Former TNA Knockouts Champion Awesome Kong has shared a candid look at the financial realities many women faced during their time in the promotion, revealing that several champions were forced to work second jobs despite appearing regularly on television.

Speaking during the season seven premiere of Dark Side of the Ring, which explored the history of Jeff Jarrett and TNA Wrestling, Kong recalled requesting a pay rise from then TNA President Dixie Carter after realizing how little she was earning compared to some of the company's top stars.

Kong pointed to Kurt Angle's reported salary as an example, explaining that while she believed the Olympic gold medalist deserved to be well paid, she struggled to understand why the Knockouts division was valued so much lower.

She said, "It kind of felt like Dixie Carter didn’t appreciate her homegrown talent. Kurt Angle is making a little over a million dollars a year. Kurt Angle deserved more than a million a year, in my opinion. Can you tell me that I’m not worth 1/10th of Kurt Angle? I asked for a raise and let them know that as you break it down, I make less than a manager at McDonald’s. The reply that I got was, ‘We do not dispute any of the points you made, however, we cannot pay you that sum at this time.’"

Kong went on to reveal that financial hardship was not unique to her, claiming multiple former Knockouts Champions had to take on additional jobs just to make ends meet while representing TNA on television.

"There were more than two TNA Knockouts, who held the TNA title that had to moonlight in very blue-collar jobs. One worked at a bar. She would be on TV and the customers would say, ‘Isn’t that you?’ She would say, ‘Yes, may I take your order?’ Dixie knows that we’re struggling, and she’s still hiring people in front of us."

The comments offer another behind the scenes perspective on the challenges faced by TNA talent during that era, despite the Knockouts division receiving widespread praise for its in ring performances.