On a recent edition of his “Everybody’s Got A Pod” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. discussed transitioning from a wrestler to a manager, whether Owen Hart could’ve been World Champion in 1994, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On taking a pay cut when he transitioned from wrestler to manager: “Yeah. That was more of being like in an announcer position or whatever you — and I don’t know what any other announcers made but maybe because I had been a talent, and the action figures and all that other stuff, that mine was a little higher than others. But no, I was definitely on a salary. Of course in the back of my mind, I said, ‘Well, I’m still young enough that if I had to, if something desperate had happened, and I needed the money that bad, I could still put the tights back on.’ But that never happened.”
On WWE wrestlers cutting loose on European tours and Marty Janetty: “Yeah Marty, was just crazy. I mean legitimately Marty, had he kept his head together, was a good worker. He was a very good wrestler. But he just, his personal life was just out of control. Marty never grew up; Shawn [Michaels] did. Shawn in a big way. Shawn became a Christian and a believer. And again, to this day, he’s a great guy. Yeah, I’m sure I did [party with Michaels & Janetty] somewhere. But I mean, there’s no blowout party or anything like that that comes to mind.”
On whether Owen Hart could’ve been WWE Champion in 1994: “I mean, you know, Owen was good. And Owen was — he’s still young in the business. I mean, he’s good, he’s good. But I mean, he doesn’t have the, I guess the years. I don’t think he had enough in terms of overall time in the business to be put in a position as the flagbearer of the company. I would say on the flip side of that. I think Bret, Bret had been in the business long enough that had he been given that position like the flagbearer of the company, I think Bret could have handled it.”
In a recent episode of his podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. discussed various topics including his transition from wrestler to manager, the wild European tours, and whether Owen Hart could have become the WWE Champion in 1994.
When DiBiase made the switch from being an active wrestler to a manager, he admitted that he had to take a pay cut. He mentioned that his salary was likely higher than that of other announcers due to his previous career as a wrestler and the popularity of his action figures. However, he was still on a fixed salary and never had to resort to putting on his wrestling gear again for financial reasons.
DiBiase also touched on the wild European tours and one particular wrestler, Marty Janetty. He acknowledged that Janetty was an incredibly talented worker but struggled to keep his personal life in order. In contrast, his tag team partner Shawn Michaels managed to turn his life around and became a Christian. DiBiase mentioned that while he may have partied with Michaels and Janetty at some point, there were no specific blowout parties that stood out in his memory.
The topic of whether Owen Hart could have become the WWE Champion in 1994 was also discussed. DiBiase expressed his admiration for Owen’s skills and acknowledged that he was still relatively young in the business at that time. However, DiBiase believed that Owen did not have enough experience or time in the industry to be positioned as the flagbearer of the company. On the other hand, DiBiase felt that Bret Hart, Owen’s brother, had been in the business long enough and possessed the necessary qualities to handle such a role.
Overall, Ted DiBiase Sr.’s podcast episode provided insights into his transition from wrestler to manager, shed light on the wild European tours, and offered his perspective on Owen Hart’s potential as a WWE Champion in 1994. It is always interesting to hear from wrestling legends like DiBiase, who can provide valuable insights into the industry and its various personalities.