AEW does not officially disclose wrestler salaries. Every figure below comes from wrestling business reporting — Fightful Select, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (Dave Meltzer), Tokyo Sports, ESPN — plus, in one case, a wrestler’s own public comment. Where reports conflict or a number is disputed, that’s called out directly rather than smoothed over. Nothing here should be read as a confirmed contract figure.
A note on the order: Okada, Moné, and Moxley have specific reported dollar figures attached to them, so their placement near the top is easier to justify. Several other entries only have vague descriptions like “several million” or “top-tier” in the reporting, with no specific number — so their exact order relative to each other is approximate, not a precise ranking.
10. Adam “Hangman” Page — Reported Top-Tier Earner Since AEW’s Launch
Reported figure: No specific number publicly reported; described as “top-tier” by industry outlets.
Hangman Page has been with AEW since the company’s first year and is a former AEW World Champion. His consistent main-event presence, merchandise sales, and involvement in AEW’s biggest angles have kept him reported among the roster’s highest earners. No specific contract figure has been publicly confirmed, but he’s one of the few original AEW signings still commanding a top-tier deal years into the company’s run.
9. Bryan Danielson — Reported Top Deal at Signing, Value Now Beyond In-Ring Work
Reported figure: No specific number publicly reported; described at signing as “one of the richest deals in AEW history.”
Bryan Danielson joined AEW in 2021 on a deal widely described at the time as one of the richest in company history, though the exact figure was never officially confirmed. Even with a reduced in-ring schedule, his role as a backstage mentor and locker room leader is reported to keep his pay among the highest in the company.
8. Kenny Omega — Reported High Earner, Plus Outside Income
Reported figure: No specific number publicly reported.
Kenny Omega was one of AEW’s founding stars and is reported to remain among its highest-paid wrestlers. Beyond his in-ring pay, he earns from video game ventures and other business interests. As an AEW Executive Vice President, part of his compensation is also tied to his creative and business role rather than performing alone.
7. Chris Jericho — Reported Top Earner Since AEW’s First Year
Reported figure: No specific AEW salary publicly reported; net worth (including outside ventures) estimated in the eight figures.
Chris Jericho joined AEW in 2019 as its first-ever World Champion and signed a new deal in 2022 that’s reported to have kept him among the company’s highest-paid wrestlers, though the exact terms weren’t made public. Outside the ring, his podcast, music career, and other ventures are estimated to have built an eight-figure net worth.
6. MJF — Reportedly Several Million Annually
Reported figure: Described as “several million dollars a year” by outlets at signing; no exact number confirmed.
MJF signed one of the most talked-about deals in AEW history, reported at the time to be worth several million dollars a year, though — as with most entries here — the precise number was never officially disclosed. As a former AEW World Champion and top heel, his promo work and drawing power are generally cited as justification for the deal. He’s one of the few wrestlers on this list who built his AEW value without arriving as an already-established outside star.
5. Swerve Strickland — His Own Comments Suggest a Multi-Million-Dollar Deal
Reported figure: No official number; Strickland’s own March 2026 comment implies roughly $3 million or more annually.
Swerve Strickland signed a multi-year AEW deal in 2024 that Fightful Select reports runs at least through 2028. The exact number was never confirmed. But in March 2026, Strickland himself waded into a fan debate on X after someone floated a hypothetical $600K AEW main-event salary. His response: “My main events are like 5x that.” That comment points toward a figure in the range of $3 million or more, though it’s a wrestler’s own claim in an online argument, not a verified contract detail — so it should be read as a strong hint rather than a confirmed number. It’s also a meaningfully higher signal than the vaguer “multi-million-dollar range” estimates that circulated after his 2024 title run, which is why he’s placed above several entries here that only carry unspecific “top-tier” descriptions. He’s also one of the few wrestlers on this list who built his AEW value without arriving as an already-established outside star.
4. Will Ospreay — Reported Top-Tier Deal After NJPW
Reported figure: No specific number publicly reported; described as a top-tier deal.
Will Ospreay signed a multi-year deal when he joined AEW after building his reputation in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. His in-ring performances since arriving have made him a consistent main-event fixture, and his pay is reported to rank among the highest on the roster, though no specific figure has been publicly confirmed.
3. Jon Moxley — Reported ~$6 Million Annually
Reported figure: ~$6 million annually (unconfirmed).
