Ted DiBiase on Being the “Million Dollar Man,” What Really Mattered

Ted DiBiase was a guest on Ring Rust Radio, where he spoke about his “Million Dollar Man” gimmick and what really mattered to him.

Despite having a lot of luxuries in his career, DiBiase first talks about what really mattered to him:

“What I really want people to really realize walking away from this is that what everybody seems to think in the world if I have this great job and I make a lot of money and a nice house and a big car and all the stuff that it’ll make you happy. Guys, I had that and not only did I have it, but Vince McMahon was promoting me. He was sending me everywhere first-class, Learjets, limousine, the whole star treatment, and I came to a place and realized that with all of that, if I didn’t have the love and respect of my wife and my children, I didn’t have anything.”

The outrageous gimmick he portrayed is loved by many to this day. On the gimmick itself:

“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.'”

On what Bobby Heenan meant to him:

“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.”

If you want a reminder on why DiBiase is so amazing at being that character, we highly suggest watching the video below. The same applies if you’ve never seen him perform in character. It’s something you can’t miss.

WWE Hall of Fame: "Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase pays his

What are your thoughts on his comments? Were you or are you still a fan of the “Million Dollar Man?” Let us know in the comments below or over on our Facebook page or Twitter account. Additionally, you can find me on Twitter at @SOSNH1995. We also want to remind you that we have a Newsletter you can sign up to. This will allow us to send you the best news in one place via an email. We also have the Wrestling Rumors app that we encourage you all to download to get updates faster than they release on our various pages. It is available on Android and iOS devices.