50 Fascinating Facts About WWE in The 1980s
22. Vince Wouldn’t Tell Ted DiBiase His Gimmick Until He Signed
Pat Patterson called celebrated boots n’ tights wrestler Ted DiBiase to tell him that Vince McMahon had an idea he’d love. When Teddy went for the life-changing meeting in 1987, McMahon told him he’d have to sign a contract before finding out what the big plan was. It turned out to be the ‘Million Dollar Man’ - a character that’d make DiBiase a household name. Vince thought the idea was so good that he didn’t want to risk anyone else stealing it.
DiBiase had a choice to make: Sign on the dotted line and potentially become the crappiest gimmick this side of Isaac Yankem and The Goon, or turn Vince down and go back home. Eager to be part of the WWF machine and knowing the character had to be a winner, Ted chose to stick around and commit. That was a shrewd decision, not least 'cause he was about to live the high life on McMahon's dime.
The 'Million Dollar Man' had a reputation to uphold. Thus, he was ferried around in a swish limo, stayed in the finest hotels, could expense lavish meals and drinks, and even had a budget for fancy clothes. It was a literal dream come true, and there's a fair chance many others on the roster were supremely jealous of DiBiase's lifestyle.
It's said that this is the persona McMahon would've played himself had his father let him become a pro wrestler. Ted was the right man in the right place at the right time. He lucked out and became a huge star after putting pen to paper.