Dragon Lee’s three-year WWE deal ‘above the standard NXT-level money’

More details are available regarding Dragon Lee’s contract with WWE.

Lee announced he signed with the company during AAA’s Noche de Campeones event on Wednesday. ESPN would later report that the 27-year-old is earmarked for NXT. 

Our own Dave Meltzer addressed Lee’s signing in Friday’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He noted that AEW also made an offer to Lee, the deal he signed with WWE is for three years, and the financial terms are for “above the standard NXT-level money.” 

Meltzer wrote: 

AEW had also made an offer to Lee.

From a money standpoint, it was obviously more than Mexico but we were told the WWE offer was above the standard NXT-level money, but not main roster money.

WWE contracts typically have a confidentiality clause that prevents talent from stating publicly how much they are being paid. Lee would receive a new contract if he is called up to the main roster with the bottom number for such contracts at $250,000. 

His current deal is for three years, calls for pay increases each year and it is believed the plan is to call him up to the main roster in 2024. 

The belief is that he would be the highest paid NXT wrestler now that Mandy Rose is no longer working with the brand. It’s a three-year deal and does call for pay increases with each year, but the hope and certainly the feeling he was given is he would have a main roster contract and be brought up in 2024.

It was later clarified that this would make him the second-highest-paid wrestler in NXT behind Apollo Crews.