In addition to “The Body,” additional legends slated to be at the Nassau Coliseum include Koko B. Ware, Greg Valentine, Tito Santana, Jimmy Hart and Ted DiBiase. However, I can confirm that Ted DiBiase will not be one of the names appearing. The Million Dollar Man had committed to appear, but he was forced to withdraw and is no longer able to attend.
The Million Dollar Man headlined multiple episodes of Saturday Night’s Main Event in the 1980’s and 1990’s
Ted DiBiase and Saturday Night’s Main Event
Ted DiBiase was a fixture of Saturday Night’s Main Event during its heyday. He had memorable matches on SNME throughout his career, most notably a count-out victory over Randy Savage (March 1988) that was rated 4.5 stars by historian Dave Meltzer. Other high-profile opponents on the show included The Ultimate Warrior (1990) and Bret Hart (1991).
DiBiase last was a major presence on WWE programming down in NXT as he played a pivotal role in the feud between Cameron Grimes and a heel LA Knight. Grimes and Knight battled one another over the Million Dollar Championship before it was DiBiase who pulled a fast one on both by taking the title back. The program ultimately helped to lead LA Knight up to the main roster.
Despite a major name like DiBiase not being at SNME, WWE is going to pack a punch with the card on tap for the evening. Cody Rhodes will be defending his WWE Undisputed Championship against Kevin Owens, GUNTER will be facing Finn Balor and Damian Priest in an effort to retain his WWE World Heavyweight Championship, an inaugural WWE United States Women’s Champion will be crowned, Liv Morgan will take on IYO SKY and Sami Zayn will go one-on-one with Drew McIntyre.
WWE is looking to create a retro vibe for the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event this weekend and their efforts include bringing in a number of legends for the show.
The company previously confirmed that legendary wrestler and broadcast personality Jesse Ventura will be returning to commentary for the upcoming event.
Now PWInsider is reporting that the former Minnesota governor is not the only big name booked for the night. According to them, names such as Ted Dibiase, Jimmy Hart, Tito Santana, Greg Valentine, and Koko B. Ware will also be in attendance at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The inclusion of legendary names is a tradition the company has re-established in recent times. Many WWE veterans attended the recent SmackDown 25th anniversary special while a number of hardcore legends were brought in when NXT emanated from the 2300 Arena.
The upcoming show is not only expected to feature talents from the past but Triple H and Cody Rhodes have also teased bringing back a classic title belt for one night only during the show.
The return of Saturday Night’s Main Event will be headlined by Cody defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against former friend Kevin Owens. You can check out our predictions for the show here.
Former WWE Superstar Ted DiBiase Jr. has seen his trial pushed back in relation to the largest case of welfare fund fraud in the history of the state of Mississippi.
DiBiase is charged with allegedly using two different companies to receive money from “at least five sham contracts.” DiBiase, according to litigation, received full or almost full payments regardless of whether sufficient, if any work, was carried out.
This is connected to a massive welfare scandal that involved several prominent names, including Ted’s father Ted Sr. Brett DiBiase, the brother of Ted Jr. has pled guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States.
Judge Withdraws
Judge Carlton W. Reeves has recused himself from the criminal trial against DiBiase, though the reasoning behind this decision is currently not publicly known. In their place, Magistrate Judge LaKeysha Greer Isaac will now oversee the trial.
Trial Pushed Back
Because of this change, the trial against the former WWE World Tag Team Champion has been pushed back. He was originally set to face a pre-trial conference on June 21 and was scheduled to stand trial on July 16. Instead, DiBiase will face a jury trial on January 7, 2025.
What Has the DiBiase Family Said?
Ted DiBiase Jr. has pled not guilty to all charges against him and was released on an unsecured $10,000 bond. When asked for comment when leaving the court, he told WAPT-TV “Jesus loves you.”
Ted Sr., who reportedly received a $250,000 check from the Family Resource Center in fraudulent funds, has hit out at the case. The WWE Hall of Famer said in June 2023 that the case is “garbage” and that his family is being made into a “scapegoat.”
What’s Next?
If convicted, Ted Jr. faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison for the conspiracy count and a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison for each wire fraud count. He also faces a maximum of 10 years in prison for each count of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds and for each count of money laundering.
WWE has added some more names to the line-up for the upcoming Raw 30th Anniversary special, including Diamond Dallas Page among others.
In a graphic shown during this week’s episode of SmackDown, the company confirmed that DDP, Ted DiBiase, Mike “Irwin R. Schyster” Rotunda, Alundra Blayze, The Godfather, and Jimmy Hart will all be a part of the upcoming celebration.
This comes after the promotion added Hulk Hogan and Triple H to an already stacked line up for the episode earlier in the day.
Raw 30th Anniversary Match Card
WWE will be celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw on January 23. You can check out the announced card for the show below:
WWE United States Championship Match: Austin Theory vs. Bobby Lashley
Raw Tag Team Championship Match: The Usos vs. Judgement Day
Steel Cage Match: Becky Lynch vs. Bayley
Bloodline Acknowledgement Ceremony with WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
Other names scheduled for the special episode include The Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Road Dogg, X-Pac, Ric Flair, Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, Teddy Long, Ron Simmons, and Kurt Angle.
