World Championship Wrestling was never afraid to spend money. Backed by billionaire Ted Turner, WCW President Eric Bischoff spent lavishly on what he believed was the most valuable talent in the industry. In some cases, he genuinely did secure big names. In other cases, he blew hundreds of thousands on forgettable and distinctly mediocre wrestlers. Some of WCW's top earners, they couldn't believe what they were making. The following is a ranking of the most mind blowing salaries. The total sums include a wrestler's downside, merchandise, and licensing for their top earning year. The source is from filings in the WCW racial discrimination lawsuit, which listed the range of wrestler earnings in the nineties and early 2000's.
22. Konnan - $469,675 In 1999
A veteran of AAA, Eric Bischoff brought Konnan into WCW during 1996. He was a moderate star, hardly the biggest headliner in the world, but he was bagging an impressive $469,675 in 1999. That placed him above the likes of Chris Benoit and Rey Mysterio. Sure, Konnan had star appeal to the latino audience, but earning more than Mysterio is a little surprising. WWE realised that the master of the 619 was the real key to doing big business in the latin market, and WCW missed the boat a little with investing more in Konnan over Mysterio.
