Ted DiBiase Explains How The Million Dollar Title And ‘Million Dollar Man’ Character Came About

Ted DiBiase is one of the most iconic figures in wrestling history thanks to his million-dollar look and laugh. 

Though DiBiase never officially won the WWE Championship, he is the first Million Dollar Champion in history. 

Speaking on the Bullet Cast, DiBiase explained how the title and character came together. 

“When they showed me what the dollar sign would look like, I said, ‘that’s okay.’ Initially, the one that they had, if you look at the belt, there is the great big one, and then there is a smaller one. The smaller one was going to be the [main plate]. I said, ‘That won’t work.’ They made it bigger. I tell everybody, Vince McMahon created this character. When I sat and talked with Vince, he said, ‘Ted, I have an idea that’s never been done in wrestling before and you’re the guy that fits the bill. You interview well and carry yourself well. Until you sign a contract with me, I can’t tell you what it is because if I tell you, I’ve given away a great idea and you can run somewhere else to do it.’ I had to have enough confidence in Vince to say, ‘Okay, I’m your guy’ and that’s what I did. When he laid it out for me and said I would be flying first-class everywhere and staying at the finest hotels and having limo service, [I was like] pinch me. He said, ‘I think I can make you one of our hottest deals of all time.’ I said, ‘In the dressing room and out.’ There might have been a little jealousy, but most guys looked at it like, ‘If I had that opportunity, I’d take it.’ I already had a lot of respect from my peers for my ability in the ring,” he said.

DiBiase continues to thrive in 2021, recently joining NXT to take part in the storyline between Cameron Grimes and LA Knight. 

Elsewhere during the interview, DiBiase discussed his role in the feud and working with talent at the Performance Center. You can find his full comments by clicking here. 

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