One of wrestling’s greatest villains, Ted DiBiase reigned supreme as the ultra-rich, narcissistic, and egotistical “Million Dollar Man” during WWE’s golden era. Not only did DiBiase play the gimmick with ultimate conviction, he delivered many classics inside the ring against an awful lot of WWE supertars.
The Million Dollar Man’s encounters against “Macho Man” Randy Savage as well as his tag team feud alongside IRS against the Steiner Brothers are considered among the best works of his career. But these aren’t the only outings from one of wrestling’s most despised villains that are talked about to this day.
With that said, let’s take a look at Ted DiBiase’s five greatest matches in WWE.
The Million Dollar Team vs. The Dream Team (Survivor Series 1990)
Ted DiBiase and Dusty Rhodes captained their respective teams in this four-on-four traditional Survivor Series tag team match. The bout also featured the debut of The Undertaker, who appeared as the Million Dollar Man’s mystery tag team partner.
While Taker’s debut did overshadow the match itself, the closing stretch between DiBiase and Bret gave fans a solid 5-10 minutes of excellent in-ring action – foreshadowing Hart’s eventual rise to the main event scene.
Ted DiBiase vs. Shawn Michaels (WWE Prime Time Wrestling – May 14, 1990)
One of the more underrated matches that has since become a celebrated piece of Ted DiBiase’s incredible career came against an up-and-comer Shawn Michaels in 1990. The pair locked shoulders in the main event of a pre-taped Prime Time Wrestling show in April 1990.
Michaels was still years away from reaching his boyhood dream and had a lot to prove against the veteran DiBiase, who used his tremendous in-ring psychology to keep up with the young Rocker’s fast-paced moveset.
Ted DiBiase vs. Virgil (SummerSlam 1991)
Virgil started as Ted DiBiase’s hired muscle in WWE before he eventually stood up to his employer’s bullying tactics. Their careers were so deeply intertwined that it took fans some time to come to the realization that a face turn for Virgil was possible.
After standing up to his boss, Virgil met DiBiase in singles action at WrestleMania VII. The two would meet again at Summerslam 1991, with this match overshadowing their previous encounter to the point it became one of the highlights of their respective careers.
Money Inc. vs. The Steiner Brothers (SummerSlam Spectacular 1993)
It didn’t take long for Ted DiBiase to form Money Inc. with fellow WWE superstar IRS who, according to many, was arguably the most underrated and underutilized superstar of the golden era. The pair would soon capture the WWE Tag Team Championship and embark on an amazing run with the titles.
As Money Inc., DiBiase and IRS had many memorable matches against The Steiner Brothers, but arguably the greatest match between the two teams was contested inside a steel cage at SummerSlam Spectacular TV special in 1993. It was an era where fans weren’t used to seeing tag team matches inside the cage, but what the got was truly amazing.
Ted DiBiase vs. Randy Savage (WWE MSG Show – June 25, 1988)
Ted DiBiase’s outing against Randy Savage at WrestleMania IV didn’t exactly live up to the hype. However, the pair did manage to produce an all-time great at WWE’s MSG Show in June of 1988. The bout in question featured Savage’s world title and was contested inside a steel cage.
DiBiase’s heel antics, coupled with Savage’s charisma, gave the fans at MSG a spectacle for the ages. The addition of Virgil only added to the excitement and drama as the heel manager desperately tried to stop the Macho Man from escaping the cage.
Also read: Ted DiBiase Reveals He’s Suffering From Severe Brain Trauma
