Wrestlers Who Made More Money Outside Of The Industry

• David Schultz was blackballed from wrestling after slapping Dateline reporter, John Stossel.
• He was wrestling for Vince McMahon's WWE at the time. 
• David would go on to open his own company as a bail bondsman, becoming a bounty hunter as well.

Often considered one of wrestling's great injustices, David Schultz was, for all intents and purposes, forced out of the wrestling business after the infamous John Stossel incident in the mid-80s. He would stay in the industry for a few years after being fired from WWE, but he would eventually go on to become a bail bondsman. This would lead him to becoming a bounty hunter, and taking on some high-profile cases. He also wrote a book in 2018, Don't Call Me Fake: The Real Story Of "Dr. D" David Schultz, that did relatively well. David is a case of someone being forced to make a living outside of wrestling, and doing quite well for himself as a result.

Nathan Jones

He Ultimately Decided That Wrestling Wasn't For Him

• Nathan Jones served time in prison in his native Australia after committing a string of armed robberies.
• He began weight training while incarcerated, and would go on to be considered the strongest man in Australia.
• He began wrestling in 2001, and would sign with WWE in 2002.

Nathan Jones' story is similar to David Schultz, but also different in that he chose to walk away from wrestling. He stated in an interview that he didn't really enjoy the lifestyle of a pro wrestler, and instead devoted himself to acting. He would go on to do quite well for himself, appearing in films such as Troy, starring Brad Pitt. He was also in recent blockbusters, such as Mad Max: Fury Road, and the follow-up to that picture, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. Because his time in wrestling was quite limited, his outside endeavors have undoubtedly earned him a much better living.

David Otunga

He Was Once Married To Pop Star, Jennifer Hudson

• David Otunga is a graduate of Harvard Law School.
• He would go on to work at Sidley Austin, one of the biggest law firms in America.
• He's also had an extensive acting career.

David Otunga had already been quite successful and made a name for himself, before getting involved in wrestling. He earned a degree in both law and psychology, and appeared on reality television shows, such as I Love New York. He would marry Singer, Jennifer Hudson, and the couple would have one child together. He would also continue to act while he was with WWE. By all accounts, David never really needed pro wrestling, and has accrued most of his fortune outside of it.

Ronda Rousey

She Is One Of The Most Influential Female Athletes In American History

• At the age of 16, Ronda was the youngest Judo competitor at the 2004 Olympic Games.
• She was the first female fighter in UFC history.
• Ronda has dominated industries where men are at the top.

While Ronda Rousey is considered to be something of a polarizing personality, she is unquestionably a pioneer for women in combat sports. She single-handedly established a women's division in the UFC, and would go on to earn around $18 million during her career as a fighter. While she was certainly paid well by WWE, when she worked for the company, her earnings from the UFC, combined with her endorsement deals and acting gigs, have exceeded that. Ronda paved the way for other women to become stars in what is one of the most male-dominated industries. Her financial success outside of wrestling has surpassed her success in it.

Jim Cornette

He Has The Most Successful Wrestling Podcast

• Jim Cornette began his wrestling career as a photographer.
• He is considered one of the greatest managers in wrestling history.
• His podcast has been hugely successful.

Much like Ronda Rousey, Jim Cornette is a name that is synonymous with controversy. His takes on the wrestling business, and many of the wrestlers in it, have been divisive to say the least. But all of that controversy has created revenue for him.

Recently, Jim revealed on his podcast that he has made more money from it than he did during his entire tenure in the wrestling business. This was an incredible revelation when you consider that Jim was in the business for the better part of five decades.

Cameron Grimes

He Is Now Back To Using His Original Ring Name, Trevor Lee

• He was trained by The Hardys.
• He wrestled for WWE/NXT for around five years.
• He was released by WWE in April of 2024

You probably wouldn't take Cameron Grimes/Trevor Lee for a stock market wizard, but that is exactly the case it would seem. Back in 2021, when stock in the video game chain, Gamestop, began to dramatically increase, the wrestler bought shares, and ended up becoming a millionaire in the process. His current net worth is around $1.5 million. Considering that he was only paid $200,000 for his contract while in WWE/NXT, it's safe to say that the majority of his wealth came from outside of his wrestling career. He was released from his contract in the Spring of 2024, but has stated that he intends to one day be back in WWE.

Batista

He Has Become One Of The Most Successful Wrestlers To Transition To Acting

• Batista didn't start training to wrestle until he was in his 30s.
• He was trained at OVW, alongside John Cena and Brock Lesnar.
• He has a net worth of $16 million dollars.

Like his peers, John Cena and Dwayne Johnson, Batista has been able to successfully transition into a career in Hollywood. The difference is that he has been offered much more critical acclaim than his contemporaries. Batista received rave reviews for his performance in films, such as Knock at the Cabin, and is likely the only wrestler-turned actor to have a chance at winning an Oscar someday. While he earned a great deal during his time as a wrestler, Batista has been in some major studio films, and has likely made much more of his fortune as an actor. As of this writing, Batista's acting career is still thriving.

Mandy Rose

She Was A Fitness Model Before Getting Involved In Wrestling

• Mandy was one of the first major names in wrestling to fully embrace the OnlyFans concept.
• As a result, she was let go by WWE in 2022.
• Mandy has not returned to WWE since being released.

Mandy Rose was fired by the WWE, amidst a great deal of controversy in late 2022. When the company learned that Mandy had been selling adult-orientated content online, they asked her to take it down. The former NXT Women's Champion says she initially agreed to the request, but then decided to repost the content. She was then released, and was offered a great deal of support from those who felt she had been wrongly terminated. No crying over spilled milk for Ms. Rose though, who, as of this writing, is estimated to have a net worth of $15 million dollars. It's highly unlikely that she would have ever come close to that as a pro wrestler.

JBL

He Is Considered By Many To Be A "Financial Genius"

• JBL played in the NFL prior to getting involved in wrestling.
• He reigned as WWE Champion for 10 months in the mid 2000s.
• He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2020.

With a net worth of $4 million dollars, JBL has been described as a "self-made millionaire" by WWE. His strategic stock market purchases and independent investments have guaranteed John financial success, even without his impressive career in wrestling.

In fact, when WWE was short on top heels in 2004, they used JBL's real-life success in finance to repackage his onscreen character to great success. He has since created his own energy drink, in addition to other investments. In all honesty, JBL never really needed wrestling to become a wealthy man.

The Rock/Dwayne Johnson

He Is One Of The Most Famous Pro Wrestlers Of All Time

• The Rock is a third-generation wrestler.
• He currently has an estimated net worth of $800 million dollars.
• He joined the TKO Board Of Directors in 2024.

No other wrestler could have topped this list than The Rock/Dwayne Johnson. He is just shy of being a billionaire, as of this writing, and only a small fraction of that wealth has come from his pro wrestling career. Though The Rock did quite well for himself in WWE, his dizzying success in Hollywood has eclipsed even the biggest box-office stars. Interestingly enough, he joined the TKO Board of Directors in the wake of Endeavor's purchase of WWE in 2023. Some feel that this could hint at him becoming more involved in the business that he made his name in, as his acting career begins to gradually wind down.