Former WWE wrestler Mojo Rawley built a talent agency after leaving the ring; Paragon Talent Group helps wrestlers secure brand deals, negotiate contracts and plan their finances

Paragon Talent Group, the wrestler talent agency founded by former WWE wrestler Dean Muhtadi, better known as Mojo Rawley, gives current and former professionals a route to career control, brand partnerships and lasting financial security well beyond the ring. Established in 2021 alongside business partner Steve Kaye, the agency handles contract negotiation, advertising deals, immigration paperwork and money guidance for performers who would otherwise face life after wrestling alone. Muhtadi built it from personal experience of how little professional support exists once a wrestling contract ends, aiming to give athletes control over their careers and income after leaving the spotlight.How early finance experience and a business degree prepared Dean Muhtadi for life after leaving WWEMuhtadi's grounding in business began long before he stepped into a wrestling ring. Forbes reported that he worked as an intern at Morgan Stanley from the age of 11, became a decorated collegiate athlete, turned professional and then earned a Master of Business Administration at the University of Maryland's Smith School of Business. When WWE released him alongside a wave of other talent amid steep budget cuts, that upbringing had already prepared him for the situation.Why wrestlers released from WWE struggle without the representation seen in other professional sportsMuhtadi told Forbes the idea for the agency had sat in his back pocket for a long time. Having arrived in WWE from the National Football League, he spent ten years noticing the gap between the two worlds in representation and in support after a career ends. He said WWE is generous while a wrestler is on the roster, helping with travel, interviews and sponsorship deals, but that talent are then left to start again from the beginning. He watched former locker room friends, who had protected him in the ring, struggle to decide what came next. In his view, wrestling is the sport where everybody is "expendable"; an injury or a dispute with the company can see anyone written off television.How Paragon Talent Group turns wrestlers' passions into video game, energy drink and apparel brand dealsParagon encourages clients to earn from their own authenticity rather than depend on the wrestling business alone. Muhtadi, who still owns his Stay Hyped gimmick, told the publication that Xavier Woods set the template through his UpUpDownDown gaming channel. Appearances on that channel, he said, paid cheques the size of pay-per-view payments, without the weekly grind of chasing a match. Kaye told the publication that the deals secured so far have centred on what clients genuinely enjoy, including video games, the energy drinks they take before workouts, apparel and makeup lines. He explained that this organic enthusiasm comes through in their social media posts.Paragon Talent Group revenue growth, client roster and corporate partnerships with household brandsFigures from that reporting showed the agency on pace to reach $10 million in revenue by the end of 2022. It represented more than 30 current and former wrestlers, among them Andrade El Idolo, The IIconics, Lana, Nia Jax and Shawn Spears. It had also delivered more than 300 individual payouts through partnerships with the National Football League, Walt Disney and Pepsi.Contract negotiation, visa support and financial advice, how Paragon Talent Group supports wrestlersF4WOnline reported that Paragon negotiates contracts and advertising deals and also secures visas for international clients. Muhtadi told The Takedown on SI that the visa work matters because a wrestler released by a promotion that sponsored their visa must leave the country. That can mean walking away from a spouse, a partner and an established life at the same moment as losing a job. He said his own wrestling background helps him relate to clients, so the role often includes brainstorming creative ideas, acting as a sounding board and sometimes training in the ring with talent before big shows. On money, he said he urges clients to invest from the start, so they finish their careers with more than peers who earned multiples of their salaries.Slam Fest during WrestleMania 42 weekend and why Dean Muhtadi rules out a full-time wrestling returnAccording to F4WOnline, Paragon is working with TJPW, CMLL, House of Glory, Stardom and Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling to stage Slam Fest in Las Vegas during WrestleMania 42 weekend. Muhtadi told The Takedown on SI that a full-time in-ring career is no longer possible for him, though he added: "Never say never". He said a single good opportunity, most likely an event Paragon itself puts on, could justify a one-night comeback.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.