History Wrestling / TedDiBiase

Listen up, you nickel-and-dime peons: "The Million Dollar Man" Theodore Marvin [=DiBiase=] Sr. (born January 18, 1954) is a retired {{professional wrestl|ing}}er. He was one of the premier {{Heel}}s in the "federation years" of the WWE. He was inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame in 2010, and has since been keeping a watchful eye over his son Wrestling/TedDiBiaseJr in his WWE run. He is a 3x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-world-t.html WWE World Tag Team Champion]] with [[Wrestling/MikeRotunda Irwin R. Schyster (Mike Rotunda)]] as Money Inc., a 1x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-na-h.html WWF North American Heavyweight Champion]], a 2x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/pwf-t.html All Japan PWF World Tag Team Champion]] with Wrestling/StanHansen and 1x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/aj-t.html All Japan Pro Wrestling World Tag Team Champion]] also with Hansen, and held various territorial titles in the late 1970s and through most of the 1980s before arriving in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in 1987.[[note]]He also briefly held the WWE 24/7 Title on the RAW Reunion show in 2019, [[CallBack buying it]] off [[Wrestling/{{Madusa}} Alundra Blayze]] before losing it back to Wrestling/DrakeMaverick.[[/note]]

[=DiBiase's=] post-wrestling career has recently taken a turn for the worse, ironically. In May 2022, he, his sons, and former NFL great [[UsefulNotes/NationalFootballLeagueQuarterbacks Brett Favre]] were among several people sued by the state of Mississippi over [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mississippi_welfare_funds_scandal misuse of over $20 million in welfare funds]]. In April 2023, his son Ted Jr. was indicted on multiple federal charges related to the scandal. While Ted Sr. has been fined back in October 2021, time will tell if further sentences will occur.

'''''NYAAAAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!'''"''

* BeardOfEvil

** Ted [=DiBiase=]'s Million Dollar Man character was based on the type of wrestler WWE boss Wrestling/VinceMcMahon wanted to be. This was years before Vince himself would [[FaceHeelTurn turn heel]] following the Wrestling/MontrealScrewjob and become the BigBad we know today.

As usual, Wiki/ThatOtherWiki has [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_DiBiase a more detailed run-down of his career.]]

* ManOfWealthAndTaste: His entrance attire is tuxedo, for crying out loud! Barney in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' spent an exorbitant amount of money on a custom suit with [[ConspicuousConsumption diamond encrusted pin-stripes]] called "The [=DiBiase=]". You can't take that to just any dry cleaners.

** Ironically, he actually inverted this earlier in his career. While competing for "Cowboy" Bill Watts' Universal Wrestling Federation in 1986, [=DiBiase=] competed in, and was eliminated from, the [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/us/midsouth/uwf/uwf-h.html UWF World Heavyweight Title]] Tournament on May 30. ([=DiBiase=] d. [[Wrestling/UltimateWarrior Blade Runner Rock (The Ultimate Warrior)]] in the First Round and Terry Gordy d. him in a Quarter-Final Match.) [=DiBiase=]'s former manager, Wrestling/GeneralSkandorAkbar of Devastation Inc., offered him $25,000 to interfere and cost his friend [[Wrestling/HacksawJimDuggan "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan]] his semi-final match against Akbar's charge [[Wrestling/{{Kamala}} Kamala the Ugandan Giant]]. [=DiBiase=] said, "Make it $50,000." Akbar agreed, [=DiBiase=] put on his infamous black glove, and nailed KAMALA, giving Duggan the win and sending him into the finals against Gordy. (Duggan lost, but that's another story.)

** He was the manager of The Million Dollar Corporation: [[Wrestling/MikeRotunda Irwin R. Schyster]], Wrestling/KingKongBundy, Wrestling/NikolaiVolkoff, Wrestling/BamBamBigelow, "The Undertaker"[[note]]Actually Brian Harris, aka Wrestling/{{SMW}}[=/=]Wrestling/{{ECW}}'s Brian Lee and Chainz of the Disciples of Apocalypse[[/note]] Wrestling/{{Tatanka}}, Kama[[note]]Papa Shango[=/=]The Godfather[[/note]], [[Wrestling/SidEudy Sycho Sid]],[[Wrestling/SeanWaltman The 1-2-3 Kid]], [[Wrestling/BallsMahoney Xanta Klaus (Jonathan Rechner, aka SMW's Boo Bradley[=/=]ECW's Balls Mahoney)]], [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin The Ringmaster ("Stone Cold" Steve Austin)]].

