Tagged: Ted DiBiase

After 38 years, Hulk Hogan’s wrestling career ends with a slur

I begged their forgiveness
I wish I was dead
I hung my head
I hung my head

– As sung by the late Johnny Cash

I feel like I’m writing an obituary for Hulk Hogan. He’s not dead, but his career, which began in 1977 and hit heights no other pro wrestler has reached, seems to be on ice.

The WWE severed ties with Hogan after someone leaked audio or video from a Hogan sex tape — an issue that has left him embroiled with online media site Gawker in court — during which he allegedly used the “N word” multiple times.

Embed from Getty Images

This is a fall from grace the likes of which is rarely seen in wrestling. A legend of Hogan’s stature usually rides off when it’s time — or he dies. In this case, however, it seems likely that Hogan will spend the rest of his days on the outside of wrestling, and even if he gets back in, his role will be limited.

“Hogan’s career is over. There is no way in this day and age that Hogan could recover from this, nor would anyone in entertainment do business with him,” wrote Eric Gargiulo on the Camel Clutch Blog.

What a shame to see this revelation occur amid reports that Hogan was potentially training for one last Continue reading →

Dusty Rhodes threw money to the crowd at the old Boston Garden

What a shock to hear from my coworkers today that the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes had died suddenly at age 69.

The first time I saw Rhodes in person was at a WWF show at the old Boston Garden in June 1989, when he substituted for Jake “The Snake” Roberts to wrestle “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Rhodes rolled up DiBiase for the pin and then proceeded to take some of DiBiase’s money and throw it to the crowd at ringside, which resulted in a huge roar from fans. It was a great scene.

The thing about Rhodes is that no matter what gimmick he had — polka dots, anyone? — and no matter who his opponent was, the guy was able to talk his way into fans’ minds and hearts. His promos should be studied by anyone who hopes to succeed in wrestling, because Rhodes understood emotion, how to connect with the audience, and how to sell big matches.

Sure, Rhodes was goofy in his WWF days. I know many people remember one of his early vignettes where he pretended he was a plumber, and got called to a house to unclog a toilet with shit in. “Is it brown? You talkin’ about sshocolate brown?” Rhodes asked the hilariously bad skit.

Rhodes didn’t wrestle at the Boston Garden all that much — three times in the 1980s, to be exact (thanks to The History of WWE website’s archives for the stats). Ironically, the first of those trio of matches was for the debut card of the NWA in the Garden, which was Continue reading →

Jake the Snake’s Hall of Fame entry involves the DDT, cool promos, and Damien

This year’s WWE Hall of Fame announcements have already served as a strong nod to the 1980s wrestling scene, and as such, I’ve been thinking a lot about Jake “The Snake” Roberts’ nomination.

Roberts is one of the most memorable stars to come out of that period for anyone who grew up watching WWF wrestling at the time — those memories are despite him never holding a title in the federation or even being a great worker in the ring.

But Jake had a lot of things going for him: Continue reading →

Ted DiBiase talks about the “Million Dollar Man” character, heels, and the basketball skit

It’s crazy to think that the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase just turned 60. Talk about a character who is timeless.

DiBiase talked about his classic character’s development with Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer and Figure Four Weekly website during a recent podcast. DiBiase said the circumstances that allowed him to create the Million Dollar Man gimmick aren’t around any more.

“I had time to develop my own character because I would watch Continue reading →

Ted DiBiase recalls Andre roughing up Bam Bam Bigelow

I love indie wrestler Colt Cabana’s podcasts. I don’t get to listen to them as often as I’d like, but when I do, I’m vastly entertained. Cabana has a real knack for bringing out behind-the-scene stories from his guests.

Case in point: His recent podcast with “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase, one of the best heels from the 1980s. DiBiase recalled when Bam Bam Bigelow debuted in the WWF in 1987 with a bad attitude.

According to DiBiase, Andre the Giant took issue Continue reading →

Savage began his first WWF Heavyweight Title reign 25 years ago at WrestleMania IV

It was 25 years ago today in 1988 that the WWF Heavyweight Title tournament took place at WrestleMania IV.

The tournament came about after the infamous title switch during which Andre the Giant pinned Hulk Hogan and then attempted to bequeath the belt to the “Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. Then-WWF President Jack Tunney ruled that while Andre had indeed won the title, he could not hand it over to someone else, and thus had vacated the belt. Tunney ordered the champion to be determined at Mania IV.

These days, title tournaments are commonplace, but in 1988 in the WWF, there had not been a championship tourney Continue reading →

Great clip of entrance music for DiBiase, Hogan, Warrior, Rock … on piano

I had to pass on this YouTube clip I saw from OneHourTees.com that features piano renditions of the some of the top WWE wrestler entrances.

It includes nods to music for the Ultimate Warrior, “Million Dollar Man” Ted BiBiase, Hulk Hogan, the Rock, Continue reading →

During this blizzard, a look back at a snow-bound Boston Garden wrestling card

As those of us in New England get ready to dig out of 20+ inches of snow from the Blizzard of 2013, my memories take me back to 1991, when some friends and I trekked out in the midst of another strong storm to head to the old Boston Garden for the monthly WWF show.

It wasn’t a blizzard on January 12, 1991, but it was a snowy, windy storm in the middle of the day — and naturally, we had a matinee card at the Garden to get to.

I was 19 at the time and still living at home, and I remember my mother going, “What? You’re still going?” as I was getting my jacket on. To me, at that age, there wasn’t even a question I was going. It’s amazing the shit you’ll travel in when you’re in college.

It was pretty rough ride into Boston. As we often did, we parked in Malden Center and hopped onto the MBTA Orange Line subway for the trip into Boston. And sure enough, there were plenty of other wrestling fans on the Continue reading →

Andre beat Hogan for the title – and gave the belt to DiBiase – 25 years ago today

On February 5, 1988 – 25 years ago today – I and tens of millions of others saw Hulk Hogan lose the WWF Heavyweight Title to Andre the Giant on NBC.

It was a huge moment, as Hogan had not been pinned since he returned the federation and won the belt in January 1984.

I was working at JCPenney outlet store in Billerica, MA, on a Friday night shift, and it killed me that I couldn’t see this big match on TV at home. But luckily, the store had a home electronics section, so I made my way over to the TVs when the match came on. About a dozen other people, mostly shoppers, also watched.

Andre, who had lost to Hogan the year before at WrestleMania III, got his revenge thanks to what at the time was a unique angle involving Continue reading →