Rikishi and Samu are expected to participate in the Bloodline acknowledgment ceremony. The Bella Twins who were originally announced for Raw are no longer part of the promotional graphic.
Well, today’s the big day. After weeks of counting down, Christmas Day is finally upon us.
This day will see countless people around the world open presents, and as we all know, WWE is no stranger to embracing the Holiday spirit
Here are five of the best Holiday moments to curl up in a warm blanket and watch this festive season.
5: A Christmas Carol starring ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper
We all have our favorite renditions of Charles Dickens’ classic tale ‘A Christmas Carol’ which tells the story of a wicked man who turns good when he learns about the meaning of Christmas.
Some people see the Muppets Christmas Carol as the best, while others like my father herald Alastair Sim’s 1951 portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge as the best telling of the story.
Well on December 20th, 1985, the WWF gave their own rendition of A Christmas Carol, this one starring none other than ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper.
Unquestionably the biggest heel of the year, that week’s episode of Tuesday Night Titans saw Piper visited by three spirits, eager to teach the Hot Rod to change his wicked ways.
Unlike Scrooge though, Piper learned no lessons, and would instead vow to be more wicked after his ghostly visitations.
It would be another two years before Piper turned face and become one of the most beloved good guys of all time, and by 1989, he’d be the one defending Christmas from Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.
4: A Very Merry D-X-Mas
DX showed Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter exactly what they thought of him during an episode of Raw in 1997.
Forming in 1997, D-Generation X would establish themselves as a counterculture, anti-authority group, much to the chagrin of WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter.
After making an ass out of the company, Triple H and Shawn Michaels would go one step further, exposing their buttocks to spell out a festive message, all while Chyna was in the ring with them.
To counteract, Slaughter booked a gift of a main event: Shawn Michaels Vs. Triple H for HBK’s European title.
After teasing dissension for the rest of the show, the pair ‘fought’ in the ring, but to call this a match is a stretch.
Triple H “powered” Michaels to the mat out of collar and elbow tie-up, then comically ran the ropes before delivering a big splash that didn’t make contact.
One pinfall later and the Game was the new European Champion, while the two friends celebrated their very fake match.
Sure, it may have devalued the European title somewhat, but DX got one over on Commissioner Slaughter in an iconic festive moment.
3: The Arrival of Xanta Claus
ECW alum Balls Mahoney played Xanta Claus, an evil counterpart to Jolly ol’ Saint Nick who heralded from the South Pole.
We all know the story of Santa Claus: the rosy-cheeked, bearded legend who lives at the North Pole, and judges whether people have been naughty or nice.
Well after a career of humiliating others, Ted DiBiase was definitely on the naughty list, and proved just how bad he could be in 1995.
Interrupting a segment with Savio Vega and ‘Santa,’ DiBiase proved everybody has a price for him, as Mr. Claus attacked Vega.
With that, DiBiase introduced the wrestling world to Xanta Claus, the polar opposite (quite literally) of Jolly ol’ Saint Nick.
Xanta Claus (played by future ECW staple Balls Mahoney) would not last long, and while the angle is incredibly goofy, it goes to show that anything can happen in the WWE.
2: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin Stuns Santa Claus
WWE has hosted plenty of festive shows over the years, but the December 22, 1997, episode of Raw remains arguably the best holiday edition of the red brand ever produced.
Airing from Worcester, Massachusetts, the show was dripping in festive cheer, but the most iconic moment came from good ol’ ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.
After a fake Santa Claus mocked a young boy, Austin made the save, stomping to the ring in that way only the Bionic Redneck can.
Berating the evil Santa, Austin dropped the not-so-jolly Saint Nick in what has become an iconic Christmas moment.
For all of Austin’s badassery, the segment showed that Austin still had a heart, cementing why it was okay to cheer this foul-mouthed, beer-swilling S.O.B.
Stunning the fake Santa proved that you could never quite predict what the Rattlesnake was going to do, and this unpredictability would be just part of what would launch Austin into mega-stardom the following year.
1: Tribute to the Troops
Six years after stunning Santa Claus, Steve Austin donned the iconic red suit himself to drop then-WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
For most of us, the holidays are a time to be with family and loved ones, surrounded by presents, food, and warmth.
For those serving in the armed forces though, they don’t get to enjoy such luxuries, but WWE attempted to bring some festive cheer to those on duty.
In 2003, WWE introduced Tribute to Troops, an event that has become an annual display of support and appreciation for those who are risking their lives for their country.
The brainchild of John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield, the show still carries on to this day, though takes place back in the U.S. instead of being in the Middle East as it was originally.
Nevertheless, this small token of appreciation goes a long way, and with the show taking place every December, there are plenty of seasonal festivities to enjoy each year at Tribute to the Troops.
In February of 2020, a story broke that Brett Dibiase, son of the “Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase had been one of six people arrested as part of an embezzlement scheme regarding welfare funds for the state of Mississippi. Brett had been hired as deputy administrator at the Mississippi Department of Human Services in 2017 before his arrest.
