During his recent guest appearance on The Undertaker’s podcast called “Six Feet Under”, former professional wrestler Diamond Dallas Page (DDP) discussed his decision to join WWE directly after WCW closed down. He voiced his regrets over this move, stating that he should have sat out his WCW contract due its substantial financial value.
Here are some key takeaways from the podcast:
DDP spoke about the importance of caring for one’s body post-match, drawing from his personal experience as an athlete with multiple injuries. He narrated the incident where he was hit by a car when he was 12, leading to multiple injuries including to his knee. He even pointed out that the affected knee is now stronger despite having no meniscus and a partial ACL. Ice, he said, was his remedy to deal with his knee and back problems.
Discussing his decision to switch to WWE right after WCW’s shutdown, he said, in retrospect, he wishes he had waited out like some other wrestlers. This was in relation to a lawsuit he, alongside Kevin Nash and Goldberg, had against WCW over unpaid royalty on merchandise products. The struggle to get fair pay led him to accept a deal with WWE, forsaking 70% of the money WCW owed him. However, he conceded that leaving meant abandoning 7,000 on the table.
He added that his physical condition was deteriorating at that point, with a back injury making wrestling more challenging for him. His decision to move might have been different had he followed business advice from fellow wrestler Kevin Nash, he confided. Listening to Nash, he thinks, would have resulted in a couple million dollars addition to his bank account.