NXT star was told by ROH: ‘No one is going to offer you more than $20,000’

Tommaso Ciampa Says ROH COO Joe Koff Told him, ‘No One Is Going To Sign Him For More Than $20,000’

When former ROH & Current NXT Star Ciampa’s contract was coming to an end & wanted to remain with ROH, negotiations with ROH COO Joe Koff didn’t exactly go smoothly.

“My contract was coming up and we were negotiating. At this point, ROH started giving out deals that were exclusive and you could make a living. You had a salary and all of that. I was like, ‘Crap, this is great. This might be the break in wrestling where I don’t have to have a job anymore.’ The offer that I got was awful. It was an extremely low downside salary, not exclusive. I couldn’t do television anywhere, but I could take Independent bookings. But the number was something where I would have to keep doing my job.”

Ciampa continued, “I remember going to the negotiation with them and saying, ‘I’ll sign five years, ten years, I’ll make my career in Ring of Honor if you guys show me that you’re looking to invest in me the way I’ll invest in you.’ I thought the conversation was going well and it took this hard turn. I remember talking to the owner, Joe Koff, and I told him how I feel. And he was like, ‘No one is going to offer you more than $20,000.’ I remember freezing and going, ‘Oh. I didn’t realize you thought that of me.’ It was like, ‘Okay, we don’t have to do this anymore. My contract is coming up. I’m good. I’m gonna go somewhere else and find out if you’re right or not.’ Immediately he was like, ‘No no, I didn’t mean it like that.’ And I’m like, ‘It’s cool. I’m not mad at you. I cared until that was said. I don’t care anymore. It’s cool. I just didn’t understand that you guys viewed me as my ceiling was not above the midcard.’ I went to Delirious that day and said, ‘Just so you know, I discussed things with Joe, and I’m wrapped up. I’ll finish my dates and I’m done.'”