Recently, State Auditor Shad White sent out several letters demanding repayment for misspent welfare dollars. Although all details have not been revealed, Dibiase Sr.’s Heart of David Ministry, had received $2.1 million in welfare money from the state of Mississippi, according to state records.
Yesterday, a report from Mississippi Today revealed names of individuals and the total amount they owe the state. Amongst those names is also Brett Favre. The former quarterback is said to owe over $800 thousand paid to him for speaking engagements that he did not attend.
Brett Dibiase, Ted Dibiase Sr, and Ted Dibiase Jr. were also named in the report.
“Ted DiBiase Jr., a retired WWE wrestler, must return $3.9 million,” the reports reads. “Virtually all the money he earned as a motivational speaker for the welfare agency, plus interest.”
Ted Dibiase Sr. owes just under what he spent in storyline on the Million Dollar Championship belt. He is being asked to repay $722,299 that his Christian ministry received.
Meanwhile, Brett Dibiase who worked as the state administrator, is being asked to repay $225,950.
Correction: -"Million Dollar Man" WWE wrestler Ted Dibiase, Sr. must pay back $723k that his Christian ministry received -His son, ex-WWE wrestler Ted DiBiase, Jr., owes $3.9 million -His other WWE wrestler son, Brett DiBiase, owes $225,950https://t.co/0c07k4IfxO
The storyline involving the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase, Cameron Grimes and LA Knight has been dominating NXT. The build-up between Grimes and DiBiase grained pace when Knight stepped into the frame. Both men claiming they have what it takes to carry on the million dollar legacy.
The pair will face off one-on-one at the upcoming NXT In Your House PPV, with the winner believing they will receive the favor of Ted DiBiase. However, the story is not yet fully told.
WWE recently tweeted that tonight on the In Hour House go-home episode of NXT, Ted DiBiase is making a priceless announcement.
This is most likely to be the confirmation of the return of the Million Dollar Belt. The winner between Grimes and Knight being awarded the belt at NXT In Your House.
This would be the logical conclusion to any storyline involving Ted DiBiase. Not to mention, the poster for the NXT In Your House show already features the belt.
With both Grimes and Knight playing heel characters the feud lacks the traditional good guy versus bad guy appeal. However, it means both men would be a perfect fit for some million-dollar tutelage.
The Million Dollar Belt has been out of circulation since 2010 but hasn’t seriously been used since the mid-’90s. While never officially recognized as a title, there is no denying that having that on your shoulder and Ted DiBiase in your corner is a benefit for any wrestler.
“The Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase was once WWF Champion…sort of. Immediately after Andre the Giant defeated Hulk Hogan to win the title on The Main Event in 1988, he quickly surrendered it to Dibiase. The Hebner brothers were involved as well. It was a fairly controversial night.
Distinguished WWE figurehead Jack Tunney ultimately vacated the championship due to the controversy. A tournament to crown a new champion was set for WrestleMania IV, with Dibiase making it to the finals against the winner, “Macho Man” Randy Savage.
Dibiase now wants his ‘phantom’ title reign to be made official. This despite the fact he never actually beat anybody to win it. He has issued a petition to make his reign official.
“In February of 1988, Ted enslisted the services of the legendary Andre The Giant to assist with capturing the WWF Championship,” reads a description of the petition. “Andre was successful in pinning Hulk Hogan at the Market Square Arena in Indianapolis, IN. In the history books WWE has decided not to recognize this title reign even though Ted defended the championship at a live show against Bam Bam Bigelow.”
Dibiase did wrestle Bam Bam Bigelow at several WWF house shows in February of 1988 before Tunney had officially declared the title vacant.
“Support Ted by signing this petition asking WWE to #MAKEITOFFICIAL.”
#MakeItOfficial
Although WWE does not recognize Dibiase’s short WWF Championship reign, he has held several other titles. Along with IRS, Dibiase’s Money Inc team are 3x WWF tag-team champions. In 1989, he would declare himself the Million Dollar Champion. He even had his own belt commissioned.
Thousands of fans have signed the petition already and I didn’t buy a single one! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!
Ted DiBiase has been popping up on NXT quite frequently over the last few weeks. Much to the anguish of Cameron Grimes. Recent news suggests that the NXT universe will see the return of another old-school legend. Only this time it isn’t a person, but rather, a belt.
Ahead of their million-dollar showdown on NXT, sources have revealed that the Million Dollar Belt is being brought back into rotation.
The news was broken inadvertently by Andrew Zaharian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling podcast.
“Sorry to the individual that told me but Million Dollar Belt is coming back,” Zaharian said. “I don’t know for how long but they’re gonna have it on TV. People are very excited within WWE about the Million Dollar Belt.”