** Also backfired on him when he bought Wrestling/HerculesHernandez's contract from Bobby Heenan, and outright stated he saw it as literally [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil bought him as a person]]. Hercules, who's gimmick in the WWF was that he either thought himself to be, or literally was the actual legendary Hercules, became understandably furious at being treated like property, promptly turned Face, and beat the hell out of him.

** Vince [=McMahon=] has gradually turned into a Million Dollar Man, [[FaceHeelTurn turning heel]] following the Wrestling/MontrealScrewjob, acknowledging and abusing of his status as the chairman of the WWE and becoming the BigBad we know today.

** Since Ted literally couldn't buy a WWF Championship reign, he went out and had the "Million Dollar Championship" - a custom belt made of gold and diamonds - created just to prove he was the best. He awarded the belt to Steve Austin in 1996, and eventually, to Ted Jr. in 2010. [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse The belt subsequently disappeared not long after that.]]

* WrestlingFamily: Ted's mother Helen Nevins-[=DiBiase=] was a wrestler (as Helen Hilde), as was his adoptive father "Iron" Mike [=DiBiase=], and his sons Mike, Ted Jr. and Brett have all become wrestlers. Ted Jr. was signed to WWE but has since left as of the end of August 2013.

** Pro Wrestling Illustrated(who covered his face years and always refused to go with Vince's insistence that they pretend it's a totally new wrestler) explained away his sudden money as years of payouts from victorious matches and title wins.
* FauxAffablyEvil: [=DiBiase=] always appeared to be a congenial guy, but the moment things didn't go out on his favor, he would lash out at everyone.

* DemotedToExtra: As with so many other stars, Ted was kept on WCW's payroll despite rarely appearing on television. Ted was one of the first WWF Superstars to jump ship to WCW, and also one of the first to jump right back. The idea was that Ted bankrolled the nWo, with Hogan and the others providing the muscle. He turned face and disappeared from WCW programming later that year, and his boss role was subsumed by Wrestling/EricBischoff. According to Ted, it slowly dawned on Eric that he was essentially paying someone to play himself, but [=DiBiase=] had signed a three year contract. When he kindly pointed this out, Turner Entertainment realized that [[DidntThinkThisThrough had no choice but to keep employing him]], so Ted became a road agent for ''Nitro''. He really took them to the cleaners.

* FaceHeelTurn: Few people knew it at the time due to the lack of national exposure, but before his days as the "Million Dollar Man", Ted Dibiase was the fan favorite of the old Mid-South territory. He briefly used this character in his earliest WWE days, but was quickly repackaged as the rich bastard we all know and love. There's actually hints that it's supposed to be the same guy.

* MoneySong: His theme, obviously, which is also an EarWorm.

* DemotedToExtra: As with so many other stars, Ted was kept on WCW's payroll despite rarely appearing on television.
** Ted was one of the first WWF Superstars to jump ship to WCW, and also one of the first to jump right back. The idea was that Ted bankrolled the nWo, with Hogan and the others providing the muscle. He turned face and disappeared from WCW programming later that year, and his boss role was subsumed by Wrestling/EricBischoff. According to Ted, it slowly dawned on Eric that he was essentially paying someone to play himself, but [=DiBiase=] had signed a three year contract. When he kindly pointed this out, Turner Entertainment realized that [[DidntThinkThisThrough had no choice but to keep employing him]], so Ted became a road agent for ''Nitro''. He really took them to the cleaners.

* EvenEvilHasStandards: One of the ways heels got under Wrestling/RandySavage's skin during his WWF World Heavyweight Championship reign was to threaten Elizabeth, and more than once grab her and cock back a fist, night club, etc. Not [=DiBiase=]; undoubtedly the best wrestler to face Savage in 1988-1989, he never once even so much as acknowledged Elizabeth ... he just wanted the WWF World Heavyweight title.
** Evoked this from other heels when he announced his plans to buy the WWF title from Hulk Hogan. It wasn't for noble reasons though, they were simply outraged that he would have the audacity to sidestep them and procure the title for himself.

* EveryYearTheyFizzleOut: Regularly tops lists of the best wrestlers to never win a world title. He did briefly hold the championship when he bought it from Andre, even defending it at some house shows, but his reign was retconned from WWE canon,
* EvilKnockoff: When Yokozuma bested Wrestling/TheUndertaker at the '94 Wrestling/RoyalRumble, he finally broke Wrestling/PaulBearer's hold over the zombie wrestler. [=DiBiase=] declared that everybody from there to Timbuktu was searching for The Undertaker's remains, but had come up short. Using his vast money and resources though, the Million Dollar Man claimed he did indeed find the casket first and signed a contact placing Taker (actually an impersonator, Brian Lee) under ''his'' control. Paul called B.S. on this, as not even he knew where Taker was buried. In due course, Paul unsealed the power of the urn and the real Undertaker re-materialized to take the imposter out. It's interesting how [=DiBiase=] is basically arguing over Taker like he's a piece of land, something to be bought.

