WWE NXT Contract Rumors; McAfee Tweets Adam Cole; Eli Drake Debuts as LA Knight

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and AEW. 

WWE NXT Salaries Revealed

There is far less known about salaries paid to NXT stars than their main-roster counterparts, but Dave Melzter of Wrestling Observer Radio noted there is a huge disparity between the shows. 

"They're not making $250,000 or $300,000 or anything like that — Balor I'm sure is, but I don't think anyone else is. They're probably in the low $100,000s. I know one top person in NXT who's been there for a long time, and he should be making a ton, but he's making $130,000 so, they're making like $130,000, $150,000. Adam Cole may be making a little more, he should be. That's the range.

"NXT, you usually see the start at like $60,000, maybe $50,000 depending on who you are. If you're like a guy who was a football player you'll get more and then you'll get raises to a certain point. There might be guys who make more than that, but not much more."

The numbers Meltzer refers to are likely what's considered the "downside" in a WWE contract, or salary paid regardless of how a wrestler fares on television or in merch sales. The stars of NXT likely reel in more money once their merch is factored into the equation.

The downside for Raw and SmackDown stars is typically significantly higher, with even lower-card talent reeling in six figures annually.

One of the biggest reasons talent still views Raw and SmackDown as a call up is the significant difference in pay, despite NXT being qualitatively WWE's best product.

Pat McAfee Brags About Being 'Right' About Adam Cole

The finish of NXT Takeover: Vengeance Day was a surprise to nearly everyone, with Adam Cole turning on Kyle O'Reilly by super-kicking him after Undisputed Era came out to help Finn Balor at the end of the pay-per-view.

While it's unclear where Roderick Strong fits in this scenario, it's clear this is the end of the Undisputed Era as we know it and a shift toward a heel turn from Cole.

One person taking glee in the downfall of UE is longtime Cole rival Pat McAfee:

The former NFL punter has been off WWE television since December's NXT Takeover: WarGames event, and there is seemingly no plan to bring him back anytime soon. McAfee was one of the most successful heels in recent NXT history and even acquitted himself well inside the ring, so it's unclear if the real-life reason behind his exit was his own doing or that of WWE.

That said, it's at least interesting that it only took two months after UE's WarGames victory before Cole proved McAfee's criticisms correct.

Eli Drake Back in WWE as LA Knight

Eli Drake, now wrestling under the name LA Knight, made his NXT debut during the Vengeance Day preshow and seems to be gearing up for a strong push with the promotion. Triple H spoke to reporters after the event, saying he's been a fan of Knight since his first run with WWE:

"I've been a fan of his since he was here the first time. And you know, there's a lot of reasons on his side, and our side, as to why that didn't work out that time, but I was a fan of his then, I was a fan of his work and his promo skills, and everything else as he went along his journey, and I've always thought when the time was right, he'd be great, and the time was right.

"Phone calls were made, and interest was on both sides, and it just went from there. It was smooth and easy, you know? He wants to be in a place where he can have the biggest platform in the world, and that's here, and I want to give it to him. So we're going to run with it and see where we can go, and there is no ceiling."

Knight was in WWE from 2013 to 2014, wrestling under the name Slate Randall. His run was largely forgettable before he turned his career around with a strong run in Impact, which led to him getting a second try in WWE.