AEW's Jim Ross Examines Beginning Of Fracture Between WWE & Late Hall Of Famer Chyna

In the late 90s, WWE Hall of Famer Chyna was arguably the top women's wrestler in the industry, pushed as one of WWE's marquee attractions and even breaking down barriers by winning the WWE Intercontinental Championship. But it all went wrong in 2001, when Chyna and WWE were unable to come to terms on a new deal, leading to her exiting from the promotion, an exit that would last up to her death in 2016.

On the latest "Grilling JR," AEW commentator Jim Ross, who was head of talent relations in WWE during Chyna's heyday, was asked about those negotiations that led to Cyna and WWE parting ways, and if it was true that Chyna had a million dollar contract with the promotion at any point.

"I think she had one," Ross said. "The company was hot. I don't know why it sticks out in my mind, but...I might be off two or three, [but] we had 20 people, to the best of memory, that made a million dollars or more that year. And she was one of them. She was booked regularly. She was in key elements, key stories. But that was her whole issue. She wanted a million dollar a year guarantee, the same as Stone Cold. 

"And I just believed that that was not equitable. I thought 'You may earn than that. There's no ceiling on what you can earn. But to guarantee you that is not in the cards.' And at the end of the day, that's what created us parting ways. We were not going to go for the million dollar guarantee, and she didn't like that, thought it was unfair. And she had a right to think that. But we didn't agree. And so, consequently, we parted ways a little bit later on."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Grilling JR" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription