10 Wrestlers That Would've Been WWE Champion Without Hulk Hogan
2. The Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase
Ted DiBiase is yet another legend that almost won the title even with Hulk Hogan leading the way. DiBiase was brought in specifically to work with Hogan in the biggest program of 1988.
DiBiase was a talented, second-generation wrestler from Mid-South Wrestling who Vince McMahon recruited to come in and portray a gimmick that McMahon had envisioned for himself (but obviously couldn't use because he wasn't a wrestler). The character was "The Million Dollar Man" and his endless financial resources lead to DiBiase purchasing his own title, the Million Dollar Championship, after his attempt to buy the WWF title failed.
After refusing to sell the title to DiBiase and then getting cheated in a championship rematch with Andre The Giant, Hogan was without the WWF title for the first time in over 4 years heading into WrestleMania IV. With the controversy that surrounded the most watched pro-wrestling television segment of all-time on NBC's The Main Event, the WWF title was vacated and a tournament would be held at WrestleMania to determine a new, undisputed champion.
It's well known that the original plans were for DiBiase to win the title at WrestleMania and then drop it back to Hogan, or potentially Randy Savage, at the very first SummerSlam in August of '88, but that didn't happen and eventually, DiBiase created the Million Dollar belt.
Considering the personal attention that Vince McMahon gave to the Million Dollar Man character, it's almost certain that DiBiase would've been the world champion and the promotion's top villain for many years had Hogan not been in the mix. He accomplished half of it, anyway.