On a recent edition of his “Everybody’s Got A Pod” podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. discussed working in Japan, allowing heels to enjoy goofy moments, and more.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On whether he came up with the idea for “Mr. R” for Tommy Rich: “No, no. It wasn’t me. The original, I had already done this with Junkyard Dog and Stagger Lee. And so, I know that — I’m trying to think if it was during that time. I don’t think it was during that time because I mean Bill came over, and he was going to try to book, but that was that it was much later. And he didn’t last very long anyway.”
On it being okay for heels to have moments where they look like a fool: “I mean ultimately, yeah. Ultimately, you want to please the fans. Being a heel, I mean, you do things obviously to make them hate you. But now that they genuinely hate you, when you do slip on the banana peel and some of the stuff starts backfiring on you. Well, the more that you as the heel put that over, the bigger the laughs for the good guys.”
On the differences in working in Japan vs. the US: “The thing about Japan, it’s kind of like a different world. It’s almost like — for example, Stan Hansen and I, we were the, I guess you would call us world champions in Japan, tag team world champions. But that was in Japan. That was never broadcast or mentioned in the United States.”
In a recent episode of his podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. shared some interesting insights about his experiences working in Japan, the importance of allowing heels to have goofy moments, and the differences between wrestling in Japan and the United States.
One of the topics discussed was the idea for “Mr. R” for Tommy Rich. DiBiase clarified that he did not come up with this idea. He mentioned that he had previously done a similar gimmick with Junkyard Dog and Stagger Lee. Although he couldn’t recall the exact timeline, he mentioned that Bill, possibly referring to Bill Watts, came over and tried to book during that time but didn’t last long.
DiBiase also talked about the importance of heels having moments where they look like fools. He explained that as a heel, the goal is to make the fans hate you. However, when things backfire on the heel and they slip on a banana peel, it creates an opportunity for comedic moments. By embracing these moments and playing them up, the laughter and enjoyment for the face (the good guy) become even bigger.
The discussion then shifted to the differences between working in Japan and the United States. DiBiase described Japan as a different world. He mentioned that he and Stan Hansen were tag team world champions in Japan, but this accomplishment was never broadcast or acknowledged in the United States. This highlights the distinct nature of the wrestling industry in Japan, where certain storylines and achievements may not have the same global recognition as they do in the US.
Overall, Ted DiBiase Sr.’s podcast episode provided fans with interesting insights into his experiences working in Japan, the dynamics of heels and faces, and the contrasting wrestling cultures between Japan and the United States. It’s always fascinating to hear from wrestling legends like DiBiase who have had extensive careers and can offer unique perspectives on the industry.