Awesome Kong Recalls Being Denied A Raise In TNA, ‘I Was Making Less Than A Manager At McDonald’s’
Awesome Kong is arguably the most decorated TNA Knockout of all-time, taking the division to new heights alongside Gail Kim.
On the season seven premiere of Dark Side of the Ring, which looks at the history of Jeff Jarrett and TNA, Kong reflected on how the Knockouts were treated financially in the company.
“It kind of felt like [Dixie Carter] didn’t appreciate her homegrown talent. Kurt is making a little over a million dollars a year. Kurt Angle deserved more than a million a year, in my opinion. Can you tell me that I’m not worth 1/10th of Kurt Angle? I asked for a raise and let them know that as you break it down, I make less than a manager at McDonald’s. The reply that I got was, ‘We do not dispute any of the points you made, however, we cannot pay you that sum at this time.’
“There were more than two TNA Knockouts, who held the TNA title that had to moonlight in very blue-collar jobs. One worked at a bar. She would be on TV and the customers would say, ‘Isn’t that you?’ She would say, ‘Yes, may I take your order?’ Dixie knows that we’re struggling, and she’s still hiring people in front of us.”
TNA handed out big money contracts to the likes of Scott Steiner, Booker T, Kevin Nash, and more.
Elsewhere during the episode, David Sahadi recalled how Nash buttered up Dixie. You can find his comments here.
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