Pioneer Singles Wrestler
Ted DiBiase
Height: 6 ft 2 in
Weight: 260 lbs
Date of birth: January 18, 1954
Town of birth: Omaha, Nebraska
Trained by: Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk
Debut: 1975
Nickname: The Million Dollar Man
Biography of the Million Dollar Man - Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase has been involved in the world of professional wrestling his entire life. His stepfather, wrestler "Iron Mike" DiBiase, began the tradition and had a strong influence on him as a child. He died in the ring when Ted was fifteen. Shortly after, his mother slipped into a depression and turned to alcohol. Ted moved into a little town in southern Arizona to live with his grandparents. After Ted's junior year in college at West Texas State University in Canyon, Texas, he stepped into the squared circle to follow in his father's footsteps.
After wrestling in Amarillo, Texas and Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Ted moved to Atlanta to continue his wrestling career. While there he met his future wife Melanie and they were married in 1981. Ted's wrestling engagements kept him away from her, while ego, pride, and money took center stage. After the birth of their first son Teddy, the DiBiase's moved to Mississippi where he continued wrestling for Mid-South Wrestling. Ted was hoping that the World Wrestling Federation (WWE) would take notice of his talent. The WWE did take notice. They had an idea for a new character and developed Ted into the "Million Dollar Man" and he was surrounded by money, limousines and life in the fast lane. Through hard work and much determination he quickly rose to the top of his profession where he has remained for the past twenty years.
Ted's career as a wrestler has taken him all over the world; all over Europe, Japan, India, Canada, and all of the fifty states, including Alaska and Hawaii. Ted has held many wrestling titles over his expansive career not withstanding, "The World Championship Title." He has wrestled alone, as part of a tag team, and in recent years as the role of manager. You may also have heard him at times behind the camera as he often commentated and did color commentating for World Championship Wrestling.
Due to a neck injury several years ago, Ted was forced to give up the physical side of professional wrestling. He acted as a ringside manager in both the WWE (Andre the Giant, Steve Austin) and WCW (Steiner Brothers). While with WCW, Ted appeared on Ted Turner's cable networks "Monday Nitro" and "Thursday Thunder" TV programs, and acted as creative consultant to EA Sports for their WCW Mayhem video game designed for the Sony Saturn and N64 game systems. He also traveled the Nascar circuit as a WCW representative. Ted's WCW contract expired in 1999, and since then, Ted has taken on new roles outside of professional wrestling. He is a spokesperson for the Sunshine Foundation, an organization that grants wishes for critically ill children, and has founded Heart of David Ministries (for which he travels the world as an evangelist furthering the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Also through Heart of David Ministries, Ted shares his prayer of hope all over America in motivational assemblies speaking out against the results of drug and alcohol abuse - warning America's youth about the trap of being addicted to drugs and alcohol. He also encourages them to stay in school, set reachable goals and pay whatever price it takes to become the best that they can be. Ted's speaking ministry is not focused only on youth. He actually has an even stronger message for "macho men" and struggling married couples. He speaks at men's meetings, whole church congregations, and special events. He has started his own small federation which is run as an outreach of Heart of David Ministry. Along with this he is presently considering starting his own wrestling school.
TITLE HISTORY
April 28, 1976 - May 11, 1976: Mid-South U.S. Tag Team Champion w/Dick Murdoch
December 1976 - Early 1977: Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion
May 19, 1977 - Summer 1977: Missouri Central States Champion
January 7, 1978 - February 16, 1978: Missouri Central States Champion
February 12, 1978 - February 26, 1978: Missouri State Heavyweight Champion
November 23, 1978 - February 1979: (Amarillo) International Champion
Early 1979: Western States Tag Team Champion w/Tito Santana
Early '79 - June 19, 1979: WWWE North American Champion
February 1, 1980 - September 19, 1980: Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion
November 21, 1980 - October 2, 1981: Missouri State Heavyweight Champion
January 26, 1981 - January 31, 1981: Georgia National Tag Team Champion w/Stan Frazier
June 10, 1981 - July 6, 1981: Georgia National Tag Team Champion w/Steve O
November 1, 1981 - March17, 1982: Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion
June 23, 1982 - November 25, 1982: Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion
October 27, 1982 - March 12, 1983: Mid-South Tag Team Champion w/Matt Borne
April 13, 1983 - July 24, 1983: Mid-South Tag Team Champion w/Mr. Olympia (Jerry Stubbs)
October 14, 1983 - January 28, 1984: All-Japan United National Champion
November 18, 1983 - February 18, 1984: Georgia National Heavyweight Champion
July 14, 1984 - October 11, 1984: Georgia National Heavyweight Champion
December 3, 1984 - December 25, 1984: Mid-South Tag Team Champion w/Hercules Hernandez
January 16, 1985 - February 13, 1985: Mid-South North American Heavyweight Champion
May 3, 1985 - August 28, 1985: Mid-South Tag Team Champion w/Steve Williams
September 1985 - September 29, 1985: Texas All-Star USA Champion
December 26, 1985 - March 16, 1986: Mid-South/UWF Tag Team Champion w/Steve Williams
March 87 - July 3, 1987: All Japan PWF Tag Team Champion w/Stan Hansen
July 11, 1987 - September 3, 1987: All Japan PWF Tag Team Champion w/Stan Hansen
February 7, 1992 - July 20, 1992: WWE World Tag Team Champion w/Mike Rotundo
October 13, 1992 - June 14, 1993: WWE World Tag Team Champion w/Mike Rotundo
June 16, 1993 - June 19, 1993: WWE World Tag Team Champion w/Mike Rotundo
September 3, 1993 - December 3, 1993: All Japan Unified Tag Team Champion w/Stan Hansen
Ted DiBiase's Tournament Championships:
December 12, 1985 All Japan Real World Tag Team Tournament Champion w/Stan
Hansen
October 16, 1988 WWE King Of The Ring
(courtesy http://www.milliondollarman.com/)
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