Ted Dibiase first introduced the Million-Dollar Belt back in 1989. It is an unsanctioned title, that changed hands a few times. The most notable million-dollar champion was The Ringmaster a.k.a. Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Ted DiBiase appeared in the NXT area for the first time last week, when it cost Grimes his match against Jake Atlas. Right now, it is unclear what direction NXT creative are going to take with DiBiase. However, the upcoming segment with Grimes, and the million-dollar belt comeback, points to a single outcome.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPDzNLlsvRc/
Ted DiBiase is likely to offer the belt to Grimes and bring the recently wealthy man under his wing. DiBiase is a WWE legend, and teaming him with Grimes would be a great way to keep the storyline rolling. Otherwise, it’s hard to see where Cameron would be heading, other than being a mere flash in the pan.
Former WWE Superstar Ted DiBiase recently appeared on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio. The Million Dollar Man discussed a number of topics from his career, including when he turned heel against Junkyard Dog in Mid-South Wrestling.
DiBiase revealed a hilarious story from that time that involved Grizzly Smith, former wrestler in his own right and father of the legendary Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts.
“Funny story is that as soon as I turned heel? Grizzly Smith, that’s Jake Roberts dad, he was kind of like the agent who showed up at all the shows and let everybody know what they were going to do that night.”
Ted DiBiase Talks Grizzly Smith
DiBiase elaborated further, saying “and so I told Grizzly I said ‘I am not driving my car’ and he said ‘why?’ I said ‘you know why, because when I come out it’ll be on blocks back there!'”
Ted DiBiase would then compare the old school fans to now, saying “they took the wrestling real serious, and especially in New Orleans. So he [Grizzly] said ‘okay well then ride with me.’ So I wrote down there with him. And he’s ‘neutral’ right? And so, we have the match. I told Junkyard Dog, I said ‘you can’t just roll out there like you normally do. All these people? They think that you have just been screwed by your best friend. So you come running, you slide in and I and I’ll slide out. I’ll run around the ring and I’ll roll back in; you roll back in and hit me with whatever you want, just keep coming at me until I say quit.'”
DiBiase then talked what happened backstage. “So I get back in the dressing room and I’ve showered. Grizzly comes walking in and he just puts both his hands on his hips. He just looked at me shaking his head. I said, ‘what’s wrong? He said ‘they [the fans] slit my tires! We’re gonna be here a while. I said ‘see I told you!’ I said ‘they slit your tires, I wouldn’t have had a car!'”
Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion The Undertaker and a few Hall Of Famers have been announced for a Texas church sermon series.
Grapevine, Texas-based pastor Ed Young of Fellowship Church will be interviewing Taker, Ric Flair, Sting and Ted DiBiase. The interviews are part of Young’s new “Wrastlin'” sermon series. The series lasts four weeks and kicks off on Sunday, September 9th.
Fellowship Church’s main stage will feature a wrestling ring where the interviews will take place. On the other side of the church a section will be available for the congregation to see the interviews. An official statement and video announcement for the series has been released. Check those out below:
Wrastlin’ – A Series by Ed Young. Beginning September 9, 2018
Over four weeks this September, Ed Young and Fellowship Church welcome four legendary guests from the world of professional wrestling – Ric Flair, The Undertaker, The Million Dollar Man, and Sting!
The Bible often compares the Christian life to that of a warrior, a wrestler. Wrestling is a metaphor commonly used in the Christian life and one that will remind us that no matter what, God is ready and able to step in between the ropes and help us overcome any challenge we face!
For more information, visit Fellowshipchurch.com/wrastlin.
UK company Kayfabe Events has announced that WWE Legend Ted DiBiase will heading to England/Scotland this May for a three date speaking tour. ‘An Evening With The Million Dollar Man’ will be heading to the following cities:
May 17th – Newcastle
May 18th – Glasgow
May 19th – Manchester
The shows will be compared by PROGRESS commentator and FutureShock ring announcer Matt Richards and the Q&A portion of the nights will be hosted by Jimmy Havoc. Havoc will also be taking part in a speaking tour across the country and further information can be found via @KayfabeEvents on Twitter.
Tickets for the shows will be available to purchase as of Tuesday 20th March at 9am GMT from KayFabeEvents.com
WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase recently did an interview with The Mirror and offered his thoughts on fellow Hall Of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin. DiBiase talked about working with Austin during his early days, making him the Million Dollar Champion on an episode of Monday Night RAW:
“I did make ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin the Million Dollar Champion on Raw. You know I saw the talent in Steve and I remember telling him – because a lot of people were telling him ‘You need to do more’ – I remember telling him, ‘Don’t do anything different, because what you do is believable, it’s real.’ And I said ‘That’s what I’ve always tried to sell is real.’ I said ‘It will take you a little longer, but once you’re over, you’re over.’ Well nobody knew just how over he would get! It was unbelievable.”
DiBiase then discussed his role in helping cultivate Austin into the mega-star he’s known as today in the professional wrestling industry. He compared it to the film industry when an up-and-comer is paired with an A-list guy to help elevate his stock:
“Yeah, well, I was just that rub. It’s kind of like in the movies, they see a potential great young actor and they put him in a movie as a co-star to an A-list guy and that helps elevate them. That’s what they did with Steve and I happened to be an A-list guy at the time. So I was just the right guy at the right place, at the right time.”