* {{Expy}}: Claimed in his [[{{Biography}} autobiography]] ''Every Man Has His Price'' that [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince [=McMahon=]]] described the "Million-Dollar Man" [[TheGimmick gimmick]] to him as a wrestling version of Creator/DonaldTrump.
** Which made it funny in a meta sense when [=DiBiase=] gladhanded with Trump at Wrestlemania V (Held at Trump Tower).

* FauxAffablyEvil
* {{Fiction 500}}: Daddy Warbucks with fists.
** [[http://www.kayfabenews.com/dibiase-bails-greece/ "DiBiase Bails Out Greece"]]
* FinishingMove: The Million Dollar Dream submission hold.
** He also used the Cobra Clutch combined with a Russian Legsweep, a top rope backwards elbow drop, and a Spinning Toe Hold at different phases of his career.

* HappilyAdopted

* ManOfWealthAndTaste: His entrance attire is tuxedo, for crying out loud!
** Barney in ''Series/HowIMetYourMother'' spent an exorbitant amount of money on a custom suit with [[ConspicuousConsumption diamond encrusted pin-stripes]] called "The [=DiBiase=]". You can't take that to just any dry cleaners.

* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: He once attempted to purchase the WWF Championship off of Wrestling/HulkHogan. One [[AlternateHistory "Rewriting the Book"]] article on Website/{{WrestleCrap}} explores WhatCouldHaveBeen if Hogan had taken the deal.

* PowerStable: He was the manager of The Million Dollar Corporation: [[Wrestling/MikeRotunda Irwin R. Schyster]], Wrestling/KingKongBundy, Wrestling/NikolaiVolkoff, Wrestling/BamBamBigelow, the [=Underfaker=][[note]]Brian Harris, aka Wrestling/{{SMW}}[=/=]Wrestling/{{ECW}}'s Brian Lee and Chainz of the Disciples of Apocalypse[[/note]] Wrestling/{{Tatanka}}, Kama[[note]]Papa Shango[=/=]The Godfather[[/note]], [[Wrestling/SidEudy Sycho Sid]],[[Wrestling/SeanWaltman The 1-2-3 Kid]], [[Wrestling/BallsMahoney Xanta Klaus (Jonathan Rechner, aka SMW's Boo Bradley[=/=]ECW's Balls Mahoney)]], [[Wrestling/StoneColdSteveAustin The Ringmaster ("Stone Cold" Steve Austin)]].

* RagsToRiches: Early on in his career as the Million Dollar Man, the idea was that Dibiase built his fortune using the insurance money he gained after his stepfather Mike Dibiase died from a heart attack, as a way to explain the gimmick to the fans who remembered him as a top face in Mid-South and an early WWE stint.
* RedBaron: "The Million Dollar Man"!

* RichInDollarsPoorInSense: His son is turning into this.

* SpiritualSuccessor: Make way for Wrestling/JohnBradshawLayfield, who is absolutely this trope for the new millennium. Wrestling/AlbertoDelRio has credited (or credi-'''Ted''') the M.D.M. as well.
** As JBL himself said, three generations [[https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BdUjRJ8IMAAg4kC.jpg:large of one stolen gimmick.]]
** Vince [=McMahon=] has gradually turned into a Million Dollar Man, paying unsuspecting fans/wrestlers to perform degrading acts and then stiffing them on the bill.
* StartMyOwn: Since Ted literally couldn't buy a WWF Championship reign, he went out and had the "Million Dollar Championship" - a custom belt made of gold and diamonds - created just to prove he was the best.
** He awarded the belt to Steve Austin in 1996, and eventually, to Ted Jr. in 2010. [[WhatHappenedToTheMouse The belt subsequently disappeared not long after that.]]

* TakeThat: Following victories, [=DiBiase=] would stuff $100 bills into his opponents' mouths.
** This is the kayfabe distinction between the Cobra Clutch and the Million Dollar Dream (they're the same hold, otherwise).
* ThrewMyBikeOnTheRoof: Purchasing a public pool just so he could kick all the kids out.
** The Million Dollar Man would usually offer rewards to audience members for doing some task, but they could never pull them off. He once offered $500 to a very small child to dribble a basketball 15 times without missing. The boy did surprisingly well... [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwoQ2b3k8Uo only for Ted to kick the ball out from under him at the fourteenth bounce.]]
** PetTheDog: The boy was later invited backstage, however, where he was given the $500 and got to meet the wrestlers.
** Funnily, his kicking of Cody Rhodes got him a {{face}} pop.

