Ted Dibiase's role in the nWo

[The Rick Jericho]

He came in looking like he was going to be the MAIN mouthpiece for the group. Trillionaire Ted with all the money.

Then within 8 months or so, he's gone, and he goes face with The Steiners.

What the hell happened here?

[realist]

Basically, Eric Bischoff happened. He essentially tool over Ted's role as the money man for the group and Dibiase faded into the background.

[fw91]

Did Dibiase do anything of note in WCW?

[jason1980s]

Unlike Nash and Hall who came in somewhat hot from WWF Dibiase wasn't very hot coming from WWF. Nash and Hall came just a month from their WWF runs while Dibiase was a few months from WWF and he had a pretty bad run as manager. I also don't think Dibiase's heart was in wrestling as much at the time. I would say his heart is more in wrestling now than in the late 1990s WWF or WCW. This would have been the time when he was focusing more on his family and ministry. I think the last 10-15 with reunions and getting older feeling more positive about being a legend.

[sportatorium]

Bischoff has said that it wasn’t a fit after he brought Ted on for the role. They hinted at Dibiase being rich & bankrolling the NWO, but he became just a guy bringing them to the ring & starting off promos. Bischoff is the king of revisionist history that largely tries to make him look like a good guy, but he’s not wrong when he says that he was a much better fit as the heel mouthpiece of the NWO.

There is also a story that Bischoff was bragging that he was going to put Vince out of business & Ted kinda mocked him in front of people for having that idea. If that is a thumbnail of their relationship, they probably weren’t doing very well together as most guys were kissing Eric’s ass in a major way for giving them paydays at that point.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Bischoff joining made him redundant. When he came in he was presented as their benefactor and the brains of the group but after Bischoff joined he basically took his role and Dibiase was reduced to becoming in his words "Hulk Hogan's belt carrier".

[The Dark Order Inferno]

The lawsuit over Hall and Nash being made to look like they were WWF guys invading and using prior gimmicks. They weren't going to have the Million Dollar man character front and center with that hanging over them, and he was a poor fit with them once they moved from being the ex WWF faction anyhow, a midlife crisis streetgang, and a middle aged guy in a suit.

[The Rick Jericho]

Jun 21, 2021 14:21:10 GMT -5 ThankGodForSidJustice said:

Bischoff joining made him redundant. When he came in he was presented as their benefactor and the brains of the group but after Bischoff joined he basically took his role and Dibiase was reduced to becoming in his words "Hulk Hogan's belt carrier".

All makes sense now!

[Main Eventer]

Also it looked like Ted was going to be the nWo's color commentator after Eric joined, but after the boat crash that was nWo Souled Out. Plans of a nWo show sunk and with it another thing for Ted to do for the nWo.

[The Rick Jericho]

If Ted got the boot, he should've been the LEADER of the WCW side against them. As a kicked out member, he could've aligned with the likes of Nasty Boys, VK Wallstreet and Big Bubba as members kicked out of the nWo.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Jun 21, 2021 15:03:22 GMT -5 Main Eventer said:

Also it looked like Ted was going to be the nWo's color commentator after Eric joined, but after the boat crash that was nWo Souled Out. Plans of a nWo show sunk and with it another thing for Ted to do for the nWo.

Bischoff and Dibiase were so bad on that show. Quite possibly the worst commentary team on a PPV ever. Even more then the Savage-Gorilla-Art Donovan triumvirate from King of the Ring 1994. At that was such a train wreck it was funny. Granted of the two Bischoff was worse and more to blame but Dibiase really added nothing as commentator. He was pretty underwhelming at Royal Rumble 1994 too with Vince. It's funny for a guy who was always such a great character and good promo after his wrestling career Dibiase was so lackluster when put in roles that you think would play his strengths whether it was a manager or a commentator.

[ThankGodForSidJustice]

Jun 21, 2021 15:08:27 GMT -5 The Rick Jericho said:

If Ted got the boot, he should've been the LEADER of the WCW side against them. As a kicked out member, he could've aligned with the likes of Nasty Boys, VK Wallstreet and Big Bubba as members kicked out of the nWo.

I remember them teasing an angle similar to that with some sort of an alliance between the Nasty Boys and Booty Man where they were guys who had no island as they were Hogan's friends but Hogan didn't want anything to do with them anymore (had them beat up when they tried to join the NW0) and WCW didn't want them either since they had tried jumping ship. I remember a Nitro where the Nasty Boys were getting denied access into the building and then encountering Booty Man and them looking they were conspiring something but nothing came of it and it just ended up getting dropped. Shortly after the Nasties were gone over Sags getting into a shoot during a match with Scott Hall and Booty Man didn't resurface until 1998 as the Disciple.

[greyfmdan]

Jun 21, 2021 11:24:36 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Did Dibiase do anything of note in WCW?

He also had a backstage role, from what I understand. But other than his NWO role & a couple brief manager stints (Steiners, Bossman)… not particularly, as far as his on-camera roles.

[Triangle Lancer]

Jun 21, 2021 16:41:26 GMT -5 greyfmdan said:

Jun 21, 2021 11:24:36 GMT -5 fw91 said:

Did Dibiase do anything of note in WCW?

He also had a backstage role, from what I understand. But other than his NWO role & a couple brief manager stints (Steiners, Bossman)… not particularly, as far as his on-camera roles.

I'm sure he collected a nice check...whatever it was for.

[rnrk supports BLM]

Jun 21, 2021 15:08:27 GMT -5 The Rick Jericho said:

If Ted got the boot, he should've been the LEADER of the WCW side against them. As a kicked out member, he could've aligned with the likes of Nasty Boys, VK Wallstreet and Big Bubba as members kicked out of the nWo.

WCW being lead onscreen by a filthy rich guy named Ted might've been a bit on the nose.

[Squirrel Master]

Jun 21, 2021 14:59:01 GMT -5 The Rick Jericho said:

Jun 21, 2021 14:21:10 GMT -5 ThankGodForSidJustice said:

Bischoff joining made him redundant. When he came in he was presented as their benefactor and the brains of the group but after Bischoff joined he basically took his role and Dibiase was reduced to becoming in his words "Hulk Hogan's belt carrier".

All makes sense now!

See, I would have booked Ted DiBiase to sneak attack Hogan moments after that picture was taken, thus starting a feud. I’d have Ted winning the belt from Hogan and defending it around the country for a couple of weeks before dropping it back to Hulk. These two hadn't squared off in earnest since the early 80s when Hogan was green, so their matches would’ve been good.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Jun 21, 2021 19:49:43 GMT -5 Squirrel Master said:

Jun 21, 2021 14:59:01 GMT -5 The Rick Jericho said:

All makes sense now!

See, I would have booked Ted DiBiase to sneak attack Hogan moments after that picture was taken, thus starting a feud. I’d have Ted winning the belt from Hogan and defending it around the country for a couple of weeks before dropping it back to Hulk. These two guys had not collided in earnest since the early 80s when Hogan was green, so their matches would’ve been good.

Ted was well retired by then 

If it was Rick Rude when he was going to make his comeback, sure

[johnnyk9]

He was the benefactor of course