Austin’s career of course began to take off after the innovation of his “Stone Cold” gimmick. DiBiase explained how “The Texas Rattlesnake” really exceeded everyone in WWE’s expectations with the character:
“I think he exceeded everybody’s expectations, I really do. What’s funny is you know everybody is talking about how we’re now a PG program. I think that’s great, because I’m a minister now and I have been for a long time, so I was not a big fan of the Attitude Era. There were some things they did that were very funny and that was great, but I was never a fan of the sleazy stuff. What’s funny is, I was part of a panel, Steve and I, and they said ‘Ted, you have been quoted as saying that you would never allow your son’s hero to be a beer guzzling, swearing, finger-flipping wrestler’. I said ‘exactly, I still believe that today’. Steve was sitting by me and he looked at me and said ‘That’s the same thing my mother said!'”
You can read DiBiase’s full interview with The Mirror by clicking this link here.
The WWE’s 25th Anniversary episode of Monday Night RAW is set to go down on January 22nd in a special simulcast event from both the Barclays Center in Brooklyn and the Manhattan Center. Some big names have been advertised for the event; including Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, DX (Shawn Michaels, Triple H and The New Age Outlaws), Ric Flair, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and much more.
You can check out the full list of confirmed names here. PWInsider is reporting that two more former WWE stars are now scheduled to appear on the show, in WWE Hall Of Famer Ted DiBiase and Sean “X-Pac” Waltman. Waltman ended his full-time run with WWE back in 2002 and has since been working the independent scene with sporadic appearances on WWE TV over the years.
DiBiase retired from in-ring competition back in 2004 and has since become a Christian minister. He was inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame in 2010.
Recently WWE Hall Of Famer Ted DiBiase did an interview on the Sam Roberts’ Wrestling Podcast. DiBiase discussed retiring from professional wrestling, not working with his son, and how he met Virgil. You can check out the highlights here:
His retirement and not working with his son:
“Yeah, I mean, I really didn’t have any trouble because people ask me that all the time, they say, ‘don’t you miss it? I mean, man, you were the guy.’ And it’s like, I had a 19-year active career and overall I was in the industry as a full-time participant for 25 years. That’s long enough. And when I transitioned out of this, into the ministry, the ministry began to consume me in the same way. And so, I kind of feel for the guys because there [are] a lot of guys that have a real hard time making that transition, but I didn’t.
“I didn’t. And people ask me all the time, ‘don’t you miss it? Don’t you ever just wish you could get back in there again?’ and I go, ‘I really don’t.’ I say, ‘now maybe if I see a really good match or I see a young guy and I see a lot of talent, I go, ‘man, if I could get in there and have a match with him, it would help him a little bit.’ Something like that. But wanting to be the guy again? No problem. There was one [up-and-coming star he regrets not working] for sure, my son.”
Meeting Virgil:
“Well, actually, I can’t claim Virgil because I didn’t even know Virgil until they introduced me to him in the office, so I’m not sure who found Virgil. But they hired Virgil. I mean, he had the look and he had the guns. And I guess that’s about all I can say about that! Yeah, I mean, here’s the thing about [Virgil]. He wasn’t a bad guy. I mean, he showed up on time. He didn’t smoke or drink or do drugs. I’ve been told that he likes to gamble, but other than that… But I did realize that [he] wasn’t the smartest book on the shelf. No, not at all. And what we could’ve done if Virgil had some really, really good or decent wrestling skills, we could have had a heck of a run, but that wasn’t in the cards.”
You can listen to DiBiase on Sam Roberts’ Wrestling Podcast by clicking this link here.
WWE Hall Of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. recently made an appearance on Jim Ross’ podcast, The Ross Report, to promote his new documentary. During their conversation “The Million Dollar Man” discussed not seeing anything special about The Undertaker at first, and how Roman Reigns can get a babyface reaction from the WWE Universe. You can check out the highlights here:
Not seeing anything special in The Undertaker at first:
“No, not right off the bat,” Dibiase admitted. “What did impress me was that when I watched him work that gimmick, because he had to move like [he was in] slow motion. And then, in moving like he did, like this half-dead character, to be able to have a match. It was pretty remarkable. I don’t think anybody envisioned how big he would get. Yeah, yeah, and long-term too.”
How Roman Reigns can get a babyface reaction:
“Well, I mean, it’s like it’s not what ultimately you want. It’s going to end up being whatever the office wants and you’re going to have to please them, ultimately. Whether it’s kind of like, for me, when I went to Ernie [Ladd] and said, ‘I’ve got this idea, ‘you’re looking for a heel, I think I could be that,’ it was great timing. In terms of Roman Reigns being a babyface or a heel, if the people want to like him, they’re going to like him. The reason, in our lingo, we call it, I was a ‘chickens–t’ heel, I was the bully heel. I’d talk real big and when somebody steps up to the plate, you become a coward. And you never get tired of seeing that guy get his butt kicked. But if you’re a ‘tough guy’ heel, you’re eventually going to be a babyface because everybody loves a tough guy.”
You can listen to DiBiase’s interview on The Ross Report by clicking this link here.
