Ted DiBiase (20 page)

“Look, Dick, nothing personal. But there is no way that I am going to pass up this opportunity.” Dick responded by hitting me square in the face and tossed me outside the ring. He threw me into the steel ringpost and busted me open.

I came into the ring with a bandaged and bloody head. I wouldn't be

Taking on Ric Flair for the NWA title.

deterred from my title shot. The fans saw this as a heroic effort and cheered me on. Flair and I wrestled for what seemed like an hour. It was a great match, and Flair was a tremendous worker. As I set up Flair for the figure-four, he kicked me off; I took a bump over the top rope and landed on the outside concrete floor. Dick came back down to ringside to help me, but he quickly changed his mind and gave me a Brain Buster on the concrete floor. I was counted out and Flair retained his title. The injury allowed me four weeks of work in Japan. When I returned, I fought Dick throughout the territory and I became one of the most popular wrestlers in Mid-South.

TERRY TAYLOR:

Bill Watts was not afraid to work his talent to death—sometimes three times a day. One New Year's Eve, we worked in the afternoon and early evening, and did a late-night show that was to end right before midnight. There was also a big New Year's Eve party scheduled
afterward at the show for everybody who paid to watch the wrestling event. There was a live band, food, drinks, et cetera. The show ended about eleven-thirty.

As the clock approached midnight, the band called all the wrestlers back into the ring. We were all dancing, drinking, singing, and having a great time bringing in the New Year. After a while, Teddy said, “I'm going to the bathroom and then grab a bite to eat.”

I asked, “What room are you in?”

He said, “Twelve forty-one, why?”

“Nothing, maybe I will come up later.”

So Teddy heads to the bathroom. I am still in the ring, singing with the band. The band decided to take a ten-minute break. So I got on the microphone and said to the crowd, “Do you guys want this party to end?”

“No!”

“You want to stay up all night and party?”

“Yeah!”

“Well, in room 1241, I have two kegs of beer and everybody is invited!” About a half hour later, the party ended.

Teddy and I took the elevator up to the twelfth floor. I got out first to see if anybody went up; there was a line all the way from the elevator, down the hallway, and back over to room 1241. Teddy asked, “What are all these people doing here?”

I coyly replied, “I don't know.” When Teddy went to get in his room, the people tried to go in with him. They thought he was kidding when he said there was no beer in the room.

During my three-year stint with Mid-South, I was making wrestling trips to and from Japan. I was probably going to Japan two or three times a year. I was making a name for myself overseas and Giant Baba really took care of me. I was also getting a major push. Bruiser Brody and Stan Hansen were the hottest tag team in All-Japan. Stan was also the most popular foreign wrestler in all of Japan. Bruiser decided to work for a rival promotion, New Japan. It
created an opening, so Stan asked me to be his partner. It was a privilege for Stan to ask me, and of course, I agreed to work with him.

Mid-South started to change. In an effort to compete with World Wrestling Federation, Bill Watts officially changed the name of the Mid-South promotion to the Universal Wrestling Federation. Although business was doing well, it wasn't doing as well as World Wrestling Federation. Vince McMahon had transformed the wrestling industry. He made many changes geared to attract a family audience: making wrestling less violent, taking away the blood and gore, and introducing more cartoonlike wrestling characters. Unfortunately, Bill had started too late and didn't have the financial support to compete with Vince. He later sold the company to Jim Crockett Promotions.

Vince had been recruiting talent from the various territories. I initially felt that Vince was destroying the sport by the way he cherry-picked talent. And Vince had the audacity to run his shows in our territory. But deep down, I knew that he was a marketing mastermind and that the wrestling landscape was changing. Vince had created
WrestleMania
—wrestling's Super Bowl—and with 93,000 people in attendance for
WrestleMania III,
I knew it was only a matter of time before the territorial system would dissipate. Guys like Terry Funk had predicted it years ago. So when Paul Orndorff, Jim Duggan, and the Junkyard Dog left to go to New York, I sensed that maybe it was time for me to get on board.

A few days after I started wrestling in Japan, the folks at the All-Japan office told me that Bruce Prichard had called me a few times and that I needed to contact him as soon as possible. Once I made contact, Bruce said, “Ted, whatever you do, please don't sign a contract with Crockett until you have a chance to talk to Vince McMahon. He is more than interested in you.” I took Bruce's advice and told him that I wouldn't do anything until the tour was over in about three weeks.

I got home from Japan in early May of 1987. I kept waiting for the phone to ring. About four days went by and I hadn't heard a word from anyone. I started thinking that maybe the deal with World Wrestling Federation had fallen through. I was outside on the deck, thinking, when Melanie told me that Vince McMahon was on the phone. I was excited as I got on the phone with him. After we exchanged pleasantries, he said, “Ted, I am very interested in you coming to work for World Wrestling Federation. As a matter of fact, we have an idea for a new character. You and I both know that everything has been done and redone in wrestling. But this is something that is original and has never been done before. We think you fit the bill for the job.”

“That's great, but what is it?”

