Robert Anthony receives pay raise from the NWA.
Prior to NWA’s Director of Talent Relations, Pat Kenney, offering Joe Alonzo and Missa Kate deals with the organization, he brought Robert Anthony in for a meeting. Anthony wrestles in the NWA as ‘Cyon’ and he suggested to the organization that they bring in Kate and Alonzo.
He shared on his ‘Podding With Ego’ podcast that after Pat informed him that he was going to be offering Alonzo and Kate deals, he would be getting a pay raise.
Anthony: I go in, I sit down, he [Pat Kenney] sits down in front of me and he gives me a little bit of a talk that my brain can’t remember the whole thing that he said. But, he said, ‘There’s moments that you’ll never forget’ and he goes, ‘When I signed my first contract, when you signed your first contract, I remember everything about it’ and I said, ‘I remember everything when I signed my first contract as well.’ He goes, ‘We’re gonna offer Joe and we’re gonna offer Missa contracts today’ and I was like, ‘Wow!’ And I go, ‘We all thought you were gonna ask us to go to Mexico’ and I started laughing. I was like, ‘That’s even better’ and we ended up talking a little bit about both of you and a couple personal things I don’t wanna disclose. The one thing I will say was, he said, ‘You,’ as me, ‘Will be getting a raise’ [Anthony laughed] and I said, ‘Oh, this is f*cking great.’ Agent Rob, right? So I was like, ‘Oh, that’s awesome man.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah’ and we talked numbers and everything was great. So he goes, ‘I’m gonna go get the kid’ and he goes, ‘I want you to watch this’ and I go, ‘Wait, what? I get to see?’ He goes, ‘Yeah. It’s a special moment. I want you to see this’ and I was like, ‘Dude, I appreciate that.’ They brought you [Joe Alonzo] in, they sat you down next to me. We talked a little bullsh*t and then he started breaking it down.
Later in the conversation, Anthony and Joe Alonzo spoke about Joe’s contract. Anthony dove into some of the specifics of NWA deals such as being able to work independent dates without filtering those through the organization.
One perk that sold Alonzo on signing was the reevaluation period after six months. His pay could be raised coming out of that reevaluation. Anthony then spoke to Joe about taxes and being an independent contractor.
Anthony: When I signed my WWE contract, it was three years, $500 a week. I could get on TV in six months and still be making $500, nothing changes, okay? Also, I can’t work the indies. Before I got there, some of the guys in developmental were allowed to work indies, locals. It was crazy, then it ended up getting taken away for some reason. I can’t remember why but, it was very handcuffy, the way that contract was laid out and I get it, I understand why, okay. The positives to Joe’s deal, he can do whatever the f*ck he wants in the indies and that was pretty solid… They don’t go through the NWA. Like the TNA contracts, I remember Awesome Kong was getting booked for a show and the promoter had to go through TNA to book her and that money obviously could exchange hands and people put their hands in that cookie jar before it gets to the talent. The way these NWA contracts are, they want nothing to do with it. There’s a couple of rules, you know what I mean? You’re not gonna go to my baseball show and job out to Chico in 30 seconds. When he signs this in a few minutes, he can’t do that, which [is] understandable, right? There are a couple parameters on that which work really well in the talent’s favor. Also, they have options. Every six months, Joe gets reevaluated and his pay, he gets raises which is awesome, right? So for the course of his deal, he’s not locked into $500 a week. No matter what happens, he becomes NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion, he can renegotiate any new money. It is very f*cking good the way this is.
Alonzo: And that was the thing that sold me.
Anthony: When I heard everything that got broken down, I was like, this is f*cking really good and a couple things are bad but every wrestling contract is bad. Joe doesn’t get healthcare, f*cking guys in WWE don’t get healthcare. So that’s not a thing. When Joe gets his f*cking check for $2,000 or whatever, he has to learn the tax code my friend and he’s gonna start having to put money away for taxes because you are gonna be f*cked. What does the first line of that contract say? Can you read it? The very top of it. What does it say?
Alonzo: Independent contractor agreement.
Anthony: Independent contractor agreement. He is now in the world of independent contractor to where if Joe gets paid $40,000 a year, the NWA will give him $40,000. No more, no less, no taxes taken out and he’s gonna have to learn how to f*cking save money for taxes. That’s every deal.
Alonzo: Can I write off gym memberships and stuff? Supplements and all that?
Anthony: Yup. Welcome to the world of professional wrestling.
As the ‘Cyon’ character, Anthony is the reigning NWA National Champion. He’s been in possession of the belt since NWA 74 night one and last defended it at Hard Times 3.
If the quotes in this article are used, please credit ‘Podding With Ego’ with an H/T to POST Wrestling for the transcriptions.