Jon Moxley left WWE in 2019 and became one of AEW’s defining stars. Fightful Select reported in October 2022 that he signed a five-year extension running through 2027, expanding his role to include coaching and mentoring talent. Sportskeeda and other outlets have since put his AEW salary at roughly $6 million per year, though that specific figure has not been officially confirmed by AEW or Moxley himself. As a four-time AEW World Champion, his deal is also reported to include that coaching and mentorship role.
2. Mercedes Moné — Reported Highest-Paid Woman in Wrestling, Exact Figure Disputed
Reported figure: Estimates range from ~$5 million to $10M+ annually — both figures disputed.
Mercedes Moné, formerly Sasha Banks in WWE, signed with AEW in March 2024 after reports indicated WWE wouldn’t match her asking price. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported at the time that her deal made her the highest-paid woman in wrestling history — but Dave Meltzer’s own reporting also stated the real number was “considerably lower” than the $5 million-a-year figure that was circulating publicly. A separate, later report (via eWrestlingNews) described the deal as exceeding $10 million annually over a 3–5 year term with a possible third-year opt-out. That higher number has been publicly disputed by wrestling veterans, including Dutch Mantell, who called it unbelievable. The one point most sources agree on: her signing reset the pay bar for women’s wrestling, even if the exact number stays contested.
1. Kazuchika Okada — Reportedly AEW’s Highest Earner, Number Disputed
Reported figure: ~$13.5 million over three years (Tokyo Sports), disputed as lower by the Wrestling Observer.
Kazuchika Okada is the wrestler most consistently reported as AEW’s highest-paid star. Tokyo Sports first reported his deal at 2 billion yen over three years — roughly $13.5 million total, or about $4.5 million a year — and Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp said sources described that figure as accurate. But the Wrestling Observer Newsletter later disputed it, with Meltzer stating the real number was lower, though still substantial. No outlet has produced a confirmed figure both sides agree on. What’s consistent across every report is that his deal is among the richest in AEW history, and his main-event push since leaving New Japan has matched the price tag.
A Note on AEW’s Total Talent Payroll
Some outlets have cited a Wrestling Observer estimate of roughly $104 million in total annual AEW talent payroll, spread across close to 192 signed wrestlers — working out to an average of about $540,000 per wrestler. That reporting dates to 2024, and no fresher, sourced 2026 payroll figure was available at the time of writing — so it’s included here for context on how top-heavy AEW’s pay structure is reported to be, not as a current 2026 number. Treat the average as historical context rather than this year’s figure.
My Take
What stands out about this list is how many of AEW’s highest-paid wrestlers built their reputations somewhere else first — Okada in New Japan, Moxley and Jericho in WWE, Moné as one of WWE’s biggest female stars. AEW is clearly willing to pay for a proven track record. But the company has also rewarded talent it developed in-house: MJF and Swerve Strickland’s reported deals suggest AEW pays for what’s built on its own shows too, not just outside pedigree. Swerve’s own March 2026 comments are the clearest sign yet that homegrown AEW stars may be earning more than older estimates suggested — worth revisiting as more details surface.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is reported as AEW’s highest-paid wrestler in 2026? Kazuchika Okada is most consistently cited, with Tokyo Sports and Fightful Select estimating his three-year deal around $13.5 million — though the Wrestling Observer has disputed that exact figure.
Is Mercedes Moné’s AEW contract confirmed at $10 million a year? No. That figure comes from a single report and has been publicly disputed by wrestling veterans. Wrestling Observer reporting has separately said the real number is lower than some of the figures floated online.
Did Swerve Strickland confirm his AEW salary? Not officially. In March 2026, he responded to a fan’s hypothetical $600K figure by saying his main-event pay is “5x that,” which suggests a much higher number without confirming an exact one.
Does AEW publicly release wrestler salaries? No. All figures in this article come from industry reporting, insider sourcing, or wrestlers’ own public comments — not confirmed company disclosures.
Sources referenced: Fightful Select, Wrestling Observer Newsletter (Dave Meltzer), Tokyo Sports, ESPN, Forbes, Sportskeeda, Slam Wrestling, Ringside News.
Gaurav Sharma
Founder & Lead Writer, Wrestling Nightmare
I’ve been hooked on wrestling since childhood—from the Attitude Era to today’s Bloodline saga, plus AEW and TNA. My favorite match of all time is The Rock vs. Brock Lesnar (SummerSlam 2002), and I’ll always stand by Bray Wyatt’s untapped potential.
At Wrestling Nightmare, I break down news, analyze matches, and drop verified recaps. Got a correction or wanna debate? Hit me up at contact@wrestlingnightmare.com
