but that’s a small percentage. A lot of people that that are up there. Like, they make good money, but they’re also paying for every hotel. They’re paying for all their travel and all this, the food, everything they need, on top of the other expenses of gear and taking care of your body and taking care of your sanity.”[2]
Wrestlers must fund their own travel, accommodation, meal per diems, and equipment maintenance. The physical toll of professional wrestling necessitates ongoing medical care, physical therapy, and nutritional investment—all expenses borne by the performers themselves. Mental health support, while increasingly recognized as essential, typically comes out of wrestlers’ pockets.
Industry-Wide Concern
Kelly’s comments align with similar revelations from other WWE performers. Jazmyn Nyx recently departed WWE NXT over contractual compensation disagreements, revealing that the company had offered her a three-year deal maintaining her previous $75,000 annual salary despite increased demands on her time and energy.[4] Her departure emphasized that financial sustainability remains a critical issue across the developmental roster.
The conversation around wrestler compensation has intensified in recent years, with performers increasingly vocal about fair pay standards. WWE’s financial success and record-breaking revenue streams stand in contrast to the modest salaries offered to many of its contracted talent, particularly those still climbing the developmental ladder.
Looking Forward
As wrestling continues to evolve and competition for talent intensifies, the compensation conversation will likely remain central to industry discussions. Performers like Priscilla Kelly are using their platforms to educate fans about the financial realities of professional wrestling, challenging the romantic mythology surrounding WWE contracts.
Kelly’s current work on the independent circuit demonstrates that wrestlers can build thriving careers outside the WWE system. Her Net worth, estimated at approximately $1 million as of 2025, reflects earnings accumulated through diverse revenue streams including independent bookings, merchandise sales, and social media monetization.[1]
The wrestling industry stands at a crossroads regarding talent compensation. As performers become more transparent about financial struggles, pressure may mount on WWE to reassess its developmental compensation structure, ensuring that the next generation of talent can sustain themselves while pursuing their wrestling dreams. Until that shift occurs, talented workers will continue evaluating whether the WWE opportunity justifies the financial sacrifices required to pursue it.