Ted DiBiase is pulling back the curtain on how Vince McMahon personally created one of the most legendary heel characters in wrestling history — the Million Dollar Man.
During a conversation with Inside The Ropes, DiBiase explained that he was thriving financially in Japan before eventually getting a call from Bruce Prichard telling him not to sign anywhere else until he spoke with Vince McMahon.
That conversation eventually led DiBiase to New York, where McMahon laid out the vision for the character face-to-face and explained exactly why he believed the gimmick would work. After telling DiBiase that wrestling had already done nearly everything possible creatively, Vince explained why the wealthy bully concept stood out to him.
“You know what Vince basically said to me, he says, ‘Ted, you know everything’s been done in wrestling. It’s been done. It’s been redone. But this idea is something fresh. It’s new. The one thing everybody hates is someone who by virtue of their wealth bullies people.’”
McMahon then made it clear he already saw DiBiase as the perfect person to bring the role to life because of his mic skills and in-ring ability.
“He says, ‘I think you’re good on the microphone, you’re good in the ring. I really think you could pull this thing off.’”
Vince didn’t stop there either, as he told DiBiase he believed the gimmick had the potential to become one of the biggest heel acts WWE had ever seen.
“I think you could be one of the hottest heels we’ve ever had.”
DiBiase admitted he tried not to sound overly eager during the meeting, but after discussing everything with his wife, he quickly accepted the offer and officially became the Million Dollar Man.
The WWE Hall of Famer also explained that McMahon wanted fans to believe the character was real as much as possible. WWE immediately started flying him first class, providing limousine transportation everywhere he traveled, and putting him in luxury hotels to fully sell the millionaire lifestyle both on television and behind the scenes.
That decision ended up helping create one of the most memorable villain characters WWE has ever produced, as the Million Dollar Man became a centerpiece of WWE’s late-1980s boom period alongside stars like Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant.
What do you think about Vince McMahon personally creating the Million Dollar Man gimmick for Ted DiBiase? Do you think it’s one of the greatest heel characters in WWE history? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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