WWE Hall Of Famer Ted DiBiase recently did an interview with Fan Buzz to promote his new documentary, The Price of Fame.” “The Million Dollar Man” discussed the finest moment of his career, his “Million Dollar Man” laugh, Vince McMahon hearing it, the difficulties of being on the road as a wrestler, and so much more. You can check out the highlights below:
The finest moment of his career:
“I had been in the wrestling industry for 12 years. It was one thing to have one match (at WrestleMania IV), but I had three. The tournament had culminated with me wrestling Randy Savage. The other unique thing about it, it was the first time we had ever been in the ring together. We had never had a match before that night. It set the stage.”
His “Million Dollar Man” laugh:
“I’m doing an interview and I just happened to have ended the interview with a laugh like that. It’s an exaggeration, an extreme exaggeration of the way I really laugh.”
Vince hearing the laugh and sticking his head in the room:
“That’s it. ‘That’s the Million Dollar Man and I want to hear that laugh on every interview [McMahon said].'”
The difficulties of being on the road as a wrestler:
“That’s what the documentary is about. The ‘Price of Fame.’ You know what you’re getting into when you get in. You hear stories and you realize you’re going to be spending a lot of time away from home. The reality of it doesn’t set in until you’re in it. I’ve told people, on the outside, you watch guys walk into an arena and the crowd is cheering and yelling your name. What a thrill. But the game is over, show is over and you go back to the hotel and have dinner and go to your hotel room.
“You have a TV and four walls. Your wife and children are not there — whether they’re 20 miles away or 2,000 miles away. The road can become a very lonely place. It’s not what it’s cracked up to be. Of course, it’s what you make it. I tell young guys, you need to build accountability into your life to avoid the pitfalls.”
His sons being in wrestling:
“Obviously, this is why I didn’t encourage any of my boys to be wrestlers. At the end of the day, they know my story. Teddy made it and was doing really well. He figured it out. That’s why when his contract was up, he didn’t re-sign. He said ‘it’s too much.'”
Managing Stone Cold Steve Austin:
“I don’t think anybody could have predicted it back then. I saw his talent, and I told him that. Some of the producers at the time were encouraging him to do more. I said, no. I said, ‘you come across very believable. Sometimes less is more. You keep doing what you’re doing. It may take you a little longer to get over. But once you’re over, you’re over. And you can do anything you want.'”
You can check out DiBiase’s full interview with Fan Buzz by visiting this link here.
WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase recently spoke with Bleacher Report to talk about various topics. Here are some of the highlights: His “The Million Dollar Man” gimmick: “The Million Dollar Man the character is actually a Vince McMahon original. It was presented to me and Vince kind of started laying it out. In a moment when he was called away and I was just sitting there with Pat Patterson who at the time was his right-hand man, Pat looked at me and said, ‘Ted, if Vince can be a character in his own show, this is it, this is who he would be.’ It had never been done before. Vince said, ‘I chose you because you’re articulate; you carry yourself well; you interview very well; you are a great wrestler; you’re perfect for this.'”
The late Bobby Heenan: “Bobby Heenan to me, he was the best. Of all the guys that have been managers that can pick up a microphone and talk, he was a natural and so good. His character like mine was so hated, it was like a little weasel. Everybody wanted to kill him and that was the whole point. Bobby Heenan was as quick-witted off the cameras as he was on the camera and just as funny. A great guy and I just thought the world of him as a person.”
– The above clip courtesy of Xavier Woods’ “UpUpDownDown” YouTube channel features Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins playing “Call of Duty: Infinite” with RAW Tag Team Champions Kofi Kingston and Xavier.
– Ted DiBiase Jr. is scheduled to come out of retirement for one night only on Saturday December 3rd for Pro Wrestling EGO’s “The Last Call” in Pearl, Mississippi. The show is a police charity event to benefit Rankin and Hinds County Honor Guard. Click here for the event poster with more information.
– WWE will be holding a live event at Madison Square Garden on December 26th. Below are the matches announced thus far for the post-Christmas show, that happens to fall on a Monday:
WWE World Champion AJ Styles vs. John Cena vs. Dean Ambrose
Bray Wyatt vs. Kane vs. Luke Harper vs. Randy Orton
Steel Cage Match: The Miz vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler
SmackDown Tag Team Champions Rhyno & Heath Slater vs. The Usos vs. American Alpha vs. Breezango
SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Naomi vs. Carmella vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Natalya vs. Nikki Bella
Apollo Crews, Jack Swagger and The Hype Bros vs. The Vaudevillains and The Ascension
– Last Wednesday at NXT TakeOver: The End…, legendary wrestling manager Paul Ellering made a surprise appearance moments after a massive duo clad in camouflage viciously attacked American Alpha. The WWE Hall of Famer seemingly aligned himself with the pair, who are known as The Authors of Pain, as he commanded them to the backstage area.
Speaking to Bill Apter on Saturday at the semi-annual Legends of the Ring convention in Monroe, New Jersey, Ellering discussed his appearance, daughter Rachael’s career on the independent circuit, and more.
