10 Insane Wrestling Paydays
5. Bret Hart - $2,500,000 P/A For 5 Years
Never had a man looked so sad to be earning so much.
Captured in the transcendent 'Wrestling With Shadows' documentary, Bret Hart faxing his life away to WCW in late-1997 is loaded with pathos. 'The Hitman' was basically chased out the door by Vince McMahon amidst a flurry of broken promises and sketchy practices that resulted in November's Montreal Screwjob.
Only a year prior, Bret had agreed to an unheard-of 20 year contract with WWE in which he'd transition from wrestler to road agent as part of his overriding intention to be with the company forever. By month eleven of the deal, McMahon already wanted out. During the 1996 negotions, a substantially-hotter 'Hitman' had an enormous offer on the table and had managed to secure it the second time around too. Cash couldn't by Hart's happiness, but $2.5million per annum for five years was more than enough to solidify his standing as one of the money performers in the industry.
The deal was a creative dud on both sides, but Bret at least saw every penny of the contract despite not having to work for much of it after his 2000 retirement and the company's own 2001 collapse.