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What's the story?
Rey Mysterio might be a free agent right now but it's for a very good reason because most companies can't afford to pay him. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports Mysterio is asking around $10,000 a match — a figure baulked at by most companies.
In case you didn't know...
Rey Mysterio is an amazing talent who has travelled the world on his own and under several different company banners during his career. But as he looks at the next phase as an in-ring performer, it appears he might want to supplement his reduced schedule with a much higher per-match asking price.
The heart of the matter
Rey Mysterio isn't the same wrestler we once knew. He's 42-years-old and his body has been through a lot of punishment. He's currently not officially under contract with any wrestling company and taking indie dates.
But the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports some companies like New Japan Pro Wrestling and Ring Of Honor won't bring him in. Since he's one of the hottest free agents in pro wrestling right now, he is also one of the most expensive.
Rey Mysterio is reportedly asking for around $10,000 a match which is a very high price tag. But even though bigger companies might not want to pay that much to bring Mysterio in for a match, he's apparently getting enough sporadic indie bookings at that pay-level to make a comfortable living.
What's next?
Rey Mysterio is rumoured to be training his son Dominic to follow in his footsteps. That venture could cost him some time away from in-ring competition but it might pay off to further secure his family's legacy in pro wrestling.
But as long as companies are willing to pay out $10,000 for Rey Mysterio to make their town, he'll gladly keep showing up for indie companies who can afford him.
Author's take
Let's do some math here. If Rey Mysterio is asking for $10,000 a match and let's just assume he's booked for a twenty-minute match, he's making $500 a minute.
Of course, that doesn't mean he has to work the whole time he's in the ring either. After all, the first good ten minutes of a match could be feeling out his opponent and letting the audience chant "6-1-9" in his general direction.
Still, a $500 a minute asking price is pretty steep for his services. That's not including if he wants more to do a meet and greet or promotion for the show either which wasn't mentioned by The Observer.
It's no wonder that some promoters might want to stay away from a price tag like that unless they were selling tickets for $1,000 a piece.
Some might wonder if Rey Mysterio is worth it and he totally is. But there are a lot of people who are worth way more than they actually get paid, just ask any school teacher.
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