Here Are Some of the Strangest Wrestling Contract Clauses You’ll Encounter
Generally speaking, the terms of sports contracts are somewhat dull, except for the enormous sums of money, of course. Such is also the case in the wrestling world. Nevertheless, every once in a while, you'll see an unusual clause in a contract that you'd never see anywhere else.
Some of the biggest names in the business and the promotion companies they work for have adopted specific agreements into their negotiations. Not only do some of the deals involve creative control, but the firms also have a say in travel arrangements.
Leading a Double Life
Many fans of World Wrestling Entertainment know they largely ignore the rest of the wrestling world because they have their own "WWE Universe." Longtime followers know this wasn't always the case, though, as the company has collaborated with various similar operations across the globe and in North America over the years.
One example of such collaboration is Jerry "The King" Lawler. After his debut at the USWA, which was based in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1997, where he thrived. He indeed became some kind of a hero in his hometown. Nevertheless, Lawler appeared on WWE simultaneously but was portrayed as a villain. It was a good thing social media wasn't a thing; otherwise, fans would have called him 'Two Face' instead of 'The King.'
They Can't Use Their Name
Wrestling fans are familiar with the Dudley Boyz, who, despite being half-brothers, did not share the same last name. On top of that, none of them have 'Dudley' for a surname—Bubba Ray is Mark LoMonaco in real-life, while D-Von is called Devon Hughes.
Nevertheless, their stage name clicked, especially during their stint at the time in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW). Unfortunately, when WWE purchased ECW promotions, the tag team's name came along with the deal. It was not a problem as long as the Dudley Boyz played for the famous wrestling promotion; however, when they decided to work for others like TNA and ROH, they encountered legal matters with the WWE.
The Championship as Ransom
Remember Jeff Jarrett, the wrestler who became famous after his 1992 debut at the WWE? He caught the attention of wrestling fans because of the gimmick portraying a country music star. His stint with the promotion was pretty successful, which probably contributed to them overseeing that his contract was about to expire.
According to the story, the WWE was unaware that Jarrett's contract was coming to an end while he was the Intercontinental champion. The wrestler apparently took advantage of the situation to get a quick payday, haggling with the WWE for an undisclosed figure before deciding to give Chyna the belt. Sources claimed the amount in question was $300K.
A Clause That Could Cause Bankruptcy
Many believe that WCW's relationship with money wasn't the best. One proof of this is their "Favored Nation" clause. According to the provision, no one who works for the same promotion could earn more than the wrestler who had this stipulated on the contract. These agreements have been utilized extensively in entertainment and are not only applied solely in professional wrestling. Nevertheless, it got linked to it because of WCW.
After Scott Hall and Kevin Nash defected from the WWF, rumors circulated that they had cleverly acquired the clause with the help of their famous agent, Barry Bloom. In essence, whenever WCW signed lucrative deals with famous wrestlers who joined their promotion, Hall and Nash's pay also rose.