– Former WWE Superstar Ted DiBiase was backstage at WWE’s live event in Jackson, Mississippi. Here he is with Natalya and Kofi Kingston.
WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase stepped into the ring this weekend in Australia and earned a much deserved “You still got it” chant from the live crowd.
The 62-year-old applied the Million Dollar Dream and executed a picture perfect Russian leg sweep. Of course, the moment would not have been complete without a dollar bill being stuffed in the victim’s mouth. Everybody’s got a price!
Ted DiBiase recently spoke about his issues with the late Ultimate Warrior on the Joe Cronin Show. In the interview, the “Million Dollar Man” explains that he regrets not patching things up with the Warrior:
“If there was a regret, the one thing I didn’t get to do before he died, was bury the hatchet with Ultimate Warrior. Everybody knows there was no love loss between a number of wrestlers and Jim Hellwig, but when the company came out and put him in the Hall of Fame, I thought it was the classy thing to do. I’m a minister, I preach forgiveness all the time.”
In March of 2014, DiBiase spoke publicly about the Warrior to Inside the Ropes radio, prior to Warrior’s Hall of Fame induction:
“I mean, I don’t hate the guy. It goes back to anybody that watched the DVD, The Self Destruction of the Ultimate Warrior, that really tells the story. Obviously, if Vince has decided he needs to be in the Hall of Fame, I’m not going to begrudge that and obviously I’m going to be there. I quite frankly, don’t know how many of my peers believes he really deserves it because…it’s not just about being the star it’s about a number of things, it comes back down to the gratitude thing.
“None of us would be stars, when I was inducted I had a list of people that I needed to thank. Harley Race was there in the crowd and I pointed Harley out. I think that’s it, the overall lack of gratitude that the Warrior has shown over the years. Where it makes most of us go ‘Who do you think you are?’ Doesn’t he realize that none of this would be happening if it wasn’t for a lot of help from a lot of people. I think that’s pretty much the consensus. I don’t begrudge him. I’m not that kinda guy to hold a grudge. If I had to feel one thing towards Jim Hellwig, I guess it would be pity a little bit. I’ve heard other people say that he just generally has the attitude that it’s about succeeding in life and you’re going to have to do what you can to get ahead and if that means stepping on people along the way then so be it. That, in my opinion, is a very sad commentary and a very poor way to look at life. So am I going to begrudge him for going into the Hall of Fame? No.”
Warrior died at the age of 54 on April 8, 2014 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
WWE Hall of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase recently appeared on The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast to discuss the passing of Dusty Rhodes, Mid-South Wrestling and more. Here are some highlights of what he said about:
Memories of working in Mid-South:
“Mid-South is what started my whole career. The owner of Mid-South Wrestling, “Cowboy’ Bill Watts was and is extremely intelligent and unbelievable at understanding the psychology of our industry and I probably learned more from him then just about anybody. Naming all the guys that came from Mid-South (Jake Roberts, Jim Duggan, Junkyard Dog), they didn’t just come out wrestlers they came out as Superstars. I never actually got a chance to wrestle Jake in Mid-South but my biggest move is when I finally turned from “good” guy to “bad” guy on Junkyard Dog. JYD had a tremendous run down there. JYD really is what started me into becoming an accomplished heel.”
His “Loser Leaves Town” match against “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan:
“Me, Duggan and (Matt) Borne had the Rat Pack. Duggan became a baby face and I had a great run with Hacksaw. The “Loser Leaves Town” Match was like the Gimmick Matches of all Gimmick Matches. We were dressed in tuxedos, we were inside of a steel cage, there was a 12 ft. pole attached to the ring with a loaded coal miners glove that if you got it you could use and on top of all that it was a “Loser Leaves Town” Match.”
Bill Watts and Mid-South being the first to run in a dome:
“When you talk about running big venues, obviously the WWE has sold out arenas all over the world throughout the years and it seems like every WrestleMania sets a new record. But, I believe l and I’m not mistaken that the first guy to run a dome was Bill Watts when he ran The Superdome. Obviously he didn’t sell it out but that is probably the largest crowd that I remember wrestling in front of at that time.”
His match against Jake Roberts at WrestleMania 6:
“I loved wrestling Jake all the time. He was easy. As wrestlers call it “doing the dance” and Jake and I dance well together. When you are on the same wavelength and share the same psychology of what a match should be, we had that. I was the heel and Jake was the baby face and it was actually one of the WrestleMania’s where I actually won. But the only reason I won was because post WrestleMania he and I were still going to be working all the time. WrestleMania VI I would say is my favorite WrestleMania match. My first one, WrestleMania IV was the tournament where the champion would be crowned, the last match I had with Randy Savage was a good match and I loved working Randy but Jake is one of those guys I worked so well with.”
