Ray “Big Boss Man” Traylor Net Worth 2025

What is Ray “Big Boss Man” Traylor’s Net Worth?

Ray Traylor, the iconic wrestler known as the Big Boss Man, had a net worth of $1 million at the time of his death. His fortune was built entirely through his career as a professional wrestler, where he became one of the most recognizable and enduring characters of the 1980s and 1990s. Traylor’s earnings came from his high-profile contracts with the two dominant promotions of the era, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) and World Championship Wrestling (WCW). As a consistently featured performer, he earned a significant income from salaries, pay-per-view appearances, and merchandise sales. His success in the WWF included four reigns as the Hardcore Champion and one reign as the World Tag Team Champion, all of which contributed to his financial standing.

Early Life

Ray Washington Traylor Jr. was born in Marietta, Georgia. Before he ever stepped into a wrestling ring, he worked as a corrections officer in Cobb County, Georgia. This real-life job would later become the direct inspiration for his most famous wrestling gimmick, providing an authenticity that helped the character connect with audiences.

Career

Ray Traylor began his wrestling career in 1984, working for Jim Crockett Promotions. After booker Dusty Rhodes recognized his potential, he was repackaged as “Big Bubba Rogers,” a silent, menacing bodyguard for manager Jim Cornette. He also spent time in the Universal Wrestling Federation, where he won its heavyweight championship. In 1988, Traylor joined the WWF and was immediately transformed into the Big Boss Man. Dressed in a police-style uniform, his character was a former prison guard who enforced his own brand of justice, often handcuffing his defeated opponents to the ropes. He was initially a dominant heel, forming the imposing “Twin Towers” tag team with Akeem and engaging in high-profile feuds with superstars like Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage.

His character evolved, and he later became a fan favorite, feuding with figures like “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Traylor left the WWF in 1993 and joined WCW, where he wrestled under various names, including “The Boss” and “The Guardian Angel,” before eventually returning to his “Big Bubba Rogers” persona. He was a member of the notable Dungeon of Doom and nWo factions during his WCW tenure. Traylor returned to the WWF in 1998 at the height of the “Attitude Era.” He reprised his Big Boss Man character but with a darker, more serious edge, serving as the enforcer for Vince McMahon’s villainous “Corporation” stable. This run cemented his legacy as he became a staple of the Hardcore division and participated in several of the era’s most infamous storylines. After his run with the company ended in 2003, he briefly wrestled in Japan. For his contributions to the industry, Ray Traylor was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2016.

Personal Life

Ray Traylor was married to his wife, Angela, with whom he had two daughters, Lacy and Megan. On September 22, 2004, Traylor died after suffering a massive heart attack at his home in Dallas, Georgia. He was 41 years old.