Part 5/15:
Kyota describes how referee pay increased during WWE’s Attitude Era, with top officials earning around $235,000 to $240,000 toward the end of his career. However, this was not without sacrifice: referees often paid out of pocket for hotels, rental cars, and other expenses. Sharing accommodations with fellow referees like Tony Chimel became a common practice to cut costs.
The role wasn’t limited to officiating; Kyota was also heavily involved in the ring crew, which further supplemented his income. On a typical Monday Night Raw, he might officiate three to four matches and oversee ring setup, sometimes working multiple roles simultaneously. As WWE’s budget and production values grew, referee pay saw fluctuations, sometimes decreasing when certain backstage duties or roles were eliminated.