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WWE is not a sport that falls under the category of light entertainment. It is a commitment, even a lifestyle almost, to the era of heels and heroes and watching them evolve into something completely unexpected. When Dwayne Johnson joined the business that Vince McMahon raised to ungodly levels, the wrestler who was still wet behind the ears had little to offer but much to learn during his embryonic years in the sport.
![The Rock at Wrestlemania XXVIII [Photo by Ed Webster, licensed under CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/26083518/The-Rock-defeats-John-Cena-at-Wrestlemania-XXVIII-Photo-by-Ed-Webster-licensed-under-CC-BY-2.0-via-Wikimedia-Commons.jpg)
Over the years, Dwayne Johnson quickly rose through the ranks, transforming into the world’s most famous heel and molding into a ubiquitously celebrated personality aka The Rock.
However, the Hollywood action movie megastar and affluent business owner of a tequila brand and a production company did not emerge from simply winning the WWE Championship title. Vince McMahon’s behind-the-scenes contribution played a massive role in helping Johnson sell The Rock as a brand and build a future in the glamorous boulevard of Hollywood.
Dwayne Johnson Learns a Life Lesson From WWE
With all that grace and overflowing talent running through his veins,Dwayne Johnsonlacked the one attribute that would go on to make him such a globally renowned and highly successful star. However, such an error was quickly rectified after one simple exchange between the pro wrestler and WWE chief Vince McMahon in the early years of his rising career.
During a regular tête-à-tête involving salary negotiations, Dwayne Johnson conveyed his demand to earn twice as much as his rival, Stone Cold Steve Austin (who also happened to be the company’s biggest star at the time). McMahon hardly hesitated before framing a perfect life lesson for him that not only solved the problem at hand but also helped make Johnson into the man he is today.
In aninterview with Patrick Bet David, Johnson revealed how his conversation with Vince McMahon unraveled:
I said, ‘Who is the highest paid, if you don’t mind me asking. Between us, who is the highest paid on the roster?’ He said, ‘Stone Cold Steve Austin.’ ‘What’s his guarantee[d wage]?’ ‘One million dollars.’
![Dwayne Johnson (R) in Red Notice [Credit: Netflix]](https://i2.wp.com/fwmedia.fandomwire.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/26084121/Red-Notice-1024x576.jpg)
Johnson then cited $2 million as his asking price to which McMahon replied,‘I’m just curious, where do you get that from? What are you figuring in your mind?’The wrestler went on to explain, ‘I love Steve, I respect him. If he’s getting a million dollars, where I see myself going is past a million dollars. I think it should be two.’
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McMahon’s next words would then go on to shape the trajectory of The Rock’s life for the foreseeable future:
I understand that logic. Here’s what I want you to do. I’m going to put you in contact with one of our executives. I need you to take a couple of months to understand the business. I need you to understand this side of the business from top to bottom. All of the economics.
Understand our costs, overhead, look at what’s allocated. Take the time and put in the work that you say you’re committed to, in the ring, I respect that. Now, I want you to learn the business. Once you learn this business, then come back to me and we’ll talk.
At the time of the conversation, Dwayne Johnson was being paid a measly $150,000 by the company and the salary did not cover travel and lodging expenses. As such, the young star’s idea of a profitable and successful career was taking a hit because of his limited funds. Not too long after, The Rock rose through the ranks to become a living legend and also one of the richest, most famous, most celebrated names to be associated with the sport.
Vince McMahon’s Investment Paid Off
To claim that Vince McMahon’s investment in Dwayne Johnson paid off in enormous returns would be a vast understatement. Not only was McMahon one of the best strategists who elevated the popularity of WWE to a global scale and effectively made it into the sport it is today but Johnson also helped raise viewer interest and exponentially increase the foot traffic with his crowd-pulling, entertainment-oriented, magnetism in the ring that guaranteed audience satisfaction above all else.
Behind the scenes, the bond of mutual understanding between the duo was quite sobering to witness. After Johnson’s misfired salary negotiations, he took McMahon up on the offer to learn the business side of things. As expected of the overzealous star on the rise, The Rock participated in a 2-week crash course that taught him all he needed to know regarding the subject at hand.
When he returned to Vince McMahon, their conversation followed a slightly different trajectory as compared to their previous talk:
It was maybe two weeks. It was baptism by fire, and I learned to absorb as much as I could about the business. I went back to Vince, I thanked him and gave him a big hug. I said: ‘I understand now. I’d like to match it at a million dollars, what Steve is getting. Thank you for taking me through it.’
We had a great conversation and he said: ‘How much do you think you’re going to make this year?’ [I said]: ‘My guarantee is a million. I’ve been averaging about 50% over my guarantee. So, maybe 1.5?’ He said: ‘Now that you’ve taken yourself through that and understand the business, you’re going to make $15 million.’ He did the math and could see where it goes. ‘You’ll make $15 million.’
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Sure enough, not only did the rising popularity of WWE make him the highest-earning individual on the roster but Dwayne Johnson’s ultimate business endeavors later increased his net worth to $800 million as a movie star and entrepreneur [viaCelebrity Net Worth]. Now, he is the proud owner of the Seven Bucks Productions television company and Siete Bucks Spirits, among which Teremana Tequila has quickly grown as a fan favorite.
Diya Majumdar
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2408
Diya Majumdar is a Senior Content Writer at FandomWire with over 2000 published articles on the website. Since 2022, she has been working as an entertainment journalist with a special focus on films and pop culture.Among the countless genres and themes of Hollywood, the ones that particularly favor Diya’s tastes include Game of Thrones, DC, and well-aged thrillers and classics.
