Liv Morgan may be one of WWE’s biggest stars today, but her journey to the top wasn’t exactly glamorous. Before becoming a multiple-time Women’s World Champion, Morgan spent her first year in NXT struggling financially, to the point where she sometimes had just a few dollars left after paying her bills.
Speaking on the Six Feet Under podcast, Morgan explained that joining WWE actually meant taking a pay cut compared to the money she was making while working at Hooters. Even so, she said there was never any hesitation about signing with WWE because it had always been her dream, adding that she would’ve accepted the opportunity even if it meant not getting paid at all.
“You know, I was doing pretty well for myself at Hooters. Like, I remember, no disrespect, I would’ve—I would’ve signed for free. You wouldn’t have had to pay me a cent. Yeah, I would’ve done it for free.”
Reality hit once she arrived at the Performance Center. Morgan admitted that within her first few months, she realized she had actually been earning more at Hooters than she was on WWE’s developmental salary. Things became even tougher once rent, transportation and wrestling gear started eating into her paycheck.
“But I remember, like, my first couple months being here and being like, ‘I was making more money at Hooters.’
Oh yeah. Like, I was broke my first, like, year in NXT between, like, my rent and Ubering to and from work and gear. Like, I remember there’d be, like, some weeks where I had, like, $6, and I’d go to 7-Eleven and get, like, a Big Gulp and a hot dog for, like, the rest of the week. And that was, like, dinner.
And I remember being like, ‘Damn, like, I was making more money at Hooters.’ Yeah. Um, no shade, no disrespect, but, you know, that NXT starting salary back in the day, that was—you know, it wasn’t much.”
Undertaker said those hardships may have ended up helping Morgan in the long run. He believes wrestlers who experience real struggles often develop a level of toughness that can’t be taught, and said that’s something he sees every time Morgan performs. Rather than disagreeing, Morgan embraced that assessment, saying grit has never been something she’s lacked.
“But that’s important. I think it’s important having—because I find that some of the talent, the lack of the struggle, it hurts, I think, long term when you’re in the ring. ‘Cause there’s a certain amount of grit that you have to go through sometimes to achieve your goals. And I think your presentation in the ring, it exudes that kind of grit. It just—like, she’s been through some s***.“
Looking back now, Morgan can laugh about surviving on hot dogs and Big Gulps, but her story show just how much she sacrificed to chase her dream. Years later, those difficult early days have given way to championship success, proving that the struggle she endured in NXT ultimately paid off.
What do you make of Liv Morgan’s early NXT struggles? Were you surprised to hear she was making more money at Hooters before joining WWE? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
