Natalya has revealed how much money she made in her first WWE contract.
The former SmackDown women’s champion recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. She talked about things such as helping Nikki Bella train for her Royal Rumble return, working with her dad Jim Neidhart on Total Divas, and more.
During the interview, Natalya also talked about her struggles before signing with WWE. The Hart Family member made her in-ring debut in 2000 and worked in countries such as England and Japan for many years before finally being signed to a development contract by WWE in 2007.
The female star revealed that she worked as a waitress for a long time before getting her big break. Citing her own experience in the public service industry, the WWE veteran said that everyone who works such jobs deserves a round of applause:
“I was so excited because I had worked that waitressing job, I cleaned bathrooms, I busted tables, and I did my wrestling when I wasn’t working at that job, and I just fought so hard to get here.
I always remembered how much I actually enjoyed waitressing. I think everybody that does public service or works in the service industry, like I give them a round of applause, because you guys, whoever works in restaurants or retail or has to serve people, it is not easy.”
It Was About Getting My Foot In The Door: Natalya
Natalya was assigned to Deep South Wrestling after signing a development deal with the company. She has been a regular on the main roster since being called up to SmackDown in 2008. Apart from winning multiple titles in WWE, she has also contributed to many people’s career as trainer in the Hart Dungeon since then.
During the interview, the wrestling veteran revealed that she has saved the stub for every check she has received from the Endeavor-owned company. She also disclosed how much money she was making very early in her WWE career:
“I was only making in my first year in WWE $500 a week. So of course that’s not terrible by any means, when you’re just getting started, but when you have to pay for ring gear and your hair and your makeup, and you have to pay taxes on that. In some ways it was less money than I was making as a waitress. But for me, it was about getting my foot in the door.”
Natalya will be stepping out of her comfort zone when she competes in the NWA Crockett Cup during WrestleMania 41 week, having her first non-WWE match in years. You can check out what she said about the bout here.
