Marc Mero Reveals Backstage Heat Over Guaranteed Contract in 1996 WWE

In a recent interview with Wrestling Shoot Interviews, Marc Mero, a former WWE Superstar, shed light on the resentment he faced from the locker room upon signing with the company in 1996. The controversy stemmed from his groundbreaking guaranteed contract, a first for the company at the time.

"I was the first one on a guaranteed contract with WWE," Mero explained, "so I get paid the same no matter what." He elaborated on the financial details, revealing, "It was 350 [thousand dollars a year], and a signing bonus, and every year it went up 50 grand. Yeah it was incredible, it broke the glass ceiling so to speak..."

However, the financial security came with a social cost. Mero continued, "So what really hurt me (with the other wrestlers) is when I'm off for 8 months with my ACL surgery I'm getting paid this big money every week and I got a huge signing bonus, and it just ruffled a lot of feathers when I came to WWE."

The resentment reportedly affected Mero's in-ring performance. "We weren't very well liked," he admitted, "and I could see how it would translate into the ring too where guys didn't want to do a lot of stuff that I wanted to do, or did not perform, and there were some people who would even make a mockery of working with me, who would do things that were really hurtful in the ring that made me look really bad."

Despite the challenges, Mero maintained a professional approach. "But you look back and you just roll with it," he concluded.

Mero's guaranteed contract paved the way for similar deals for other wrestlers, but his own WWE run ultimately proved uneventful. His final match for the company took place in December 1998, and his contract expired in 1999.