* WrestlingFamily: Ted's mother Helen Nevins-[=DiBiase=] was a wrestler (as Helen Hilde), as was his adoptive father "Iron" Mike [[=DiBiase=]], and his sons Mike, Ted Jr. and Brett have all become wrestlers. Ted Jr. was signed to WWE but has since left as of the end of August 2013.

[[caption-width-right:240:Remember when guys like this were a ''[[PoesLaw parody]]'' of Wall Street? ]]

''[-(moneyy moneyy moneyy moneyy monneeyyyyy-eeyy ♪)-]''

->''Everybody's got a price''\\

'''''NYAAAAHAHAHAHAHAA!!'''''

Listen up, you nickel-and-dime peons: "The Million Dollar Man" Theodore Marvin [=DiBiase=] Sr. (born January 18, 1954) is a retired {{professional wrestl|ing}}er. He was one of the premier {{Heel}}s in the "federation years" of the WWE. He was inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame in 2010, and has since been keeping a watchful eye over his son Wrestling/TedDiBiaseJr in his WWE run. He is a 3x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-world-t.html WWE World Tag Team Champion]] with [[Wrestling/MikeRotunda Irwin R. Schyster (Mike Rotunda)]] as Money Inc, a 1x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-na-h.html WWF North American Heavyweight Champion]], a 2x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/pwf-t.html All Japan PWF World Tag Team Champion]] with Wrestling/StanHansen and 1x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/aj-t.html All Japan Pro Wrestling World Tag Team Champion]] also with Hansen, and held various territorial titles in the late 1970s and through most of the 1980s before arriving in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in 1987.[[note]]He also briefly held the WWE 24/7 Title on the RAW Reunion show in 2019, [[CallBack buying it]] off [[Wrestling/{{Madusa}} Alundra Blayze]] before losing it back to Wrestling/DrakeMaverick.[[/note]]

* AuthorAvatar: Ted [=DiBiase=]'s Million Dollar Man character was based on the type of wrestler WWE boss [[Wrestling/VinceMcMahon Vince [=McMahon=]]] wanted to be. This was years before Vince himself would [[FaceHeelTurn turn heel]] following the Wrestling/MontrealScrewjob and become the BigBad we know today.

Listen up, you nickel-and-dime peons: "The Million Dollar Man" Theodore Marvin [=DiBiase=] Sr. (born January 18, 1954) is a retired {{professional wrestl|ing}}er. He was one of the premier {{Heel}}s in the "federation years" of the WWE. He was inducted into WWE's Hall of Fame in 2010, and has since been keeping a watchful eye over his son Wrestling/TedDiBiaseJr in his WWE run. He is a 3x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwe-world-t.html WWE World Tag Team Champion]] with [[Wrestling/MikeRotunda Irwin R. Schyster (Mike Rotunda)]] as Money Inc, a 1x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/wwe/wwf-na-h.html WWF North American Heavyweight Champion]], a 2x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/pwf-t.html All Japan PWF World Tag Team Champion]] with Wrestling/StanHansen and 1x [[http://www.wrestling-titles.com/japan/alljapan/aj-t.html All Japan Pro Wrestling World Tag Team Champion]] also with Hansen, and held various territorial titles in the late 1970s and through most of the 1980s before arriving in Wrestling/{{WWE}} in 1987.

* ArchEnemy: Wrestling/JunkyardDog, [[Wrestling/HacksawJimDuggan "Hacksaw" Jim Duggan]], Wrestling/HulkHogan, Wrestling/RandySavage, Wrestling/DustyRhodes, Wrestling/{{Virgil}}, the Natural Disasters ([[Wrestling/JohnTenta Earthquake]] and [[Wrestling/FredOttman Typhoon]]), [[Wrestling/TheRoadWarriors the Legion of Doom]], [[Wrestling/ScottHall Razor Ramon]], the Steiner Brothers (Rick and [[Wrestling/ScottSteiner Scott]])[[note]]Both in WWE near the end of Money Inc.'s run and as a manager for the nWo in WCW. Ironically, [=DiBiase=] would himself manage the Steiners until Scott's heel turn.[[/note]], Wrestling/TheUndertaker, Wrestling/LexLuger, [[Wrestling/KevinNash Diesel]], Wrestling/BamBamBigelow (after he quit/was fired from the Million Dollar Corporation), Savio Vega.