Felix Upton on May 10, 2026
JBL is now defending WWE wrestlers who chose to accept reduced-money contracts under TKO — and he’s making it very clear he believes fans criticizing those decisions have no idea what they’re talking about.
While speaking on the Something to Wrestle podcast, JBL strongly pushed back against online backlash aimed at WWE talent who agreed to restructured deals instead of leaving the company outright. According to JBL, too many fans are treating the situation emotionally without thinking realistically about what those contracts still represent financially.
“I know that there’s a contingent online who are like, ‘Hey, you got to stand up and do what’s right.’ Like, do you realize what you’re saying?”
JBL then pointed directly to the amount of guaranteed money still involved in modern WWE contracts, especially for veteran talent later in their careers. He argued that turning down millions of dollars simply to make a statement is far easier for fans to suggest than it is for wrestlers with families and financial responsibilities.
“Like, if you got them a new five-year deal at million a year, who walks away from million a year in the twilight of their career for, let’s be honest, a much easier schedule than he originally signed up for?”
From there, JBL explained why he believes today’s WWE environment is still far more favorable financially than the era he came from. He specifically pointed to reduced travel schedules, fewer live events, and dramatically improved quality of life compared to previous generations of wrestlers.
“Like, the amount of travel versus the amount of time you’re home back then versus now—the quality of life is through the roof. This is still a great deal.”
He later called on fans to stop attacking wrestlers for making decisions based on what’s best for their own lives and careers. JBL also made it clear he doesn’t believe fans are entitled to dictate how wrestlers should handle their contracts in the first place.
“And I hope people will just be a little more realistic and have a little more grace if guys are deciding, ‘Hey, you know what? That’s still a pretty good deal, and I’m happy here.’ I don’t think it’s our business as fans. Like, let them do what they want to do and make the decision that’s best for them.”
To further explain his point, JBL compared the current situation to his own early WWE career and revealed just how little money he initially made despite an exhausting schedule.
“In my first year in WWE, it’s the only year I’ve ever actually released any numbers. And so, I don’t mind saying that number. I worked every single live event. I believe I worked every single pay-per-view. I believe I made—I think ,000 or something like that.”
He then contrasted that with modern WWE deals, explaining how much harder it was financially during earlier eras because wrestlers were constantly paying for travel, hotels, rental cars, and food while being on the road nearly every day.
“You don’t make any money when you’re on the road 300 days a year. And you have to have a rental car every day. You have to have a hotel every day. You have to have food every day.”
That’s why JBL says hearing outrage over talent potentially staying in WWE for reduced multimillion-dollar contracts feels disconnected from reality.
“And now for people to say, ‘Oh man, I don’t know if I can get by off million a year’—which I don’t hear them saying that, but that’s the presumption—that that’s what they’re thinking—good lord, man. I mean, the real world’s tough, and what they’re getting paid, good for them.”
JBL also admitted he personally faced a similar crossroads earlier in his own career and ultimately chose stability over walking away. According to him, remaining with WWE despite uncertainty eventually paid off in a major way once he reinvented himself as JBL.
“I thought it was worth it to stay for me because I thought I still had a chance to do something—and I did. I became JBL and made that downside guarantee that Laurinaitis gave me. That’s the one I made 10 or 12x of what that downside guarantee was.”
“A lot of these guys, you can go out, you can make a name for yourself, or you can take guaranteed money.”
JBL’s comments come after reports revealed several WWE wrestlers already accepted reduced contracts under TKO’s restructuring strategy, while others — like Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods — rejected new terms and left the company entirely.
According to Dave Meltzer, the number of wrestlers approached for pay cuts was reportedly fewer than six, and many were already viewed internally as talent WWE creative had little long-term interest in using prominently moving forward.
So, JBL clearly believes accepting a reduced WWE deal doesn’t make talent weak or disloyal. In his eyes, it simply means wrestlers are making practical business decisions in an industry where guaranteed money and long-term security are never guaranteed forever.
Do you agree with JBL’s take on WWE talent accepting pay cuts under TKO, or do you think more wrestlers should walk away rather than accept reduced deals? Drop your thoughts below and let us know.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
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