Ted DiBiase Jr. on Favorite WWE Matches, Travel Schedule, Daniel Bryan

Wrestling Inc. recently had a chance to speak with former WWE Superstar Ted DiBiase Jr. DiBiase left the company in September of 2013 in order to pursue his own projects and to spend more time with his family. Below are some of the highlights.

On WWE travel schedules and what it was like for his father compared to his own:

“I think their schedule was actually worse than ours. I remember my dad coming home like two and three weeks at a time and then he’d be home for four days and then gone for three weeks and home for three days. It was longer periods of time each time he would leave. For us, we were like five days a week and then home the rest of the week. So, I was a bit of a break there but it was interesting man. You know, I grew up in the locker room with Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Jake the Snake and the Ultimate Warrior. It was quite interesting being a little kid. I didn’t realize how cool that was until I got older, in hindsight (obviously 20/20) but it was fun, but it was tough because dad missed out on a lot. He wasn’t there for the birthdays, I mean, honestly I don’t remember a birthday that he was actually there for. We would always schedule around and do stuff when he could be there but he was definitely gone for all the weekends. So, he wasn’t at the soccer games or football games and I never had any regrets or bitterness towards that. That’s just what he did.”

“I think it was harder on him than it was on me and my brothers. But, yeah, I look at that and that kinda the decision that I had to come to make. Am I gonna continue this dream and this really amazing job and miss out on all the small moment and be the one who teases my son how to right a bike and be there for the birthdays or not? It’s a tough choice and it’s not for everybody. That’s the decision that I’d made for now. I’m not saying that I would rule out wrestling in the future, but, for now, this is what I need to do.”

He also discussed his favorite matches in WWE.

“I really enjoyed – I’m trying to think of the year – maybe ’09? We did SummerSlam, when Shawn came back and we really started our feud with DX. The SummerSlam match, that was cool and they come out on the tanks. I just remember that moment. We’re standing in the ring and I was telling Cody, I was like, “Dude, this is real? Are we dreaming right now?” You know, the lights went dark and the glow sticks just come out and I’m about to go toe to toe with, you know the other childhood hero other than my dad, Shawn Michaels. It was just a very surreal moment. So that was an awesome match. I really enjoyed it.”

“Then, I had a good match with Bryan Danielson – or Daniel Bryan, whatever you wanna call him – in Survivor Series a couple of years later. I remember that match was just a lot of fun. We had the crowd. Then obviously wrestling in WrestleMania. Even though the time got cut and I wasn’t crazy about the match, but it was WrestleMania. You know, 74,000 people there in Scottsdale, Arizona. I think it was 26? Wrestled Randy and Cody. It was just cool. I wrestled in WrestleMania, I’ve filmed a movie. I’ve really done a lot; I’ve done everything you’d wanna do. I mean, I wasn’t a WWE Champion, but man, I did it. It’s like a childhood dream can true. So I don’t feel like I’ve missed out on anything.”

DiBiase then spoke highly of the new WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Daniel Bryan.

“Did I see it coming? Kind of. I guess I wanted it to happen for him so bad. I’m so happy for that guy. If there’s anybody in this business alive today that deserves what they’re getting, it’s him. He’s just an impeccable, amazing talent. Bryan was actually the one, he was in Japan the first time I went, and really held my hand and showed me the ropes and then WWE turned him away twice after I had debuted and I think they fired him before that. And, it was like, how is guy dude never gonna get a shot? Then he comes and he just kept grinding, you know? He’s the ultimate underdog. He’s just the nicest guy. He’s just a great guy. For somebody, like the success he has right now he deserves it more than anyone. Because he’s extremely good.”

“One of the matches I had, I think it was in Paris maybe. It was not televised, but I remember Christian got hurt and Arn Anderson asked me and Bryan to put in a little more time. And we did, like, 42 minutes one night. I just remember he just called everything. I just went ahead a listened to him and we had the most fun. It was one of those nights where the crowd was just reacting to everything. But he just knows. He knows how to tell a good story and he’s just so humble about it. You know, he’s very humble, which I have a lot of respect for. So happy for him. I can’t stand his beard, he is one ugly dude. But, man he’s a good guy. Good friend.”

The rest of the two-part interview can be found here.

Editor’s Note

Some really good stuff in this interview, and I highly encourage everyone to check it out. Good to see that Bryan really does have that much backstage respect.

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