Tyrus Net Worth: From $12 Million WWE Star to Just $5 Million—How He Gambled Away Over Half His Fortune

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Tyrus Net Worth

If you’re a WWE fan, you’re likely more familiar with “Funkusaurus” Brodus Clay than with Tyrus.

The former wrestling superstar has since left the wrestling world and now enjoys a career in the entertainment industry. Over the years, he’s appeared in several TV shows and now hosts a decently popular podcast called “Maintaining With Tyrus” on the streaming platform OutKick.

This article discusses everything you need to know about the former WWE star, including Tyrus’ net worth, early life, and rise to fame.

What Is Tyrus’ Net Worth? 

Tyrus Net Worth

Tyrus is an American actor, former professional wrestler, and news anchor. As of 2024, his estimated net worth is approximately $5 million.

Tyrus’ net worth was significantly higher during his career as a wrestler, earning around $12 million in the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment), where he was known as Brodus Clay.

However, he lost more than half of his money to poker and gambling and later to a condition affecting his pancreas.

Thankfully, Tyrus’ condition has significantly improved. He’s slowly getting back on his feet, having recently signed a 5-year contract with Fox News that earns him an annual salary of $2 million plus performance bonuses.

Tyrus’s Early Life 

Tyrus’s Early Life 

Tyrus, born George Murdoch, is the son of a biracial couple who were teenagers at the time of his birth. His mother was only 15 when she gave birth. His father was 19.

Tyrus’ childhood was tumultuous, to say the least, marked by his father’s abusive behavior. His mother divorced Tyrus’ father when he was young when the man struck Tyrus and damaged his eye.

Tyrus’ mother moved back to her parents’ home, but unfortunately, Tyrus and his brother weren’t welcome because they were part-black.

The brothers were forced to spend several years in foster care, a period during which Tyrus developed an unhealthy obsession with altering his skin color. He thought that if only he were white, he and his brother wouldn’t have been separated from his mother.

In 1995, Tyrus attended the University of Nebraska at Kearney, studying to become a teacher. He also played college football for the Lopers, becoming a star player.

Just as he was deciding to turn football into a professional career, Tyrus suffered from a ruptured appendix. The removal severed nerve endings in his legs, resulting in a permanent limp.

Tyrus’s Career In WWE 

Tyrus’s Career In WWE 
Clay as the Funkasaurus with The Funkadactyls (Naomi and Cameron), and Hornswoggle dancing

Tyrus debuted in the fourth season of WWE NXT after training in WWE’s farm territories, Florida Championship Wrestling and Deep South Wrestling.

He started as WWE champion Alberto Del Rio’s bodyguard, then later reinvented himself to become a fun-loving, funk-dancing wrestler nicknamed “Funkusaurus Brodus Clay.”

The Funkasaurus gimmick became a fan favorite, and Tyrus’ charismatic on-screen persona earned him a dedicated following.

His WWE contract eventually ended in 2014, but his love for wrestling didn’t end there.

Shortly after, he signed a contract with National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) and became one of the most respected men in the industry. This was when he dropped the Brodus Clay name for Tyrus.

Tyrus’s Career in TV and Film

Tyrus’s Career in TV and Film
Interview with new NWA Champ Tyrus and Kat Timpf of ‘Gutfeld!’
Image source: Google

In November 2016, Tyrus met Greg Gutfeld, host of “The Greg Gutfeld Show”, through Twitter. Gutfeld was impressed by Tyrus’s comments and invited him to be a guest commentator.

This marked the beginning of Tyrus’s career in television. Since April 2021, Tyrus has been a regular guest on Gutfeld’s revamped late-night show, “Gutfeld!”.

In addition to his television work, Tyrus has appeared in films such as “No One Lives,” “Scooby-Doo! WrestleMania Mystery”, and “Supercon.”

He has also made appearances on TV series, including “Total Divas,” “Outnumbered,” “Fox & Friends,” “GLOW,” and “MacGyver.”

Allegations of Sexual Assault 

Tyrus
Former Press Secretary Dana Perino with her bodyguard (and past Snoop Dogg bodyguard) Tyrus
Image source: Google

In 2019, Fox News co-host Britt McHenry accused Tyrus of sexual harassment, alleging that he had sent her a series of obscene text messages.

On December 10, 2019, McHenry filed a sexual harassment lawsuit against Fox News and Rupert Murdoch. Under pressure, Tyrus settled the matter by paying $900,000 to Fox News management.

In July 2021, McHenry voluntarily withdrew her lawsuit and left Fox News, agreeing not to pursue the matter further or discuss it with the media.

Who Is Tyrus Married to Now?

Ingrid Murdoch
Tyrus with Ingrid Murdoch
Image source: Instagram

Tyrus has been married once. He and his current wife, Ingrid Murdoch, have a daughter named Georgie Jane Murdoch, born on May 7, 2014.

Tyrus also has a daughter and a son from a previous marriage. Ingrid, from her previous marriage, has two sons, Rhett and Rock. Together, Tyrus and Ingrid have five children.

Final Thoughts 

Tyrus’ net worth is estimated to be $5 million, which has fallen from his peak earnings of around $12 million during his wrestling career. Today, Tyrus hosts Maintaining With Tyrus, which streams on Fox’s OutKick.