Diamond Dallas Page Says He Accepted Lesser WCW Contract To Live Out His Dream

Diamon Dallas Page might not have been a main event titan, but he's notable for kicking off his career in his 30s and becoming a big name amongst his generation. However, that late start put him at a disadvantage in one specific area, as he revealed on "The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast." 

"When I negotiated my contract for '97 and '98, what you don't know is that I'm at maybe the middle of the card, and [Eric] Bischoff's super tight with me, but he would not give me the money," DDP said.

Page recalled Bischoff admitting how close they were during his WWE Hall of Fame induction, stating that Page had to work twice as hard in WCW because of their friendship, but according to DDP, it was five times as hard instead. "I had to be so resilient and persistent," he claimed. "So this whole run that I do in '97 and '98? I got paid 250 and 275 [thousand dollars] for the year, and everybody else was making millions!" 

"To tell you the truth, I didn't give a f***, 'cause I was living the dream on such a level, like f*** it, that's more important!" he quickly added. Page also pointed out how stacked the WCW roster was, and notes that being able to become a recognized star amongst the talent at the time is an achievement in itself.

In 1979, Page suffered a knee injury that forcibly halted his wrestling career, and he went on become a nightclub owner while managing wrestlers on the side until making his return to the ring in 1991. Today, Page is known for his ongoing work to rehabilitate pro wrestlers who have experienced physical declines or help people looking to get fit.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "The Major Wrestling Figure Podcast," and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.