Cody Rhodes has a new WWE contract, but the money being made at the top of the company isn’t the only thing that has changed.
During a new appearance on “Flagrant,” with his Street Fighter co-star Andrew Schulz, Rhodes was asked about WWE’s pay structure and explained just how different the wrestling business is financially from the one his father, Dusty Rhodes, experienced.
“The wrestling economy is different now because there’s other places you can go wrestle,” Rhodes said. “The money in wrestling and sports entertainment is very good.”
Rhodes said wrestlers from his father’s generation would be surprised by today’s salaries, adding that even his mother initially struggled to understand the numbers involved.
“If you were my dad or [wrestlers from his generation], you’d be shocked,” Rhodes said. “My mom didn’t get it.”
That money isn’t reserved for established WWE stars, either.
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Cody Rhodes Says New WWE Wrestlers Make Six Figures
According to Rhodes, even wrestlers entering WWE’s developmental system are now receiving guaranteed six-figure deals.
“The contracts are guaranteed now,” Rhodes said. “That’s a huge responsibility.”
He added that “everything is six figures for new developmental wrestlers.”
Rhodes also shared a saying from WWE President Nick Khan about the earning potential within the company. Some wrestlers are going to “do well,” others will do “really well,” and then a select few will “do next level.”
That highest tier, according to Rhodes, has reached a level comparable to other major professional sports.
“That next-level pay is now comparable with sports,” Rhodes said, pointing to the type of contracts seen in Major League Baseball and the NBA.
For Rhodes, that is something to celebrate beyond his own paycheck. He credited WWE’s current TKO era and Khan with helping bring wrestler compensation to that level and said it is something he is proud of as a wrestler.
Cody Rhodes Recently Signed a New WWE Contract
The conversation comes shortly after Rhodes confirmed that he has signed a new contract with WWE.
Rhodes did not disclose his salary during the “Flagrant” interview, and his comments about WWE’s “next-level” earners weren’t a direct statement about the value of his own deal. As one of the company’s biggest stars, however, his new contract comes at a time when he says WWE’s highest-paid performers can earn money comparable to athletes in traditional professional sports.
The deal also comes with an interesting reality: Rhodes has increasingly discussed how much longer he actually wants to wrestle.
When Will Cody Rhodes Retire From WWE?
Rhodes reiterated on “Flagrant” something he has discussed elsewhere recently: he does not envision wrestling indefinitely.
His reasoning has less to do with injuries or his position in WWE than his daughter.
Rhodes recalled that Dusty was around much more during his childhood once Cody was about eight years old. He remembers having his father at games and other important moments, and he wants to provide that same presence for his daughter as she grows up.
That has given Rhodes a rough timeline for when he wants to step away from full-time wrestling.
It also adds context to his new WWE contract. Rhodes is earning at the highest levels of a wrestling economy that he believes has finally caught up financially with major professional sports, but maximizing those earnings for as long as possible does not appear to be his ultimate goal.
Though he will eventually step away from the ring, Rhodes alluded to a desire to remain in wrestling behind the scenes, specifically citing Bobby Roode, Michael Hayes and Paul Heyman as inspirations.
