10 Things We Learned From Ryback's First Podcast

3. The Deal He Turned Down Was For $1.5 Million Over 3 Years

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WWE.com

When Ryback walked out of WWE several months back, rumors were all over the internet regarding the reasons for his departure. In addition to the speculation, Ryan added credibility to some of the hearsay by writing a public blog in which he confirmed some of the speculated grievances although he denied that the focal point was centered around pay.

In his blog, Ryan came close to contradicting himself by saying he wasn't leaving because of money but then went on to complain about the pay structure, suggesting that all performers should be paid similarly. This notion was a lightning rod of controversy and lead to many debates within the professional wrestling community.

On his podcast debut, Ryan disclosed that the deal he turned down from WWE was for $1.5 million dollars over a 3 year period. To break that down annually, it would come to $500,000 but that doesn't include travel expenses which Ryback was adamant be covered. While it's certainly a large amount of money to the average person, Ryback believes his value was much higher.

To be fair, Reeves and Buck mentioned how even independent promotions typically cover travel expenses for the high-priced talent they bring in so for WWE to continue to get away with avoiding these costs, in 2016, is ridiculous.

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A former stuntman for Paramount Pictures, Matt enjoys sports, water skiing, driving fast, the beach, professional wrestling, technology, and scotch. At the same time, whenever possible. Having attended many famous (and infamous) shows including WrestleMania XV, In Your House: Mind Games, and the 1995 King of the Ring, Matt has been a lifelong professional sports and wrestling fan. Matt's been mentioned in numerous wrestling podcasts including the Steve Austin Show: Unleashed, Talk Is Jericho, and Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard. As a former countywide performer, Matt has been referred to as Mr. 300 for his amazing accomplishments in the world of amateur bowling. He is also the only man on record to have pitched back-to-back no hitters in the Veterans Stadium Wiffle Ball League of 2003.