When WWE and UFC merged, the money got very, very serious.
There’s sports money. Then there’s TKO Group money. The two are barely in the same galaxy.
A proxy statement filed with the SEC by TKO Group Holdings has revealed the staggering 2025 pay packages of its top executives — and a fascinating look at what Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson earned from his WWE deal. The numbers will make your jaw drop.
Table of Contents
TKO Executive Pay — 2025 Breakdown
TKO Group Holdings was formed in September 2023 through the merger of WWE and UFC, operating under the Endeavor Group Holdings umbrella. And business, clearly, has been very good.
| Executive | Role | 2025 Total Pay | 2024 Pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ari Emanuel | CEO & Executive Chair | $67.4 million | $18.1 million |
| Mark Shapiro | President & COO | $42.64 million | $32 million |
Ari Emanuel — $67.4 Million
Emanuel’s package included a $3 million base salary, roughly $11.88 million in cash bonuses, stock awards worth $43.9 million, and $8.1 million in non-equity incentive compensation. An additional ~$365,000 was tied to personal use of a company-provided aircraft. That’s not a salary. That’s a masterclass in executive compensation.
Mark Shapiro — $42.64 Million
Shapiro’s package comprised a $4 million base salary, ~$12.5 million in cash bonuses, and stock awards worth $25.8 million. His pay has more than doubled since 2023 — a sign of just how fast TKO has scaled.
What Did The Rock Actually Make from WWE in 2025?
Here’s where it gets interesting. The most electrifying man in sports entertainment earned significantly less in cash — but his long-term stock play tells a different story.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson received a $30 million stock award and earned $900,000 in royalties under a decade-long merchandising and independent contractor deal tied to his joining TKO’s Board in January 2024. He was also paid $600,000 in travel expense reimbursements.
| The Rock’s 2025 Earnings | Amount |
|---|---|
| Stock Award | $30 million |
| WWE Royalties | $900,000 |
| Travel Reimbursements | $600,000 |
However, the filing also noted that Johnson was the only TKO board member who failed to attend at least 75% of board meetings in 2025, missing several “due to prior business commitments.” Being The Rock is, apparently, a very busy job.
The Bigger Picture
The TKO pay story is really a story about what happens when you merge the world’s two most powerful combat sports brands under one roof. WWE and UFC were already juggernauts individually — together, they’ve created a financial machine that rewards its leaders at levels that rival Hollywood studios and tech companies.
For fans of WWE in India, these numbers reflect the growing global appetite for professional wrestling as premium entertainment — and that’s only going to push production values, storylines, and events like WrestleMania to bigger heights.
Stay updated on all WWE, UFC, and combat sports news at TechnoSports — India’s home for sports and entertainment.
