The WWE released a number of their superstars on Thursday as the company took drastic measures to cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

But the $6 million boss Vince McMahon is expecting to recoup at the cost of 21 wrestlers being cut from the WWE roster is only a fraction of the $16 million Brock Lesnar pockets as the company’s top earner, The Sun reports.

The nine other stars who join the Beast Incarnate in the top ten help propel the overall gross to a combined $60 million (£30.6m) before taxes in 2019.

Forbes reveals that this figure is up on the previous year and attributes the rising pay scale to the increased competition from AEW as well as lucrative TV deals.

WWE pays each wrestler a baseline income — called a “downside guarantee” — that locks in their minimum salary.

But additional payouts on high-selling events and merchandise sales are likely to take a hit because of the coronavirus crisis.

The report only included active full-time members meaning part-timers John Cena, The Undertaker and Ronda Rousey are excluded.

As is the reported £12m payment to WBC champ Tyson Fury for his Saudi Arabia win over Braun Strowman.

Lesnar is still comfortably WWE’s top earner having said to have been wrestling on a flat rate per appearance since he returned to McMahon’s company eight years ago.

Having wrestled just 10 times in televised matches in the mast 12 months, Lesnar is coming to the end of a deal which saw him pocket almost $1.6 million per appearance.

Reported to be out of contract in coming months, Lesnar is reportedly pursuing a new 12-month deal at a time when the threat of All Elite Wrestling is again expected to drive Lesnar’s value through the roof.

He only signed a new 12-month deal last year that runs until this summer, but still rakes in double of the next-closest star, Roman Reigns ($8 million).

Future Hall of Famer Randy Orton is up next with earnings of $6.4 million and he is followed by Seth Rollins on $6.3 million.

The latter’s fiancee Becky Lynch is the first woman wrestler to make the top ten after a meteoric year in which she became the company’s top female star.

As WWE’s new Executive Vice President, Global Talent Strategy and Development, Triple H’s £751k base salary was revealed last month.

Wife Stephanie McMahon also takes home a similar amount on her own as the company’s Chief Brand Officer, yet both of the wrestling power couple also have found a place on the list as on-screen performers.

Triple H netted £1.6m alone for only a couple of events last year that included a WrestleMania 35 match with Batista, as well as a Saudi Arabia clash with Randy Orton.

But that pales in comparison with the £2.4m Goldberg was paid for two quick critically panned bouts against Dolph Ziggler and the Undertaker.

The former WCW star was even forced to apologise for the Saudi Arabia showdown with the Phenom where he earned a reported £1.6m for the EIGHT-minute contest.

Meanwhile, new Universal champion Braun Strowman rounds off the list after penning a new WWE deal in July that is said to guarantee him £1 million.

WWE’S HIGHEST PAID STARS

Brock Lesnar — $16 million