Dusty Rhodes passing away:
“Wrestling lost an unbelievable wrestler and incredible entertainer, but I lost a close friend. My relationship with Dusty goes all the way back to the beginning of my career. I am one of the guys like Dusty that was on the football team at West Texas State. I was there with Tito Santana, Tully Blanchard and a lot of wrestlers came out of West Texas State. I had actually met Dusty at Dick Murdoch’s house in Amarillo, Texas and when I started in the business, Dusty had already had the reputation of being great. A lot of people look at him and say well he had a sloppy body but what you have to understand was Dusty could have a technical match that I’m known for having . Dusty worked his gimmick and that is “the son of a plumber” and that he was the average man and say that I look like the “common man”. When he became NWA World Champion he said to me that “there were a lot of guys that don’ t think I can carry this belt, but I can do it”. When he came to the WWE, Vince (McMahon) made him the guy in polka dots and Dusty didn’t throw a big fit about the whole thing and he took that and did it extremely well. That’s actually the only time we were able to work a real program and I had the opportunity to wrestle Dusty often. I also helped break in his son Dustin and even to this day Cody and my son (Ted Dibiase Jr.) who were tag team partners are very close friends. My heart goes out to Michelle his wife and those boys.”
WWE Hall Of Famer “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase Sr. recently spoke with Chuck Carroll of Turnbuckle Weekly to discuss a number of topics. Below are some highlights from the interview:
On what Vince McMahon told him when his “Million Dollar Man” character debuted: “In an effort to make people believe you really are rich, we’re going to fly you everywhere first class. You’re going to stay in first-class accommodations, and you’ll have limousine service daily.”
On how his character compared to Ric Flair’s: “I was never as flamboyant as [Flair]. And the other big difference… Ric’s [tab] was coming out of his own pocket.”
On comparing Eric Bischoff to Vince McMahon: “The difference between Eric Bischoff and Vince McMahon is Vince McMahon knows how to create a star. Eric took a company and took it down. I remember a conversation one night after one of the shows, and Eric said he was going to put Vince out of business. I just laughed at him and said ‘are you kidding me?’ Even if Vince retreats a little bit, he ain’t going away. I don’t think you or anybody else are going to run him out of business.”
Sports Illustrated Extra’s “Mustard Blog” recently put together a lengthy piece on 2015 WWE Hall Of Famer “Macho Man” Randy Savage, talking to a number of WWE legends about the iconic performer. Below are some of the highlights.
Jerry Lawler on working with Savage:
“The first time we worked together, when it was ‘promotion against promotion,’ we sold out at the arena with 23,000 people. That was unheard of in wrestling. But Randy was so cool. He was a great athlete, and he was a little bit out there. He had a bit of a temper, and he was moody at times, but he was his own guy. I really grew to respect him.”
Steve Austin on Savage:
“Macho Man, that guy’s stuff back when he was in Tennessee, was incredible. His intensity, his promo style—he was the Macho Man 24/7, 365—and he was that before he got to the WWF. Vince [McMahon] didn’t make him, he made himself. Vince then made him a superstar all over the world.”
Gene Okerlund, Hulk Hogan and Ted DiBiase on Savage’s relationship with Miss Elizabeth:
Okerlund: “Randy was a loose cannon. In the early days, Randy was very protective of Elizabeth to the point where it bothered a lot of the boys. But what could you do, take it to Vince McMahon and make yourself look like a powder puff? You just ignored it and worked with it.”
Hogan: “If you even looked at Elizabeth the wrong way, then, Holy s—. Randy would freak out. If you ever wanted to get him lit up, you’d just have to look at Liz.”
DiBiase: “I would never consider having my wife around a bunch of wrestlers. Randy tried to protect Elizabeth, but that created some tension between the two of them.”
Daniel Bryan on Savage:
“I’d love to be this era’s Macho Man. There are a lot of similarities between the two of us. He was so good and just had that connection with the crowd. You can watch him to this day, he’s so entertaining.”
Ric Flair on his WrestleMania VIII match against Savage:
“We brought the best out in each other. When you have that kind of chemistry and respect for each other, it doesn’t take a lot of thought-process to go out there and make music in the ring. Randy was still playing minor league baseball when I first met him. I was there in his corner during his infancy in the business, saw him blossom and become so much better. I was proud of him, and wrestling him at WrestleMania was awesome.”
Sting on his friendship with Savage:
“Randy Savage, ironically, is one of the guys I looked up to. I loved him. He was so out far out there with his character. There was something about it I could identify with. I used to tease him a little bit in the dressing room in front of all the guys, and say, ‘Come on, just talk in your normal voice.’ ‘This is my normal voice, what are you talking about?,’ he’d say. It was funny. We’d always try to get him, but I never heard him talk any other way than just like this, brother! Living the character helped him, absolutely it did.”
Lanny Poffo on a Triple H interview that led to a the infamous Stephanie McMahon rumor, which Lanny says is not true:
“A reporter asked [WWE heavyweight champion] Triple H what he thought of Hulk Hogan and Randy Savage. Triple H responded with, ‘They were great, but they’re dinosaurs.’ Randy saw this as a deliberate attempt to hurt his brand. Randy insinuated he [wanted] to take Triple H, slap him in the face, take his girl, Stephanie McMahon [the daughter of Vince McMahon and the wife of Triple H], and drive her around the block, then give her back to him,” Lanny says. “It wasn’t right, but Randy was provoked.”
