10 Most Overpaid WWE Stars Of 2017

9. Dolph Ziggler

Brock Lesnar Loves It
WWE.com

Dolph Ziggler has accrued almost a decade of main roster experience, during which time he has "enjoyed" a couple of salary-spiking reigns with the World Heavyweight Championship. Allegedly dissuaded from leaving WWE altogether in the not-too distant past, very decent money must have talked to convince the self-professed top-tier talent to stumble onward in a midcard role. This should put his salary closer to seven figures than six, with the aforementioned dubious source citing the precise downside guarantee as an eye-watering $900,000.

This causes pause not because Ziggler isn't worth it. Of course he is: look at that L'Oréal-level hairstyle, and the sheer amount of very painful-looking, big-bumping graft he's endured over what seems like a million years. But the thing about Ziggler, in 2017, is that he hasn't really pulled off the expensive elder statesman role, and more to the point - since he's not entirely at fault for that - he barely appeared on television throughout the summer months. Creative had nothing for one of the highest-paid members of the SmackDown roster.

What an indictment of Road Dogg's regime that is.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!