Million Dollar Memories
Posted: Mar 27th 2010 By: CMBurnham
Professional wrestling is full of legendary characters with legendary catchphrases. Only one of those catchphrases, however, was attached to a laugh. "Everybody's got a price, hahahahahaha."
"The Million Dollar Man," Ted DiBiase, will be inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame on Saturday, the night before WrestleMania in Phoenix, Ariz. DiBiase, who played football at West Texas State, took some time away from his duties as an evangelist to talk wrestling. DiBiase resides in Clinton, Miss.
What's it like being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame?
"To be inducted into the hall of fame is to be honored by your peers. I don't think that there is a greater honor you can have. This is not just a bunch of sportswriters who just talk about wrestling, these are the guys that did it with ya. These are the guys who've been down that road with you. They are saying that you are one of our best. It's a tremendous honor and it's humbling at the same time. It's one of those moments in my life where I wish my dad could be there."
What are your thoughts on TNA moving to Monday nights and going head-to-head with WWE?
"The WWE is a machine. It is a well-oiled, fine-tuned machine, and it's rolling. I have nothing against any of those guys over there (in TNA), I worked with a lot of those guys. I seriously think they don't have a chance. They do not have a chance of competing with the WWE. Their programming is not nearly as good. Nothing about the quality of that show is near the quality of the WWE. It's almost like they are trying to go back and relive the old wrestling wars. I'm 56 years old, I'm the same age as (Hulk) Hogan, and at some point you've gotta know it's over. I wish them well. Competition is always good for business, but to think you can actually compete with the WWE in the same hour, to me is just pretty naive."
Any specific Amarillo memories?
"The biggest wrestling memory that I have is not my own, it was my dad's ('Iron' Mike DiBiase). I was in the sixth grade when they had this Texas Death Match that went for three hours and fifteen minutes. I guess they would go back to the dressing room and take a break and come back out. Can you imagine two men able to hold a crowd for 3? hours. The match actually ended in a draw because the police came in and stopped the match because there was a curfew on the building."
What about one involving you?
"One of the most fun was a battle royal. In that battle royal were the Funk brothers and me, as well as others. I won the battle royal. The last three guys were me, Terry Funk and Dory Funk, Jr. They ultimately put me over. My winning that match really was kind of like them putting the stamp of approval on me. It brought me up a notch."
Any thoughts of stepping into the ring one more time, maybe with your son (Ted DiBiase, Jr.) next to you?
"Everybody's got a price, hahahaha. Never say never but my knees are shot, my shoulder is gone. I've had surgery on my neck. If it ever did happen you'd see me out there in a full body suit. I wouldn't want to embarrass myself."
Where did the idea of the Million Dollar Belt come from?
"There was some talk of me being WWE champion. What they came to me with was 'you're the Million Dollar Man.' The idea was you're so arrogant that you don't need the WWE title, you'll just create your own. The whole concept is you want the people to dislike you as much as they possibly can. The arrogance of a guy creating his own belt and wearing it to the ring every night, it worked. It was a great idea."
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Spotlight in History
- 1941 Maurice Shapiro became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 1958 Jim LaRock became the TSW United States Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 1958 Jim LaRock def. Sandor Kovacs for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 1978 Jerry Brown & Bobby Jaggers def. Ray Candy & Steven Little Bear for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 1982 King Kong Bundy def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 1982 Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia def. The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 1986 Rick Rude def. Lance Von Erich for the WCCW Television Champion
- 2002 Red Eagle def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 2002 Terry Montana def. Red Eagle for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 2007 Compound Varsity (Romero Contreras & Justin Lee) became the FCW Tag Team Champions
- 2012 Kareem Sadat def. David Kyzer for the SWCW Hardcore Champion
- 2017 El Greengo Loco & Karnage def. Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
Week of Sun 05-05 to Sat: 05-11
- 05-05 1941 Maurice Shapiro became the TSW Missouri Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-05 1958 Jim LaRock became the TSW United States Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-05 1958 Jim LaRock def. Sandor Kovacs for the TSW Oklahoma Junior Heavyweight Champion
