1. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – Net Worth: $70 million
Whether you see him as The Rock, the pro wrestler, or Dwayne Johnson the Hollywood mega-star, this man is perhaps the most recognizable face in the history of professional wrestling. The Rock’s popularity has not dwindled after stepping away from the business that made him famous in 2004. In fact, according to his box office numbers for 2013, he may be more popular than ever.
Dwayne Johnson grossed $1.2 billion in 2013 according to Forbes, topping any actor. His top roles included ‘Fast 6′, ‘G.I Joe’ and ‘Pain and Gain’. Oh, and he also headlined WrestleMania 29 against John Cena, which sold over 1 million pay-per-views.
The Rock has said that there was a time when he was 24 years old, having just been cut by the Calgary Stampeders practice squad of the CFL, that he had just seven dollars in his pocket. Those days are long gone. He’s 41 now and will continue to earn millions for the foreseeable future. He has the looks, talent and persona to be a major box office star for a long time, just as he was in wrestling.
The Rock debuted for the WWE in 1996 and by the time he retired in 2004, he had accomplished everything one could possibly accomplish in wrestling in a span of just eight years. He won every title multiple times, including seven runs as WWE champion. He had the most catchphrases of any wrestler, cut the most entertaining promos, sold tons of merchandise, and was just everything you could want in a superstar.
After seven years, he returned to the WWE on a part-time basis in 2011. He hosted WrestleMania 27, and headlined WrestleManias 28 and 29 against Cena. He even won his eighth WWE championship against CM Punk at the 2013 Royal Rumble. After dropping the title to Cena, Johnson had fulfilled all contractual obligations to the WWE and is back on the silver screen. We will probably see him back in the ring some day, but in the meantime, he’s keeping his schedule and his wallet full. There’s just not enough space to list all of Dwayne Johnson’s accolades.
The door has been opened for wrestlers to make money outside of the industry if they are big enough stars to do so. Many have gone on to earn movie roles and these numbers show that professional wrestling, while not at the level of popularity it once was, is still beloved by many.
