TKO Expected to Approach WWE Talent About Taking Pay Cuts

WWE’s post-WrestleMania 42 releases already raised serious questions about job security—but a new report reveals that TKO will approach talent in order to accept a pay cut.

After Dave Meltzer’s breakdown revealed just how little protection most WWE deals actually offer, new details are now painting an even clearer picture of how things are operating under TKO Group Holdings.

Speaking during a Q&A session, WrestleVotes was asked directly about reports that contract restructuring played a role in The New Day deciding to leave — and whether that situation is happening elsewhere on the roster. The answer was direct: it’s not isolated.

“Yeah, absolutely. It’s going on, and it will continue to go on. They’re going to approach every single person they feel like they can about taking less money—that’s just the business we’re in right now with TKO.”

Instead of contract disputes being rare or case-by-case, this suggests a broader strategy — one where WWE, under TKO, is actively looking at contracts across the board and seeing where cuts can be made. WrestleVotes also clarified that this isn’t something that applies evenly to everyone. Top-tier names are unlikely to be affected in the same way.

“Does that mean they’re going to ask Roman Reigns to take a few million dollars less? No.”

The focus, according to WrestleVotes, is on talent who are earning strong money but aren’t consistently featured on television — the exact group that has already been hit hardest in recent cuts.

“But when you get down the roster and you see guys like The New Day, JC Mateo, and people who fit that mold—people that are making a lot of money and not seen on TV too often—they’re going to ask you to take less. Yes, that’s true.”

That ties directly into everything that’s already happened. Between releases, contract restructuring, and the lack of no-cut clauses, the message is becoming clearer — job security isn’t just limited, it’s actively being reshaped.

At the end of the day, this isn’t just about contracts anymore. It’s about leverage. WWE talent aren’t just at risk of being released; they could also be asked to stay under new terms, and that decision might come down to whether they’re willing to take less to stay.

Do you think WWE talent should accept pay cuts to stay on the roster, or is it better to walk away like The New Day did? Let us know your thoughts.

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