- 05-05 1978 Jerry Brown & Bobby Jaggers def. Ray Candy & Steven Little Bear for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-05 1982 King Kong Bundy def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 05-05 1982 Junkyard Dog & Mr. Olympia def. The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika) for the MSW Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 05-05 1986 Rick Rude def. Lance Von Erich for the WCCW Television Champion
- 05-05 2002 Red Eagle def. Terry Montana for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 05-05 2002 Terry Montana def. Red Eagle for the OCW Oklahoma Hardcore Champion
- 05-05 2007 Compound Varsity (Romero Contreras & Justin Lee) became the FCW Tag Team Champions
- 05-05 2012 Kareem Sadat def. David Kyzer for the SWCW Hardcore Champion
- 05-05 2017 El Greengo Loco & Karnage def. Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1959 Pretty Boy Collins & Duke Scarbo became the TSW Louisiana Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1969 Ramon Torres & Alberto Torres def. Karl Von Stroheim & Treacherous Phillips for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1974 Rip Tyler def. Bob Sweetan for the TSW Brass Knucks Champion
- 05-06 1984 The Rock & Soul Connection (Buck Zumhofe & King Parsons) def. The Super Destroyers (Super Destroyer 1 & Super Destroyer 2) for the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1984 The Von Erichs (Fritz Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich & Mike Von Erich) def. The Fabulous Freebirds (Terry Gordy, Michael Hayes, & Buddy Roberts) for the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1984 The Von Erichs (Kerry Von Erich & Kevin Von Erich & Mike Von Erich) became the WCCW World 6-Man Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 1985 The Fantastics (Tommy Rogers & Bobby Fulton) became the WCCW American Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 2005 Shane Morbid def. Kenny Campbell for the SRPW X Division Champion
- 05-06 2005 The 918 Boyz (Timmy J & Cade Sydal) became the SRPW Tag Team Champions
- 05-06 2011 Jeff Starchild became the MWA Heavyweight Champion
- 05-06 2017 Lone Star, Inc. (Cody Burns & Trey Cole & The Longhorn Outlaw) def. Simply the Future (J. D. & Alex) for the WFC Tag Team Champions
- 05-06 2017 Team Dean Machine (Christopher Dean & Jerry Dean) def. El Greengo Loco & Karnage for the BPPW Oklahoma Tag Team Champion
- 05-06 2023 Thrash def. Jason Jones for the WFC Prime Champion
- 05-06 2023 MLP def. Red James for the RDW Brass Knucks Champion
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- 05-07 1984 Killer Khan became the WCCW Television Champion
- 05-07 2010 Cody Jones became the NWA-OK Texoma Champion
- 05-07 2010 Jack Legacy def. Jeff Starchild for the MWA Heavyweight Champion
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- 05-07 2018 The Von Erichs (Marshall Von Erich & Ross Von Erich) became the WCR Tag Team Champions
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- 05-08 1970 The Hollywood Blondes (Jerry Brown & Buddy Roberts) became the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-08 1985 The Snowman became the MSW Television Champion
- 05-08 1988 Kerry Von Erich def. King Parsons for the WCCW World Champion
- 05-08 2004 Brandon Groom def. Michael Barry for the NWA-OK Oklahoma Heavyweight Champion
- 05-08 2004 John O'Malley became the IZW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-08 2004 Kenny Campbell became the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 05-08 2004 Luc Lapointe & Se7en became the IZW Tag Team Champions
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- 05-08 2010 Wage def. Eric Rose for the IZW Impact Division Champion
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- 05-08 2010 J. R. Orullian & The Unknown def. The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Dennis Williams) for the 412PE Tag Team Champions
- 05-09 1967 Gorgeous George, Jr. & Jack Brisco def. The Assassins (Assassin #1 & Assassin #2) for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-09 2004 John O'Malley def. Chris Matthews for the ACW Heavyweight Champion
- 05-09 2004 Se7en became the ACW Hardcore Champion
- 05-09 2004 Bernie Donderwitz def. Se7en for the ACW Hardcore Champion
- 05-09 2009 Crazy Beautiful (Brett Taylor & Michael York) def. Team SuperBad (El Super Colibri & Justin Lee) for the ComPro Tag Team Champions
- 05-09 2009 Dane Griffin def. Dustin Heritage for the IZW Impact Division Champion
- 05-09 2009 BLK-OUT (Jermaine Johnson & Montego Seeka) def. Impact, Inc. (Johnny Z & Bernie D) for the IZW Tag Team Champions
- 05-09 2015 The Trenchcoat Mafia (Ryan Reed & Billy Ray [1st]) def. Hurricane Ross & J. R. Orullian for the NAW Tag Team Champions
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- 05-10 2014 Billy Ray [1st] def. Running Wolf for the NAW Heavyweight Champion
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- 05-11 1976 Karl Kox & Bob Sweetan def. Ted DiBiase & Dick Murdoch for the TSW United States Tag Team Champion
- 05-11 1981 Ernie Ladd def. Kerry Von Erich for the WCCW American Heavyweight Champion
- 05-11 2008 The Midnite Rider def. Outlaw for the MSWA Oklahoma Champion
- 05-11 2008 Limited Edition (Les Mayne & Dane Griffin) def. The South Side Soul Assassins (Tyson Jaymes & 3rd Rail) for the MSWA Mid-South Tag Team Champion
- 05-11 2013 Billy Ray [1st] became the NAW Heavyweight Champion
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