At Wrestle Kingdom 12 in January 2018 Chris Jericho returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling to take on Kenny Omega. The bout was Jericho’s first outside of WWE since 1999 and led to further matches against the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Tetsuya Naito and Hiroshi Tanahashi.
This run between 2018 and 2020 was recently back in the news following the news that Sasha Banks is heading to Japan for Wrestle Kingdom 17. It has been reported that Banks will be earning “significantly more” than Jericho did per-appearance. However, the AEW star has now attempted to set the record straight.
Chris Jericho Slams “Completely Wrong” Reports Over Earnings
Following the reports, Chris Jericho took to social media to dismiss reports that he was paid $100,000 per-appearance.
“For the record, the money I reportedly made during my run with @njpw1972 from 2018-2020 online currently is completely wrong. I never had a flat per appearance deal, I was paid according to the event. And I made more per event than I did for MOST of my Wrestlemania matches.”
For the record, the money I reportedly made during my run with @njpw1972 from 2018-2020 online currently is completely wrong. I never had a flat per appearance deal, I was paid according to the event. And I made more per event than I did for MOST of my Wrestlemania matches.
— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) December 16, 2022
With regard to Sasha Banks appearing with New Japan, it has been reported by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that she is on a “huge per-event deal.” The report adds that Rossy Ogawa of Stardom actually turned down the deal before Takaaki Kidani, the CEO of Bushiroad ensured that Banks was signed.
Dave Meltzer also confirms that Sasha Banks was negotiating with WWE after Triple H assumed creative control of the company. Despite this the two parties were very part apart on the issue of money. Banks reportedly asked for a new deal which would have put her on the same financial level as Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, but WWE felt that she “has peaked as a star.”
It is believed that both Flair and Lynch earn in excess of $1 million per year.