“No, no. I'm not going to tell you over the phone. I want you to fly up here and we will talk face-to-face. I'll have a prepaid ticket waiting for you at the Jackson airport and there will be a limousine waiting for you at the airport in New York.” The next thing I knew, I was flying first-class to New York. I was then chauffeured in a stretch limousine to the World Wrestling Federation headquarters in Stamford.

The limo pulled into the headquarters' parking lot. By the look of the building, I knew that the company was very successful. As I walked in, I
noticed how perfectly decorated it was, and all the staff treated me with the utmost professionalism. I was taken to Vince's office, where I was met by Vince and Pat Patterson. Pat was Vince's right-hand man. He was a great wrestler and had been in the business for years. He knew what he was doing, which is why he was Vince's top consultant. I had known Pat from my first run in World Wrestling Federation, and we got along real well.

For an hour, Vince told me about his vision for the future of professional wrestling. Then Vince said he had this idea for an unprecedented character and he wanted me to be the talent for it. He praised my wrestling skills and ability to speak on the microphone. He also believed that the manner in which I conducted myself outside the ring was an added bonus. “I am completely convinced that you would be perfect for the role.”

“Great! What is this new character?”

“I can't tell you what it is until you say yes and sign with us,” Vince said. “Until you agree, I am not going to take the chance of giving away a great idea and have it show up somewhere else.”

I told Vince that I appreciated him flying me up there and I was about 90 percent sure that I was on board. I just needed some time to talk it over with my wife. He understood.

Vince had to leave to take an important phone call. Pat Patterson then looked at me and said, “Ted, let me tell you this. This isn't just an idea that somebody came up with. This is Vince's idea. If Vince was going to put the tights on and become a wrestler, this is the character that he would be. So, all I want you to know is that because it is
his
idea, he is going to do everything he can to make sure it gets over.” I trusted Pat, so I knew this was a great opportunity.

PAT PATTERSON:

During some downtime, I was alone with Teddy. I said, “For Christ sake, Teddy, you have to take that opportunity. I don't know what this new character could be. But if it is Vince's baby, then you know he is going to go all the way with it. He is going to do whatever it takes to make it work.”

When Vince came back in, he asked me how much money Crockett had offered me. I told him the truth. Vince honestly said, “Ted, I am not going to promise you a specific dollar amount. But I can promise that you will make more money than you have ever made in your life.”

When I got back home, I told Melanie about the offer. Immediately, I called my mentor, Terry Funk. Terry was not only an amazing talent but he had a clear understanding of the future of professional wrestling. I remembered him telling me back in college that there would come a time in the business when wrestlers would travel the world and perform in front of large crowds just like rock stars. So I told him about Vince's offer.

TERRY FUNK:

I told Teddy, “If Vince McMahon has an idea, pack your bags, go to New York City, and don't look back.” It was the right time for him to make the move. I knew where the business was heading (and still do), and believe me, wrestling was changing. There were approximately thirty-six to thirty-nine territorial promotions. Although Bill Watts was doing well, it was only a matter of time before World Wrestling Federation would dominate the sport. Vince had the energy and the money, and was in the right geographical location. And now with national television, it spelled the end for the regional promotions.

A couple of days later I called Vince. “Vince, I've had some time to think about the offer and even ran it by a couple of people whom I respect and trust. I want to let you know that I am your guy and I am coming to work for you in World Wrestling Federation!”

“That is great.”

“So now can you tell me the idea?” I asked.

Vince chuckled. “No, I don't want to talk to you about it over the phone. I will send two first-class plane tickets in the mail for you and your wife. I want you to spend the weekend in New York.”

After I hung up with Vince, I immediately called Jim Crockett. I never really liked Jim. It goes back to when I wrestled for Sam Muchnick in St. Louis and Jim was there watching. He was arrogant and had this aura about him. It seemed that just because he was this big-time promoter, everybody had to kiss his butt. It made my call to him all the sweeter. “Jim, I have some bad news for you. I am not signing the deal. I have accepted an offer to work for Vince McMahon. He made me an offer that I couldn't refuse and I think it is going to be the biggest break in my career. I'm sorry it didn't work out.”

BOB GEIGEL:

At the time, I didn't think Ted's move to World Wrestling Federation was the right one. I wasn't too fond of Vince McMahon Jr. I didn't approve of what he was doing to the territories. However, now, as time has gone by, it is apparent that Vince has done a tremendous job in taking over wrestling. The guys he took from the various territories became stars. I turned out to be wrong.

A few days later, Melanie and I were off to New York. It was a good break for Melanie. My in-laws took care of Teddy. When we arrived, a stretch limousine was waiting to take us to meet with Vince in Stamford. Once we arrived, Melanie was introduced to everyone, and I went into Vince's office to meet with him and Pat. Ironically, Melanie was entertained in the outer office by none other than Jim Barnett. Jim had sold his interests in the Georgia territory and left Atlanta to work for Vince McMahon.

I signed a two-year continuing contract. Every two years the contract would roll over unless I decided to opt out by giving written notice within ninety days of its expiration. Vince then laid out his entire idea and described the new character. “Ted, this character is a filthy-rich heel and we are going to make people believe that you are really rich. He is so rich that he throws his money around like it is nothing. He can buy anyone and anything. His god is money and he will live by the motto ‘Every man has his price.' ” I started smiling like a Cheshire cat.