10 Most Overpaid WWE Stars Of 2017

6. Kane

Brock Lesnar Loves It
WWE.com

Christ, Kane.

He's put up with so much sh*te (and cumulative pain) over the years that you almost cannot begrudge what must rank well up there as a massive downside guarantee - but since we've put up with so much of his sh*te, the rumoured seven-figure sum ($1.5M) is, if nothing else, an indictment of WWE's ability to create genuine new stars in the post-Attitude Era.

Writing subjectively, Kane is abysmal in 2017 - treacle slow, and bereft of dynamism and aura, he stalks the ring with precisely the wrong sort of lurching dread. A performer in his position really need do only one thing: flatter the younger, fresher opponents with whom he's working, even in defeat. This hasn't been the case. The tail of 2017 acted as a winter of discontent - bitter cold months pure tedium, generating apathy and silence. That silence is an objective gauge of Kane's currency heading into the 21st year of portraying the character. Audibly, nobody cares.

He's only doing his job, but what a boring job that is. Braun Strowman has never generated less enthusiasm. He's almost single-handedly stripped Finn Bálor of any legitimacy. He is the least enticing opponent of Brock Lesnar's since Triple H at WrestleMania 29.

If that figure represented his retirement fund, it would seem fair. Since it doesn't, it's a dire state of WWE's creative affairs.

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 current Undisputed WWE 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!